Free IVF. Tariffs. Designs for world peace.
These aren’t ideas from the mind of George McGovern, a liberal think tank, or Hakeem Jeffries. They’re the stated position of the leader of the GOP, Trump.
These 3 positions break the frame. They shatter the idea that the Republicans have to have socially conservative, pro-business, interventionist policies.
If the republicans break the frame, why haven’t the Democrats? Why isn’t there a single liberal politician whose policies you can’t predict? Every single one is templated, predictable, poll tested, and utterly uninspiring. Not a single one is capable of a surprise, save Mamdani, who primarily surprises us with his style not his beliefs (which are painfully stereotypical).
It’s time for the liberals to spring the surprises. “We” have to break the frame and smash/shatter/destroy it so thoroughly that the legacy of our party no longer matters, much like Trump has rendered the Reagan simp meaningless.
What follows is a heterodoxical agenda that is equal parts thought experiment and policy paper. Take it seriously not literally.
The next liberal leader (I hate the term Democrats now) should run on:
- 25% Revenue share for AI agents going to the labor that trains them.
- Ban algorithms in gambling, porn, and social media. Only human curators.
- Nationalize health insurance. Make every doctor a member of a cooperative that contracts with the government. Deal with doctors, not executives. Pay for drugs with prizes, not Byzantine pricing schemes.
- Pro-China, pro-peace. Who said we have to hate them? They love our brands. China has never had an expansionist urge in 3000 years of history.
- End imported labor. Create more Americans, fewer wage arbitreurs.
- Extend the imperial presidency. Let Congress find its way back to relevance.
- Demand term limits for the Supreme Court and Congress. Demand the liberal justices sign an open letter in support. Attack Congressional wealth and withhold funds from the institution until they cooperate.
- Co-opt MAHA. Go to the gym with RFK Jr. We don’t need more medical innovation; we know how to live healthy lives, we just don’t do it. We need health, not medicine. Appoint Jillian Michaels or Michelle Obama as a head of the NIH.
- Adopt Trump-style government capitalism. Quit focusing on tax and spend; the government is the greatest money maker and should get a cut. Who cares about taxes when we get a cut of a beautiful new development?
- Crush crime; focus on social trust. A crime-free society moves dramatically differently. Stop empathizing with criminals, embrace victims.
- Lean into the money gusher of tariffs. We have the greatest consumer in the world; let him a cut, enjoy the tolls, lower his income taxes.
Principles
- Agree with Trump. He got some things right; shamelessly agree and twist them to our purpose. Tariffs are a great opportunity for this.
- Focus on morals, not laws. Trump doesn’t derive legitimacy from the law; he invokes common sense morals to justify his actions. Drugs are bad; kill the Venezuelan drug traffickers. Who gives a shit about the 1975 War Powers Act when West Virginia and Philadelphia are drowning in fentanyl.
- Big algorithm is the big threat. Fuck responsible/interpretable AI; that is stupid policy shop talk. No one like algorithms in control of society; the word literally is not pleasant. Replacing them with humans is common sense regulation, not demanding whatever the fuck disclosures California demands.
- Co-opt the wedge. Why take a single position when you can take both? See how Trump handles abortion. Liberals should do the same with MAHA; we can support the moms and the docs! RFK Jr was in our tent first!
- Ideas don’t need campaigns. This might be most important point. “Nothing can stop an idea whose time has come.”—Hugo. Why do we need expensive consultants if we have a pulse on the ideas that move hearts and minds? No consultant could come up with MAGA…
- No one cares about the Constitution. It is a living document, not a religious article of faith. Quit campaigning on it; literally 0 people (other than annoying NYT libs) care about (or understand) this topic.
- Ignore polls. A majority in a poll means “I don’t give a shit about this topic”, not “I really care about this”. Honestly, the minority in a poll cares a lot more about the topic than the majority.
- Market behavior matters, not market rules. Markets respond to perceived force, not stated laws. The Chinese showed the way here.
- Campaign cash is empty calories. You don’t need money to win elections.
- Pro-worker, pro-rural, pro-society. Anti-finance, anti-speculation, anti-markets.
Above all, embrace pain and mess. This process will be destructive, chaotic, and involve winners and losers. That is a given; quit avoiding pain and seeking consensus amongst those whose interests cannot converge. Pick a side. Go to war. Seek victory, not merely compromise. There is nobility in defeat; there is none in surrender. I say this because liberals cling to the idea of a “unifier” as being the prototype for an election winner. THAT. DOES. NOT. MATTER! Division is a fact; draw the
Winners don’t need allies; they attract partners and followers.
Why this agenda?
This agenda will mobilize a diverse coalition. It targets emerging flashpoints.
We are not fighting tech; we are fighting the indiscriminate application of potent algorithms.