Democrats lost last year’s presidential election, and elections have consequences. That’s the cold hard reality. As a result, we’re witnessing a virtual coup against the American state, with billionaire Elon Musk’s flunkies wreaking havoc on government systems while President Donald Trump carries out his revenge tour—“witch hunts,” he once called them in his usual projection—and plots eliminating of swaths of the U.S. government.
Oh, and starting stupid trade wars in the process.
This is exactly what Trump promised, and it’s the vision that won the 2024 election. And though it’s still very early, we’re not seeing the American people turn against him. Quite the opposite, in fact. He’s enjoying his best numbers ever.
So what should Democrats do about it?
One option is to simply let Republicans hang themselves. Or, as the famed Democratic political strategist James Carville once said, “When your opponent is drowning, throw the SOB an anvil.”
Democrats should dutifully obstruct and object to everything they have power over. They should filibuster in the Senate when the rules allow it, and refuse to allow business to proceed under unanimous consent, gumming up the works. House Democrats should force Republicans to come up with their own votes for budget and debt-ceiling votes (which they will likely never have).
This is the GOP’s government. They’re breaking it, and Democrats can simply sit back and watch them implode.
Meanwhile, Trump’s trade war and mass deportation policies are inflationary. Public opinion will inevitably turn against him. “Eggs are too expensive” was a potent political message against Democrats in 2024, and there’s nothing stopping them from jujitsu-ing it back at Republicans in 2026 and 2028.
What about THE MESSAGE? people scream.
Forget about the message. The message is “Donald Trump is a disaster.” Oh, some will say that running against Trump didn’t work in 2024. Well, it almost did. It was a very close election. But think about Trump and the GOP’s election message: “Joe Biden is a disaster.” (See here, here, here, here, here, and here, for a short sampling.) Coupled with selective amnesia among the electorate about his first term, it was all Trump needed to win.
Interestingly, Republicans did have a policy platform to run on—Project 2025—and Trump spent the campaign disavowing it. He knew that any real message beyond “Biden is a disaster” and supporting arguments like “Eggs are expensive” and “Scary illegals are eating your dogs” wouldn’t aid his campaign, so he smartly avoided a more positive case for his campaign.
Given that the 2026 midterm elections will be about putting the brakes on Trump’s outrages, Democrats can follow the same playbook: “Trump is a disaster. Elect Democrats to stop Trump.”
I’m not saying Democrats don’t ultimately need a positive message about themselves, but ain’t none of us gonna come up with that today. Have you seen us Democrats lately? We don’t agree on anything! Our diversity is our strength—and our weakness. Being a big-tent party means that there is action happening in more than one ring. And that’s fine because, again, we’re not in any position to sell our vision when Trump is trying to burn down the country. No one cares right now.
But you know who will eventually define our national message? Our 2028 presidential nominee.
Shortly after the 2026 midterms, a host of Democrats will jump into the presidential primary contest. Each one will preview what they think our party’s overriding message should be, and we’ll get to vote on it. Well, the early states will do the most impactful voting, but we’ll all have a say by rallying behind and funding those candidates that strike the right chord.
In other words, Democrats actually have it easy right now. The message is “Trump is a disaster,” and Democratic lawmakers should obstruct when they can, and point to every single one of Trump’s outrages and ask America, “Is this what you voted for?”
For example, I can guarantee you that Americans didn’t vote to eliminate the Department of Education. A poll co-conducted by the Tarrance Group—a Republican survey company—found that only 29% of voters supported eliminating the department, while 58% opposed it. Even a plurality of Republican voters (44%) were opposed to it.
That’s why Trump hid from Project 2025, which called for the department’s elimination, and it’s like that on issue after issue after issue.
And once the government inevitably shuts down because congressional Republicans won’t be able to pass any budget or debt ceiling increase? It’ll be ugly for all of us, including Trump supporters.
Beyond merely opposing Trump, Democrats must constantly remind voters that if they want an end to the madness, they need to vote Democratic instead—and in perpetuity.
I’m tired of Democrats cleaning up Republican messes.
