Obama had it right when he started looking into government bloat. He also had it right when he said cancel culture had gone too far.
If these references seem dated, it’s because there is no other leader of the Democratic Party emerging. No strategist, no éminence grise. He is it. Joe Biden, Kamala Harris and Tim Walz are not it. There is an active movement to remove Chuck Schumer from leadership. Hakeem Jeffries is doing pretty well, overall, but he is no Pelosi. And for some, that’s good. He’s part of the next generation. Still, the next generation can’t quite get a good message going.
Some say the revolt against Schumer is synonymous with the tea party movement in the Republican Party. That’s right in a way. There is some overlap in that both are centered in a populist movement, meaning there is a certain amount of dismay about how the government works. The tea party, however, was focused on excess taxation and government bloat, whereas this left movement is populist but also into the green new deal, new taxes and more government. You tell me which one is winning.
Before we get too far here, let me say this: Trump won the election, but it wasn’t a blowout. He did manage to capture an energy, however, and speaks a language relatable to many. His message was simple: “We’ve gone too far with this stuff. And it’s time the government started working for the American people.” Whether his policies translate to change that actually works for people is yet to be seen, and there are many Americans who are openly worried about Trump’s definition of “working for them.”
But it wasn’t a Reagan vs. Carter blowout. It was close. So that tells me a couple of things. Trump’s messaging worked and the Democrats flat-footed the campaign. Biden should never have run, and Harris couldn’t carry her initial energy. But who else could match Trump? I don’t see anyone out there right now.
There is this idea that Trump captured the podcasts and social media. He is a master of social media, true, but Harris had the mainstream media working for her. I’d call it a draw.
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What I do see is that Trump wrangled away the Democrats’ messaging, of working for the people, of doing things for them and not to them. Whether you like it or not, Democrats are now the party of the elite. But it is also the party of the youth, which needs to emerge with a consistent message that will resonate with average folk if it is to be successful.
Democrats seek to match Trump, but it’s like Icarus. It will kill them like when Marco Rubio tried to match Trump’s insults about hand size in 2016. No one can play that game like Trump. And they shouldn’t try.
Some people may want fire and fury but what they need is cool and confident intellectual explanations of specific policy proposals and detailed analysis of the impact of Trump’s policies. Members of Congress holding press conferences filled with anecdotes of fear without specific impacts mean absolutely nothing. Nearly everyone believes in strong and funded Medicaid and Social Security programs. If there are not specifics on cuts, then there shouldn’t be fear mongering about them. It’s theatrics. Instead, tell us specifics. What are the specific impacts of all of the policies being rolled out? It’s too soon to tell, right? We know there is a lot of noise coming out of Washington, but what’s the signal? We want to know specifics. Theatrics tell us nothing.
What Democrats need is a young moderate to emerge who can speak like a populist and not get bogged down with language police or anti-American sentiment. Talk about climate policy as the exciting market challenge it is. Government bloat is an issue, but what is the best way to approach it? How can our nation ensure immigration is fair to all? What can be done to make average Americans’ lives better? And there should be detailed and nuanced conversations about important issues like trans rights; and Gov. Gavin Newsom did no one any favors by broaching the topic with conservative Charlie Kirk on his podcast then leaving it largely untouched. It would have been interesting to hear a detailed conversation about how to approach this emerging issue that makes sense for all and with a sensitivity for those directly affected. We need deeper conversations.
Some people like podcasts because they are long and detailed, and this is where Democrats need to go. Not necessarily on them, but into detail. Progress is not made with quick burn on social media, progress is made through hearts and minds. And Democrats need to have open and honest conversations about the issues and where they want to go. Not noise, but signal, signal, signal.
Thank you for your very well thought out commentary. To win in 2028 I think Democrats will have to support Elon and his group of experienced financial managers efforts to computerize government spending that will likely eliminate a $ 1trillion in wasted and corrupt Federal government spending.
Ed, still at it I see, making stuff as you go. The people Musk hired are not experienced financial managers, they are just computer geeks who no absolutely what government does with its money and how it supports the American people. So far, there is no legitimate documented proof that they have cut out any government waste or fraud.
