Democratic politicians have found themselves in an interesting quandary. Since President Trump took office, the sole mission of Democrat lawmakers has been to obstruct his agenda at all costs. This means they have had to oppose nearly every action he’s taken, even if it lined up with their interests. It has been said that if President Trump ended world hunger, the Democrats would march in the streets advocating for the right to die from starvation.

But now, with the 2020 elections quickly approaching, potential Democratic presidential candidates are under more pressure to differentiate themselves from a president whom they have labeled as the second coming of Adolph Hitler. So it is no surprise that Trump’s championing a bill that furthers a cause the left claims to hold dear would place Democrats in a precarious situation.

Democratic Candidates Struggle With Prison Reform

Many progressives have expressed support for The First Step Act, which would alter the country’s sentencing practices and promote efforts at rehabilitation for mostly non-violent prisoners. The legislation would also empower judges to use more discretion when sentencing nonviolent offenders as well as eliminate the “three strikes rule.” But some Democratic presidential hopefuls are not yet sure whether or not they should support this measure.

According to The Hill, Senators Kamala Harris (D-CA) and Elizabeth Warren (D-MA) are trying to decide whether or not they will back the bill if and when it comes to a vote. Both lawmakers are expected to throw their hats and feathered headdresses into the ring of potential Democratic presidential nominees.

Harris has stated that she is still considering whether she would support the legislation. But previously, she criticized it in a tweet: “Make no mistake: the FIRST STEP ACT is not meaningful criminal justice reform, and would be a step backward from our shared goal of ending American’s mass incarceration crisis.”

Elizabeth Warren – AKA Fauxcahontas – also indicated that she has not yet made up her mind about the act. “We’re still looking at the details,” she told The Hill. “I’ve heard from groups who are pleased that there has been some effort made and other groups that are sharply disappointed they can’t do more.”

What’s the Real Issue?

Harris and Warren, like other Democratic lawmakers, appear to be trying to decide whether or not the bill is a decent enough first step towards meaningful reform in the United States’ justice system. These supposed crusaders for social justice want the American public to believe that they are agonizing over an issue for which they have fought for decades.

But is their hesitancy genuine? Or are they worried about a more cynical component of this problem?

Any sane person can see that the First Step Act – while not perfect – is a move in the right direction when it comes to creating a more equitable justice system. But the problem – at least for Democrats – is that the bill involves President Trump, and apparently, that makes all the difference.

It appears that the left’s overblown rhetoric about the president has backed them into a corner. By pretending that Trump is the embodiment of pure evil, they have made it difficult to support an initiative that he has proposed. By leading the charge on criminal justice reform, Trump has placed the Democrats in a “damned if you do, damned if you don’t” scenario.

If they support the bill, Harris and Warren will have to explain why they sided with Lucifer incarnate. If they oppose it, they will have to defend the fact that they fought against fair sentencing practices for non-violent offenders. Either way, Trump will have much to speak of when it comes time to start campaigning for 2020.

The GOP would be wise to address areas where they have common ground with the Democrats. The legalization of marijuana would be one such issue. By forcing the Democrats to either agree with Trump or oppose moves that they previously supported, they can create more problems for the progressive movement. After losing the House, the Republican Party needs to ensure that they do not hand the Democrats more wins. Now is the time to start fighting smart, not hard.