It was a challenging week for the Democrats. Starting in April, they had high hopes, but by the month’s end, those hopes had mostly crumbled.
Why? Well, to my frustration, the U.S. economy remained resilient.
I’ll be honest: my initial reaction to President Trump’s so-called “liberation day” tariffs was nothing short of alarm. Anyone who says they didn’t feel a sense of dread is either lying or hoarding their wealth like it’s gold coins in a vault. The S&P 500 experienced its worst week since the onset of the Covid lockdowns, diving deeper the following Monday. Wall Street was in an uproar.
But then—surprisingly—the anticipated financial apocalypse didn’t occur. The President swiftly recalibrated his tariff strategy, redirecting his frustrations primarily towards China, indicating he was ready to negotiate with his remaining American trading partners. Foreign entities expressed interest in facilitating deals, all eager to maintain access to the largest market globally. Businesses, rather than spiraling into despair, began to adapt. Cooler heads prevailed as capital and ingenuity aligned with Trump’s incentives.
As April closed and May opened, the stock market was holding up better than just a month prior. It’s hopeful; fingers crossed for Wall Street. The expected disaster simply didn’t happen.
As for the Democrats, things aren’t looking encouraging for them. Recently, Politico published a piece noting that they were turning their focus to Trump’s lackluster economic performance, albeit with an uneasy optimism. Some Iowa Democrats speculated that Trump’s tariffs had caused an economic downturn.
Currently, the Democrats lack a compelling vision for the nation. Their only perspective seems to be that America is on a downward spiral, and they could step in to manage the wreckage.
This situation plays out well for the Democrats, despite their struggling cities and states. Economic crises are, paradoxically, convenient for them—it’s a source of power. While conservatives highlight Florida and Texas as shining examples, Democrats proudly point to California, as they believe these states will continue to attract newcomers and retain residents. Meanwhile, a mass departure of middle-class citizens may reinforce a Democratic stronghold over time.
For conservatives, economic prosperity serves as a means to elevate the majority. But for the left, financial outcomes matter less than gaining and holding power—even if it means thriving on failure.
Another driving force behind this leftist hope is a historical narrative that stretches back centuries. The zero-sum mindset claims that if one person possesses something, it’s often at the expense of another. From the French Revolution to modern socialists, many on the left appear more interested in tearing down the wealthy than lifting up the impoverished.
The left seems to view wealth not as the result of productive endeavors. Instead, there’s a persistent anger over who society deems winners and losers, especially when they feel the “wrong” individuals are benefiting. They perceive American history as tainted, just as they see America itself as flawed because it hasn’t consistently elected Democrats.
Yet, for many on the left, the true issue isn’t so much Trump’s success but rather what it signifies for America at large. It serves as a nagging testament to their frustrations. Accepting that he might be right about the economy or other matters questions their entire worldview and, consequently, their identity—something many find difficult to grapple with.
Trump’s presidency stands as a constant reminder of their grievances, a backdrop against which their aspirations of defeating him seem to risk the meaning they’ve given their last decade. For them, hating Trump feels easier than fostering love for the country he’s leading.
