Dwain Northey (Gen X)

Representative Jasmine Crockett has been a steady voice of reason, consistently slicing through nonsense with facts, wit, and a steel backbone. She doesn’t just counter Republican talking points — she dismantles them in real time, leaving their architects blinking like they’ve just been handed homework they can’t possibly finish. She’s proof that Democrats can be both principled and sharp-tongued, refusing to play the punching bag in a rigged game.

It’s almost hard to believe, but it’s finally happening — Democrats have decided that they’re done bringing a polite penknife to a political gunfight. For years, Republicans have thrived on shameless spectacle, while Democrats seemed to cling to the idea that reasoned debate alone would somehow prevail. But lately? The gloves are off, and it is glorious.

And then there’s Gavin Newsom, who seems to have discovered the sheer joy of trolling a thin-skinned current and former president. His recent text — a dry, “Thank you for your attention to this matter” — aimed at Donald Trump drips with the kind of polite contempt that’s more cutting than any shouted insult. It’s not just mockery; it’s strategic mockery. It forces Trump to stew in his own ego while making him look ridiculous to anyone outside his cult of personality.

Even the British have gotten in on the fun, which feels like a historic full-circle moment given our Revolutionary War past. Outside one of JD Vance rented vacation homes, bagpipes wailed in the kind of loud, defiant serenade that makes it impossible to ignore the ridicule. It wasn’t just music — it was performance protest, a reminder that the world is watching, laughing, and, in its own way, rooting for America to stand up to its own bullies.

What’s so refreshing is that this new wave of Democratic pushback isn’t about abandoning values — it’s about refusing to cede the battlefield. For too long, Republicans have defined the narrative through relentless attacks, culture-war distractions, and theatrical stunts. Now, Democrats are matching them in creativity and audacity, but with truth on their side.

This isn’t just good politics — it’s morale-boosting. Watching Crockett eviscerate bad-faith arguments, Newsom bait Trump with aristocratic politeness, and bagpipers blast a protest soundtrack feels like the first time in a long time that Democrats are not only defending themselves, but winning the exchanges. And frankly, it’s about time. The fight is better when you’re not the only one taking punches — it’s even better when you can land a few that leave the other side reeling.