Oppose. Propose. Prepare.
Notes on Approaching the Next Four Years
“Oppose. Propose. Prepare.” It’s a simple mantra — one worth considering as a strategy for combatting the second term of Donald Trump, and importantly as a political strategy to fight for the return of a values driven nation and a return of Democratic leadership.
Oppose. Donald Trump and today’s Republican leadership represents a danger to fundamental American values and to the United States Constitution itself. This is not a time to seek bipartisanship, nor a time to give parity. This is not a time to normalize the threat, to provide the President a platform of credibility, or to look away from what is right in front of us. Donald Trump was charged with conspiring to defraud the American people of their democracy. He has been found criminally guilty of fraud. He is an oath breaker who incited violence to overturn an election. He did not participate in a peaceful transfer of power in 2021, and he still denies the legitimacy of elections.
But that was all before he was sworn in a second time. Since taking office on January 20th, he has already violated the Constitution and broken U.S. statutes. He brazenly violated the protections of the 14th Amendment for those born on U.S. soil, and he abandoned the “take care” clause that requires a sitting president to faithfully execute currently enacted statutes. He announced he will not obligate constitutionally appropriated funds for activities with which he disagrees, and he chose to suspend enforcement of laws like the FACE Act which prohibits the use of physical force when intended to interfere with women’s health clinics. The list of violations goes on.
On policy, he is turning the nation in a dark direction worthy of public condemnation. He is not simply opposing illegal immigration; he seeks to fundamentally transform or end legal immigration. He is abandoning public health, consumer safety, climate science, the rule of law, equal protection, and has essentially put his Administration up for sale to a new class of oligarchs, both foreign and domestic.
Donald Trump likewise has no interest in bipartisanship. He is famous for cutting his own political loyalists, and he certainly disparages Democrats at every turn. As a Trump transition spokeswoman recently explained, “We have no room in our administration for Democrats.”
Donald Trump is wrong for America, he is a threat to our constitutional order, and he deserves condemnation for his actions. The condemnation must be swift, loud, and persistent. It need not be moderated, it need not be equivocated, and it needs no apology. It is an act of patriotism, and courage, to speak out and to confront both the wrongdoing of the President and the misinformation that supports his malevolent work.
Propose. A new Democratic coalition must continue proposing ideas that meet voters where they are. I don’t subscribe to the multiple autopsies from the November 2024 election suggesting all the things that Democrats did wrong. I think the Democrats under four years of a Joe Biden — Kamala Harris Administration restored order to the nation and to policymaking, reset our national priorities, restored leadership on the world stage, and created a national narrative reflecting our fundamental values of goodness and equality. I think the campaigns of both Biden and Harris reflected the Democratic agenda and were strategically run well. Sure, like every observer I have opinions about tactics and messaging, but the campaigns followed data and conviction to do everything they could to win.
In my estimation, the 2024 presidential election may have simply been unwinnable for Democrats. In a post-pandemic economy where the world was still reeling from monumental disruption to life as we knew it, many western nations disposed of their incumbent leadership. So too did the United States. This despite the U.S. recovery being the envy of the world. The Biden-Harris Administration had created morning in America again. More people are going to work than ever before. The stock market is at an all-time high. Participation in retirement accounts is likewise breaking records. Home ownership remains at historic highs, and access to healthcare and education likewise remains at historic highs. The Biden Administration invested heavily in infrastructure and technology, and it sought to relieve the burden of prescription drugs and student debt. Along the way they defended the rights and dignity of every human being, regardless of their race, gender, sexual identity, immigration status, religion, or any other manifestation of personal identity and personal liberty. The metrics were there for a victory, but the world sentiment simply was not.
So, I also disagree with leading Democrats who suggest they need to change course, change their posture, accommodate President Trump, or abandon their positions. Winning doesn’t make Donald Trump right, and losing doesn’t make Democrats wrong. Policies and ideas simply need to meet the moment.
Here are some ideas to meet the moment and return Democrats to leadership. First, propose and plan for the largest middle class tax cut in American history. Joe Biden would often say under his Administration any family making under $400,000 would not see a tax increase. Trump was promising tax cuts. Tax cuts are popular. Tax cuts can also be responsible if there is a responsible economic motive to them. The most pressing priority for any new tax cuts must be economic growth and affordability for the working class — blue collar, white collar, hourly, career. The individuals and families working for a paycheck, putting food on the table, gas in their car, and the many expenses that come with raising children. That’s not Trump’s plan, but it can be the Democrats.
Democrats should lower marginal tax rates for the working class, including those families earning up to $400,000. Bring back popular itemized deductions in addition to keeping the enhanced standard deduction of the Trump tax cuts. Raise revenue from upper income individuals and corporations by zeroing in on an Alternative Minimum Tax strategy and secondly by revisiting the marginal tax rates for those two groups. But importantly, don’t insult the upper income and corporations with the tired refrain of “paying their fair share”. That’s class warfare. High earners pay higher taxes. The bulk of all federal revenue from personal taxes comes from higher earners. Don’t attack their success or station in life but simply be honest about math. As the infamous bank robber William Sutton explained when asked why he robbed banks, “because that’s where the money is”. The working and middle class is under enormous strain, and the nation must be responsible with revenue and spending. A prudent way to raise revenue is to look to where the wealth is and responsibly tax it.
