Friends, this is an open discussion page supporting our Hopium Agenda Project. Please offer comments and suggestions below as this is a live document and we will strive to keep improving it as we plunge deeper into the 2026 election cycle.
Thank you for this. I do think civil rights is an important mention. "None of us is free until all of are free," etc. I need to go back to Simon's original post and refresh my memory: is there a stated goal? What is this list meant to do? I think a lot of what we all want = basic human decency. But knowing Simon, we are also talking political strategy.
We need something about climate change. Not just rejoining the fight to keep the global climate livable, but leading it, and the transformation of global energy, food, transportation, and housing systems to ones that improve human health rather than selling it out.
This ties to the bit about FEMA and to the point about health, or climate leadership could be its own point.
I was just about to say this! It is critical. Tackling climate change is implicit in improving health, but I would argue it needs to be explicit. Front and center. Climate change will make all of the other problems much worse.
Yes - also ties into our lovely military industrial technological complex, a major part of our economy, which supplies so much of the world's weapons, and is the biggest user of fossil fuels on the planet.
"rescind the tax cuts for millionaires and billionaires" appears in "Protect the Nation's Health".
It should appear by itself and be number ONE. This Saturday is going to be "Families First". Perhaps THAT should be the overarching title. Or better: "Families First, Repeal the Big Ugly Bill"
And number ONE under that should be rescinding the tax cuts.
Because the tax cuts not only impact health but income equality as well. So, it should mention Sheldon Whitehouse's legislation for actually taxing out of control corporate greed.
And what is "Fight Trump's Tax....Increases"??
Protect The Nation's Health should be ....Fire Kennedy ,etc,....(eliminate rescind the tax cuts HERE) ...properly fund Medicaid, protect Medicare and the Affordable Care Act.
(Personally I would say adopt universal health care, but that's probably not a winner)
And there's nothing about Protecting Voting Rights or Protect the Midterm Election Process.
STAND WITH PALESTINE!! STOP THE GENOCIDE & ILLEGAL TAKEOVER OF GAZA LAND. Roll back the land that has already been stolen from them & return it to Palestine. Partner with other nations to fully fund a humane program of food, medical care, housing safety net and recovery for the people of Palestine. demand a two state solution. Demand that Netanyahu be tried for his crimes of genocide..
I like the agenda as it is now because it prioritizes about 5 items in this moment, using clear, forceful language. Down the road, we might consider adding other items. Education is sort of embedded in the part on health and science. I’m very worried about the attacks on education at all levels and the need to protect public education that is available to all. But that could wait for a later time.
I agree with your basic point: Our agenda should be focused on a few key issues, and those should be goals our whole huge family shares. If we try to take stands on certain issues, we’ll lose people.
I am making a similar (ish) document for myself (trying to get my head around how I talk about things with friends, family, etc.) and what I can do at a political level and at a community level. I have lumped education, science, health, and freedom of press together for now, as inelegant as that may seem—my logic is that authoritarian regimes depend on us being hobbled (weak, sick, uninformed, uneducated, isolated). Open to suggestions on that though.
Thank you to the commenter who linked to the David Rothkopf piece. I loved this umbrella: "We’ve got to make it clear that we believe in science, history and truth."
Produce a campaign to eliminate citizens United. This has done the most to corrupt our democracy than any other decision in our countries history. Get the money out of politics once and for all.
Place term limits on all elected officials.
Investigate all of SCOTUS ILLEGAL BEHAVIOR, INCLUDING MONEY, TAKEN FOR GIFTS AND BRIBES.
I think these two thoughts ladder up to something bigger—protecting free and fair elections. Under that umbrella is a lot of other stuff, but it seems important to keep the ideas big and simple for this list.
Let's redefine what "pro-life" means. A pro-life agenda would include fully funded and resourced public schools, access to health care for all children, high-quality and affordable early education for all children, expanded tax credits for families with children.......
And any pro-life agenda would stop all the ugly attacks on women and their health, autonomy, and rights. Healthy kids grow up in healthy families, and women are generally the ones who make that happen.
The pro democracy movement must propose, support, and make real assistance aimed at everyday affordability issues for all but young men and women need to hear from us in particular. No complicated tax credit stuff but proposals that make sense, ie Mamdani's free bus rides proposal. Consider start-up capital for micro entrepreneurship ventures and micro small business LLCs--yes, means-tested which targets those who need it and doesn't waste capital on wealthier midcareer types. Something akin to "American Upstart Fund" and add navigators a la ACA to ensure application process is fair and also screens out fraudsters.
