The November elections were a setback for the U.S. experiment called democracy. We who believe in freedom have every right to be disgusted and outraged. That’s because trump has done more than shown us his racist, misogynist criminal character; he has flaunted his backside for the last four years. His MAGA movement has gained new momentum, but it is not unstoppable. Our side needs a reality check that puts an end to its magical thinking. The fact that the Harris-Walz team raised over a billion dollars and still lost is just the tip of the political iceberg.

There are some of us who are pointing fingers at those we believe are responsible for this maddening defeat. There are others who are critical of engaging in such circular firing squads. I fall somewhere in the middle of these two points of view. If we are to move forward, there must be a sobering assessment of the Democratic Party, the social movements and the U.S. Left. This requires a national, collective engagement of the forces who understand the importance of doing so. Until then, I’ll briefly share some observations which are rooted in my organizing experiences.

The Dems have played the same flawed strategy for years on the local, state and national levels, disregarding the growing strength of the reactionary forces. The party elites have ignored the right’s expanding influence on the entire electorate, not just its conservative base. The Dems have abandoned a 50-state strategy that educates and engages its constituents around a visionary platform for prosperity of the working class, and instead have focused their resources on a few battleground states.

The Dems’ miscalculations have resulted in successful gerrymandering by the Republicans that ensure legislative victories for decades. It has meant GOP trifectas in nearly half the states. It has given the Republicans the freedom to stack the courts at all levels to do their bidding. If investigative journalist Greg Palast is correct, the GOP has operatives in place at the city and county levels who are purging voter rolls by the millions without getting called out.

The Left needs a sobering analysis of how trump got elected twice and lay out its plan to stop the hemorrhaging of democracy. Blood is what I see when I look at the election map of red states. Simultaneously, the U.S. Left needs to take inventory of its stagnant place in history before its lack of action is seen as a wretched betrayal of the multi-racial working class. The absence of a robust Left means the social movements are bereft of leadership that drives a radical re-imagination of possibilities.

No, finger pointing is not beneficial in this post-election, apocalyptic period, but principled debate about strategy and tactics will move us in a forward direction. The good news is that such discussions are already happening. Groups like the Working Families Party, Standing for Democracy and others are poised to put forward plans for building power while putting structures in place to slow down the spread of fascism. My hope is that the many silos will give way to a formidable united front.

There is a new majority rising. It’s all those folks that trump has demeaned, criticized and demonized on his way to the White House. Our mission is to galvanize that majority into a cohesive force, capable and committed to fighting for its self-interests and building a genuine democracy. There is no room for the confused and fainthearted. This mission requires discipline, intentionality and audacity. Are you in?