Why Progressives Need to Support Kamala Harris (Even If She May Not Deserve It)
Eliminating Trump- the Democrats’ biggest scapegoat- is the only way leftists can wrest power away from Zionists and neoliberals.
With less than a week to go in the election, Democratic presidential nominee Kamala Harris has done little to persuade leftist and pro-Palestinian voters to vote for her. More than a year on, Israel’s genocide in Gaza continues unabated, faithfully backed by the Biden administration and over 70 Democrats in the House of Representatives. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is now unleashing terrifying attacks upon Lebanon and threatening to draw the entire Middle East into a dangerous regional war. Democrats only respond by repeating the Zionist mantra that “Israel has a right to defend itself”. Perhaps most damning of all was the decision by Democrats not to include any Palestinian voices at the Democratic National Convention. An admission of indifference on the issue, if ever there was one.
Vice President Harris has offered little hope that much will change if she takes office. While stressing that she is committed to a ceasefire and de-escalation in the region, Harris has been steadfast in her commitment to Israel’s defense above all else. Indeed, much of her stance seems like a copy/paste job from Biden’s stances before her:
On other issues, Harris has similarly ignored her progressive base. In her debate against Donald Trump in September, Harris seemed rather uninterested in pushing for progress on many important issues. On climate change, Harris seemed more eager to boast about her support for fracking than to meaningfully address an issue that is destroying the world as we know it. On immigration, Harris’ lack of both empathy and general coherence on the issue was rendered virtually invisible by Donald Trump’s rabid xenophobia. On the economy, Harris could not articulate a compelling case for addressing America’s structural, systemic inequalities.
For many leftists, supporting Harris and the Democrats is akin to upholding everything they stand against: Zionism, neocolonialism, structural racism, corporate capitalism, and a host of other evils. Many may feel betrayed by a Democratic establishment that too often seems to tacitly support these evils.
Progressives have also been repeatedly maligned for their efforts to address injustices. Actions taken to end U.S. support for the genocide in Gaza- from nationwide protests to school encampments to voting uncommitted in the Democratic primary- have been unfairly and maliciously attacked by neoliberal Democrata. Hillary Clinton, a former Secretary of State turned de-facto Israeli ambassador, called protestors “ignorant”. Both she and former Speaker Nancy Pelosi separately (and baselessly) accused protestors of being influenced by outside forces, such as Russia. Local Democratic officials such as New York City Mayor Eric Adams and Washington, D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser employed police violence on protestors, most of whom were peacefully and legally exercising their right to free speech. Even the slightest criticism of the Biden administration has hysterically been shouted down as “helping Trump” by Democratic stalwarts.
(One notable exception, in fairness, has been Minnesota governor and VP nominee Tim Walz, who is one of the few Democratic politicians to praise uncommitted voters and pro-Palestine protestors as the “civically engaged” citizens that they are.)
Given this, many progressives may be angry at the suggestion that they should support Kamala Harris. And though they are justified in their anger, the brutal reality is that this moral righteousness alone does little to change the current political circumstances. As it stands, progressives do not have many mechanisms to hold Democrats accountable. They have few allies at any level of government, are at a steep financial and political disadvantage compared to their corporatist opponents, and are crowded out of a media environment obsessed with the prospect of a second Trump presidency.
In short, if they would like to see a change in the status quo, progressives need to get themselves some power. While it may seem counterintuitive, supporting Kamala Harris provides them with the best way to do so.
Here’s why:
Voting Out Trump Eliminates Neoliberals’ Biggest Political Advantage
Progressives are correct in feeling forgotten by a Democratic Party that has never really treated them as a meaningful coalition member over the last decade. After Trump’s win in 2016, Democrats’ immediate response was to try to win back the mythical “Obama-Trump voters”, a group of supposedly disaffected white voters in Rust Belt swing states who were in reality increasingly racist and xenophobic voters who were never going to vote for them anyway.
Eight years later, Democrats have similarly committed themselves to a campaign strategy targeting independent voters and disaffected Republicans rather than shoring up a forgotten majority of citizens yearning for significant changes in the political system. To assuage their target voting bloc, comprised mostly of suburban white people over 40, Democrats have given up on many of their previous commitments. Gone are the promises for bold action on climate change, upholding human rights, addressing police violence, and supporting immigrants. Fracking, “safe borders”, and “law and order” are all the rage now.
