The way forward from Marc Elias
This is my first email from Marc Elias since I upgraded to Premium Membership of Democracy Docket. I encourage others to do the same. I believe this is the best way forward, for us to organize with the guidance of the most successful elections lawyer we have.
Democracy Docket
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We now know that Trumpism is not a passing fad, it is not a temporary condition. Starting on Jan. 20, 2025, it will be an empowered regime. Yet, unlike past governing shifts, this one is unmoored from any consistent ideology or bedrock principle. It is based solely on the whims of one man. Trumpism's only core belief is that Donald Trump — the man — is subject to no limit, no out of bounds, no guardrails.
Recent generations have been defined by their greatest struggles — defeating fascism in Europe, the Vietnam War, facing down the Soviet Union, 9/11. The current era will be remembered as the time when democracy was under attack from its own president and with the assistance of one of its two dominant political parties.
It didn’t have to be this way. The election results were close. Had Joe Biden made good on his promise to be a transitional figure — a “bridge” to a new generation of Democratic candidates — we might not be in this situation. He would have been a hero. Now, he will be remembered most for his ill-advised decision to attempt a reelection run.
The signs of what would happen if Trump regained power have been known for years. In the wake of Joe Biden’s 2020 victory, I warned about the ongoing threat of Trumpism:
Trumpism has taught us that, for our democracy to survive, we cannot allow ourselves to be exposed to public evils from private vices. This means hardening our institutions of democracy and making them more explicit.
I wrote that before Jan. 6, 2021, and the violent insurrection. It was before Republican state legislatures enacted new voter suppression laws. It was before congressional Republicans stymied new federal voting rights laws. Most importantly, it was before Donald Trump transformed the Republican National Committee (RNC) into little more than an anti-democracy war machine.
Joe Biden knew the stakes of this election. He spoke of them often. Yet, he rolled the dice anyway. We all lost.
There will be plenty of time to analyze the election returns to better understand exactly why voters cast their ballots for Trump. Beyond the obvious effects of Biden’s decision to run and his unpopularity, there is little consensus. In some respects, it doesn’t matter. For now, the damage is done.
Democrats' path forward is most likely one they currently do not see. After John Kerry lost in 2004, no one envisioned Barack Obama would lead the party into a massive electoral victory that reshaped politics four years later. It required Democrats to organize a new coalition and believe in the power of hope and change.
When Mitt Romney lost in 2012, the RNC conducted an “autopsy” that concluded that the party needed to be more “inclusive” and moderate its policy immigration. Four years later, Donald Trump rode down the golden elevator, recast the GOP and won the presidency.
The excesses of Trumpism, his cruelty and incompetence, may well be enough to usher in another Democratic wave. But we cannot count on Trump to do our work.
Democrats must embrace bold, creative thinking both on policy and tactics. We also need a new generation of leaders and candidates who can harness the energy that a new winning coalition often creates. Anyone who tells you what it will look like or who will lead it is simply guessing. We need to keep an open mind and remain engaged.
Trumpism poses a unique challenge that we have not faced in modern times. He has promised vengeance. He has threatened to use the Department of Justice to investigate his political opponents. We need to expect that organizing a political opposition will face new challenges.
We must fiercely guard and strengthen the democratic institutions necessary to allow future leaders to step forward, win and govern. This means strengthening civil society and promoting new forms of communications and media. New creators can reinvent the media landscape in unforeseen ways. We must embrace those doing this vital work.
Most importantly, we must jealously defend the right to vote in the public square and courthouse. Voting rights and civil rights groups need the resources to do their part, but the political actors must step up as well. The last election cycle saw a steep increase in election-related lawsuits filed by the RNC. Democrats need to reevaluate their priorities and match this going forward.
There is no guarantee that this will work. There may not be another generational candidate waiting in the wings. Trumpism may so damage our democracy that defeating it will take longer. But we must try.
Now is not the time to disengage. We cannot let cynicism and disillusion add to our burden. We need to lean into this fight and demand our leaders and fellow citizens do the same. We must fight for the future of our country, and we must have confidence that when we fight, we win.
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He fights and he wins. 
