It’s time to make concessions in the name of progress and political longevity.

The profound failure of the Democratic party last fall can not be seen as a surprise. Democrats’ routine and systemic failure to appeal to the average voter and middle America may be the death of progress unless compromises are made.

For decades, the Democratic Party has run on the platform of social and economic progress. Beginning with Obama in 2008, it sought to usher in a new era of progress that largely ignored middle-American values. While it may seem necessary to disgruntle a large portion of the population in the name of social progress and equality, this group was far larger and far more upset with the change of attitudes in DC than Democrats had anticipated.

After a two-term presidency that left Republicans and their voters feeling disenfranchised and uncertain about their future, it’s no wonder we ended up with a president like Donald Trump, who promised to bring their values back to the forefront of legislation in America at any cost.

The pendulum of politics swings hard, and after a presidency that failed to deliver on many promises to constituents, Biden entered the White House. He promised to undo many of Trump’s America-first policies, which alienated Democrats from much of the world.

In the years since Biden took office, democrats have taken a special interest in making headway for gender inclusion across the U.S. Many important and necessary actions were taken under the Biden administration to protect transgender rights, including access to safe and affordable healthcare. Biden reversed many Trump-era legislation that clearly discriminated against the LGBTQ+ community, such as the ban on trans individuals serving in the military.

While the advancements made to protect civil rights were a significant win for Democrats, the “progress party” has gotten lost in the vanity of social reform acts and let its economic plan fall through the cracks.

This latest election saw a tumultuous run for the party. Biden’s initial ticket run was contested within the party as his mental acuity was questioned. His campaign lacked fruitful economic policies and was worsened by his inability to articulate, relying heavily on promises of social progress to help win points with young voters. When Harris took over as the primary on the Democratic ticket, she ran a similar campaign.

Harris quickly adopted the slogan on the trail, “We are not going back,” a sentiment meant to signify the importance of social reform and progress that Democrats hold in such high regard.

In the past, Democrats have been able to routinely rely on young people to turn up for them in zones where the margins for victory are thin. In this election, they fell short in nearly every key battleground state, while Trump made major strides in his appeal to young voters and demographics he previously underperformed with.

During times of inflation, with living costs so high that young adults are forced to live at home well into their 20s, an affordable grocery bill is more important to young voters than their pronouns being recognized. Advancements in gender inclusivity seem much smaller when you can’t afford your rent.

Trump campaigned on a promise of lower taxes, lower grocery bills, and more money in the pockets of everyday Americans. Whether his claims are fruitless or not is irrelevant. Voters are looking out for themselves, and in times of economic hardship, they should.

Politics is a long game, and Democrats have been getting by on quick wins and fruitless policies for far too long. It has caught up with them in the form of political extremists who seek to undermine our democracy with archaic, Orwellian values.

Trying to utilize a modern political strategy that seeks to appeal to young voters, Democrats have gotten lost in the weeds of what voters genuinely care about. In their desperate attempts to appeal to what they think voters want, they have completely lost their identity as a party.

Democrats’ inability or unwillingness to triage social matters has resulted in a new Trump presidency that will see an unprecedented reversal of progress.

Significant compromises must be made to their social platform if the Democratic party wants to make a much-needed rebrand before the next election cycle. Without a strong economic plan, we may well be lying social advancements to rest.