Their only strategy to get progressives on their side has been scaremongering tactics around the prospect of a second Trump presidency, citing threats such as Project 2025, the prospect of Trump selecting more Supreme Court justices, and all that comes with a fascist presidency. As if disaffected voters such as Arab Americans are ignorant of what a Trump presidency may entail for them.
However, as long as Trump remains a political force, Democrats have very little incentive to change course. Indeed, the threat of a Trump presidency provides Democrats with the best political cover to avoid policy changes. Since Trump came into office in 2016, the Democrats’ general political message has been some version of “we are better than Trump”. This mantra has been used to avoid any criticism progressives may level against them.
Funding a genocide in Gaza? Still better than Trump.
Pumping out more oil than ever? Still better than Trump.
Upholding Trump’s immigration policies? Still (somehow) better than Trump. And if you dare say otherwise, you’re a Trump supporter and that’s that.
In the face of the overwhelming threat that is Trumpism, “we are better than Trump” messaging has admittedly paid electoral dividends. Democrats have won three major elections since 2016. Their electoral hopes in 2024 largely rest upon voters turning out against Trump’s most egregious policies, such as rolling back abortion rights. Some may point to the unpopularity of President Biden as a sign that “we are are better than Trump” is not a successful strategy. However, the fact that Democrats were able to gain a surge in momentum solely by switching over to Kamala Harris proves otherwise.
Progressives would be right to point out that they have played a critical role in Democratic successes. Large-scale protests during the Trump era, particularly in the wake of the murder of George Floyd, served as the starkest sign of opposition to his regime. The 2020 election also saw a record amount of progressives get elected to Congress. In 2022, an unprecedented youth turnout gave Republicans one of the worst performances in a midterm election in recent history.
And yet, there isn’t much politically that progressives can show for their efforts. Despite progressive gains down-ballot in 2020, progressive Democratic candidate Bernie Sanders actually lost support compared to 2016. The socialist brand in particular is not a winning one; a 2022 Pew Research study found positive perceptions of socialism to be declining among Americans in general, and Democrats in particular. This year, pro-Palestinian progressives Cori Bush and Jamal Bowman were handily defeated in primaries after Zionist organizations poured millions of dollars against them.
It would be tempting, therefore, for progressives to conclude that they should cease their cooperation with the Democratic Party. Doing so now will make progressives a weaker political force, regardless of who is in the White House.
If Democrats defeat Trump in November without the support of progressives, it will cement the power and influence of neoliberal voices in the Harris administration and the party at large, marginalizing progressive ones potentially to the point of irrelevance. If Trump wins, Democrats will again go back to the “we are better than Trump” strategy, repeating the same cycle over the next 4-8 years.
The best course of action for progressives, therefore, is to make themselves active and important coalition members in the fight against Trump. In doing so, they would provide themselves with the best enabling environment to grow their brand, while eliminating neoliberals’ political cover. Without Trump as an existential threat, Democrats will no longer be able to use the same strategy they have been using since 2016. As centrist Democrat voters become less engaged in a post-Trump era (a very high likelihood given the particularly high unfavorability of Trump), they will need left-leaning voters more than ever, giving progressives unprecedented leverage. More importantly, Democrats would run out of excuses for upholding neoliberal policies such as their support for Israel, making it easier to remove Zionists and move the party to do the right thing.
Jill Stein Ain’t It
The two-party system has fewer and fewer proponents these days. Americans, conservative and liberal alike, feel less and less represented by their representatives, and support for the current Congres is at historic lows. So why not rally around a third-party candidate this year?
If progressives are truly committed to fighting for positive change, voting third party in 2024 is not a viable solution. Some may protest this take as an upholding of the two-party status quo. Far from it. More parties are needed in government now more than ever, but voting for Jill Stein or other third-party candidates in this election will do nothing to achieve that.
Jill Stein is particularly unworthy of progressive support. The overwhelming evidence of her close ties to Russia should be a non-starter for leftists who claim they stand for inclusive democracy and justice for all. Her blatant hypocrisy in railing against evil corporations while profiting off corporate investments should similarly make her non-viable for progressives.
More recently, Stein reportedly hired a consultancy firm tied to a January 6th rioter, the most damning step yet in her chummy dalliance with Republicans. GOP operatives are likewise helping Cornel West’s bid to appear on campaign ballots. Whether progressives like it or not, this year’s third-party options are simply useful idiots carrying water for the Trump campaign.
