If Democrats do as predicted and do well in November, they need to be serious about what that means. It means they have two years to get in position to take back the White House in 2028. Everything they do should be focussed on that.
And from this follows the one word that should guide them, that should be their north star, and this word is: Humility.
If they win it must be read for what it is: a simple, resounding rejection of Donald Trump. There will be no mandate for anything, except for not being him.
The Democratic Party is at historically low ebb. Americans dislike it even more than Trump, MAGA or the Republicans. A November victory simply means that, in the moment, with prices high, senseless wars being fought and one stupid thing after another coming out of Trump (ballrooms, giant arches, blind support for AI, and on and on and on) people just want to send a message to Trump and the party he owns: Stop it!
But they most definitely are not telling Democrats to start anything. So, what’s a party to do? I’ve got some advice.
First, do not impeach Trump yet again. You did that twice and where’d it get you? He won again and this time with a popular majority. Sure, he deserves to be impeached, but keep your eyes on the prize, which is to replace him with a Democrat. Impeaching Trump tells voters you don’t really care about their problems. It’s a vanity project. And moreover, it will come up short yet again.
Second, run away from all things woke. Whether Woke One or Two, this stuff is toxic. If you must talk about “social justice” don’t call it that. If you heard it on NPR, don’t say it. Talk about simple fairness, equality (not “equity”), treating everyone the same. Work hard and play by the rules and, under our leadership, by God you’ll get ahead in America! And keep in mind that social change rarely happens through government anyway. In fact, here in Wisconsin constitutional prohibitions on abortion and gay marriage still exist. Even now the Legislature cannot bring itself to repeal them, so don’t count on government to get the change you want.
Third, if you want to do something about the cost of living, go hard after Trump’s senseless war with Iran and equally senseless trade wars with our allies. These are deeply unpopular and they’re what’s driving up prices, especially fuel. Do NOT talk about massive new spending programs, like Medicare for All. People see that and think they like it, but who’s going to pay for it? They understand that it’ll be them. Again, you tried to buy the voters’ love when you had power the last time under Biden and you got your back end handed to you in the next election. What’s underlying the deep and enduring divide is cultural issues driven mostly by levels of education. You can’t buy your way out of that problem.
Fourth, make reading a priority. Democrats make the mistake of talking endlessly about just pumping more money into public education without ever addressing actual educational goals. Instead, they should focus not on inputs, but on results. Make it a simple national priority to improve reading scores. That doesn’t necessarily mean more money. Mississippi and Louisiana are making great strides on reading while spending much less per pupil than the national average.
That’s it. Keep the agenda short and simple. Oppose Trump without going nuclear on him. Do not allow yourself to be pulled into the culture wars. Do not reenforce the notion that Democrats just want to spend money and increase taxes. Do not be big or bold. Play small ball. Be modest. Be humble. And dare I say it, be moderate. The 2028 campaign starts on November 4th.