The problem now is the younger generation does not want to lead after having gen X not do much and evolve to the mindset of we tried our best and it is your generations job to fix things (to the younger generation). In addition, jobs start out with higher pay and there is less of a difference and less incentive to take on manager roles. As a result people are not learning how to manage. If things do not change we will definitely loose our standing on the global stage, and be left asking how the hell did this happen.
The democRAT party is dead - you goofballs are rolling out losers like Jasmine Crockett and David Hogg - and I honestly think Hakeem Jeffries is mentally ill. In my opinion, democrats are just communists masquerading as socialists. Your entire platform is based on hate - and you people try to sell it as "love." Satan also does that. There is a great awakening going on in this country - and the reaction to the movie Snow White is very emblematic of that. We are done with morally bankrupt people trying to tell us right from wrong - for "the greater good." The democrat party is dead and anybody still hanging on is deranged.
Josh Shapiro, governor of Pennsylvania, is a rising Democratic Party star and was interviewed Friday, 3/14/25, on Bill Maher’s HBO show “Real Time with Bill Maher.” Some excerpts are at https://youtube.com/shorts/iJeIpTvLK20.
Ezra Klein and Derek Thompson have been saturating the late night and news talk shows lately promoting their new book “Abundance”: https://a.co/d/av0o3xJ
"Abundance" is a great book - a hard pill to swallow, but democrats need to move from virtue signaling to getting things done. It is shocking to hear how some projects that were voted for and funded never got off the ground or had opposite outcomes. Let's learn, move on, do better. We need a project 2028 with a solid plan to lift everyone up - especially since now it's all being indiscriminately torn down.
I would say, let them beat themselves into oblivion. A new leader will undoubtedly come from the ashes. It happened with the Republicans after George Bush. Even the most tolerant Democrat much cringe when he or she sees Maxine Waters, Raskin, and Schumer contort themselves on national TV.
Harris is a typical Bay Area Democrat and nationally those mostly stand for fundraising and "bowing to corporate interest", but certainly not for good governing and people-centric outcomes.
The problem for California Democrats is that they can't really present a "working model", a "best practice" so to speak. If their topics really are affordable housing, homelessness, income inequality, equity, sustainable transportation, "Complete Streets", "Livable Communities", why is everything they touch only based on car-centric projects instead of people-centric policies?
In San Mateo we don't have to go far to look for examples how Bay Area Democrats are failing. Mayor Rob Newsom and council member Nicole Fernandez continued the attack on Equity Focus Areas like North Central and Shoreview. First they added another highway lane increasing air pollution, noise pollution, GHG emissions - then they took down the simple bike lanes for school children coming from two low-income neighborhoods. Now they will add even more air pollution, noise pollution, GHG emissions with more lanes on the 92/101 intersection, which makes absolutely zero sense (unless you take money from developers and unions of course). All while the board members of Caltrain and SamTrans are slowly dismantling those public agencies for most likely private gains.
And the San Mateo school district is segregated on purpose because there is more money to be gained if you have "underserved" schools. "Underserving schools" is kind of incentivized and San Mateo Democrats love getting money.
If Democrats want to gain back the working class, young people, the intellectuals, etc. get something good done for a change. Show some execution skills.
Thanks for your column today, Mr. Mays, with insights and valuable advice for Democrats. As it is now, Democrats have painted themselves into a corner by hating Trump more than they love America, on just about every issue. How is it a winning argument to advocate for open borders and the potential of violent criminals and terrorists to enter our country and using lawfare to keep them in our country? How is it a winning argument to add potty mouth language but no valid arguments for policies to help the American public? How is it a winning argument to remove women’s rights to compete fairly? To embrace discrimination?
You say, and I agree with, that Democrats need to have open and honest conversations about issues and where they want to go. But can Democrats define what is commonly defined as “open and honest”? A taste of LTEs to the DJ and comments on the online site provide insight - as it is now, Democrats can’t, or they won’t, until they regain individual voices above that of their Democrat leaders. BTW, just yesterday, Tim Walz in a town hall event said that the Democrat Party wasn’t woke enough and that’s why they lost to Trump.Basically doubling down on unpopular issues. At least Walz is open and honest about where he wants to go. How many will go with him?
Ty, when the Democrats warned America what Trump would do if he is elected President, like destroy America's democracy, is not "hating Trump more than they love America". Who the heck thinks like that, unless it is a Trump lover, who loves Trump more than America. Look what Trump is doing now, destroying America piece by piece.