Furthermore, if progressives want someone to blame for the failures of third parties, look no further than Stein herself. Under her leadership, the Green Party has lost almost 100,000 registered members. The party boasts a mere 143 elected officeholders nationwide, mostly low-level officials. They have not come close to winning a seat at any state or federal race. In short, the party has done little outside of inflating Stein’s apparently unscrupulous ego. Progressives deserve better.
The Time For Progressivism is Now in 2026 (and Beyond!)
If progressives want to break the two-party system, or simply elect more progressive Democrats, they need to pursue a longer-term strategy. There are many challenges to achieving this. The American political system is the most illiberal in the rich world, both in its structure and execution. It is hard to break through in a winner-take-all political system, especially one marred by decades of Republican voter suppression tactics and legalized bribery thanks to the Citizens United Supreme Court decision.
Neoliberal super PACs and Zionist organizations have hundreds of millions of dollars, an army of lawyers, and enormous political influence. AIPAC alone has spent over $100 million on this election, one of the biggest election interference operations in U.S. history (that strangely seems not to make headlines…)
Luckily, progressives have several advantages. As previously mentioned, the public is disgusted with the political system. Most voters are unhappy with their choices and will be looking for alternatives the next time around. Fertile ground for change, if there ever was one.
And it’s not as if leftists need new ideas. The progressive base represents the Democratic party’s lifeblood policy-wise. Most of Democrats’ biggest victories in recent history- from gay marriage to healthcare to economic reforms- started out as progressive policies derided as “unrealistic” by neoliberals. President Biden’s biggest policy achievement, the Inflation Reduction Act, adopted many of its elements from the Green New Deal, a progressive climate change resolution introduced by progressive Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez. In short, Democrats need progressives more than centrists and neoliberals would like to admit.
On Palestine, there are also reasons for optimism. AIPAC’s spending in 2024 should be seen less as a show of force and more as an act of desperation. They need to spend so much because they can no longer rest on the laurels of American indifference. After a year of genocide, a significant portion of voters are no longer willing to support Israel unequivocally. The Zionist vice-grip is breaking.
This is why getting rid of Trump is so crucial. Without Trump, leftists will have the clean slate that comes with a defeated Republican Party and a Democratic Party in need of a post-Trump identity. This will allow for major actions on the policy and electoral front.
In a post-Trump world, Pro-Palestinian activists will have their best shot at taking down Israeli-funded Democrats. As mentioned, there are more than 70 Zionist Democrats in the House, in addition to more than 30 in the Senate. No progress on holding Israel accountable is possible without a political culling of that voting bloc. Without the “lesser evil” messaging to hide behind, many of these Zionist Democrats will be vulnerable in 2026. All efforts must be made to primary as many of them as possible. Even just a few of them taken out of office will shift the political calculus of the party.
The same principles apply to those who want to build out a third-party option. Without Trump’s fascism taking up the political space, many voters will be eager for new options. If third parties set up grassroots infrastructure in Democratic strongholds (D.C., New York, and New England states come to mind), they can begin to put pressure on local Democratic parties unaccustomed to opposition. Jurisdictions that use ranked-choice voting should also be prime targets. A likable, non-GOP supported third-party candidate running and winning against an unpopular Democrat in a high-profile race is the first big step towards breaking apart the two-party system.
This, and more, are very real possibilities for 2026 and beyond for a progressive coalition.
We Need Progressive Voices Now More Than Ever
Supporting Harris in November does mean staying silent on criticism of Democrats. Progressive should still push for a ceasefire and other progressive causes even if they are turning people out to vote for Harris. If Harris wins, she owns all of the malice left behind by the Biden administration, and she should be treated as such. Her inauguration should be marked by protests rather than celebrations if she continues to support genocide.
Protests and other forms of activism are vital in mobilizing grassroots support for progressive causes. However, at some point, such support needs to materialize into more seats at decision-making tables. While Democrats have seemingly shunned their progressive base, it would be foolish for progressives to return the favor. A long-term approach that starts with getting rid of Donald Trump can end with a political system in which leftists can command a legitimate space.
And we need this to happen because we need progressive ideals, now more than ever. The Biden administration’s Gaza policy has destroyed the international human rights framework, bringing us closer to worldwide conflict. Our planet is dying at a rate that can no longer sustain centrist half-measures. Global migration due to both of these aforementioned issues will put a strain on established notions of borders, trade, capitalism, government services, and more.
Crafting bold solutions to these complex problems can only happen if progressives get off the political sidelines.