Great points all around, but in #3 of your five-part plan, you mentioned non-citizens. I do think one major reason for Democrats (as well as other center-left parties around the world) struggling to win elections since 2016 is our openness to higher levels of immigration than the public supports.
If Democrats focused squarely on an expanded social safety net for Americans combined with lower levels of immigration, I truly think we'd win more often.
Yes, agree overall. It’s just that Trump is also trying to revoke recognized protected status for special status immigrants and refugees and trying to undo the Dreamers progress. After the flag, the Statue of Liberty is our most recognized and hopeful symbol!
(1) thank you for keeping your writings and comments free. Much as I'd like to, I can't afford to pay for every substack that is worth reading, and those substacks that limit comments to paid subscribers are very frustrating (although perhaps understandable if they receive lots of trolling otherwise) as one can't engage/ add to the conversation.
(2) As someone from outside the US, I find what you have written here so refreshing. Over the years I have been horrified to read stories about the mis-treatment of people in the US, whether it's through the terrible anti abortion laws, communities without drinkable water, the woman who was jailed for voting when she wasn't permitted, laws against giving water to people standing in voting lines, the death penalty etc etc and wondering: is no one standing up against these things/ to support these people? And then the post-election discussion with so many Democrats incapable of seeing that GDP isn't the same as every individual being financially secure.
(3) I haven't read the book 'Abundance' but it has an unfortunate title. It reminds me of those awful people who ask you to visualise your personal wealth increasing so that the universe treats you better/'manifests' wealth for you! However perhaps it is more along the lines of Modern Monetary Theory which (so far as I can follow) seems to say that we have actually won the lottery but we're too stupid to realise it. If you are in a country with sovereign currency, you CAN have the libraries, the hospitals, the schools, roads, arts centres, sports centres, scientific research centres, government housing, government insurance (including health insurance). This is what a Democratic 'shadow government' should be committing to NOW: we will make good what has been destroyed, we will give everyone what they need to have a decent life, whatever their income. Redistribution via taxes is also a possibility, in the interests of a more equal society, but even without that, wouldn’t society be much improved if all of the above were free to the public? And that’s before we even start talking about a universal job guarantee (not sure about that one, but definitely need better unemployment benefits) …. MMT tells us that there is no economic reason that this can’t happen. See: https://stephaniekelton.substack.com/p/elon-musk-discovers-the-magic-of and the resources at: https://www.levyinstitute.org
(4) I suggest that going forward the US needs to visualise human rights/responsibilities as a balancing of competing interests, with (pretty much) none being absolute – the way human rights/ responsibilities are seen internationally/ outside the US. Don't restrict yourselves to the US constitution but think of international human rights law. See: https://eudoxia1.substack.com/p/balancing-rights
(5) Improve the US voting system. No one should have to register as affiliated with a party. How you might vote (and how you do vote) should both be totally private from everyone else. The fact that you have voted should not be able to be connected with the result of your vote. Consider returning to paper ballots. Voting should be compulsory. This means that voting should be made much easier to do. Postal voting should be a right, not a privilege, and much easier to use. Voting days should be on a weekend so most people won’t have to take time off work. Polling booths should be properly staffed so that there are no lines of people waiting to vote. Get rid of the Electoral College. Some of this might involve taking voting management out of the hands of states – at least for federal elections – and putting it in the hands of the (new, improved) federal government. See: https://www.brennancenter.org/issues/ensure-every-american-can-vote/voting-reform
Thank ‘Eu’ for your very thoughtful comment. You have checked-off a lot of the progressive wish list here. If only . . . !
The Trump regime sees progressive thought as a terminal infectious disease and they are working to eradicate it the way one might (‘metaphorically speaking’ of course) eradicate bird flu on chicken farms. It’s currently about burning down the chicken coups; but it’s ultimately about leaving the birds-of-a-feather without a place in that ecosystem and culling the diseased either by intimidation, deportation, or other forms of thuggery.
I hope you’ll continue to check-in on my posts and contribute your thoughtful comments!
While I certainly understand your argument. I do wonder if it isn’t the conservative elite that engineered this coup starting with Raegan. I don’t think democracy has a chance until big money, dark money is removed from politics. Both sides created the vacuum that trump filled with vile rhetoric and mean spirited ideology.
I think that the conservative elite has had what’s now happening as a sustaining fantasy for decades. Trump’s surprising emergence as a populist lightening rod suddenly, unexpectedly, made it ;possible for the really reactionary right wing’s dreams to get jump-started into reality.
We did well in Pennsylvania and town halls are showing we are sick of Trump and Musk. But I think Governor Newsom is right - we have to talk to the other side and stop making it so hard with regulations to start a project.
I agree, especially when we ourselves come from poorer backgrounds. Some pinched themselves that they could buy a home, something my parents never did. And the weapons-grade marketing ate our brains, encouraging more purchase of more unnecessary crap.
Agree, Citizens United and sharing our personhood with multibillion dollar corporations who 5-6 ppl said are people too. We quit paying attention.
Jon, I like your 5 points but not sure how to make them actionable.
I’ve come back to read your article a second time, and it feels all new. I should remind myself that before commenting. Now I want to move on from blame. I’m beginning to get a tiny understanding of his end game with these tariffs.
My god, the USA, trump, thinks he can parley with the East?
Great points all around, but in #3 of your five-part plan, you mentioned non-citizens. I do think one major reason for Democrats (as well as other center-left parties around the world) struggling to win elections since 2016 is our openness to higher levels of immigration than the public supports.
