There’s not much debate anymore over whether Biden has been a consequential president.

—American Recovery Act: $1.9 trillion

— Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act: $550 billion

— Chips and Science Act: $280 billion

— Inflation Reduction Act: $732 billion

That’s a nearly $3.5 trillion agenda. Achieved against the backdrop of a Republican Party that wanted to be sure Biden got NO WINS. The scope of the issues addressed is notable: the pandemic and its economic fallout, highways, bridges, broadband, rail, manufacturing, science, prescription drug prices, health insurance, climate change, deficit reduction and tax equity.

He also expanded NATO, passed a new gun safety law and passed a bill to address the effects of vets exposed to toxic burn pits. Five out of seven of these laws — all but the two biggies, the ARP and IRA — received bipartisan support in a country with a GOP that wants no wins for Democrats.

What should the Democratic messaging be for the midterms?

Keep playing a winning hand.

In recent polls, Democratic voters care the most about the following issues: abortion rights, safety/ gun control, climate change, taxing the rich to pay their fair share, pandemic recovery.
Independent voters (voters the Dems need to get out to vote Democratic in order to win big) care most about inflation, and border security (top two issues).
Here are the headlines Americans need to know about and hear over and over again. These are the huge successes of this administration.
The Economy
  • The Dems are getting things done for Americans.  They are doing everything they can to prevent a recession and control inflation. Biden just signed the Inflations Reduction Act into law: Not one Republican voted for it even though it will be a huge help for Americans.
    • It keeps health care costs down by allowing Medicare to get cheaper prescription drugs for Americans and bolstering health-care insurance markets. Cheaper prescription drugs. More options for health insurance.
    • It raises taxes on corporations so they pay their fair share.
    • It helps a lot in the battle against climate change and helps the economy at the same time by creating big incentives for green energy.

 

  • Americans are traveling again, living their lives again. The pandemic is under control thanks to the Biden administration making vaccines, boosters and antivirals available. Americans are no longer worried about dying from Covid unless make the choice to avoid vaccines and boosters- it’s up to them now.

 

  • Want a job?  You can get a job. The job market is fantastic. It is hot hot hot. Lowest unemployment rate since 2020, (the start of the pandemic.

 

  • Roads and unsafe bridges are getting rebuilt. There was an early infrastructure bill passed in Biden’s administration that is already working to keep Americans safe again.
  • There was a huge early successful Recovery act that helped us get through the pandemic.

 

  • No more relying on China for semi-conductors. The CHIPS bill boosts American industry to develop chips we need so we do not have to rely on China for all the crucial semi-conductors that power all of our machines, cars, devices and computers these days.
Democrats Support Helping Americans Have Good and Safe Lives
  • Help for veterans whose health was damaged by toxic burn pits. (This was the legislation Jon Stewart got involved in and his rant went viral forcing the Republicans to pass this legislation when they weren’t going to do it).

 

  • The right approach to abortion rights– it’s a decision between a woman and her doctor- not for state legislators to make. Forced birth is un-American!

 

  • The right approach to reasonable gun safety legislation. Dangerous people should not have access to guns. Our children deserve to be safe in school and Americans deserve to be safe when they go shopping or to church or synagogues. The first gun control legislation in nearly 30 years was passed! in response to Uvalde. Creates licensing requirements and age requirements for gun owners, registration requirements and much more.

 

  • Democrats will protect your rights to your benefits: social security, Medicare, veterans benefits. Republicans are going to try to end them. Remember what they were trying to do to Obamacare? Don’t forget that. They want to do the same with other benefits.

The Border

What our country needs right now to stay competitive are more essential workers, more people who will step up and take the hard jobs that need to be done that Americans aren’t interested in doing. We need more people to immigrate to our country so that we can fill these jobs. Don’t let the fear mongering of Republicans who have become a Christian nationalist/white supremacist party win the war of words when it comes to immigration. America needs more good, hardworking people to fill jobs to keep our country strong.

America is Stronger Because Our Global Partnerships and Alliances are Stronger

Part of what keeps America great and also safe are strong alliances with our allies abroad. Biden has been masterful at that. His handling of the Ukraine War has been strong and effective. There is bipartisan support in Congress for his actions abroad. NATO has grown in strength and consequence. Biden has outplayed Putin.

Democrats Value Every American

  • Democrats have the right approach to accepting every American for who they are no matter what color skin or who they love or what they believe when it comes to their faith.

 

  • Democrats want ALL Americans to get ahead and move the country FORWARD not backwards (Make America Great Again is about moving America backwards).

Democrats Care About Protecting Your Personal Rights, Human Rights and Civil Rights

  • The right to vote. No more voter suppression. No more gerrymandering.
  • The right to same sex marriage.
  • The right to intermarriage.
  • The right to access contraceptives and reproductive rights.
  • The right to have the benefits you earned and deserve: Social Security, Veterans rights, Medicare.
  • The right to be safe as you live your life and your children to be safe in school

These talking points need to be the Democratic messaging for the midterms. There is a lot to crow about and candidates should repeat these successes over and over again so voters know about them. A lot of Americans are too busy living their lives to know what the Dems have done for them. Americans are too cynical. There is a lot to be happy about and a lot to show up to vote for.

When it comes to motivation, the abortion issue and gun safety are top of mind for most of the Democratic base. If we can add more REAL Democrats to the Senate, even more can be accomplished. We could pass a national law enshrining the right to abortion across America. We could pass more legislation that protects our safety when it comes to guns.

If Democrats and Independent who favor Democrats turn out we could not only win the Senate but defy the nay sayers and keep the House. It’s all about turn out! Turn out is everything.

And the message for Democrats is clear:

If you want our country to be successful and move forward, keep playing a winning hand. We need MORE Democrats in Congress to Make America Even Greater.