The Democrats are fighting scared

It’s August in Washington, which means the nation’s lawmakers are taking their summer break from getting, it seems, not a lot done.

Democrats, who are still reeling from last fall’s election loss, may do well to do a bit of summer homework before coming back to work in the fall. Specifically, they could learn a thing or two from the martial art of Muay Thai, the official kickboxing sport of Thailand.

My Muay Thai coach once advised me, if your opponent punches you and you decide to return with a quick counter, you better make darn sure that you strike back with equal or greater force. “No baby punches!” My coach likes to scream at our Muay Thai class.

In case you missed it, the Democrats released their new economic platform this summer, “A Better Deal.”

The deal tackles issues such as the North American Free Trade Agreement, wants to penalize companies that outsource jobs to other countries, and aims to take on China as a currency manipulator. (Some of that sounds familiar, doesn’t it?)

“A Better Deal” is the Democrats’ attempt to counter Donald Trump’s knockout blow to Hillary Clinton and scramble after white, working-class voters, who tipped the fight in Republicans’ favor in Michigan, Pennsylvania and Wisconsin. While the platform echoes many of the progressive economic messages that captivated Sen. Bernie Sanders’s supporters, it leaves out issues such as climate change, LGBT rights, criminaljustice reform or specific actions to tackle voting rights.

“A Better Deal” comes up short for people of color and marginalized groups in the United States.

The Democrats might think they can win by ducking socalled identity politics and paying less attention to issues affecting women, the environment

A Better Deal” comes up short for people of color and marginalized groups in the United States.

and marginalized groups in the United States. But unfortunately, “A Better Deal” sounds like the strategy of a party that’s fighting scared of Trump, not fighting back. Simply put, the Democrats are throwing baby punches.

J. SCOTT APPLEWHITE — ASSOCIATED PRESS House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., flanked by, Rep. Frank Pallone, D-N.J., the ranking member of the House Energy and Commerce Committee, left, and Rep. Bobby Scott, D-Va., the ranking member on the House Committee on Education and the...