Longtime Democratic strategist James Carville has issued a stark warning to his party, urging them to capitalize on the palpable economic anger felt by American voters ahead of next year's midterm elections.
A Call for Economic Populism
In a recent op-ed for The New York Times, Carville pointed to the Democratic Party's significant election wins this month in states like New York, New Jersey, and Virginia as clear evidence that people are pissed about the cost of living. The 81-year-old strategist, who famously led Bill Clinton's 1992 presidential campaign, argued that Americans are experiencing the greatest economic inequality since the 1920s.
He directly criticized former President Donald Trump, writing that he has done nothing to curb the cost of what it requires to take even a breath in America today, despite this being a central promise of his 2024 campaign. Carville described the current public sentiment as a revolt, offering Democrats what he called the greatest gift you can have in American politics: a second chance.
Public Opinion and Political Reality
Carville's analysis is backed by recent polling data. A new CBS News/YouGov survey found that a significant 65% of respondents believe Trump's policies are making grocery prices increase. Furthermore, the survey revealed that among those who judge the president most heavily on the economy, 77% feel he is not spending enough time on the issue.
Despite his reputation as a centrist from a bygone political era, Carville insists the path forward is clear. He contends that the Democratic Party must now run on the most populist economic platform since the Great Depression.
The Path Forward for Democrats
Carville's prescription for his party is unambiguous and forceful. He asserts that it is time for Democrats to embrace a sweeping, aggressive, unvarnished, unapologetic and altogether unmistakable platform of pure economic rage. He believes this aggressive stance on economic issues is the only viable strategy to avoid political disaster, calling it our only way out of the abyss.
The veteran strategist's message serves as a stark reminder that for many voters, kitchen-table economic issues like the cost of groceries, housing, and healthcare remain the primary drivers of political decision-making, a reality he believes his party must acknowledge and address directly to succeed in the upcoming elections.
