Introduction
The American liberal left (from now on referred to as the American Left) is a multilayered and dynamic coalition of political parties, advocacy groups, social movements, and influential personalities.
It works purportedly to promote progressive policies and advocates social, economic, and environmental justice. The American Left is a major influencer in the political conversation in the United States.
The Democratic Party is at the frontline of the American Left and is the primary political vehicle for liberal and left-leaning viewpoints. President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris are the leading figures within the party, speaking for mainstream liberal policies touching on economic recovery, healthcare reform, and climate action.
Although the Democratic Party as a whole supports “progressive” ideals, there is a radical wing that advocates for more drastic changes in American society. The notable figures in this faction are Senator Bernie Sanders of Vermont and Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, (better known as “AOC”) of New York.
Organizations like the Justice Democrats and Our Revolution further make up the American Left. The Justice Democrats, a political action committee, supports progressive candidates such as Representative Cori Bush of Missouri. Representative Bush is campaigning to raise awareness about racial and economic injustices.
Our Revolution, founded by Bernie Sanders, is an offshoot of Sanders’ 2016 presidential campaign and advocates for grassroots engagement and progressive policies. Nina Turner, a former state senator in Ohio, is the president of Our Revolution. The organization is dedicated to reshaping the political landscape through progressive reforms.
Various personalities figure in the American Left. Senator Elizabeth Warren of Massachusetts advocates for consumer protection and economic equality, while Representative Pramila Jayapal of Washington, who chairs the Congressional Progressive Caucus, strongly supports healthcare and immigration reforms. Representative Ro Khanna of California focuses on technological advancements and economic justice, further expanding the American Left’s policy priorities.
Advocacy and think tank groups provide intellectual and organizational support to the American Left. MoveOn.org is a prominent progressive public policy advocacy group and political action committee that mobilizes voters and advocates for a wide range of issues, from healthcare to climate change. The Center for American Progress is another influential entity, conducting research and promoting progressive ideas to shape public policy.
The American Left is closely connected with Black Lives Matter (BLM), a movement that focuses on racism, discrimination, and racial inequality experienced by black people. It was co-founded by Patrisse Cullors, Alicia Garza, and Opal Tometi. BLM has played a crucial role in highlighting racial injustices and pushing for police reform.
Likewise, the Sunrise Movement, led by executive director Varshini Prakash, mobilizes young people to demand urgent action on climate change and advocates for policies like the Green New Deal. The Democratic Socialists of America (DSA), with key figures such as Bhaskar Sunkara, founder of Jacobin magazine, promotes democratic socialism as a way to achieve economic and social justice.
Media personalities and influencers also contribute significantly to the American Left discourse. Rachel Maddow, a host on MSNBC, provides a progressive perspective on current events, while Jon Stewart, a comedian and former host of "The Daily Show," uses satire to critique conservative politics and highlight social issues. Documentary filmmaker and author Michael Moore is known for his incisive critiques of corporate America and advocacy for progressive causes.
Cultural and academic influences further enrich the American Left landscape. Noam Chomsky, a linguist, philosopher, and political activist, is celebrated for his critiques of capitalism and U.S. foreign policy. Also, Cornel West, a philosopher, political activist, and author, proffers profound insights into race, class, and social justice, adding to the intellectual foundation of the American Left.
What Then Motivates the American Left to Hate Donald J. Trump?
The American Left’s hostility to Donald Trump is rooted in differences in ideology, policy, and values. These factors combined have led to fear and loathing of Trump from the former, who view his policies and behavior as extremely antithetical to their values and the direction they believe the country should take.
Some of the dominant reasons are:
1. Immigration: Trump's hardline stance on immigration, including the construction of the border wall and family separation policies, contrasts sharply with the American Left’s position on more humane and inclusive immigration policies. Under the Trump administration, the US government had a "zero-tolerance" policy that allowed authorities to deport adults who crossed the border illegally. In some cases, parents were deported back to their home countries without their children, who were placed in government custody.
