When the Public is Foolish, Democrats Must Fool the Public
Top Ten Suggestions for Democratic Victories in 2026 and 2028
It’s been a week since America’s foolish decision to re-elect Donald Trump. I have not watched a news show since November 5, 2024. The mention of “President-Elect” and “Trump” in the same sentence nauseates me. Any mention of “Trump” does the trick.
Worse, the Republicans maintained control of the House and retook the Senate, which means that the Far Right’s draconian Project 2025 is closer to becoming a reality in our country. Many Trump voters have no idea the vision Project 2025 lays out for our democracy. If they did, I doubt they would have voted for the man who wishes to be a dictator on day one. We don’t get a do-over—we can do nothing about America’s tragic mistake of last Tuesday.
Since Kamala Harris conceded the election, I have focused on one thing—the Democrats must win back the House and Senate in 2026. For Democrats to regain control of Congress in 2026 and the White House in 2028, I remain convinced that Donald Trump is a unique character, the ultimate con man who pulled off the ultimate con. No other Republican could have done what he did with the dreadful record he has. Hopefully (barring total Project 2025 implementation), the next four years will be Trump’s last in office. Democrats will not have to face this successful charlatan again. However, to beat Republicans who run in 2026 and 2028, Democrats will need a new strategic approach—a tweak that resonates with a broad coalition of voters. Here are ten key actions they might consider:
Place primary focus on kitchen table issues, the economy, taxes, and Middle-Class Growth: American voters have proven to care only about their problems. Republicans (especially Trump) very successfully identified inflation and job security as top-of-mind issues with our country’s new conservative-leaning voter majority. The “us vs them” mentality hit home. Trump focused his campaign on this issue and convinced working-class Americans that they should fear the loss of their jobs and that illegal immigrants were to blame. It did not matter that neither was true! The Biden administration created more jobs than Trump and supported an immigration bill that fixed the problems at the border. It did not matter! Trump convinced American voters that inflation outpaced earnings. He also convinced them that illegal immigrants were poised to take their jobs. Calling majority voters ignorant or worse is not the answer; creating and selling a better path forward is better. Democrats must prioritize policies that benefit the middle and working classes and lay these policies out in easy-to-understand language. This includes addressing inflation, especially in the housing and food markets, increasing wages, improving job stability, and providing sensible solutions to the border crisis.
Highlight Historic Democratic Programs that Benefit Large Blocks of Voters. The Affordable Care Act, Social Security, Medicare, and Medicaid are incredibly popular programs. Donald Trump, in one speech or another, has threatened the existence of every one of them. Why America embraced these threats is a mystery—the American people did not take Trump at his word. Democrats must pound on the possible loss of these essential programs and rights—shout out their concerns from the rooftops everywhere they can. Strengthen access to affordable healthcare and eliminate gaps. Expand options. Reduce the cost of health insurance, medical care, and prescriptions, especially lifesaving drugs.
Present climate change as an existential threat to our planet but also as a high-paying jobs creator. Environmental policies that balance economic growth with sustainability are the winning strategy. Investing in renewable energy, clean technology, and sustainable infrastructure, alongside creating green jobs, appeals to younger voters and the labor market. However, be cognizant of the “us vs them” majority voter mentality. Democrats cannot pitch an end to “drill baby drill” or fracking without viable job alternatives, safer work conditions, and higher wages. Want to end mining or drilling? Offer workers sensible alternatives or a phased-in approach that does not threaten their current employment status. Remember that the number one issues on the minds of American families are jobs and prices for essential goods and services.
Promote Sensible Immigration Reform: Advocate for compassionate yet practical immigration policies that include border security improvements alongside pathways to citizenship for long-term undocumented residents should resonate across political lines. The new right-leaning 2024 voting bloc ignored that President Biden, not President Trump, expressed the willingness to sign the bi-partisan Security, Enforcement, and Compassion United in Reform Efforts (SECURE) Act, written by Republican Senator James Lankford from Oklahoma. This bill would strengthen border security and improve interior immigration enforcement. It would crack down on illegal immigration and criminal immigrants while showing compassion to those brought to America through no fault of their own. The bill would improve public safety and reduce violence and casualties.
