The following article, When Your Party’s Worst Enemy Is Itself, was first published on The Black Sphere.

When the opposition is digging its own grave, the best thing to do is throw them shovels. Or better yet, rent them a backhoe.

If you built a scoreboard of where the Democratic Party stands today, the numbers wouldn’t just be bad—they’d be a tornado warning siren. Every major metric from polling to public trust is flashing red. And here’s the kicker: it’s not just the opposition doing damage; Democrats are managing to sabotage themselves in spectacular fashion. Added insult, of course, comes from the very things they claim to champion.

Here are the top ten reasons Democrats may already be counting their losses—for now and into the foreseeable future. Some are rooted in policy, others in perception. All are painful. Sit tight, because each point digs a little deeper.

1. Confidence Collapse—Democrats Are Their Own Worst Enemy

Some polls don’t lie. And on confidence in Democratic leadership, the picture is grim. A Gallup poll from April 2025 shows public confidence in Democratic congressional leaders at just 25%, the lowest ever recorded and far below historical norms. Meanwhile, 62% of self-identified Democrats say it’s time for new leadership. This isn’t just about unpopularity—it’s about existential doubt.

There’s hypocrisy in the air: a party that preaches unity, inclusion, and competence seems unable to practice them internally. The leaders are either too old, too out-of-touch, or too splintered to inspire. If you think the bench is deep, try to name the next big star without invoking age, scandal, or “she almost won once.” It’s not just that the opposition is strong—it’s that Democrats fail to present strong alternatives.

2. Bench Weakness—When All the Horses Are Tired or Missing

Democrats’ bench—meaning people who are young enough, charismatic enough, and unblemished enough—is weak. President Biden and Vice President Harris both have alarmingly low approval in many circles, and many of their would-be successors are either toxic to large swaths of voters, untested, or both. Meanwhile, Republicans are pushing figures like JD Vance, Marco Rubio, and other MAGA allies who benefit from clear branding, media traction, and a base that grooms talent ruthlessly.

In this game, image and message matter. The Democrats often seem stuck defending past wins instead of crafting new ones.

3. President Trump & the Roar of the Opposition

In his second term, Donald Trump has emerged as a wrecking crew for Democratic messaging. Border crisis? Check. Voter fraud claims? Check. Weakness on law and order? Check. The optics are that he’s playing offence all the time—and Democrats are reacting, not defining.

For many voters, politics isn’t about nuanced debate—it’s about who looks like they can deliver, protect, and act decisively. Trump has made being decisive the core of his appeal (for better or worse). Democrats, by contrast, are often forced into clarifying, apologizing, or retracing steps—not a recipe for dominance in a polarized era.

4. Competence (or Perceived Lack Thereof) in the Opposition Team

Trump’s team is being portrayed—and sometimes undoubtedly is—as more meritorious. Whether it’s by media exposure, political branding, or simply the contrast with Democratic chaos, Republicans are winning in focus, message control, and execution. Democrats have run on the concept of perception is reality. For Trump, reality is reality. And most Americans favor his version of reality.

When voters think one side is running a train and the other is still building tracks, that’s trouble.

5. Election Rules and Legal Moves—“Fair” Is Becoming A Moving Target

A massive salvo came with Trump’s executive order, “Preserving and Protecting the Integrity of American Elections,” signed in March 2025. Among its provisions: stronger proof of citizenship for federal voter registration, limits on counting late arriving mail-in ballots, and conditioning federal election-related funds on states adhering to integrity measures.

Trump and Republicans have more recently vowed to end mail-in ballots entirely by the 2026 midterms, calling them “corrupt.” Legal experts as of now say such sweeping changes face serious constitutional because many election laws are under state control. I believe Team Trump will figure a way over those hurdles.

Here’s the hypocrisy: many proponents of mail-in voting were Democrats, especially during COVID-19. Suddenly, certain voting modalities are “threats to democracy,” not tools for inclusion. Democrats use the excuse that for many states and communities, restricting mail-in ballots disproportionately affects the elderly, rural voters, military personnel, people with disabilities—groups that tend to lean Democratic. This is very rare, if it happens at all. Consider Jimmy Carter’s last vote. They wheeled him out on a gurney so he could vote for Biden.

