The Practical Patriot

The midterms are over. My home state of Alabama stayed majority Republican, but across the country Democrats and Democratic Socialists posted strong gains. I am disappointed—deeply so—in the outcomes, and I am also disappointed in many Republican members of Congress who held the House and Senate yet delivered little measurable improvement in the day-to-day standard of living for ordinary Americans.

From 2018 through 2026, inflation moved from low pre-pandemic levels to a four-decade high in 2021–2022, then cooled gradually before a modest uptick this year. For many households the cumulative effect has been higher prices for food, fuel, housing, and healthcare with little offsetting gain in real wages or security. Life has not been catastrophic for me personally, but neither have I seen clear, sustained gains.

Democrats and Democratic Socialists campaigned heavily on affordability—lowering the cost of food, fuel, healthcare, and childcare. That is the conversation I expected to dominate once the votes were counted. Instead, the early public statements from many newly elected officials center on investigations, impeachment of the president and members of his cabinet, and promises to pursue his family, business associates, and anyone connected to the administration, with some openly discussing the goal of jail.

The straightforward question is: what specific crimes, broken laws, or injustices justify making this the central agenda? I see none that rise to that level. My honest assessment is that large portions of the electorate, especially younger voters, have been shaped by years of institutional messaging that treats opposition to the current administration as a moral duty rather than a policy disagreement.

Young voters (ages 18–29) supplied the widest Democratic margins. CIRCLE reported that 66 percent backed Democratic House candidates versus 31 percent for Republicans; exit polls cited by USA Today and the AP Voter Poll put Democratic support among voters under 30 in the 70–73 percent range. I believe many of our colleges and universities have functioned, quietly and effectively, as places that train students to reject the existing order. When that training meets real-world conditions of higher costs and cultural conflict, the result is predictable at the ballot box.

I also note the open defiance of law enforcement that has become routine in some cities—blocking operations, property destruction, and occasional physical harm to officers or bystanders. Thirty years ago this was rare enough to be national news. My generation largely accepted that law, order, and basic civic restraint were prerequisites for a functioning society. That consensus has eroded.

Here is the practical request to the newly elected Democratic and Democratic Socialist senators and representatives: concentrate on the lives of the working people who sent you to Washington. Ask yourselves one clear question: Do the voters who chose you primarily want you to spend the next two years on lawfare against the current administration, or do they want bills and programs that actually reduce the cost of food, fuel, housing, and healthcare? The two are not the same task, and time spent on one is time not spent on the other.

I would value your thoughts on the following:

1. When you voted or watched the results, did you see a clear mandate for affordability measures, for investigations and impeachment, or for something else entirely?
2. Looking at your own household since 2018, have costs for essentials risen faster than your income or benefits? What single change in federal policy would have made the biggest practical difference?
3. Do you believe the heavy Democratic tilt among voters under 30 is mainly the result of higher education, economic conditions, cultural messaging, or a mix? What evidence would change your mind?
4. If you could give one piece of advice to a newly elected member of Congress from either party, what would you tell them to prioritize in the first 100 days, and what would you tell them to set aside?
5. Where do you draw the line between legitimate oversight and lawfare that consumes the legislative calendar?

I am interested in practical answers grounded in everyday experience rather than slogans. Thank you for reading.