Thanks for your response, Mike O. Are you talking about the Democrats who initiated and perpetuated the fake Russian collusion narrative? And the so-called insurrection that occurred not due to Trump, but due to Nancy Pelosi’s dereliction of duty to protect the Capitol? And claiming the Hunter Biden laptop wasn’t real? And hiding the mental failings of Biden? And those are just a few shenanigans the Dems perpetuated on America. So why would I take seriously anything the Democrats allege?
But you are correct, maybe instead of saying Dems hate Trump more than they love America, I should begin saying Dems hate Trump and hate America. So TY (thank you) for setting me straight. BTW, if Trump was going to destroy democracy, as you and Democrats allege, why didn’t he do it the first time? It’s likely that although you won’t admit it, Trump is the greatest President in your, and our, lifetimes. Trump 2028.
Good column Jon! I don't think the Democrats will continue to be the party of young people for long. Many boys/young men in particular are tired of being demonized and are moving to the right.
As far as a young "moderate" stepping up, the Democrat machine tends to push such people out of the party. Recently in New Hampshire a young (22!) black state legislator Jonah Wheeler gave a powerful speech in support of the rights and privacy of women and girls when he voted against his party on a bill allowing businesses and municipalities to keep certain spaces- sports, locker rooms, prisons etc. female only. Wheeler has since been viciously attacked and censured by his own party and even had his vote compared to Jim Crow laws. If a brave, charismatic, smart and thoughtful young man like Rep. Wheeler is not the future of the Democratic party then they have no future.
Another example of a reasonable, moderate Dem being attacked by the establishment, Matt Mahan, mayor of San Jose: https://www.politico.com/newsletters/california-playbook/2025/03/28/san-joses-mayor-is-getting-under-democrats-skin-00256114
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(14) comments
Thank you for your very well thought out commentary. To win in 2028 I think Democrats will have to support Elon and his group of experienced financial managers efforts to computerize government spending that will likely eliminate a $ 1trillion in wasted and corrupt Federal government spending.
Ed, still at it I see, making stuff as you go. The people Musk hired are not experienced financial managers, they are just computer geeks who no absolutely what government does with its money and how it supports the American people. So far, there is no legitimate documented proof that they have cut out any government waste or fraud.
The problem now is the younger generation does not want to lead after having gen X not do much and evolve to the mindset of we tried our best and it is your generations job to fix things (to the younger generation). In addition, jobs start out with higher pay and there is less of a difference and less incentive to take on manager roles. As a result people are not learning how to manage. If things do not change we will definitely loose our standing on the global stage, and be left asking how the hell did this happen.
The democRAT party is dead - you goofballs are rolling out losers like Jasmine Crockett and David Hogg - and I honestly think Hakeem Jeffries is mentally ill. In my opinion, democrats are just communists masquerading as socialists. Your entire platform is based on hate - and you people try to sell it as "love." Satan also does that. There is a great awakening going on in this country - and the reaction to the movie Snow White is very emblematic of that. We are done with morally bankrupt people trying to tell us right from wrong - for "the greater good." The democrat party is dead and anybody still hanging on is deranged.
Josh Shapiro, governor of Pennsylvania, is a rising Democratic Party star and was interviewed Friday, 3/14/25, on Bill Maher’s HBO show “Real Time with Bill Maher.” Some excerpts are at https://youtube.com/shorts/iJeIpTvLK20.
Ezra Klein and Derek Thompson have been saturating the late night and news talk shows lately promoting their new book “Abundance”: https://a.co/d/av0o3xJ
"Abundance" is a great book - a hard pill to swallow, but democrats need to move from virtue signaling to getting things done. It is shocking to hear how some projects that were voted for and funded never got off the ground or had opposite outcomes. Let's learn, move on, do better. We need a project 2028 with a solid plan to lift everyone up - especially since now it's all being indiscriminately torn down.
I would say, let them beat themselves into oblivion. A new leader will undoubtedly come from the ashes. It happened with the Republicans after George Bush. Even the most tolerant Democrat much cringe when he or she sees Maxine Waters, Raskin, and Schumer contort themselves on national TV.
Harris is a typical Bay Area Democrat and nationally those mostly stand for fundraising and "bowing to corporate interest", but certainly not for good governing and people-centric outcomes.