2. Climate Change: the Trump administration’s withdrawal from the Paris Agreement and its deregulation of environmental protections are seen as harmful by the American Left, which prioritizes environmental sustainability and climate action. Trump's withdrawal increased the carbon price for other countries while reducing the US’ carbon price. When the withdrawal took effect, the U.S. was the only United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) member state that was not a signatory to the Paris Agreement.
3. Healthcare: The Trump administration’s efforts to repeal the Affordable Care Act (ACA) and its changes to Medicaid and Medicare are opposed by American Left-liberals who advocate for expanded healthcare access. In the present campaign, Trump has made it clear that his goal remains to repeal the Affordable Care Act (ACA), including its expansion of Medicaid to low-income adults, and to impose rigid caps on the federal government’s Medicaid spending.
4. LGBTQ+ Rights: Trump administration actions such as the ban on transgender individuals serving in the military and the rollback of protections for LGBTQ+ people are viewed as regressive by American Left-liberals who support equality and anti-discrimination measures. In its first year (2017), the Trump administration tried to reinstate a ban on transgender people in the military. It nominated multiple people to the courts and elsewhere who have anti-LGBTQ records. It directed its army of federal lawyers to take the anti-LGBTQ side in court cases.
5. Reproductive Rights: Trump’s appointment of conservative justices to the Supreme Court, which has led to increased threats to Roe v. Wade, is opposed by American Left-liberals who support abortion rights. Trump said his actions have “put the Pro-Life movement in a strong negotiating position” against proponents of abortion rights, giving himself credit for the various bans that are being advanced by conservatives across the country. More than a dozen states have enacted abortion limits since the US Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade in the summer of 2023.
6. Divisive Rhetoric and Behavior: Trump’s often inflammatory and divisive language, particularly on issues of race, ethnicity, and religion, is seen by the American Liberal-Left as fostering division and hate. They view his behavior, including his use of social media and public statements, as unpresidential and damaging to the dignity of the office. CNN, a vociferous Trump critic, has said that Trump’s extreme rhetoric is reminiscent of Nazi propaganda and his penchant for what it sees as taking the side of America’s adversaries poses a unique challenge to his Republican opponents and, ultimately, the American people.
7. Disregard for Norms and Institutions: The American Left views Trump’s attacks on the press, judiciary, and other institutions as undermining democratic norms and the rule of law. It is alarmed by what it sees as Trump's disregard for the rule of law and his perceived attempts to undermine democratic norms and institutions. In the eyes of the American Left, Trump has been following a consistent playbook in his attacks on the judges, court staff, witnesses, and opposing lawyers involved in his many civil and criminal trials. They accuse him of seeking to subvert the system by using its mechanisms for his ends and to avoid having his day in court, rather than facing a judge and jury.
8. Alliances and Diplomacy: Trump's approach to traditional alliances such as NATO, his strained relationships with traditional allies, and his interactions with authoritarian leaders are seen by the American Left as weakening the global standing and values of the United States and contrary to its vision of collaborative international relations. According to them, the Trump administration’s words and actions have taken a toll on US foreign policy, the prospects for U.S. leadership in the world, and the health and security of Americans. Furthermore, the American Left says US diplomats report they cannot effectively champion human rights or promote good governance because of the President's example.
9. Trade Policies: Trump’s trade wars, particularly with China, have been criticized by the American Left for adversely impacting global trade and economic stability. The trade war with China, according to them, has caused economic hurt on both sides and has led to the diversion of trade flows away from both China and the United States. Heather Long of the Washington Post wrote: “U.S. economic growth slowed, business investment froze, and companies didn’t hire as many people. Across the nation, many farmers went bankrupt, and the manufacturing and freight transportation sectors hit lows not seen since the last recession.”
10. Tax Cuts: The 2017 tax cuts, which are seen as disproportionately benefiting the wealthy and corporations, are opposed by the American Left who promote more progressive taxation and wealth redistribution. New research shows the corporate rate cut overwhelmingly benefited top earners and executives, failing to trickle down to rank-and-file workers. The available evidence suggests that this tax cut has indeed not provided substantial advantages for regular workers.
