Personal Reflections of a Middle-Aged Man

Locally, Democratic candidates are outperforming in local special elections across the nation. This is good because politics really is local; states have more power over our lives than most people realize and some exercise that power better than others (sadly, usually against their own citizens).

National Democrats right now are doing as badly, if not worse, than their Republican counterparts. This may seem odd until you stop and remember, the Republicans (now more Fascist than Republican), are doing exactly what we expect of them. Democrats however, are sadly doing exactly what we expect of them as well even as we want more.

This is because Democrats, mostly at the national level, but also at the local level, are sheepish. They, generally speaking, owe their jobs to the same billionaire class as the Republicans. They, generally speaking, are not so much for the working class anymore as they are for Wall Street. They, generally speaking, benefit greatly from the ways things are currently. We all know it, but we still act in the belief of the old Democratic Party as old Republicans do for the current Republican Party. 

Even the old guard Democratic leaning pundits are stuck in the past. Just listen to them talk about AOC, Bernie Sanders, and Zohran Mamdani. 

Just look at which elected officials have endorsed Mamdani and the truth is there. The governor just endorsed him as she saw the writing on the wall, but the three more powerful New York State politicians—Chuck Schumer, Hakeem Jeffries, and Kirstin Gillibrand—have refused to endorse the person the people want because an old guard Democrat, a man accused of sexual harassment and who stepped down from the governorship as a result, Andrew Cuomo, is in the race. This is another example of how the old guard Democrats are missing the mark.

The meat of the matter is, if Democrats want to win in 2026 and in 2028, and win big, they need to get with the program, and read the tea leaves. They need to start addressing what the people are discussing at birthday parties, weddings, funerals, and other family gatherings. We are discussing the cost of gas, the cost of groceries, how rich powerful men are getting away with raping children, how elections are being rigged, and how billionaires pay less taxes than us and get away with basically everything because they are rich enough to either buy politicians or pay the weak fines handed to them by judges.

For Democrats to win in 2026 and again in 2028, I propose they do the following, and any Democratic candidate can use the following free of charge and credit themselves. None of it is new, but the message bears repeating. Democrats need to:

The Democratic Party vows to take the following action when elected:

A Call to Action

1. Immediately raise the national minimum wage to $20 an hour.
2. Immediately take control of tariffs to bring jobs and affordable goods back to the American People.
3. Immediately restore full funding to Medicaid, Elmo, and education.
4. Immediately raise taxes on anyone earning over $1 million dollars a year, on stock market gains, and on corporation earnings (rather than on profits).
5. Immediately release the Epstein files, regardless of who is on the list, and investigate and hold any child rapist on the list accountable.

Other Calls to Action should include:

1. Immediately move to increase the Supreme Court to 13 Justices.
2. Immediately investigate and impeach any government official involved in January 6 and/or ethics violations.
3. Immediately restore The Fairness Doctrine to hold the media accountable.
4. Immediately pass the John Lewis Voting Rights Advancement Act so all can vote and to stop political gerrymandering.
5. Immediately look at legislation to permanently protect us from any future Facists destroying our democratic guardrails and norms.

If the sheepish democrats, such as Chuck Schumer, Hakeem Jeffries, Nancy Pelosi, Ken Martin, and so many others would fully commit and go all in on the above, while following the lead of AOC, Jasmine Crockett, Gavin Newsom, Bernie Sanders, Zohran Mamdani, Eric Swalwell, Chris Murphy, J.B. Pritzker, Janet Mills, among others, the Democrats would be unstoppable. The old guard either needs to get with the program or step aside. If they do not, then they are as complicit with the current Fascist Authoritarian takeover as is Donald Trump, Russell Vought, Steven Miller, and anyone affiliated with Project 2025.

I’ve often said we all need to be involved in saving democracy in the ways which fit our lives and our comfort levels. These can be blogging, reposting on social media, calling your elected officials, letters to the editor, donating to organizations, and/or marching in the streets. Nothing is too little or too much. Here are some ways to get involved whether from the comfort of your own homes, or on the streets, over the next few weeks:

• Attend the No Kings rally and protest on October 18. Millions need to be there to show the Republican regime we are a democracy, not a dictatorship.
• Call your U.S. Senator to demand they fight the Republican administration’s defiance of the court in following laws and the Constitution. The switchboard number is 202-224-3121. They will connect you with the correct senators. If you get their voicemail, which I do often, make sure to leave your name and address for your call to be registered as received.
• Sign up for General Strike and commit to participating.
• Download the app Five Calls to help let your elected officials know you are paying attention and don’t approve. Website: https://5calls.org/ 
• Join a local group of Indivisible.
• Participate in the action items of50501: 50 Protests, 50 States, 1 Movement.
• Continue to boycott companies who have bent the knee or no longer believe in equality. Don’t buy from national chains or companies, such as Target, Amazon, Tesla, Walmart, Apple, Disney and any others who are bending the knee and capitulating to authoritarianism and the billionaire class.
• Write letters to your local papers expressing your disappointment and tell your stories of how the Republican administration is harming our families.
• Please say thank you in some way to the universities, law firms, companies, and organizations not bending the knee and capitulating to the fascist-acting Republican Administration.
• Do something, anything, peaceful to fight back!https://www.nokings.org/?SQF_SOURCE=indivisible