In a stunning twist of fate, Democrats have emerged as the unlikely rebels in the ongoing saga that is Trump’s reign. Last week’s Republican town halls turned into furious gatherings as progressive activists took to the streets, demanding their party stop acting like timid kittens while Trump and his billionaire henchman Elon Musk wreak havoc on democracy.

“Are we in a constitutional crisis or what?” asked Ezra Levin, co-founder of Indivisible, a group that led the charge against Trump’s undermining of everything we hold dear. His words resonate; in a moment when innovation is essential, he views Democratic leaders as stuck in a bureaucratic rut of incompetence.

As Trump flexes his muscles and plays his version of Monopoly with our country, Democrats appear more concerned about book launches than impactful resistance. House Democratic leader Hakeem Jeffries, whose brief stint promoting a children’s democracy book garnered side-eye, offered a tepid defense while activists cried out for deeper action. “We have to keep pushing back,” he said, seemingly baffled that “pushing back” could involve more than just press releases.

While blue-state governors express their worries, they’re also cozying up to Trump like it’s some bizarre episode of Bad Romance. Governors like Michigan’s Gretchen Whitmer have dined with the enemy and remind us that “finding common ground” is essential, even when that ground looks like a buffet of anti-democratic policies.

Critics like veteran strategist James Carville might find solace in despair, suggesting a strategic retreat , because apparently rolling over and playing dead is the new ‘innovative’ way to combat adversity. Not everyone is onboard with this defeatist approach, but it illustrates a divided party with no clear battle plan.

While some Democrats, including Senators like Richard Blumenthal, urge their colleagues to get a bit more creative, others seem paralyzed by the very norm they pledge to uphold. If Democrats want to defend the American people, it’s clear they need to get their tactics straight.

As frustration boils over within the base, activists feel a growing disconnect. “We need all hands on deck! We’re not getting it,” insists Lori Goldman from Fems for Dems, who represents the voice of many disenchanted voters. The cries for action grow louder, and if Democrats don’t act soon, they might just find their own constituents marching right past them.