11. Regulation: Deregulation efforts, particularly in financial, environmental, and labor markets, are seen by the American Left as favoring big businesses at the expense of consumer and worker protections. They say President Trump often used executive orders as a centerpiece of his deregulatory agenda and often ordered U.S. federal agencies to rescind regulations. The American Left’s position is that Trump’s “corporate presidency” delivered benefits to businesses, but harmed the public.
12. Transparency and Accountability: Issues such as the handling of the Mueller investigation, the Ukraine scandal leading to his impeachment, and concerns about conflicts of interest and personal gain are viewed by the American Left as indicative of corruption and a lack of accountability under the Trump administration. Some of its observers say the administration took important policy steps to improve the way agencies collect and share data. Still, others cite an abysmal record in releasing information related to policy decisions and activities on immigration enforcement, environmental protection, climate science, and other contentious issues.
13. Racial Inequality: The American Left perceives Trump's rhetoric and policies as exacerbating racial tensions and undermining civil rights. His handling of issues related to police brutality and his response to movements like BLM have been particularly provocative. Some had hoped he would moderate his tone in office, but during his four years, they aver that Trump had inflamed racial tensions even more — through both rhetoric and policy. They further contend that Trump heavily favored existing American prejudices, oftentimes times using racist language and dog whistles, and has repeatedly failed to denounce white supremacy.
14. Women's Rights: The American Left denounces Trump's inconsistent stance on reproductive rights, including his efforts to restrict access to abortion by causing the question to be thrown to the states, and his appointments of conservative justices to the Supreme Court who have struck down Roe v. Wade. To them, few issues epitomize the astonishing nature of Donald J. Trump’s political comeback as his stand on abortion. Over the past two decades, Trump’s public statements on one of the most divisive American issues have swung like a pendulum, to his political advantage. In response, Trump has compared his shifting stand on abortion to that of Republican icon and former President Ronald Reagan.
15. Labor Rights: Trump's policies are seen by the American Left as favoring businesses over workers, with less emphasis on labor rights, fair wages, and workplace protections. The American Left contends that from Trump’s first day in office, he systematically promoted the interests of corporate executives and shareholders over those of working people. Furthermore, they charge that Trump rolled back worker protections, proposed budgets that slash funding for agencies that safeguard workers’ rights, wages, and safety, and consistently attacked workers’ ability to organize and collectively bargain.
16. Response to the Covid Crisis: The American Left has criticized President Trump's handling of the COVID-19 pandemic. It perceives his response as inadequate, dismissive of scientific advice, and harmful to public health. In particular, the American Left has decried Trump’s failure to mount a timely and effective response to the COVID‐19 outbreak, despite ample warning. They avow that the Trump administration underestimated the coronavirus threat and responded slowly and botched the federal response.
References:
Brookings. (2021, July 23). Have Democrats become a party of the left? Retrieved from https://www.brookings.edu
Brookings. (2021). The political typology: In polarized era, deep divisions persist within coalitions of both Democrats and Republicans. Retrieved from https://www.pewresearch.org
Brookings. (2020). The Trump administration’s major environmental deregulations. Retrieved from https://www.brookings.edu
Columbia University. (2021). The Paris Climate Agreement: What Trump’s decision to leave means. Retrieved from https://news.climate.columbia.edu
Grantham Research Institute. (2017, June 5). Trump’s withdrawal from the Paris Agreement: What next for international climate policy?. Retrieved from https://www.lse.ac.uk
Long, H. (2020). U.S. economic growth slowed, business investment froze, and companies didn’t hire as many people. The Washington Post. Retrieved from https://www.washingtonpost.com
National Geographic. (2020). 15 ways the Trump administration has impacted the environment. Retrieved from https://www.nationalgeographic.com
United States Department of State. (2020). On the U.S. withdrawal from the Paris Agreement. Retrieved from https://2017-2021.state.gov
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