6. Crime as a Political Weapon

Crime isn’t just a policy issue—it’s a symbol. And Republicans, under Trump, are making it one of their signature issues: law, order, public safety.

The Democratic Party’s struggles with messaging (and results) on crime—how to balance justice reform with public safety, how to address real community concerns without seeming soft—are being outflanked. Voters who feel unsafe are not primarily interested in nuanced social justice theory. They want solutions and reassurance.

Whenever crime spikes, the perception of incompetence grows. And for many, the assumption is Democrats aren’t serious about order—or worse, find it inconvenient when tough policies clash with progressive orthodoxy. Put another way, Democrats fuel themselves on chaos. And crime in their case does pay. Handsomely.

7. Minority Voters, Regret, and the Shifts in the Base

Democrats have long relied on strong support from minority voters, whether Black, Hispanic, or others. But support is never guaranteed. Disillusionment, perceived neglect, or policy betrayal can chip away at loyalty. The hypothesis: the death of Charlie Kirk (you mean he wasn’t Hitler reborn?), shock-value moments, and the framing of public safety are inspiring reconsideration among some previously automatic voters. (Note: this point is speculative in places, because such shifts are complex and rarely linear.)

Here’s what we do know: the Democrats’ base is restless. Polls show growing pessimism among Democrats themselves—not just about Republicans, but about how their own party operates. Common Dreams

8. The Border Issue—Real, Symbolic, and Politically Damaging

Immigration has long been a flashpoint, and Republicans are pushing the narrative that Democrats—despite years of control in parts—allowed illegal entry, immigration crises, and lax enforcement. This was an indisputable fact.

Now, with Trump closing the border (or claiming he has), the Democrats are painted as having been negligent operators of a crisis, then punishing citizens by raising fears of illegal voting, overburdened services, or compromised public safety. That’s a hard frame to beat, especially in swing areas where border issues resonate.

9. “2 Million Illegals Gone”—Counting Votes, Counting Consequences

This is less a verified statistic than a rhetorical weapon, but powerful. The claim (or belief) that removing a large number of undocumented people (or preventing their participation in anything near voting blocs) will shift demographics, census counts, and hence political power, is already being used to stoke fear among Democrats.

If enough people believe that illegal immigration = electoral gain (for Dems) and that removing those gains will cost the party seats, then the pressure adds up—not just in opinion, but in policy and legal battlegrounds.

10. The Death of Charlie Kirk—Shock, Symbolism, and Shift

Charlie Kirk—conservative activist, youth influencer, Turning Point USA founder—was assassinated on September 10, 2025, while speaking at Utah Valley University. Kirk’s death has ripple effects far beyond the tragic.

It catalyzes conversations about political violence; it polarizes media coverage; it redefines martyrdom in some conservative circles. The GOP moves quickly to leverage this kind of symbolic event for political energy. Democrats will need to respond with authenticity—avoiding the obvious trap of blaming the gun, fear-mongering, or suppressing dissent. If they fail, the fallout could deepen shifts in youth and minority political identity.

Because of the reactions of many Leftists who mocked the death of Kirk, Democrats are said to be leaving the party in droves.

Additional Problems—Hypocrisy and Self-Undermining Themes

Beyond the ten, there are themes that run through many of these points:

• Trans Issues & Identity Politics: When Democrats appear selective or contradictory about which identities they protect, they open themselves up to accusations of hypocrisy. Vox pops on trans issues, women’s issues, and free speech are showing fractures.

• Behavior & Scandal: Names like Jasmine Crockett become lightning rods when tangled with expectations of integrity. Leaks, fights, internal dissent worsen external impressions.

• RINOs & Internal Infighting: Maybe the biggest self-inflicted wound is that while Democrats are busy screaming “extremism,” factions within GOP and those labeled RINOs are often more unified in messaging and policy pushes. Unity (or its appearance) matters—and Republicans currently appear to have more.

Conclusion

Democrats aren’t just fighting Republicans. They’re fighting themselves: a crisis of leadership, perception, policy coherence, and urgency. If they don’t exorcise the contradictions, stop underestimating the symbolic power of crime, violence, and voting rule changes—and actually give voters something positive, believable, and confident—then the carnage isn’t coming. It’s already begun.

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