This is not the New Year’s column I was expecting to write. Like many, I truly believed Vice President Kamala Harris’ historic campaign would end in victory and joy.
Unfortunately, a tiny majority of Americans chose a different path — a darker, sinister, more dystopian path. Since the election results, I have visited the five stages of grief several times.
It is hard to grapple with the fact that America would decide that a second Trump term would be in the country’s best interests. Especially when President-Elect Donald Trump is a convicted felon, fraudster, business failure and sexual assaulter who was impeached twice and is a morally bankrupt, anti-religious, bigot and authoritarian that flirts with fascism.
The political left and the Democratic Party are in the wilderness, and we need to protect our communities for what’s to come and start plotting, planning, organizing, strategizing and mobilizing our return to political power. We should take this time in the wilderness to reflect deeply and introspectively and return to the fundamental basics of politics because the enterprise of America is not lost.
When a political party is in the wilderness or out of power and facing an uncertain path back to influence, we must take advantage of every opportunity to regroup, rebuild and refine. I spent the last couple of weeks reflecting on the virtue of truth. I turned to scholars like James Baldwin and his groundbreaking assessment of American life in “The Fire Next Time,” Hannah Arendt’s “On Violence” and Timothy Snyder’s “On Tyranny.”
These works are helping me recenter my understanding of fundamental truths. I have also re-engaged with Ta-Nehisi Coates’ “We Were Eight Years in Power” and Robert Greene’s “The 48 Laws of Power” to reframe my understanding of political and social power. I am determined to use this time in the wilderness to the best of my ability because I still believe that America’s best days are ahead despite the setbacks we are facing. I am a forever optimist.
For Democrats, I want us to use this period of wilderness to realign with core values, connect with voters, and address organizational and messaging gaps. The Democratic Party should use this wilderness period to foster reflection, renewal and growth. We must recognize that the country did not hand Trump a mandate, and we must use every lever of power to contain the fallout of his draconian policy agenda.
The wilderness will allow us to learn from our mistakes and engage in collaboration with unlikely allies, as well as the chance to build a grassroots foundation that can drive long-term change. The wilderness demands resilience and humility, as survival often depends on listening to diverse voices and adapting to new realities.
However, adaptation to new realities doesn’t mean we should compromise on our values and our understanding of fundamental truths. Historically, political wilderness has been the breeding ground for movements that later reshaped the mainstream.
We need to channel King’s energy and engage in the work of nonviolent civil disobedience. We should return to our anti-war roots. We should leverage the teachings of Barack Obama and get back to grassroots community organizing. We need to stand firm in fights for LGBTQ+ rights, women’s rights, racial justice, environmental justice, healthcare being a human right, reproductive justice and economic equity.
Democrats must remove the gloves because some of this work will require us to get in the mud. The time for leadership is now, and we must show up with our heads held high and our spines strengthened. While being politically out of favor can feel disheartening, it offers a rare opportunity to rebuild and return with renewed vigor, ultimately proving that the wilderness — though harsh — is fertile ground, for it is both a challenge and an opportunity.
I mentioned that I’ve visited the five stages of grief several times since the election, but I am taking this new year not to live in a perpetual state of fear and dread. This era will require all of us to take action, protect our communities and uphold our fundamental values.
My message from the wilderness is simple: Democrats, we must protect and defend our democratic institutions, mainly by focusing on the separation of powers and checks and balances of government. We must community organize and build grassroots support by seeking allyship in spaces we previously ignored. We must advance a clear policy agenda. We must indeed be for something, not against someone. We need to leverage local and state power and wield power to advance our agenda. We must simplify our communication. We must learn from our Republican neighbors by genuinely focusing on unity. We must prepare to take our battles to court and put on the most significant defense of the rule of law this country has ever seen.
Finally, we must expand our reach, developing and championing a media universe that can compete with right-wing and far-right media narratives. Prioritizing these strategies will impact and protect us from what will come next in American Carnage 2.0. We will only be in the wilderness for a short time if we remain focused, deliberate and intentional in our efforts. The enterprise of America is not lost.
Johnny V. Boykins is a political organizer and Democratic Party State Committeeman in Pinellas County, a husband, bow tie aficionado, amateur chef, and U.S. Coast Guard veteran.