I don't want to be a fly in the ointment, but we cannot promote Democrats as brave leadership for liberty if we refuse to mention that we repudiate the GOP attempt to marginalize and erase the liberties of some Americans-- whether by race, by gender, by sexual orientation, or by transgender status. Yes, this is hard; some of our friends are uncomfortable with such an agenda. But if Dems can't just say they stand for all who the GOP would seek to marginalize, they just come across as self-serving wimps.
Nationalize the fossil fuel industries to eventually shut them down. Get serious about climate change! Drastically reduce the pentagon's budget, money to go to the people and infrastructure. We should of had high speed rail years ago. Raise people out of poverty. Look to Franklin and Eleanor Roosevelt's history and repeat MAJOR changes in our country's direction. More later....
I think we need to win the House and (please!) the Senate and of course, the Presidency. Upon achieving that, I put forward an idea that has already been out there of an amendment to the constitution that enshrines 18 year term limits on the SCOTUS, the majority of whom are operating as footsoldiers to the current regime. The lower courts are doing an incredible job of protecting the constitution and our democracy. We need to back them up by passing an amendment that also protects the rule of law, separation of powers and reaffirms our core principles by enforcing term limits on service to the SCOTUS that is time-stamped to the year 2000-forward. If the limit is 18 years, this will force retirement on Roberts, Alito, and Thomas. Farfetched perhaps? So were DOGE and Project 2025 until they weren't. Mandated term limits would be nothing compared to what is happening now. And it needs to be SCOTUS proof. Let's please do everything we can to bring this forward. My guess is that this might already be in the Dems Project 2029. I think this is vital to provide necessary checks on brazenly corrupt and unaccountable jurists on the Supreme Court. If we can't get term limits, then we need to expand the size of the Supreme Court, which no longer seems radical in order to restore our democracy and dismantle the betrayal and destruction wrought by the current regime.
Limit the SCOTUS "shadow docket" of decisions issued without full briefing, oral arguments, and signed opinions, unlike the cases on its main docket. It lacks transparency and accountability.
Appreciate this working draft, Simon, and I think it needs to be strengthened so that it feels like an inspiring vision of the future that has common sense reforms that benefit Americans—and thus will bring them in droves to vote Democratic. For example, I am troubled that tens of millions of Americans work full time at jobs we the people feel are needed, and yet struggle to put food on the table for their families and also afford decent housing and medical care. Remedying this calls for a bold agenda!
I especially want to also see specifics about how Dems will reform the laws that allow billionaires to buy elections and allow them to have tons more influence that our multitude of citizens. I also want to see strong support for ending gerrymandering and protecting/supporting all citizens’ right to vote.
I believe Dems need to be brave and step forward to champion the idea that we are not just restoring, but that we are in support of REFORMING what is wrong in our country. Just today the wise and experienced David Rothkopf put forth a picture of what is needed to restore America. I think he has hit the mark…here is the link to his Substack: https://davidrothkopf.substack.com/p/20-steps-to-return-to-us-leadership?utm_campaign=email-post&r=gqenl&utm_source=substack&utm_medium=email . Please consider adding some of what he has advocated to your Agenda Project statement. Thanks so much!
I fear our leadership in science is done. We are taking the country back to the cold war, pre-NASA, pre-NSF. Those agencies were founded in response to Americans realizing we were way behind the Soviets in science & technology. What's more, we are already seeing a brain drain—our best minds looking to take their careers to other countries that can support them better, and are eager to do so.
Fight against the existential threat climate change poses to our world and, even more so, to the lives of our children. Minimize death and destruction from accelerating incidence of fires, droughts, floods, hurricanes, tornados, sea level rise, incursion of tropical diseases, and crop failures by creating alternative energy sources, by capturing and confining toxic substances, by conserving and restoring forests, and by preparing to deal with the calamities that we are unable to prevent. Remind our fellow citizens that any jobs lost by reducing use of fossil fuels will be far outweighed by jobs saved from the devastating effects of climate change and by jobs created to carry out these efforts.
Agree this is critical. For the purposes of this list, maybe this all ladders up to "Keep America (and the world) safe," you know, by letting the established agencies do their jobs (and not spending $15M to destroy climate-monitoring satellites).
Don't you think you could use some language supporting the civil rights of gay men and Lesbians as one of the planks in your 2026 program?
Thank you for this. I do think civil rights is an important mention. "None of us is free until all of are free," etc. I need to go back to Simon's original post and refresh my memory: is there a stated goal? What is this list meant to do? I think a lot of what we all want = basic human decency. But knowing Simon, we are also talking political strategy.
