Democrats misplaced final yr’s presidential election, and elections have penalties. That’s the chilly arduous actuality. Because of this, we’re witnessing a digital coup in opposition to the American state, with billionaire Elon Musk’s flunkies wreaking havoc on authorities techniques whereas President Donald Trump carries out his revenge tour—“witch hunts,” he as soon as known as them in his typical projection—and plots eliminating of swaths of the U.S. authorities.
Oh, and beginning silly commerce wars within the course of.
That is precisely what Trump promised, and it’s the imaginative and prescient that gained the 2024 election. And although it’s nonetheless very early, we’re not seeing the American folks flip in opposition to him. Fairly the other, in actual fact. He’s having fun with his best numbers ever.
So what ought to Democrats do about it?
One possibility is to easily let Republicans grasp themselves. Or, because the famed Democratic political strategist James Carville as soon as mentioned, “When your opponent is drowning, throw the SOB an anvil.”
Democrats ought to dutifully hinder and object to every thing they’ve energy over. They need to filibuster within the Senate when the foundations enable it, and refuse to permit enterprise to proceed below unanimous consent, gumming up the works. Home Democrats ought to pressure Republicans to give you their very own votes for finances and debt-ceiling votes (which they are going to doubtless by no means have).
That is the GOP’s authorities. They’re breaking it, and Democrats can merely sit again and watch them implode.
In the meantime, Trump’s commerce battle and mass deportation insurance policies are inflationary. Public opinion will inevitably flip in opposition to him. “Eggs are too costly” was a potent political message in opposition to Democrats in 2024, and there’s nothing stopping them from jujitsu-ing it again at Republicans in 2026 and 2028.
What about THE MESSAGE? folks scream.
Neglect in regards to the message. The message is “Donald Trump is a catastrophe.” Oh, some will say that operating in opposition to Trump didn’t work in 2024. Effectively, it nearly did. It was a really shut election. However take into consideration Trump and the GOP’s election message: “Joe Biden is a catastrophe.” (See here, here, here, here, here, and here, for a brief sampling.) Coupled with selective amnesia among the many citizens about his first time period, it was all Trump wanted to win.
Curiously, Republicans did have a coverage platform to run on—Project 2025—and Trump spent the marketing campaign disavowing it. He knew that any actual message past “Biden is a catastrophe” and supporting arguments like “Eggs are expensive” and “Scary illegals are eating your dogs” wouldn’t help his marketing campaign, so he neatly averted a extra optimistic case for his marketing campaign.
On condition that the 2026 midterm elections might be about placing the brakes on Trump’s outrages, Democrats can observe the identical playbook: “Trump is a catastrophe. Elect Democrats to cease Trump.”
I’m not saying Democrats don’t in the end want a optimistic message about themselves, however ain’t none of us gonna give you that as we speak. Have you ever seen us Democrats these days? We don’t agree on something! Our range is our energy—and our weak spot. Being a big-tent occasion means that there’s motion occurring in multiple ring. And that’s positive as a result of, once more, we’re not in any place to promote our imaginative and prescient when Trump is attempting to burn down the nation. Nobody cares proper now.
However you already know who will ultimately outline our nationwide message? Our 2028 presidential nominee.
Shortly after the 2026 midterms, a bunch of Democrats will leap into the presidential major contest. Each will preview what they assume our occasion’s overriding message needs to be, and we’ll get to vote on it. Effectively, the early states will do probably the most impactful voting, however we’ll all have a say by rallying behind and funding these candidates that strike the fitting chord.
In different phrases, Democrats even have it simple proper now. The message is “Trump is a catastrophe,” and Democratic lawmakers ought to hinder once they can, and level to each single one in every of Trump’s outrages and ask America, “Is this what you voted for?”
For instance, I can assure you that People didn’t vote to remove the Division of Training. A ballot co-conducted by the Tarrance Group—a Republican survey firm—found that solely 29% of voters supported eliminating the division, whereas 58% opposed it. Even a plurality of Republican voters (44%) have been against it.
That’s why Trump hid from Challenge 2025, which called for the department’s elimination, and it’s like that on challenge after challenge after challenge.
And as soon as the federal government inevitably shuts down as a result of congressional Republicans gained’t be capable to go any finances or debt ceiling improve? It’ll be ugly for all of us, together with Trump supporters.
Past merely opposing Trump, Democrats should continually remind voters that if they need an finish to the insanity, they should vote Democratic as an alternative—and in perpetuity.
I’m bored with Democrats cleansing up Republican messes.
