What Democrats Need to Do Now
John Jensen Ph.D.
At this writing, Republicans are happy to run the country, while Democrats await marching orders, confined largely to varied struggles against Trump policies. A close look at the latter, however, helps pinpoint today's urgent effort.
An insight from Marcus Aurelius describes the Trump presidency: "Not to expect a bad man to do wrong is madness." Knowing Trump's character and electing him anyway demonstrated that his character didn't matter to millions of voters. They cheered for his boldness and promises to fix everything that bothered them, but his passionate welcome to people's anger, cruelty, indignation, and self-interest taught many voters what to regard as important. The result is that however the 2026 elections turn out, we could still have a bitterly divided country.
This suggests that Democratic leaders with time to spare might consider using it to re-educate voters about what enables a country to survive. Stability requires mainstream thinking that sustains people's cooperation like the rule of law, leaders accountable to it, the separation of powers, and the peaceful transfer of power. Without realism and respect for causality, society fractures. Unbalanced self-interest and dismissal of truth invite disaster.
Basic change depends on a sequence of effort:
1-- Leaders step forward. Anyone whom others will listen to can lead. We expect this first from legislators and candidates, but also from anyone connected to a group. Leaders' essential activity is asking others for effort that succeeds. They need to understand the change process, ask for each step, and think like they were forming an army.
2-- Leaders ask others to become agents of change. This is a personal, you-to-me request, not a general appeal. For people to sacrifice their time and effort, they need a bond with a leader until their personal commitment matures. They gather, identify as a group, and focus together on a change process.
3-- Change agents need to prepare. To believe, "We're going to change this country," people need to develop their communication skills, support each other, accept responsibility, and undertake tasks within their capacity. Done properly these are not onerous obligations but natural steps fueled by growing interest and eagerness.
4-- The key effort is time face-to-face with voters. Door-knocking, a sidewalk booth, or family discussion qualify-- somehow conversation with those they want to reach. They need to elicit harmony one to one. People accept ideas from those they like and avoid others they don't like.
5-- They resolve differences with voters. The Perfect Conversation model for small group discussion helps people connect and resolve differences: Look at the speaker, leave a brief silence after they speak, use short messages instead of long speeches, ask questions, connect with others' ideas, and include everyone. Spreading the model is basic, easy outreach.
6-- They help voters reconsider their values. Common ground values are in the Preamble to the Constitution-- unity, justice, domestic tranquility, defense, the common welfare, and liberty. People need substantial discussion about them in order to assimilate them as criteria for assessing candidates and policies.
7-- They aid voters' electoral activity. This is practical effort registering people and getting out the vote for candidates who exemplify constructive values.
8-- Those elected contribute positive leadership and legislation. Although the title above invites Democrats' effort, the steps apply also to Republicans committed to the nation's well-being. Helpful compromises can occur when both sides want the best for the country.
If you happen to be a leader (i.e. can call on others' effort), you may experience an unexpected resistance to such a proposal, even after acknowledging it's potential benefit. The reason probably will be a universal human trait called a predisposition. It works like this: We mark as part of ourselves everything we give energy to, gathering it into a mental field we regard as our life. What's there matters to us because we chose to remember it and gave it personal feelings. However smart we may be, this fact can be hard to assimilate: "I've confined myself to a framework that makes a universe of ideas unthinkable to me."
Others' predisposition limits our effort to generate social change, because everything we propose collides with others' boundaries . While the world pulls constantly at us, we think, "I can't do everything so I'll stick with what matters to me." All new ideas, every activity we aren't already invested in, remains outside our predisposition.
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