What would "scorched-earth" Democrats look like?

"Scorched-earth Democrats" is a term that David Rothkopf uses. (Chauncey DeVega, Former Clintonite David Rothkopf on how Biden and the Democrats can redeem themselves Salon 11/02/2020).

Is he talking about the Democratic Party in the United States?!?

The scorched-earth phrase brings this Civil War that celebrates the victorious march of Gen. Sherman's famous March To The Sea, here sung by Pete Seeger, Marching Though Georgia:

What does Rothkopf mean by that?

With power, the Democrats need to stop voter suppression. Campaign finance laws need to be reformed. Citizens United needs to be undone. Roe v. Wade should also be made permanent.

Is it hard to change the Constitution of the United States? Yes. But there are 27 amendments to the U.S. Constitution, so it is not impossible. We must become "scorched-earth Democrats" or we will never be able to defeat the scorched-earth Republicans.

Unless we see this as an existential threat and say, we are going to play hardball, we will never defeat scorched-earth Republicans. Do we have to break the law? No. Do we have to take the low road? No. But we have to stop the Republicans on whatever road they are taking. The Democrats have got to play to win and not be on defense. [my emphasis]

His real emphasis, in other words, is on effectively countering the Radical Republicans who have achieved many of their key aims via a radical-right political program.

He also means that Trump and members of his administration who have broken laws should be held legally responsible:

My response to such people is, "Nonsense". To make such claims and stake out that position is not only an egregious error, but it is repeating a mistake that has been repeatedly made in this country.

If Nixon had been held accountable, we would not have Donald Trump. If the Iran-Contra wrongdoers had been held accountable, we would not see the same people around Donald Trump. If Dick Cheney and the people around George W. Bush who advocated torture and the violation of human rights at Guantánamo and around the world had been held accountable, we would not see so many of the abuses with Trump.

In America no one is supposed to be above the law. The only way to prove that is true is to hold the president and the powerful people around him to the same standards of the law as everyone else. ...

But without accountability, there will be another Donald Trump. [my emphasis]