I would think this should make excellent campaign material for all mid term elections and certainly for the eventual presidential elections. Certainly the list will continue to grow as our economy begins to suffer, so please share version 2.0 in another few months.
This piece captures something real and important, and the two-list framework, of what we're doing vs. what we're not doing, is a useful analytical structure. Good analysis. But the question it raises to me is if these policies are economically harmful to most American families, why do a majority of Republican voters, including working-class and middle-class families facing exactly these costs, continue to support them so strongly? Five of seven Trump-backed challengers just won Indiana Republican primary races. Clearly, they are responding to a different set of incentives and grievances.
Another question is why has the Democratic Party, which claims to champion working families, so consistently failed to make economic relief — on childcare, healthcare costs, and education debt — the center of its identity rather than cultural and social issues that alienate many of the very voters it needs?
I believe our electoral system currently rewards candidates for exploiting grievances rather than solving problems. My eye is on the senate race in Alaska that pits a moderate Democrat against a Trump Republican. With its ranked-choice voting I am hoping that moderate, solutions-oriented candidates can have a real path to winning.
Mary Peltola, the moderate Democrat and first Alaska Native elected to Congress, is challenging incumbent Republican Sen. Dan Sullivan in what has rapidly become one of the most watched Senate races of the 2026 cycle. This is the cleanest real-world test of what may be an answer to right and left extremism. I keep thinking that the most important thing I can do is to find ways to support ranked-choice voting in swing states Am I wrong?
A very good question or series of questions for which I (for one) have no good answer or answers. Among the many possibilities, I’ve come to settle first if not foremost on the poisoned information environment, which divides Americans right down the middle from the start. Reality is being spun in sharply contrasting ways depending on where you get your news. Beyond that, in the current context even the pretense of a connection between what is said about the world and what is really happening has been discarded. Eg, “we are no longer in a war with Iran” or “all presidents for the past 150 years have clamored for a big beautiful ballroom” etc. etc. A related factor is the progressive carnival-ification of politics, which has transformed our primary engine of public policy into a machine of perpetual public distraction, with the results we see now. Posturing for the base or virtue or vice signaling or doubling down are all that matters. Compromise—getting stuff done in the real world—is old school. Your point about proportional representation is a good one. For a while, I was really taken with @Danielle Allen’s common-sense suggestions at the Renovator, but at this point in the evolution of madness that kind of pragmatism feels far off. Thanks for the considered comment.
My book, Radical Duke, is a story from the time of the American Revolution about how a steady and persistent commitment to pragmatism is actually what was needs to get to the other side of madness. The story inspires me to maintain my compass points.
I have been reading your excellent recommendations for some time, particularly since returning from my final overseas foreign service posting as political counselor in Brazil and realizing that the US political system was in need of more serious overhaul than I had previously understood. I’ve also stole your real estate metaphor about our house needing significant renovation but not being a tear-down. Look forward to reading your book.
Very useful and well-argued analysis - thanks for reading and commenting. And yes, there is certainly enough blame to go around. Both parties have failed us, and now the current gerrymandering race-to-the-bottom will further ensure that Congress can't get anything done. Hard to be optimistic in the short term.
First of all a disclaimer, I am looking at the American political scene from the outside and thus I am likely to miss things. However, I want to pick up a point that you made, that Democrats were focusing on social and cultural issues rather than basic bread and butter issues, such as childcare, healthcare and education. Because from where I am seeing this, they did not. Their materials were focusing on childcare, healthcare, education and small businesses. Let me repeat this, their own materials.
The 'Democrats are for the gayz' was a framing which was done to them. Very successfully. The other side (including some parts of the media) managed to change the perception of the Democrats really successfully. And beyond the actual campaign, given your recollection of the messages from two years ago.
Thanks Claudia. As Will Rogers said, "I don't belong to any organized political party. I'm a Democrat." But seriously, they've certainly focused more on bread and butter issues than the other guys, but in my humble opinion they were out of step with most Americans on immigration and affordability. But now Trump is even more out of step, handing the Dems a huge opportunity. Let's see if they can walk through that open door.
Unfortunately, we need to reach the people who believe that "we are in complete control of the Strait", "we are no longer at war with Iran", and especially "I won in 2020 in a landslide". Uphill battle??
We can win with independents. trump is massively popular STILL with all Republicans, not just MAGA. The independents are wide open to the right blue candidates. The results of polls and the actual 12 special election results.
88% of Republicans still support the "sleepy orange taker of frequent cognitive exams."
Those exams are tough. Here's an actual question: "The Animal Identification Task
Test-takers are shown drawings of animals — such as a lion and a rhinoceros — and asked to name them. This tests basic visual recognition and language recall."
I would think this should make excellent campaign material for all mid term elections and certainly for the eventual presidential elections. Certainly the list will continue to grow as our economy begins to suffer, so please share version 2.0 in another few months.
Brett, if you run for Congress we'll update the list for you!! Seriously .....
