California Democratic Senator Adam Schiff voiced his dissatisfaction regarding the Democratic Party’s absence of a “coordinated response” to President Donald Trump.
“I believe that the absence of a coordinated response during the State of the Union was an error, and frankly, it diverted attention from where it should have been, which is the fact that the president spoke for an hour and 40 minutes without addressing what he would do to reduce costs for American families who were watching that lengthy address, sitting at their kitchen tables hoping he would provide some assistance in affording a new home, paying their rent, covering health care, or managing child care expenses,” Schiff stated in an interview with ABC’s Jonathan Karl.
The legislator responded to the criticisms made by Pennsylvania Democratic Senator John Fetterman, who described the Democrats’ predicament as “a sad cavalcade of self-owns and unhinged petulance.”
“They are undermining the economy, making it increasingly difficult for Americans to afford necessities. That is where we need to maintain our focus; it is the reason we lost the last election, as we failed to concentrate on the high cost of living, and what they are currently doing is exacerbating the situation,” Schiff asserted — a claim that is misleading according to the latest economic data.
Karl also inquired about how the Democratic Party ought to react to the president. The ABC News host specifically mentioned Democratic strategist James Carville, who has proposed that the party should “play dead” and contemplate a strategic political withdrawal.
“We must be promoting policies and articulating the arguments regarding what we have to offer, rather than merely stepping back and allowing them to collapse under their own corrupt weight. To me, that is insufficient. We need to effectively utilize litigation as we are doing. We also need to communicate effectively to engage new audiences in innovative ways, as we are doing,” he concluded.
A recent national poll indicates that a majority of Democrats are unhappy with the performance of their party’s lawmakers in Congress.
As per a Quinnipiac University survey published on Wednesday, 53% of Democratic participants disapproved of the job performance of congressional Democrats, while only 41% expressed approval.
Among all voters surveyed from June 5 to June 8, merely 21% approved of how Democrats in Congress are fulfilling their responsibilities, with 70% expressing disapproval.
The 21% approval rating corresponds to the figure from Quinnipiac’s February national poll, marking “an all-time low since Quinnipiac University first posed this question to registered voters in March 2009.”
In contrast, the survey reveals that 79% of Republican voters approve of the performance of congressional Republicans, while 13% disapprove, as reported by Fox News, citing the survey’s findings.
Among all voters, 32% approved of the job performance of congressional Republicans, while just over 60% expressed disapproval.
Overall approval for Republicans in Congress has decreased by eight points since Quinnipiac’s February poll, with disapproval increasing by nine points during the same timeframe.
The Democratic Party has been experiencing political turmoil since the November elections, when Republicans regained control of the White House and the Senate while maintaining their slim majority in the House. Compounding the setback, Republicans have made gains with crucial Democratic demographics, including black, Hispanic, and younger voters.
Since President Donald Trump’s return to office earlier this year, a more energized Democratic base has been urging party leaders to adopt a more assertive approach against the president’s extensive and contentious agenda during the initial months of his second term. Frustration is directed not only at Republicans but also at fellow Democrats perceived as too passive in their opposition.