The bill includes various border security provisions, such as improved technology and additional border control agents. It also provides for additional judges who would be able to reduce backlogs in immigration court and expedite the removal process for individuals involved in certain criminal activities. The bill also contains features that encourage legal immigration and limit family migration to spouses and minor children. It even strengthens Trump’s so-called “wall.”
So, if it is bi-partisan legislation, why hasn’t it reached President Biden’s desk? He promised to sign it into law. The reason is that Trump killed the bill to deprive Democrats of an election-time victory on immigration. Surprisingly (at least to me), the voters blamed Biden, not Trump, for the current immigration crisis. The guy in office gets the blame—the bill is likely to be signed into office by the man who killed it for political reasons despite another year of chaos at the border. Democrats must remind the voting public that it was Trump who played politics with the immigration crisis.
Safeguard Democracy and Voting Rights: Democrats should continue to champion legislation to expand voting access, protect against gerrymandering, and restore critical parts of the Voting Rights Act. However, they should also promote (and perhaps sponsor) legislation to assure the integrity of the voting process. Donald Trump successfully (though falsely) convinced the majority voting block that the election process was tainted (until he won, of course—only then did he stop complaining that the system was “rigged”). Democrats must not ignore that piece of the voting puzzle.
Prioritize Public Safety and Police Reform: Balancing safety with justice by promoting community-based policing, mental health intervention, and accountability reforms could appeal to moderate voters concerned about safety and equity. Trump, somehow, was able to reconcile police-bashing (January 6, 2021) with police support (against community protestors who supported “defunding” the police). The ultimate solution (and any subsequent legislation) must reconcile public safety with citizen/police cooperation and collaboration.
Continue to Reinforce Reproductive Rights: This is still a winning message for Democrats. Given the increasing attacks on women’s reproductive health and freedoms, Democrats must continue to focus on protecting and restoring reproductive rights while emphasizing individual freedoms and access to healthcare services.
Invest in Education and Workforce Development: Bolstering public education, including funding for community colleges, trade schools, and apprenticeship programs, will help prepare workers for a shifting job market and appeal to young voters and their parents.
Stop Focusing on Hot-Button Social Issues that Turn off Right-Leaning Majority Voters. I am a card-carrying Democrat and a huge human and civil rights supporter. I strongly support the First, Fourth, Fifth, Sixth, and Fourteenth Amendments and our constitutional democracy. However, Democrats must de-emphasize hot-button left-wing equal rights and social issues in exchange for kitchen-table economic issues. Do not offer ‘pie-in-the-sky,’ expensive social programs or civil rights legislation. Democrats cannot promote equal rights or civil rights if they are not the majority party in the executive and legislative branches. Sad but true—the new right-leaning majority voter will not support a large lean to the left or large expenditures for social programs. Tent cities, civil unrest, social protest, crime leniency, anti-cop legislation, handouts, relaxed immigration enforcement, and other civil and social freedoms must curtailed until we regain majority control of the government.
Focus on Unity and Bipartisanship: Unity and pragmatic governance are essential to gain the support of right-leaning, moderate, and independent voters. Democrats must aim to bridge divides and emphasize common-sense policies that appeal to the new right-leaning majority voter and even hard-core Republicans who dislike Trumpism.
Will these priorities help the Democrats build a broad coalition to regain legislative influence in 2026 and set up a strong presidential run in 2028? Who knows? But they’re a good start. I’d love to hear readers’ suggestions. What do you think?
If there was no Fox News station, Dems would have won in a walk.
Might I add ‘run on the economy’. Because with the tariffs Trump promises, prices are going to rise. And since he doesn’t understand anything else about economics, by the midterms the economy will be in bad shape. He will try to blame it on Biden. And there will be people who will believe that. Believe that over the evidence that they see. But I hope that enough of them will finally get it.