As the midterm elections approach, there is an obvious question to consider. Yes, there’s the fear of what Republicans will do to try to steal the election. Yes, we need to have plans in place and do our part in securing our polling places from violence or other craziness. Yes, the biggest thing we can do is to ensure that Democrats win by such a resounding margin that it’s virtually impossible to contest the results.
Plenty of people are writing about all those topics, and if you haven’t already, I would encourage you to learn more. But today I’d like to talk about the optimistic but also realistic scenario that we take back power in 2026, and in an even bigger way in 2028. With so much depending on those results, the question is: what will we do with that power?
The Democratic Party puts out some pretty sound goals: lowering costs, including for health care (though they do not yet seem to be talking about universal health care); ending corruption (does this also include doing what Merrick Garland failed to do, and actually holding people accountable for their crimes?); creating a healthy democracy (does this include ending mass incarceration?); safety and security (only for citizens or also for newer immigrants?); and a better future (with, one hopes, some acknowledgement of all the ways that the American dream has always been out of reach for most people of color). You can see the list and descriptions here:
The list is a good start. Some details from individual candidates would always be helpful. Zohran Mamdani, for instance, had some very specific policy plans, including free and fast buses, city-owned price-controlled grocery stores, rent freezes, universal childcare, a minimum wage hike, and a tax on the wealthy to pay for it. Better yet, Mamdani didn’t only make promises; he is carrying them out. A potential new trend in politics? Imagine how differently the disillusioned would feel about politics if politicians not only said they want to make the lives of regular people (as opposed to billionaires) better—but also carried out those plans?! Make a specific plan. Get into power and actually implement it. Where Mamdani is leading, may others follow!
So yeah, have a specific plan and be prepared to implement it. But what about the seeming contradiction between a plan focused on helping Americans with what the Orange Menace calls the affordability hoax (buying groceries, accessing healthcare, paying rent) and one focused on accountability and punishment for all the insane levels of corruption and law breaking currently occurring? Should politicians focus on “bread and butter” issues, or on restoring democracy? On delivering basic goods and services to the population, or on punishing the corrupt?
On this topic, I would recommend a conversation between Simon Rosenberg of Hopium and Brian Tyler Cohen:
Simon Rosenberg and Brian Tyler Cohen
You might want to start at about 5:30 and skip the history of Cohen’s involvement in social media and their mutual praise-fest. Cohen talks in the video about his new book, The Day After, How to Wield Power in a Post-Trump World. I haven’t read it yet, but I appreciate the ideas he discusses in the interview. It’s not a choice between kitchen table issues and accountability. It’s not an either-or; it’s an and. Politicians must do both. They must help Americans live a better life, spread the wealth more evenly, AND show that the rule of law still means something. If we waste too much time trying to restore institutions, Cohen argues, rather than moving forward with actions that provide immediate benefits, then Democrats are likely to again be voted out of power. While working to restore a proper balance of power, Democrats must use the power that (we better hope) we achieve in upcoming elections in order to do some stunningly good and popular things, as quickly as possible.
Brian Tyler Cohen is far more eloquent on this topic than I can hope to be. Watch the video, read his book (please purchase/order it from an independent bookseller, not Amazon!), and raise your voice on what the future needs to hold. We are likely to have an excellent opportunity in the near future to show how much good Democrats can do. Let’s hope our excellent candidates are prepared to make the most of the power they may soon have.
