Dem
47
GOP
53
Jonathan V. Last (JVL) has another interesting column over at the Bulwark. He speculates about whether the Democrats should go full-blown populist now. He is not interested in whether that is a good idea or the morally correct thing to do. He cares only about whether it would win elections.
Last's first point is whether the current Republican Party is a continuation of the Bob Dole-George W. Bush-John McCain-Mitt Romney Republican Party or a complete break with it and something genuinely new, like American Peronism. Donald Trump didn't campaign on improving people's lives based on the free enterprise system, as Republicans have done for decades. He campaigned on inflicting pain on his enemies. Instead of talking about peace and prosperity, his themes were:
Nothing like Herbert Hoover's "Chicken for every pot" ad:
Trump didn't promise to improve people's lives. He didn't say a word about replacing the ACA with "something better" or making the tax system fairer for ordinary folks. He promised to inflict pain on people his base doesn't like, especially "other" people (read: immigrants and minorities).
Last argues that if the Democrats run in 2028 on gradually improving people's lives in many small ways, it won't work. Joe Biden signed more laws that improve people's lives than any president since Lyndon Johnson and, on a good day, Biden's popularity rose to almost 40%. That plan does not work. It is not what (many) voters want. They want to inflict pain on their enemies and punish them. Last didn't suggest the answer, but others have. Keep reading. (V)