The problem for California Democrats is that they can't really present a "working model", a "best practice" so to speak. If their topics really are affordable housing, homelessness, income inequality, equity, sustainable transportation, "Complete Streets", "Livable Communities", why is everything they touch only based on car-centric projects instead of people-centric policies?
In San Mateo we don't have to go far to look for examples how Bay Area Democrats are failing. Mayor Rob Newsom and council member Nicole Fernandez continued the attack on Equity Focus Areas like North Central and Shoreview. First they added another highway lane increasing air pollution, noise pollution, GHG emissions - then they took down the simple bike lanes for school children coming from two low-income neighborhoods. Now they will add even more air pollution, noise pollution, GHG emissions with more lanes on the 92/101 intersection, which makes absolutely zero sense (unless you take money from developers and unions of course). All while the board members of Caltrain and SamTrans are slowly dismantling those public agencies for most likely private gains.
And the San Mateo school district is segregated on purpose because there is more money to be gained if you have "underserved" schools. "Underserving schools" is kind of incentivized and San Mateo Democrats love getting money.
If Democrats want to gain back the working class, young people, the intellectuals, etc. get something good done for a change. Show some execution skills.
the
"Harris had the mainstream media working for her.' Some admission. Thanks for the honesty, jon
Thanks for your column today, Mr. Mays, with insights and valuable advice for Democrats. As it is now, Democrats have painted themselves into a corner by hating Trump more than they love America, on just about every issue. How is it a winning argument to advocate for open borders and the potential of violent criminals and terrorists to enter our country and using lawfare to keep them in our country? How is it a winning argument to add potty mouth language but no valid arguments for policies to help the American public? How is it a winning argument to remove women’s rights to compete fairly? To embrace discrimination?
You say, and I agree with, that Democrats need to have open and honest conversations about issues and where they want to go. But can Democrats define what is commonly defined as “open and honest”? A taste of LTEs to the DJ and comments on the online site provide insight - as it is now, Democrats can’t, or they won’t, until they regain individual voices above that of their Democrat leaders. BTW, just yesterday, Tim Walz in a town hall event said that the Democrat Party wasn’t woke enough and that’s why they lost to Trump.Basically doubling down on unpopular issues. At least Walz is open and honest about where he wants to go. How many will go with him?
Ty, when the Democrats warned America what Trump would do if he is elected President, like destroy America's democracy, is not "hating Trump more than they love America". Who the heck thinks like that, unless it is a Trump lover, who loves Trump more than America. Look what Trump is doing now, destroying America piece by piece.
Thanks for your response, Mike O. Are you talking about the Democrats who initiated and perpetuated the fake Russian collusion narrative? And the so-called insurrection that occurred not due to Trump, but due to Nancy Pelosi’s dereliction of duty to protect the Capitol? And claiming the Hunter Biden laptop wasn’t real? And hiding the mental failings of Biden? And those are just a few shenanigans the Dems perpetuated on America. So why would I take seriously anything the Democrats allege?
But you are correct, maybe instead of saying Dems hate Trump more than they love America, I should begin saying Dems hate Trump and hate America. So TY (thank you) for setting me straight. BTW, if Trump was going to destroy democracy, as you and Democrats allege, why didn’t he do it the first time? It’s likely that although you won’t admit it, Trump is the greatest President in your, and our, lifetimes. Trump 2028.
Good column Jon! I don't think the Democrats will continue to be the party of young people for long. Many boys/young men in particular are tired of being demonized and are moving to the right.
As far as a young "moderate" stepping up, the Democrat machine tends to push such people out of the party. Recently in New Hampshire a young (22!) black state legislator Jonah Wheeler gave a powerful speech in support of the rights and privacy of women and girls when he voted against his party on a bill allowing businesses and municipalities to keep certain spaces- sports, locker rooms, prisons etc. female only. Wheeler has since been viciously attacked and censured by his own party and even had his vote compared to Jim Crow laws. If a brave, charismatic, smart and thoughtful young man like Rep. Wheeler is not the future of the Democratic party then they have no future.
Another example of a reasonable, moderate Dem being attacked by the establishment, Matt Mahan, mayor of San Jose: https://www.politico.com/newsletters/california-playbook/2025/03/28/san-joses-mayor-is-getting-under-democrats-skin-00256114
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