The winds of change are in the air and signs that the tide may be turning in favor of democracy are beginning to appear.

One such indicator is the retirement of some elder Democratic Congresspeople. Rep. Jerry Natler, a 78-year-old New York liberal, has been in Congress for more than 30 years since 1992. He believes it’s time for a younger generation to take the reins of power and that they may be better able to save the nation from Trump’s autocracy.[1] And he’s not alone.

As of September 2, 10 Congressional Democrats are not running for re-election next year. I’m sure more will follow them. Another one calling it quits is Rep. Jan Schakowsky, 81, of Illinois. She feels it’s time to pass the baton.[2]

Additionally, some young Democrats are challenging elder incumbents in next year’s primaries. Politico reports that they “are chafing at what they see as feeble leadership protecting the status quo in Washington…They’re channeling the burbling anger inside the Democratic Party base that’s not only furious at President Donald Trump, but also at the way congressional leaders have failed to mount a meaningful resistance.”[3]  A new wave of younger, more assertive Democrats is clearly emerging. Will it be big enough and strong enough to overcome Trump and his MAGA movement remains to be seen.

At the same time, Trump’s inept handling of the economy offers evidence that his autocratic leanings are not good for the American people. The unemployment rate is the highest in almost four years and “millions of workers are unable to find full-time employment,” according to Alex Jacquez at the progressive advocacy organization Groundwork Collaborative. And Rep. Brendan Boyle (D-Pa.) noted that Trump inherited a solid economy and “in just seven months, he’s managed to screw it up…Now, working families are getting squeezed from every direction: higher prices, Republicans’ Big Ugly Law ripping health care away from millions, and a job market that’s slowing down.”[4]

The conservative Wall Street Journal agreed.  It placed the blame for the slowdown on Trump and his unilateral tariff crusade, which is wrecking the very industries—like mining and manufacturing—that he campaigned on saving last year. Its editorial board wrote, “Repeat after us: Tariffs are taxes, and taxes hurt economic growth.”[5] And, according to a new NBC poll, more than 6 in 10 Americans disapprove of Trump’s handling of inflation.[6]

Moreover, Trump’s immigration policy is actually undermining his efforts to expand American manufacturing. Last week ICE (Immigration and Customs Enforcement) raided a new Hyundai plant in Georgia that will produce electric car batteries, and detained 475 workers, most of them South Korean nationals. In 2022, Georgia’s Republican governor called the plant “the largest economic development project in our state’s history.”[7] This unnecessary, Trump-generated disruption will be detrimental to both countries’ economies as well as to their overall relationship. It is but another example of why Trump’s authoritarianism is bad for America.

Meanwhile, the controversy over the Epstein files continues to embroil Trump. Though he insists it’s all a Democratic hoax, a massive poll conducted by Rep. Thomas Massie (R-Ky) found that over 90% of respondents did not agree with Trump that the case was a hoax and called for the release of all the evidence that would likely incriminate many wealthy Trump supporters, if not the president himself.[8] Other Republicans, including Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-Ga), are demanding the release of all the Epstein files. “We campaigned on transparency issues,” she argued. “All of a sudden, there’s this hard stance coming from the Republican leadership and many of the members and the administration, and I’m shocked by it…The truth needs to come out,” Greene concluded.[9]

There are other examples of Trump’s dictatorial efforts floundering, e.g. his regime’s vaccine and labor policies, which need to be addressed as well. But what is now becoming abundantly clear is the vulnerability of Trump’s fascist regime. What is not so clear is whether the majority of Americans who oppose it[10] will stand up to his autocracy and build a stronger democracy in our country.

Bruce Berlin, J.D.

A retired, public sector ethics attorney, Berlin is the author of Breaking Big Money’s Grip on America (See breakingbigmoneysgrip.com.), and his new memoir, From Camden to Kathmandu. He is the founder of New Mexicans for Money Out of Politics, a former U.S. Institute of Peace fellow, and the founder and former executive director of The Trinity Forum for International Security and Conflict Resolution. He can be reached at breakingbigmoneysgrip@gmail.com.

Subscribe to this blog at https://breakingbigmoneysgrip.com/my-blog-3/.

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[1] https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/politics/democratic-rep-jerry-nadler-to-retire-from-congress/ar-AA1LFXEO?ocid=BingNewsSerp

[2] https://thedailybs.com/2025/05/05/longtime-dem-congresswoman-calls-it-quits-after-26-years/

[3] https://www.politico.com/news/2025/04/09/democrats-age-primary-campaigns-032542

[4] https://www.commondreams.org/news/trump-august-jobs-report

[5] https://www.msn.com/en-us/money/markets/murdoch-paper-slams-trump-after-disastrous-jobs-report/ar-AA1M1oEH?ocid=BingNewsVerp

[6] https://www.yahoo.com/news/articles/midterm-warning-signs-nbc-poll-140951595.html

[7] https://www.politico.com/news/2025/09/08/trump-warns-foreign-companies-hyundai-immigration-raid-south-korea-00550030?utm_content=user/politico&utm_source=flipboard

[8] https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/politics/trumps-epstein-hoax-remark-firmly-rejected-in-republicans-online-poll/ar-AA1M0Yl0?ocid=BingNewsSerp

[9] https://www.yahoo.com/news/articles/mtg-launches-fresh-assault-gop-171024200.html

[10] https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/americas/us-politics/trump-approval-rating-poll-august-vaccines-b2821821.html