I was at a No Kings rally. The vast crowd was united in opposition to the policies of the current administration. The energy was palpable. The signs were angry or clever, sometimes both. The music and the chants were loud.

Then the speeches began. Free Palestine. A trans woman’s journey. Native American rights. Recruitment for the local chapter of the Communist Party. Labor solidarity. 

All are serious issues, earnestly presented and worthy of honest discussion.

They just weren’t the central issue that motivated millions to take to the streets across America, even abroad.

While Republicans are renowned for message discipline – even when messages aren’t entirely truthful – the Democratic coalition is notorious for going full speed ahead in every possible direction. 

We’re a big tent with a lot of little tents inside.

Democrats begin with a disadvantage. We don’t have our own media ecosystem – Fox, OANN, Newsmax, increasingly CBS, potentially CNN – amplifying every talking point.

Conservative podcasts outnumber their liberal counterparts by roughly 3:1. The right has cultivated influencers like Tucker Carlson, Megyn Kelly, Ben Shapiro, Candace Owens, the late Charlie Kirk, and others. Some might add Joe Rogan.

Let’s not forget the billionaire oligarchs who are consolidating the media and funding right-wing policies. Elon Musk, of course. Larry and David Ellison. Richard & Elizabeth Uihlein. Plus, those who quietly fuel conservative think tanks like The Heritage Foundation, the Cato Institute, and the Federalist Society.

And there’s Trump. Preposterous, profane, and wildly inconsistent, with a narcissistic genius for dominating every news cycle. 

How, then, can Democrats respond to overwhelming media and financial influences? 

Focus.

Focus on the cruelty and corruption of this administration. 

Candidates should say it often and loudly. Then lay out an alternative vision, one that’s grounded in honesty, fairness and accountability. A few starting points may be found in the Sanity Project.

That’s it. 

For now…just for now…forget about Critical Race Theory and student loan forgiveness and DEI and comprehensive immigration reform and universal healthcare and gender-affirming care. 

For now…just for now…take one drum and beat the s*** out of it.

Every podcast. Every stump speech. Every radio interview and news show appearance. Every late-night show guest appearance (assuming the format survives).

MAGA is cruel and corrupt. 

Cruel and corrupt. 

Lather. Rinse. Repeat.

Corruption and cruelty worked in Hungary to defeat strongman Viktor Orban, MAGA’s role model. 

It can work in America…unless we get in our own way. 

A single-minded focus will enable Democrats to win the midterms and retake Congress from the current crowd of invertebrates. 

Then we’ll have a little – not a lot – of time to deal with everything else. 

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