If we were Jorge Luis Borges, the list would be infinite.
This piece captures something real and important, and the two-list framework, of what we're doing vs. what we're not doing, is a useful analytical structure. Good analysis. But the question it raises to me is if these policies are economically harmful to most American families, why do a majority of Republican voters, including working-class and middle-class families facing exactly these costs, continue to support them so strongly? Five of seven Trump-backed challengers just won Indiana Republican primary races. Clearly, they are responding to a different set of incentives and grievances.
Another question is why has the Democratic Party, which claims to champion working families, so consistently failed to make economic relief — on childcare, healthcare costs, and education debt — the center of its identity rather than cultural and social issues that alienate many of the very voters it needs?
I believe our electoral system currently rewards candidates for exploiting grievances rather than solving problems. My eye is on the senate race in Alaska that pits a moderate Democrat against a Trump Republican. With its ranked-choice voting I am hoping that moderate, solutions-oriented candidates can have a real path to winning.
Mary Peltola, the moderate Democrat and first Alaska Native elected to Congress, is challenging incumbent Republican Sen. Dan Sullivan in what has rapidly become one of the most watched Senate races of the 2026 cycle. This is the cleanest real-world test of what may be an answer to right and left extremism. I keep thinking that the most important thing I can do is to find ways to support ranked-choice voting in swing states Am I wrong?
A very good question or series of questions for which I (for one) have no good answer or answers. Among the many possibilities, I’ve come to settle first if not foremost on the poisoned information environment, which divides Americans right down the middle from the start. Reality is being spun in sharply contrasting ways depending on where you get your news. Beyond that, in the current context even the pretense of a connection between what is said about the world and what is really happening has been discarded. Eg, “we are no longer in a war with Iran” or “all presidents for the past 150 years have clamored for a big beautiful ballroom” etc. etc. A related factor is the progressive carnival-ification of politics, which has transformed our primary engine of public policy into a machine of perpetual public distraction, with the results we see now. Posturing for the base or virtue or vice signaling or doubling down are all that matters. Compromise—getting stuff done in the real world—is old school. Your point about proportional representation is a good one. For a while, I was really taken with @Danielle Allen’s common-sense suggestions at the Renovator, but at this point in the evolution of madness that kind of pragmatism feels far off. Thanks for the considered comment.
My book, Radical Duke, is a story from the time of the American Revolution about how a steady and persistent commitment to pragmatism is actually what was needs to get to the other side of madness. The story inspires me to maintain my compass points.
And I should have mentioned that your book is terrific and I highly recommend it to our followers.
I have been reading your excellent recommendations for some time, particularly since returning from my final overseas foreign service posting as political counselor in Brazil and realizing that the US political system was in need of more serious overhaul than I had previously understood. I’ve also stole your real estate metaphor about our house needing significant renovation but not being a tear-down. Look forward to reading your book.
Very useful and well-argued analysis - thanks for reading and commenting. And yes, there is certainly enough blame to go around. Both parties have failed us, and now the current gerrymandering race-to-the-bottom will further ensure that Congress can't get anything done. Hard to be optimistic in the short term.
Yes, it is hard to be optimistic for the short term. But in the medium term things will be ok.
First of all a disclaimer, I am looking at the American political scene from the outside and thus I am likely to miss things. However, I want to pick up a point that you made, that Democrats were focusing on social and cultural issues rather than basic bread and butter issues, such as childcare, healthcare and education. Because from where I am seeing this, they did not. Their materials were focusing on childcare, healthcare, education and small businesses. Let me repeat this, their own materials.
The 'Democrats are for the gayz' was a framing which was done to them. Very successfully. The other side (including some parts of the media) managed to change the perception of the Democrats really successfully. And beyond the actual campaign, given your recollection of the messages from two years ago.
Thanks Claudia. As Will Rogers said, "I don't belong to any organized political party. I'm a Democrat." But seriously, they've certainly focused more on bread and butter issues than the other guys, but in my humble opinion they were out of step with most Americans on immigration and affordability. But now Trump is even more out of step, handing the Dems a huge opportunity. Let's see if they can walk through that open door.
I love this piece. I wish MAGA people knew how to read. It might open their minds to how much damage trump is generating
Spread this far and wide
Unfortunately, we need to reach the people who believe that "we are in complete control of the Strait", "we are no longer at war with Iran", and especially "I won in 2020 in a landslide". Uphill battle??
Ahhh. C'est impossible
That's what they said about the Mets in '69, and look what happened.
We can win with independents. trump is massively popular STILL with all Republicans, not just MAGA. The independents are wide open to the right blue candidates. The results of polls and the actual 12 special election results.
88% of Republicans still support the "sleepy orange taker of frequent cognitive exams."
Those exams are tough. Here's an actual question: "The Animal Identification Task
Test-takers are shown drawings of animals — such as a lion and a rhinoceros — and asked to name them. This tests basic visual recognition and language recall."
Well said, Jim!
Thanks Kate. Always nice to hear from you.