Progressive Activists Take Charge of the DNC, Investigate Berkeley for Antisemitism, and More Insights
From the Left: Progressive Activists Dominate the DNC
The Democratic Party aims to secure political power through elections, yet “this may be hard to believe given the evidence from its recent proceedings,” notes Jonathan Chait at The Atlantic.
The DNC’s recent meeting “featured a land acknowledgment, numerous loud disruptions by angry protesters, and a collective affirmation that its approach has been effective, albeit perhaps not sufficiently aligned with strict race and gender essentialism.”
In reality, the party has “surrendered” its influence to “progressive activist groups” that do not garner “widespread” voter support.
Perhaps most “noteworthy” was “the promotion of David Hogg as vice chair,” a 24-year-old activist who does not appear “profoundly wise for his age.”
At one point, a protester yelled, “I am terrified!” Unfortunately, Chait observes, “she was not alone.”
Law Professor Calls for Investigation into Berkeley’s Antisemitism
“University of California, Berkeley, leaders should heed” President Trump’s new initiatives to combat antisemitism, warns Steven Davidoff Solomon in The Wall Street Journal. “They risk creating legal consequences by permitting antisemitism.”
An example is a mandatory comparative-literature class that requires attendance at a selection of lectures to achieve a grade higher than B, including one that “promotes the denial of Hamas’s sexual assaults.”
This fosters “a hostile environment for women, violating Title VI.”
Reports indicate that “even in apolitical subjects like computer science, some professors have unleashed antisemitic rants against Israel during lectures. Federal enforcement of Jewish students’ rights was lax” under Biden, but Trump’s policies may change that.
“I urge Washington to set an example with my campus.”
Education Desk: Lingering Effects of Lockdowns on Learning
“Four years post-pandemic lockdowns, American schoolchildren continue to struggle to reach pre-pandemic achievement levels,” reflects Emma Camp at Reason — noting that, according to the federal Education Department, “the students who fell furthest behind now require the most help, yet they have fallen even more.”
“While fourth-grade math scores have returned to pre-pandemic levels for high-performing students, the lowest-performing students have seen an eight-point drop since 2019,” going from 199 to 191 on a 500-point scale.
Among older students, “almost 1 in 4 eighth graders scored ‘below NAEP Basic’ in math, indicating that they lacked even ‘partial mastery’ of skills necessary for eighth-grade math. Around 1 in 3 eighth graders fell below ‘NAEP Basic’ in reading.”
Culture Beat: Strategies for Democrats to Regain Male Support
The Democratic “brand has become unappealing to men,” 67% of whom “view the party unfavorably,” report the Washington Examiner’s editors.
“A party that drives away 2 in 3 men cannot be sustained,” so Democrats must reassess their “implicit belief” that men are “innately part of an ‘oppressor’ class.”
Additionally, they “might want to reconsider the type of men they highlight as role models,” such as former Second Gentleman Doug Emhoff.
Progressives’ portrayal of manhood as “submissive, weak, and perpetually apologetic” particularly offends “black and Latino men,” who have “moved toward the GOP” in recent elections.
Democrats “should prioritize issues that resonate with men, including the availability of manufacturing jobs, secure borders, and crime reduction.”
Conservative View: Popular Support for Trump’s Executive Actions
“How did everyday Americans react to Trump’s series of executive orders? They generally approved” — except for Democrats, notes Terry Jones at Issues & Insights from I&I/TIPP polling.
“The responses by party affiliation demonstrate how divergent the major parties are” on 12 key executive actions.
While “Democrats showed minimal support for Trump’s agenda” (only 26.5% approval), Republicans’ backing for individual policies “exceeded 60%, averaging 71.4%.”
Independent and third-party voters also showed favorable response, with a 42.9% approval rating, while “oppose” registered at 40.8%.
This polling indicates the nation is “shifting towards the right and center” after the pandemic, moving away from excessive “federal spending, cancel culture, ‘woke’ education, open borders, rising crime rates,” and government-mandated DEI initiatives.
— Compiled by The Post Editorial Board