Corrupt politicians. Ultra-wealthy business tycoons. A massive wealth gap. Social unrest. Material excesses. Regressive racial policies. A rapidly changing population due to immigration.
No, I am not talking about present-day America — I am talking about the Gilded Age. It was a time of immense wealth and power for a select few Americans and a time of poverty and division for everyone else. That time in America ended with the onset of the Progressive Era. And while political parties may have changed platforms, Democrats need to look at one of history’s greatest Republicans as a guide on how to defeat President Trump’s MAGA movement and fix the problems that led to Trump’s rise.
In short, Democrats need their own version of Teddy Roosevelt.
Now, I need to be clear. Teddy Roosevelt was not a perfect person or president, whether you judge him by present day standards or standards of his day. However, there are aspects of his presidency from which Democrats can learn.
The first was attacking corruption in your own party. There needs to be a “come to Jesus” moment for the Democrats in that they too have members of Congress trading stocks, taking money from lobbyists and taking corporate donations. Roosevelt was notorious for attacking fellow Republicans for their failures to protect the American people.
He made enemies in his own party, but his commitment to fight corruption ultimately led to his rapid ascendency in the Republican Party. Let’s be honest, we are not seeing that with the Democrats. Popular progressives like Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-N.Y.) seem to get the most resistance from within their own party.
The second is not being afraid to be progressive. The Democrats are like the comedy and tragedy masks, except they switch between a progressive party mask and a centrist party mask. It clearly doesn’t work, and they don’t seem to have a direction forward.
They need to understand that people want action and that means running to the left. Roosevelt famously took on monopolies and trusts. Have we seen Democrats do much to take on social media monopolies and tech giants? Have we seen the Democrats truly embrace progressive causes?
Roosevelt implemented his Square Deal program which had three goals: consumer protection, corporate law and conservation of resources. By fighting big banks, trusts, monopolies and enforcing regulations, he helped stabilize the middle class and keep the country from falling toward radicalism and anarchism. By being unabashedly progressive, Roosevelt stabilized the country.
The third and last thing Democrats need to learn is how to use the bully pulpit. Trump has mastered this, and Republicans love him for it. The Democrats need their own bully to champion progressive ideals.
Biden was too nice, and Kamala Harris’s campaign was too centrist. The Democrats are so afraid of offending or angering any particular group that they try to help everyone and end up helping no one. They need a bully that will stick to progressive causes and not be afraid to hurt the feelings of anyone, including fellow Democrats.
Liberals loved Roosevelt because he fought for the poor and reformed the government. Conservatives love him for his patriotism and for espousing law and order and civic responsibility. Liberals also hated him because of his imperialism and nationalism. Conservatives hated him because he was anti-business and he set up the foundation for the welfare state.
Yet he is considered to be one of the greatest presidents in our history. Democrats need to start looking for their own Roosevelt — one that isn’t afraid to fight, get punched in the face, be a Bull Moose, or make enemies (even in his own party). Americans love a fighter and Democrats need a fighter who will be as progressive as the Republican, Teddy Roosevelt.
Jos Joseph is a master’s candidate at the Harvard Extension School at Harvard University. He is a Marine veteran who served in Iraq and lives in Anaheim, Calif.
