A prominent progressive commentator argues the Democrats retaking Congress is bad news for anyone hoping for real change, since the party's new leadership is as pro-war and pro-corporate as ever.

• Democrats regained the House and Senate, but the incoming leaders, Chuck Schumer and Hakeem Jeffries, are strong supporters of Israel and the wars in Ukraine and Iran, so no shift in foreign policy is expected.
• The "Make America Healthy Again" push tied to RFK Jr. and Trump collapsed, with none of its roughly 40 promised reforms on food and medicine delivered, leaving that coalition without a political home.
• Both parties are described as serving the same wealthy donor class, using divisive social issues like trans rights and abortion to keep voters fighting each other instead of focusing on war, censorship, and workers' rights.
• Past Democratic administrations get blamed for NAFTA, deregulation, the 2008 financial crash, and expanding wars, which is offered as the real reason working-class voters have swung back and forth between parties.
• No organized anti-war movement is expected to gain traction soon, since opposition to conflicts like the Iran strikes is seen as driven by partisanship rather than genuine principle.

Outlook: Little policy change is expected from the new Democratic majority, with continued frustration likely to fuel talk of a third party or a renewed medical-freedom and anti-war movement outside the two-party system.