As Democrats mostly steel themselves to oppose another term of Donald Trump, progressives in the party appear to be converging around a new strategy. Politico reports that more liberal Dems plan to take the president-elect’s “populist, working-class proposals at his word — or at least pretend to.” Democratic lawmakers are announcing that they’re willing to work with Trump on promised populist policies that overlap with progressive goals. If he puts his money where his mouth is, then they’ll take some credit for it. "If he doesn’t, they can bash him for it,” Politico said.
In other words, progressives are angling to call Trump’s populist bluff.
For the most part calling Trump’s populist bluff could help expose the fraudulence of his campaign promises.
Deciding how to walk the line between resistance and effective governance is always a complicated endeavor — all the more so when the party in power threatens to try to unravel democracy. But as a starting strategy it’s a smart approach that could position progressives to expose the false promises of right-wing populism as a salve for the working class.
“President Trump announced during his campaign that he intended to put a 10 percent interest rate cap on consumer credit,” Sen. Elizabeth Warren of Massachusetts told Politico. “Bring it on.” A number of her Democratic colleagues sounded similar notes, per Politico:
Rep. Pramila Jayapal (D-Wash.), chair of the Congressional Progressive Caucus, said in an interview that she would likely work with Trump if he pursues antitrust promises he made on the campaign trail. Sen. Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.) said he sees himself partnering with Trump to tackle “large corporate consolidations,” while Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) posted on X that he “looked forward” to Trump “fulfilling his promise” to cap credit card interest rates.
I’m cautiously optimistic that this could be a win-win for progressives. Republicans will be calling the shots, with control of the White House and Congress, but Democrats need to be leading demands for policies that protect working people from corporate exploitation. In the event that Trump and the Republicans do try to pass policies that protect working people from corporate exploitation, Democrats must be situated to take credit for leading the agenda and be ready to credit Republicans for taking a break from the policy agenda of billionaires and bigots.
It may seem far-fetched to think Trump will follow through on any policies that count as progressive, but it is possible. Consider how Trump and his allies have at least rhetorically softened the GOP’s longstanding hostility to organized labor. Trump just picked a Republican congresswoman for labor secretary who has a surprisingly moderate labor record. And Vice President-elect JD Vance has signaled interest in some degree of opposition to corporate consolidation and support of expanding the child tax credit. If Trump’s right-wing populism takes even hyper-incremental steps to win over organized labor, deliver pro-consumer wins or rein in big tech, then Democrats must show themselves to be way ahead of Republicans on those issues. It is of existential importance for Democrats to occupy and dominate the lane of real economic change for the working class and demonstrate that Republicans are merely tourists there.
And for those who fear that Democrats will look spineless by merely expressing a willingness to work with with the Republicans, it’s best to remember President Joe Biden’s tenure. Republican cooperation with Biden on his infrastructure and semiconductor bills did not discredit an otherwise extremely disciplined (as well as bad faith and over-the-top) GOP opposition to his presidency. And in the meantime, Republican lawmakers who supported the bills were able to go home and tell their constituents that they achieved something concrete with broad bipartisan appeal. More substantively, pressuring the GOP to fulfill promises that would actually improve people's lives is Democrats' civic responsibility. At the end of the day, good policy is good policy — and politicians are elected to achieve results.
But for the most part calling Trump’s populist bluff could help expose the fraudulence of his campaign promises. Every promise Trump fails to keep should become a Democratic talking point in the midterm elections. And a laser focus on true economic populism would help Democrats take Trump to task over his plans for extended tax cuts for corporations and the rich, attacks on the social safety net and a regulatory agenda designed to help tech tycoons and capital at the expense of working Americans.
Democrats cannot cede the language of anti-elitism to the right. Instead, they must claim it as their true turf and hammer home how most right-wing populism is a bait and switch that serves the rich and the powerful.