This is a good way to start today’s post. Clearly, it is true. What to do about it is another question.

It puzzles me that the further Trump’s popularity falls, the appeal of the Democratic Party falls farther. I don’t understand it, but it seems clear to me that three of the reasons are Chuck Shumer, Halim Jeffries, and Ken Martin. “Ken Martin?”, you ask, “who is he?” That is part of the problem. He is the chair of the party and has made no impression on you.

As to Shumer and Jeffries, I have no problem with either, as legislators. In fact, I like them. But as voices, spokespersons, faces? Clearly not. If they were right for those positions, the Democrats would not be where they are today.

For one thing, both are from New York. The Democrats need leaders from places like Kansas and Texas and Florida. For another, they are both members of perceived minority groups, and the Democrats are in a position where they need to appeal to Trump’s populist targets. That does not mean that the Democrats should become a white man’s club, but they should have some more white faces in their leadership.

On the other hand, the Democrats shouldn’t give up on DEI, although it needs to be managed better. The Democrats should make it clear to all minority groups that, without some recognized form of DEI, their continued progress in this country does not stand a chance.

Perhaps more than anything else, the Democrats need a platform. Not one of overwhelming detail, and not one so specific that it will be subject to change every time the sun comes up. A platform of unchangeable principles. Perhaps as simple as a set of Democratic Ten Commandments, or a Democratic Pledge of Allegiance.  Not a pledge of allegiance to the Democratic Party, but to a set of invioble principles. You can start with some old ones, like “liberty and justice for all” and build on them.

Similarly, the Democrats need to counter everything bad in Trumpism. A list of, say, 20 no-nos. The list could be longer of course, but for its purpose, maybe even 20 is too many. Examples? “We will not turn the military on American residents.” “We will not whisk people off the streets and hold them in secret locations, not allowing contact with family members or attorneys.” “We will respect the authority of governors and mayors.” Simple, obvious things.

And, perhaps more important than anything else, the Democrats need not only  be prepared to support the integrity of American elections, but to convince the public that our election systems, as constructed and operated state by state, are honest, and the results are accurate. As it stands now, our 2026 election is at enormous risk.

Who is it in The Mikado who keeps “a little list”? The Democrats need to keep a number of them, with contents suggested above. And they need to be published in every way possible in today’s media environment. Again and again and again and again.