Democrats should use Congress’ August recess to lean into economic populism and take on corporate interests — not just “simply oppose Trump and his billionaire friends,” according to a memo by a quartet of progressives that was obtained by Semafor.
“If Democrats are going to be the party of working people, we have to prove that we can be trusted to unrig the system by confronting the elites who are doing the rigging,” Sens. Adam Schiff of California, Elizabeth Warren of Massachusetts, Chris Murphy of Connecticut, and Tina Smith of Minnesota wrote in a memo to their colleagues.
“It may feel safer to avoid these conflicts with an agenda that tries to please every powerful interest where the fight is defined solely against” President Donald Trump.
Their advice comes as the Senate enters the heart of campaign season and prepares to leave town for the summer.
The senators offered specific examples of their own activity as a template: Smith is taking on corporate interests in agriculture, Murphy is working to get private equity out of youth sports, and Warren has worked on lifting the payroll tax cap for Social Security with Sen. Bernie Moreno, R-Ohio.
“Any Democrat can carry the banner of economic populism in their own way to best represent their own constituents,” the senators wrote.
It’s their second such missive this year trying to guide the party in a progressive direction.