Second, promise historic investments in American manufacturing, building on the work of the Biden-Harris administration. There are several economic tools to stimulate American manufacturing, and included in Trump’s tariff strategy is an elusive thought that it will lead to a greater marketplace for American manufacturing. Guess what? He’s already lost 90% of voters on the issue. If you’re explaining, you’re not campaigning. Democrats should own the domestic manufacturing space. Speak to rebalancing our service-based economy into a manufacturing one. The free trade policies of the 1990s were largely successful in growing the economy and creating wealth. But many Americans have felt both the wound to the soul of the American workforce and the worry should we have to respond to a world crisis with greater self-reliance. Subsidize the manufacturing economy. We do it for agriculture. Trump’s direct subsidies to farmers doubled those of President Barack Obama. Build back manufacturing and use government resources to ignite it.
Third, stand up a national catastrophic reinsurance fund to prepare for climate disasters like those that devastated multiple states this year. A simple stamp tax on every real estate transaction could contribute to a national catastrophic fund that removes the perils of natural disasters from private insurance carriers, restoring stability and affordability to homeowners throughout the country. From ice storms and snowstorms to tornado alley, to fires in the west, and hurricanes in the south, the government can recognize that a central theme to housing affordability is unsustainable insurance costs on residential, commercial, and apartment and rental properties.
Fourth, be the party that promises to fight money in politics. There is no quick fix to this given the current Supreme Court and landmark decisions like Citizens United. But be the party doggedly in the fight. There are solutions within reach. I once proposed the STOP Act, which would prohibit sitting Members of Congress from directly soliciting campaign contributions. Imagine that? Eliminate the corrupting ethical conflicts of fundraising and the incessant demand on a legislator’s time by simply taking them out of the special interest transaction. Fight for measures like the We the People Amendment which would prohibit the courts from construing the spending of money on campaigns as protected First Amendment speech. Attack the corruptive influence of money over democracy at every turn.
Fifth, propose universal trade school tuition for qualified high school graduates. Trades provide economic stability, employment, and opportunity for millions of Americans. Many trade practitioners today outearn college educated professionals. The trades are a rapidly growing part of our economy, and regional shortages in trade providers are a common problem throughout the country. Provide a pathway to self-sufficiency and career training for those who will leave high school for the workplace, not college, and build a stronger future for workers and for the nation.
Finally, fight for the return of a Roe v. Wade construct for reproductive freedom. Prior to the Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization decision, the nation had been falsely told to choose their camp of being either pro-choice or pro-life. It was unnecessarily divisive. The truth is Roe v. Wade provided a constitutional construct for individuals to practice their convictions. Dobbs not only eliminated the liberty of practicing one’s convictions but led to far more draconian actions in many states across the country. Dobbs likewise was incredibly unpopular. In virtually all ballot initiatives since Dobbs, a vast majority of voters have sought to return to a Roe framework. This is not an easy issue for many, nor should it be. But be the party that recognizes there are faith-based principles that should be respected and practiced within faith communities, and there are also fundamental constitutional principles of liberty that must protect an individual’s autonomy. The Roe decision was often falsely represented by both sides of the debate — on one side as a decision allowing abortion on demand, and on the other as an absolute decree of personal liberty. The truth is Roe, and later Casey v Planned Parenthood, authored the balancing test between the government’s interest in protecting a woman’s right to choose and the government’s interest in protecting a viable fetus. The balancing test was wise and should be brought back. Be the party that fights for legislating Roe.
Prepare. George H. Bush had an 89% favorability rating 18 months before his re-election. He later lost to President Bill Clinton, leaving office still with a 56% approval rating. His son, George H.W. Bush had an enormous hold on the Republican Party and his leadership was largely trusted by the nation going into his second Administration, but he later delivered presidential power to Barack Obama. Donald Trump is not widely popular, he does not have a national mandate, and he is fundamentally burdened by having never won more than 50% of the popular vote. It is more historically likely that the second Trump term leads to a Democratic president than it leads to a J.D. Vance, Ron DeSantis, or Nikki Haley presidency. It is similarly historically likely that Democrats will be in a strong position to retake a majority in the U.S. House of Representatives and possibly some red state governorships in 2026.
But success only comes if Democrats prepare to meet the opportunity. Identify and elevate elected officials or voices within the party now that can speak with discipline to the message America is ready for. Don’t rely on traditional strategies, and don’t rely on a bunch of White House Democratic aspirants to individually hit the hustings. Do a roadshow of some of the most compelling Democratic voices. Do it repeatedly. Elevate big city mayors, Governors, Members of Congress, voices from media, industry, or other walks of life. Engage in a disciplined branding and policy campaign not seen before in American politics. Create your own central casting for what an America led by Democrats, all Democrats, can look like in 2028.
An effective example of this was the rise of “The Squad” in 2018. Though overly progressive for the Democratic establishment at the time, it was a clear brand, a clear group of leading voices, and a clear message. The Squad was celebrated by some and lampooned by others, but 6 years later many Americans have immediate recall of the Squad members and their ideology. Do it again. Choose the message and ideological lane, and then elevate a team of leading Democrats speaking in unison on simple, direct messages to the American people. Do it now and do it together. Otherwise, in 24 months we will suffer through the predictable news cycle tease of which Democrats are heading to Iowa, New Hampshire, and South Carolina on their own message and their own brand, and ultimately watch a party in disarray wrestling with the gripping cultural movement of Trumpism.
Oppose. Propose, Prepare. I don’t believe Trump’s return has to be an existential moment. But I believe it may be if Democrats don’t recover from the November 2024 defeat. Unchecked, the Republican majority has shown us the dangerous direction they wish to take the country. Democrats clearly see a different vision for America. Voters will too. But only if we do our part in fervently opposing Trumpism, proposing a new way forward, and preparing to meet the opportunity right in front of us.