We need something about climate change. Not just rejoining the fight to keep the global climate livable, but leading it, and the transformation of global energy, food, transportation, and housing systems to ones that improve human health rather than selling it out.
This ties to the bit about FEMA and to the point about health, or climate leadership could be its own point.
I was just about to say this! It is critical. Tackling climate change is implicit in improving health, but I would argue it needs to be explicit. Front and center. Climate change will make all of the other problems much worse.
Completely agree!
Yes - also ties into our lovely military industrial technological complex, a major part of our economy, which supplies so much of the world's weapons, and is the biggest user of fossil fuels on the planet.
"rescind the tax cuts for millionaires and billionaires" appears in "Protect the Nation's Health".
It should appear by itself and be number ONE. This Saturday is going to be "Families First". Perhaps THAT should be the overarching title. Or better: "Families First, Repeal the Big Ugly Bill"
And number ONE under that should be rescinding the tax cuts.
Because the tax cuts not only impact health but income equality as well. So, it should mention Sheldon Whitehouse's legislation for actually taxing out of control corporate greed.
And what is "Fight Trump's Tax....Increases"??
Protect The Nation's Health should be ....Fire Kennedy ,etc,....(eliminate rescind the tax cuts HERE) ...properly fund Medicaid, protect Medicare and the Affordable Care Act.
(Personally I would say adopt universal health care, but that's probably not a winner)
And there's nothing about Protecting Voting Rights or Protect the Midterm Election Process.
Also TAX THE RICH - no more skirting their responsibilities to our country.
STAND WITH PALESTINE!! STOP THE GENOCIDE & ILLEGAL TAKEOVER OF GAZA LAND. Roll back the land that has already been stolen from them & return it to Palestine. Partner with other nations to fully fund a humane program of food, medical care, housing safety net and recovery for the people of Palestine. demand a two state solution. Demand that Netanyahu be tried for his crimes of genocide..
I like the agenda as it is now because it prioritizes about 5 items in this moment, using clear, forceful language. Down the road, we might consider adding other items. Education is sort of embedded in the part on health and science. I’m very worried about the attacks on education at all levels and the need to protect public education that is available to all. But that could wait for a later time.
I agree with your basic point: Our agenda should be focused on a few key issues, and those should be goals our whole huge family shares. If we try to take stands on certain issues, we’ll lose people.
I am making a similar (ish) document for myself (trying to get my head around how I talk about things with friends, family, etc.) and what I can do at a political level and at a community level. I have lumped education, science, health, and freedom of press together for now, as inelegant as that may seem—my logic is that authoritarian regimes depend on us being hobbled (weak, sick, uninformed, uneducated, isolated). Open to suggestions on that though.
Thank you to the commenter who linked to the David Rothkopf piece. I loved this umbrella: "We’ve got to make it clear that we believe in science, history and truth."
Produce a campaign to eliminate citizens United. This has done the most to corrupt our democracy than any other decision in our countries history. Get the money out of politics once and for all.
Place term limits on all elected officials.
Investigate all of SCOTUS ILLEGAL BEHAVIOR, INCLUDING MONEY, TAKEN FOR GIFTS AND BRIBES.
Agree, and restore the voting rights act.
I think these two thoughts ladder up to something bigger—protecting free and fair elections. Under that umbrella is a lot of other stuff, but it seems important to keep the ideas big and simple for this list.
Let's redefine what "pro-life" means. A pro-life agenda would include fully funded and resourced public schools, access to health care for all children, high-quality and affordable early education for all children, expanded tax credits for families with children.......
And any pro-life agenda would stop all the ugly attacks on women and their health, autonomy, and rights. Healthy kids grow up in healthy families, and women are generally the ones who make that happen.
The pro democracy movement must propose, support, and make real assistance aimed at everyday affordability issues for all but young men and women need to hear from us in particular. No complicated tax credit stuff but proposals that make sense, ie Mamdani's free bus rides proposal. Consider start-up capital for micro entrepreneurship ventures and micro small business LLCs--yes, means-tested which targets those who need it and doesn't waste capital on wealthier midcareer types. Something akin to "American Upstart Fund" and add navigators a la ACA to ensure application process is fair and also screens out fraudsters.
PS--I am a 66 yr old guy this isn't about something for me.
