The 2026 midterms delivered a painful reality check for Republicans, but according to a blistering op-ed in the American Thinker, the real losers are truth and accountability. The piece, penned by conservative commentator Jack Hellner, lambasts Democrats for winning on what he calls “fantasy” promises—while skewering GOP leaders for letting them get away with it.
The Empty Promises Playbook
Hellner’s central argument is that Democrats successfully convinced voters they could solve inflation, high energy costs, and unaffordable healthcare—despite, he claims, offering no concrete plans. “They supported Biden’s policies while inflation skyrocketed,” he writes, “and now want credit for fixing problems they exacerbated.” The column particularly hammers green energy policies, quoting Barack Obama’s 2008 admission that electricity prices would “necessarily skyrocket” under his climate plan as evidence that today’s Democrats are dishonest about the costs of their agenda.
Republican Failures: The Unforced Errors
But the essay reserves equal fury for Republicans who, despite controlling Congress, “did so little to obstruct Biden’s destructive policies.” Hellner lists Trump-era accomplishments on immigration, deregulation, and foreign policy as proof of what strong leadership could achieve—contrasting them with GOP lawmakers who couldn’t even pass voter ID laws or protect women’s sports, despite their popularity. “Campaigning on popular issues is easier than fighting for them,” he quips.
Media as ‘Democrat Campaign Workers’
The most incendiary section targets mainstream media, accused of uncritically amplifying Democratic “fantasies” like Trump canceling elections or deploying ICE agents to polling places. Hellner singles out Hillary Clinton’s pre-election View appearance, where she warned of GOP “shenanigans,” as emblematic of a press corps that “hasn’t cared about truth for years.” His conclusion? Many journalists are just “volunteer Democrat campaign workers.”
The Silver Lining: A Tea Party Redux?
Oddly, the piece ends on an optimistic note for conservatives, drawing parallels to 2008’s GOP wipeout—which preceded the Tea Party resurgence and massive down-ballot gains under Obama. The lesson, Hellner argues, isn’t to move left but to “give Americans a reason to vote Republican.” With Trump still in office to veto Democratic bills, he urges congressional Republicans to finally start fighting—or risk becoming permanent spectators in their own revolution.
Source: www.americanthinker.com — https://www.americanthinker.com/articles/2026/11/democrats-in-and-out-of-the-media-live-in-a-fantasy-world/