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Some Progressive Talking Points [1]

['Greg Dworkin']

Date: 2026-10-12  

If there is anything that the GOP does well, it’s tight pithy statements that help inject their lies talking points into the national narrative.

Because Progressives too often fall into long-winded highbrow answers that prove if you’re explaining, you’re losing, I hoped to share some succinct talking points and readily-understood facts to deflect many of the stupid arguments we’ll receive once Progressives regain one or more houses of our Government.

NOTE: When describing his immense failures and incompetancy of the current occupant of the Oval Office, rather than invoke his name, I will be using Jimmy Kimmel’s Best Nicknames as a substitute.

The $2 Trillion Trump / GOP Deficit – Republicans made that terrifying deficit and in four years, it will double unless something is done. As a result, we need to ensure they own it, because as soon as we regain control of any part of the Government, the GOP is going to return to their playbook where, after running up massive debt on their watch, they then endlessly complain about the deficit once Democrats return to power. To combat that tactic, anytime anyone discusses the economy, Progressives should always name drop the $2 Trillion Trump / GOP deficit – their names ALWAYS need to be anchored to it. And when speaking about the deficit, Progressives need to add, “They have wasted $2 Trillion of our tax dollars and what do YOU have to show for it? Health Care? Social Security when you retire? Nope, just a botched reflecting pool and the Trump Arch. Enjoy!“

They Bankrupted Our Nation, so Trump and the Republicans’ Billionaire Base Can Avoid Paying Taxes – As a part of restoring economic sanity, Democrats will need to balance reducing debt without making working class families feel any further pinch. So as a part of this effort, Progressives need to reshape narratives to move money where it will really help. $64 Billion was given to Homeland Security, but that money was pissed away on ads for ICE Barbie and her Fleet of FIVE Planes. Does any actual American feel safer because of Noem’s purchased planes, her airport propaganda or how she looked on horseback? So why not take back some of that money so it can be put towards programs benefiting middle class families? Genghis Don recently increased the ICE Budget by $70 Billion, but do normal Americans feel safer as Donnie D Cups‘ Gestapo terrorizes neighborhoods while firing bullets into vehicles with children inside? Also, you would have to be delusional to think this couldn’t happen to me, as the days when a young white male armed with an Assault Rifle could walk up to police officers are long past, as we saw when ICE Thugs tear gassed and tackled Alex Pretti, and after seeing his legally-carried handgun guaranteed by the Second Amendment, murdered him. In Kim Don Un and the GOP’s America, there’s a bullet for everyone. So instead of paying for untrained thugs roaming the streets unchecked, why not divert a large portion of that excessive ICE money towards beneficial causes. In fact, isn’t it time that we get tanks, assault weapons and excessively cruel, but barely non-lethal weapons out of our neighborhoods? Only a fool would say Defund the Police as trained officers who properly serve and protect their communities are essential for safety. But it is fully appropriate to stop purchasing weapons that can be purposefully misused to punish constitutionally-protected Free Speech and protests. We should instead draw down the arms race occurring in our Police Departments and use that money to empower communities with Child Care, Mental Health Programs, After School Programs, and Job Training programs that repair and revitalize neighborhoods. Where would you rather see our tax money go? Shouldn’t it go towards a real investment in America and the families that comprise it, or should OUR taxes be wasted by Julius Squeezer and the GOP making our neighborhoods feel more and more like the needless and endless Middle Eastern wars THEY keep initiating. New Taxes will also need to be a part of this strategy, so isn’t it time Tech Bros and Billionaires FINALLY pay their fair share while also ensuring NO corporation ever pays ZERO TAXES again? Simple steps like proper tax reform and restoring the IRS which suffered those worthless DOGE cuts that cost American’s $600 BILLION in lost tax revenue would be a start at reducing the deficit, while efforts like taxing each individual stock transaction as little as $0.25 cents could quickly add another $3 – $4 BILLION a year towards reducing the deficit without impacting most American families.

Trump’s Corrupt Economy – We should never talk about MAGA Theresa’s economy without the word corrupt. Without that word, it accidentally makes it seem like Teddy Dozevelt has a strategy beyond just lining his own pockets with our money. As a result, Progressives should always say Trump’s CORRUPT Economy, especially since the Commander in Thief is the only one benefiting from it. Need proof? Americans cannot afford homes, can’t cover medical bills, and have lost about $2,500 per household due to tariffs while farms are failing due to diesel fuel costs climbing above $8.00 a gallon in some areas because of the Con-Mander-In-Chief‘s Iran debacle. But somehow, Hair Mussolini, who lost money owning a casino, has somehow made more than $2 BILLION as a side hustle since his return to the White House? And that number was only possible through rampant corruption and the GOP focusing more time reviewing Hunter Biden’s $1,300 truck loan repayments versus ensuring a convicted felon for tax fraud should follow the same tax laws we do.

