An Oklahoma caller to C-SPAN who identified himself as a lifelong Democrat and 2024 voter for former Vice President Kamala Harris said Friday that he is disgusted with his party and plans to leave it.
According to the RealClearPolling average, the Democratic Party’s favorability has fallen to just 34.7 percent — reflecting growing frustration among rank-and-file voters.
Speaking on Washington Journal, the caller singled out Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer and former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi for criticism, saying both should step aside and allow new leadership to take over.
“I’ve been a Democrat all my life. I’m 78 — and my folks were too — but this party has changed so damn much,” the caller said.
“It makes me sick. I’m going to move out of it. It’s terrible. Schumer, he needs to be in a home. Take Pelosi with him,” the caller added, per the Daily Caller.
The caller said he had voted for Harris out of party loyalty rather than genuine support.
Earlier in the week, a Pennsylvania Democrat who phoned into Washington Journal voiced similar frustration, saying she would no longer vote for Democratic candidates. She cited dissatisfaction with the party’s handling of the ongoing government shutdown, which began on Oct. 1 after Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) rallied nearly all Senate Democrats to block a bipartisan funding bill.
“I have a problem with my party, and I’m not going to change my party,” she said. “I just won’t vote for a Democrat.”
In an August segment of Washington Journal, three Democratic callers sharply criticized their own party when asked whether they were satisfied with its direction.
Their complaints ranged from perceived weakness in leadership to an excessive focus on attacking former President Donald Trump and a broader shift toward the far left.
“I’m registered Democrat, but I hate my party. I haven’t voted for a Democrat really in the elections in quite a while. And yes, I voted Republican many times because I like the policies better. Democrats have had terrible policies,” one caller said.
“And now we have the rise of the so-called progressives. They’re really regressives. People like the Squad and [Democratic New York Rep. Alexandria] Ocasio-Cortez and now [Zohran] Mamdani, who might become the mayor of New York City — he’s a proven socialist and Marxist as well as an antisemite,” the caller added.
Mamdani is currently leading in the polls and looks set to defeat former New York Democratic Gov. Andrew Cuomo.
Additionally, an August analysis by The New York Times found that between 2020 and 2024, the Democratic Party lost roughly 2.1 million registered voters nationwide, while the Republican Party gained about 2.4 million over the same period.
Meanwhile, Teamsters President Sean O’Brien on Thursday called for an immediate end to the government shutdown, warning that the standoff is hurting the U.S. aviation industry and working families across the country.
Standing outside the West Wing of the White House, O’Brien was joined by Vice President JD Vance and Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy in urging Congress — particularly Senate Democrats — to “end the shutdown” and pass a clean continuing resolution to reopen the government.
O’Brien, who leads the 1.4 million-member International Brotherhood of Teamsters, has recently cast himself as an independent force in national politics, breaking from both parties when he believes workers are being used as leverage.
“We took a position three weeks ago,” O’Brien said. “Pass a clean CR, get to the table, negotiate a deal. Do not put working people in the middle of a problem. They should not be in there.”
He said the shutdown’s impact goes far beyond politics, noting that thousands of working families are already feeling the strain of missed paychecks and halted operations.
“And we have got to think about the families that are going to be affected,” O’Brien said. “Think about when you have to tell your son or daughter they can’t play sports because you’re not getting paid. Think about when you can’t pay your mortgage. Think about when you can’t pay your tuition.”
It began like a whisper—just another story about government programs, charity meals, and taxpayer funds. But by the time federal agents stormed into the homes of suspects across Minnesota, the fraud had ballooned into one of the most staggering scandals in recent memory: over
And now, names that were once untouchable—figures with political clout and deep community ties—are being dragged into the fire. The scandal that started as the
When the case first broke, the fraud was pegged at $250 million—a number already jaw-dropping in scope. But investigators soon discovered that was only the beginning. Like peeling back the layers of a rotten onion, prosecutors uncovered deeper ties, hidden accounts, and a network of lies that reached far beyond initial estimates.
By the time the dust settled, the fraud had swollen past $400 million, leaving taxpayers stunned and furious. “This is not just theft,” one federal agent declared. “This is betrayal on a massive scale.”
What has electrified the scandal further is its political undercurrent. Ilhan Omar and Omar Fate—names known far beyond Minnesota—are being whispered about in court documents and reports tying them to figures at the heart of the fraud.
Investigators have traced political donations from accused fraudsters into campaign coffers, sparking questions of who knew what, and when. Some politicians have quietly returned the money, others have remained defiant. The air in Washington is heavy with accusation, finger-pointing, and the kind of silence that suggests more secrets are waiting to be unearthed.
Among the most shocking courtroom moments came when Abby Aziz Farah was sentenced to a staggering 28 years in prison
Farah’s empire of lies was built on a grotesque exploitation of the pandemic. He claimed to be serving millions of meals to children in need, but behind the scenes, he was siphoning nearly
“This wasn’t charity,” prosecutors thundered in court. “This was greed at the expense of the most vulnerable.”
For many, the scandal is not just about stolen money. It’s about the devastating sense of betrayal. Community leaders once trusted and celebrated are now being marched into courtrooms in shackles. “They didn’t just steal money,” one local parent said. “They stole trust. They stole hope.”
Omar Fate himself acknowledged the heartbreak in his community: “We were deceived by people we believed in.” But critics say his words ring hollow—especially as investigations circle closer to his own involvement.
As the fraud ballooned, one question has thundered louder than all others: How was this allowed to happen?
Court documents reveal that attempts to block the fraud were made but ultimately stalled by bureaucratic red tape. Judges hesitated, agencies looked the other way, and while the government dragged its feet, millions vanished.
The Department of Education has faced sharp criticism, accused of incompetence or worse—complicity. Partisan battle lines have formed, with Republicans and Democrats alike using the scandal as a weapon in the broader war over trust in government.
Experts now warn that the Feeding Our Future scandal may only be the tip of the iceberg. Some estimate that 10% to 20% of economic activity globally may be tainted by fraud
Gold, some analysts argue, may be the only safe haven as trust in government and financial institutions continues to erode. “If this can happen in Minnesota,” one economist said, “it can happen anywhere.”
As the trials continue, the scandal shows no signs of slowing down. More arrests are expected, more names could fall, and the political fallout may yet reshape careers in Washington.
But one thing is already clear: the Feeding Our Future fraud is more than a local crime. It’s a cautionary tale about trust, power, and the devastating consequences when greed tramples over the hungry.
And with each new courtroom revelation, America holds its breath—wondering just how high this scandal will climb, and who will be pulled under when it finally crashes down.
Disclaimer: This article is based on publicly available reports, statements, and court records. It contains analysis and commentary intended for informational and entertainment purposes only. Readers are encouraged to consult official documents and verified news sources for factual updates.