I don't want to be a fly in the ointment, but we cannot promote Democrats as brave leadership for liberty if we refuse to mention that we repudiate the GOP attempt to marginalize and erase the liberties of some Americans-- whether by race, by gender, by sexual orientation, or by transgender status. Yes, this is hard; some of our friends are uncomfortable with such an agenda. But if Dems can't just say they stand for all who the GOP would seek to marginalize, they just come across as self-serving wimps.
think it's three overarching themes are important: Pro Democracy, Faithful to the Constitution, Income Inequality.
Nationalize the fossil fuel industries to eventually shut them down. Get serious about climate change! Drastically reduce the pentagon's budget, money to go to the people and infrastructure. We should of had high speed rail years ago. Raise people out of poverty. Look to Franklin and Eleanor Roosevelt's history and repeat MAJOR changes in our country's direction. More later....
I think we need to win the House and (please!) the Senate and of course, the Presidency. Upon achieving that, I put forward an idea that has already been out there of an amendment to the constitution that enshrines 18 year term limits on the SCOTUS, the majority of whom are operating as footsoldiers to the current regime. The lower courts are doing an incredible job of protecting the constitution and our democracy. We need to back them up by passing an amendment that also protects the rule of law, separation of powers and reaffirms our core principles by enforcing term limits on service to the SCOTUS that is time-stamped to the year 2000-forward. If the limit is 18 years, this will force retirement on Roberts, Alito, and Thomas. Farfetched perhaps? So were DOGE and Project 2025 until they weren't. Mandated term limits would be nothing compared to what is happening now. And it needs to be SCOTUS proof. Let's please do everything we can to bring this forward. My guess is that this might already be in the Dems Project 2029. I think this is vital to provide necessary checks on brazenly corrupt and unaccountable jurists on the Supreme Court. If we can't get term limits, then we need to expand the size of the Supreme Court, which no longer seems radical in order to restore our democracy and dismantle the betrayal and destruction wrought by the current regime.
Limit the SCOTUS "shadow docket" of decisions issued without full briefing, oral arguments, and signed opinions, unlike the cases on its main docket. It lacks transparency and accountability.
Appreciate this working draft, Simon, and I think it needs to be strengthened so that it feels like an inspiring vision of the future that has common sense reforms that benefit Americans—and thus will bring them in droves to vote Democratic. For example, I am troubled that tens of millions of Americans work full time at jobs we the people feel are needed, and yet struggle to put food on the table for their families and also afford decent housing and medical care. Remedying this calls for a bold agenda!
I especially want to also see specifics about how Dems will reform the laws that allow billionaires to buy elections and allow them to have tons more influence that our multitude of citizens. I also want to see strong support for ending gerrymandering and protecting/supporting all citizens’ right to vote.
I believe Dems need to be brave and step forward to champion the idea that we are not just restoring, but that we are in support of REFORMING what is wrong in our country. Just today the wise and experienced David Rothkopf put forth a picture of what is needed to restore America. I think he has hit the mark…here is the link to his Substack: https://davidrothkopf.substack.com/p/20-steps-to-return-to-us-leadership?utm_campaign=email-post&r=gqenl&utm_source=substack&utm_medium=email . Please consider adding some of what he has advocated to your Agenda Project statement. Thanks so much!
Jobs — rebuild small business including specific manufacturing in places where factories have closed or extractive industry shut down
Housing — invest in affordable green housing
Children — provide safe affordable child care and adequately fund education including special Ed/IEPs
Leadership — let young leaders from all regions and experiences lead the way
Overall — Talk less and do more.
We should support the Abundance agenda.
We should also commit to maintaining the US's leadership in science.
I fear our leadership in science is done. We are taking the country back to the cold war, pre-NASA, pre-NSF. Those agencies were founded in response to Americans realizing we were way behind the Soviets in science & technology. What's more, we are already seeing a brain drain—our best minds looking to take their careers to other countries that can support them better, and are eager to do so.
Fight against the existential threat climate change poses to our world and, even more so, to the lives of our children. Minimize death and destruction from accelerating incidence of fires, droughts, floods, hurricanes, tornados, sea level rise, incursion of tropical diseases, and crop failures by creating alternative energy sources, by capturing and confining toxic substances, by conserving and restoring forests, and by preparing to deal with the calamities that we are unable to prevent. Remind our fellow citizens that any jobs lost by reducing use of fossil fuels will be far outweighed by jobs saved from the devastating effects of climate change and by jobs created to carry out these efforts.
Agree this is critical. For the purposes of this list, maybe this all ladders up to "Keep America (and the world) safe," you know, by letting the established agencies do their jobs (and not spending $15M to destroy climate-monitoring satellites).