If Democrats focused squarely on an expanded social safety net for Americans combined with lower levels of immigration, I truly think we'd win more often.
Yes, agree overall. It’s just that Trump is also trying to revoke recognized protected status for special status immigrants and refugees and trying to undo the Dreamers progress. After the flag, the Statue of Liberty is our most recognized and hopeful symbol!
Thank you, Jon. Totally agree with your analysis. Please do keep going!
Jon,
(1) thank you for keeping your writings and comments free. Much as I'd like to, I can't afford to pay for every substack that is worth reading, and those substacks that limit comments to paid subscribers are very frustrating (although perhaps understandable if they receive lots of trolling otherwise) as one can't engage/ add to the conversation.
(2) As someone from outside the US, I find what you have written here so refreshing. Over the years I have been horrified to read stories about the mis-treatment of people in the US, whether it's through the terrible anti abortion laws, communities without drinkable water, the woman who was jailed for voting when she wasn't permitted, laws against giving water to people standing in voting lines, the death penalty etc etc and wondering: is no one standing up against these things/ to support these people? And then the post-election discussion with so many Democrats incapable of seeing that GDP isn't the same as every individual being financially secure.
(3) I haven't read the book 'Abundance' but it has an unfortunate title. It reminds me of those awful people who ask you to visualise your personal wealth increasing so that the universe treats you better/'manifests' wealth for you! However perhaps it is more along the lines of Modern Monetary Theory which (so far as I can follow) seems to say that we have actually won the lottery but we're too stupid to realise it. If you are in a country with sovereign currency, you CAN have the libraries, the hospitals, the schools, roads, arts centres, sports centres, scientific research centres, government housing, government insurance (including health insurance). This is what a Democratic 'shadow government' should be committing to NOW: we will make good what has been destroyed, we will give everyone what they need to have a decent life, whatever their income. Redistribution via taxes is also a possibility, in the interests of a more equal society, but even without that, wouldn’t society be much improved if all of the above were free to the public? And that’s before we even start talking about a universal job guarantee (not sure about that one, but definitely need better unemployment benefits) …. MMT tells us that there is no economic reason that this can’t happen. See: https://stephaniekelton.substack.com/p/elon-musk-discovers-the-magic-of and the resources at: https://www.levyinstitute.org
and I've just spotted: https://www.theguardian.com/books/2025/mar/27/abundance-by-ezra-klein-and-derek-thompson-review-make-america-build-again
(4) I suggest that going forward the US needs to visualise human rights/responsibilities as a balancing of competing interests, with (pretty much) none being absolute – the way human rights/ responsibilities are seen internationally/ outside the US. Don't restrict yourselves to the US constitution but think of international human rights law. See: https://eudoxia1.substack.com/p/balancing-rights
(5) Improve the US voting system. No one should have to register as affiliated with a party. How you might vote (and how you do vote) should both be totally private from everyone else. The fact that you have voted should not be able to be connected with the result of your vote. Consider returning to paper ballots. Voting should be compulsory. This means that voting should be made much easier to do. Postal voting should be a right, not a privilege, and much easier to use. Voting days should be on a weekend so most people won’t have to take time off work. Polling booths should be properly staffed so that there are no lines of people waiting to vote. Get rid of the Electoral College. Some of this might involve taking voting management out of the hands of states – at least for federal elections – and putting it in the hands of the (new, improved) federal government. See: https://www.brennancenter.org/issues/ensure-every-american-can-vote/voting-reform
Thank ‘Eu’ for your very thoughtful comment. You have checked-off a lot of the progressive wish list here. If only . . . !
The Trump regime sees progressive thought as a terminal infectious disease and they are working to eradicate it the way one might (‘metaphorically speaking’ of course) eradicate bird flu on chicken farms. It’s currently about burning down the chicken coups; but it’s ultimately about leaving the birds-of-a-feather without a place in that ecosystem and culling the diseased either by intimidation, deportation, or other forms of thuggery.
I hope you’ll continue to check-in on my posts and contribute your thoughtful comments!
Thank you for this. I totally agree. Keep spreading that message.
Thanks!
While I certainly understand your argument. I do wonder if it isn’t the conservative elite that engineered this coup starting with Raegan. I don’t think democracy has a chance until big money, dark money is removed from politics. Both sides created the vacuum that trump filled with vile rhetoric and mean spirited ideology.
I think that the conservative elite has had what’s now happening as a sustaining fantasy for decades. Trump’s surprising emergence as a populist lightening rod suddenly, unexpectedly, made it ;possible for the really reactionary right wing’s dreams to get jump-started into reality.
We did well in Pennsylvania and town halls are showing we are sick of Trump and Musk. But I think Governor Newsom is right - we have to talk to the other side and stop making it so hard with regulations to start a project.
I agree, especially when we ourselves come from poorer backgrounds. Some pinched themselves that they could buy a home, something my parents never did. And the weapons-grade marketing ate our brains, encouraging more purchase of more unnecessary crap.
Agree, Citizens United and sharing our personhood with multibillion dollar corporations who 5-6 ppl said are people too. We quit paying attention.
Jon, I like your 5 points but not sure how to make them actionable.
Thanks, k
I’ve come back to read your article a second time, and it feels all new. I should remind myself that before commenting. Now I want to move on from blame. I’m beginning to get a tiny understanding of his end game with these tariffs.
My god, the USA, trump, thinks he can parley with the East?