Winning the midterms, part 3: Top 5 issues and solutions

Photo by Rebecca Burns

Both the issues we focus on and our policy solutions have to be targeted to the culture and conditions wherever we are.  For important analysis of America’s deep-rooted and very different regional cultures and the challenge of creating political unity among them, read Colin Woodard’s American Nations and follow his work at the Nationhood Lab. FYI, I’m a proud product of Yankeedom.

The housing crisis is everywhere, but it looks different in New York City vs. Alaska, and solutions won’t be one-size-fits-all.  As long as we center the problems that affect working people most, and present bold solutions they can easily understand, there’s no doubt that we can make a compelling case across the country.

1)      Trump’s policies making the economy worse: Fight for the forgotten working class

Almost all of us are suffering because of Trump’s economic decisions. Nearly two thirds of American adults are in an especially leaky boat: they don’t have college degrees.  The media doesn’t cover them, and politicians don’t talk about them.  Two-thirds of Americans are up for grabs. Many of them live outside the coasts and big cities.  Many of these folks believe Democrats only care about college-educated elites, and we need to change that if we want to win.

New Dems’ Innovation Agenda centers working-class people

New Democrats, a growing center-left group in Congress, supports working class people with ideas like these.

• Expand and broaden access to capital for small businesses, startups, and innovative companies, such as through favorable tax treatment and scaled compliance costs.

• Make reliable, predictable multi-year investments in regional tech hubs to unlock the potential of communities across America to succeed.

• Boost workers displaced by technological change, including tax credits for employers to invest in community college programs and mentorships and commit to hiring graduates

• Federal investments in apprenticeships and on-the-job training. 

2)     Price of food/consumer goods: Stop big business collusion, “surveillance pricing” that raise prices everyday

A fundamental cause of high food prices is the fact that big food producers collude with big retailers to keep competition low and prices high.  According to the Institute for Local Self-Reliance, eight states have some form of price discrimination law on the books.

According to a story in American Prospect, New York’s Consumer Grocery Pricing Fairness Act would empower New York’s attorney general to sue distributors who offer unfair discounts (as defined in the bill) to big-box stores without offering them to smaller retailers. 

The Prospect points out that “The six biggest grocers now control 60 percent of sales, and suppliers are heavily concentrated as well. This…leaves independent competitors out in the cold. This has accelerated—or, arguably, caused—the rise of food deserts across America, in both urban and rural areas.”

Another issue affecting food prices is “surveillance pricing” – AI-enabled dynamic pricing that allows companies to charge people different prices for the same items at the same stores.  Instacart was recently in the news for charging some people 23% more than others.  

Rep. Greg Casar has introduced the Stop AI Price Gouging and Wage Fixing Act of 2025. It would simply outlaw using automated processes to offer customized prices based on surveillance data. 

3)  Cost of Housing: Build new housing, support tenants unions, keep existing housing out of corporate clutches

Build millions of new homes

AOC and Sen. Tina Smith (D-MN) introduced the Homes Act in the House and Senate. It would provide federal funding for millions of new homes and apartments that would have income-based rents and be required to remain affordable. As with current public housing, the homes would be run by non-profits, housing associations or cooperatives. 

 Support tenant unions, hold private equity landlords accountable

In August 2024, according to a story in In These Times, “Five tenants unions from around the country convened to announce the launch of a new national organization to take on the power of multistate real-estate capital. The Tenant Union Federation marks the first major national effort at tenant organizing in 40 years.”

A current campaign targets mega-landlord Capital Realty Group, a New York-based private equity firm which owns more than 18,000 units over 28 states.  Hundreds of tenants across four states – CT, MI, KY and MO – signed up to fight the landlord in just one month. 

Cities and states could enact laws preventing landlords from retaliating against organized tenants, and fine them for violations, even seize buildings if they don’t pay.  Even better, the Federal government could cut off the head of the snake…

 Keep existing homes out of corporate clutches

 Sen. Jeff Merkley (D-OR) has a bill called the Humans Over Private Equity (HOPE) for Homeownership Act.  He notes that private equity is “taking over the housing market.”   Early in 2023, PE was buying 27% of single-family homes, more in some markets.  This bill would BAN hedge-fund ownership of private homes after ten years of a wind-down period.  The idea could be expanded to rental housing.

4)  Money in politics:  Make integrity a selling point for candidates

 

AIPAC Tracker: Show Who Owns Candidates - or Doesn't

Progressives have made a real impact with the AIPAC Tracker, which publicizes how much money candidates and electeds have received from the Israel lobby, including when the amount is ZERO.  This should be done for health care giants, food companies, military contractors, real estate, etc. Make it risky for candidates to be seen as “bought” by these industries.  Make refusing dirty money a selling point for clean candidates.

5. Cost of health care: Medicare For All

 

Photo by Steve Chase

Politico quotes Mark Longabaugh, a progressive strategist who worked on Sanders’ 2016 presidential bid: “There’s immense hostility and anger toward the way the insurance industry functions, doubled up with health care itself being one of the biggest affordability issues…Progressives are smart to push the case.”

Sen. Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.) told Axios in December that Democrats' “next step is to stop tinkering with a broken [healthcare] system.”   This year, Bernie Sanders and 120 members of Congress re-introduced the Medicare For All Act. 

This tees up a key battle between progressives and corporate Democrats like those who didn't co-sponsor the MFA bill. Progressive Senate candidates are making MFA a key issue in their primaries, and saying the crowd goes wild when they bring it up.   The fact that tens of millions will lose their healthcare soon because of cuts to Medicaid, Medicare, and Obamacare subsidies will make it as white-hot as an issue can get.

According to Pew, most Americans (66%) say the federal government has a responsibility to make sure all Americans have health care coverage.

The Congressional Budget Office has estimated that Medicare for All would save our health care system $650 billion a year. Yale researchers have estimated that Medicare for All would save 68,000 lives a year.

Coming up

Part 4: Five more issues that will matter big-time in 2026.