You’re Only Trying to Distract from Trump & Republican Failures – Anytime anyone tries to go full whatabout with all of the idiocy Republicans use to rage bait their base and get out the vote, our response should be You’re Only Trying to Distract from Trump & Republican Failures and isn’t it finally time to help American families? Preventing the rare trans competitor- estimated to be about 0.002% of college athletes – from playing a sport doesn’t make groceries cheaper, lower power bills, or make housing affordable. So why have we seen more than 600 Anti-Trans Athlete bills in 2024 and NOTHING that actually helps American families with affordability? MAGA Mike Johnson can remain in town to get tax breaks for Billionaires, but flees Washington when it’s time to release the Epstein files or stop Hegseth’s Impeachment. And with Johnson’s House described as one of the least productive in history, isn’t it time to ask how many Shart of the Deal / Republican passed bills REALLY helped your family? They control ALL of the government, but have they fixed health care? He said he “had concepts of a plan” when he ran again for office in 2024, but instead of helping you, he helped himself and his Billionaire Buddies with the Big Brutal Bill that will further grow the US deficit to $4 Trillion. So any nonsense about “woke” should be instantly dismissed by saying, You’re Only Trying to Distract from Trump & Republican Failures.

We Can Revisit That Once Our Nation’s Integrity and Financial Stability Has Been Restored – Recently, Eric Schmeltzer shared some fantastic Daily Kos Diaries that detailed key strategies to help Progressives not just gain power, but retain it. In one diary, Schmetlzer recommended killing the filibuster so we can pass bold legislation that assists the majority of Americans and no longer have some archaic procedure stall legislation. Sure The Tanchurian Candidate would veto it, but we still get credit for trying to provide benefits for the American people and the blame would go where it belongs. Kos also had a great suggestion about expanding the Supreme Court, given that it does us no good to enact laws and then have Justice Beer, Justice Winnebago and the other purchased Justices strike it down, while they allow Tannibal Lecter to run amok. When radical steps are suggested to bring about real change, we’re forced to hear nostalgic drivel about some non-existent golden era where integrity and bipartisanship seemingly soared like a glorious eagle! But when you have a convicted felon in the Oval Office that avoided prosecution for trying to overthrow our Democracy propped up by rampant incompetence overseeing critical parts of our government, then it’s time to get real and meaningful things done on behalf of the majority of Americans and say that, when it comes to outdated protocols, We Can Revisit That Once Our Nation’s Integrity and Financial Stability Has Been Restored. As Schmeltzer said, “the only party the filibuster helps is the Republican one. It shields people from ever experiencing the GOP’s worst ideas, and it’s why people don’t ever experience the best Democratic ideas.” And as Kos suggested about the Supreme Court, “Democrats can pass all the popular legislation they want, but it means little if a right-wing Supreme Court can simply strike it down—and continue rolling back rights that Americans have relied on for generations. And no, there’s no shrugging their shoulders about it. Democrats can’t simultaneously claim they’re powerless because of the court and also refuse to use the constitutional power they have to reshape it.” Republicans embrace protocols when it serves them and outright ignore them for the same reasons. And while we seek to restore America from Trump and Republican Failures, when someone complains about packing the court, we should follow Troy Jackson’s lead when he expressed directly to Susan Collins, “I wouldn’t have to pack [the court] if you didn’t put in Kavanaugh” before ending with, so We Can Revisit that Once Our Nation’s Integrity and Financial Stability Has Been Restored.

Now I’m not saying that these talking points are perfect. Far from it! But I do think that succinct sayings that quickly attribute blame or defuse GOP pushback can help us drive the right conversations and make it easier for the electorate to understand what we’re really after when it comes to governance – returning America to Abraham Lincoln’s glorious vision – “government of the people, by the people, FOR the people” and for the people” – and away from our current flawed government that benefits ONLY The Not So Great Pumpkin.

And thank you, Jimmy, as well as your amazing writing staff, for helping keep us sane through all of this debacle.

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[1] Url: https://www.dailykos.com/stories/2026/10/12/800110238/community/its-time-to-intensify-our-rhetoric/

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