How to Lose an Election: An Open Letter to President Biden

Hey Joe. Remember when you won the election on the image of being a regular guy, a friend of the middle class, someone who would make us feel better about ourselves and our country? So why is it that your Republican friends are touting that they stand shoulder to shoulder with the average American family? Somehow, the party of trickle-down economics—architects of the largest tax cuts for the wealthy and harshest cuts to social programs in over 30 years—have built an image of standing up for the little guy. Clearly something’s gone wrong, and you need to step out of your comfort zone to talk directly and clearly to the American people, who are desperate to feel like someone is in charge and is going to lead us out of this mess rather than kowtowing to President Manchin.   

It’s the holiday season, and let’s remember, you’ve created more jobs in a shorter period of time than any president in the last 30 years. Unemployment is at a historic low, Black and Latino unemployment is the lowest it’s been in 25 years, there are more jobs available than people to fill them, wages have increased for the first time in 10 years, and the U.S. COVID-19 vaccination rate is, well, admittedly the lowest of the G7 nations, but we’re still well on our way to herd immunity. Plus, remember that American Rescue bill? Our rapid-fire news cycle doesn’t, so you need to talk about it. And for goodness’ sake, tell you friends on Capitol Hill to stop bringing up your predecessor. The hearings are all well and good, but they don’t distract everyday folks from noticing how it’s getting more and more expensive to fill up their gas tanks.

But that scenario is over and done with, and if you can’t show Americans exactly how your administration is helping them here and now, don’t hold out for their support next November.

When voters went to the polls in 2020, there were countless pressing issues. The housing crisis, the fight for healthcare, ever-widening economic inequality, race relations, immigration, national security, student loan debt, climate change—all of which were exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic. As a result, there were people voting blue purely to avoid a second Trump term. But that scenario is over and done with, and if you can’t show Americans exactly how your administration is helping them here and now, don’t hold out for their support next November.

So what’s the playbook? You need to lead by example; make us proud of what we’ve accomplished and where we’re going. The latest Civiqs polls report that “[in] five key swing states—Georgia, Florida, Arizona, North Carolina and Pennsylvania—voters disapprove, rather than approve, of the job Biden is doing by a 10-point margin or greater.” But these same states strongly approve of the incoming funds from the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act, so it’s clearly a matter of keeping the messaging strong rather than letting Republicans take credit for policies they voted against. Next year’s midterm elections favor the GOP regaining the House, which would mean nothing but obstruction for the rest of your term, and even worse odds for the 2024 presidential election.

Republicans are not playing by the old rulebook to which Democrats insist on clinging. Look at the slew of new voter restrictions in nineteen states, rampant gerrymandering in redistricting plans, and coordinated opposition along party lines. Democrats cannot keep holding out for an imagined bipartisan world of fuzzy feelings and common goals. They cannot keep moving toward the center while the right keeps moving their goalpost. These tactics speak of a party that’s trying to please everyone—but in reality, they’re only betraying their own voters while failing to win over those from the important middle.

If you want an example of how the Democratic party can strengthen its position, simply look at California. After Governor Gavin Newsom survived a recall election—which came down entirely to residents voting along party lines—he immediately focused on fulfilling the policy goals that the majority of people had voted for rather than placating nonexistent centrists. The day after the election, he hit the ground running with bills to build more housing and has followed up with high-profile moves such as convening a reproductive freedom advisory group, expanding Medi-Cal to achieve near-universal healthcare, and funneling the state’s $31 billion budget surplus into infrastructure (and possibly even new stimulus checks). Most recently, he made headlines with his not-so-subtle dig at the Texas abortion ban by using their same legal precedent to ban assault rifles and even sue manufacturers. In short, voters who chose to keep Newsom in the governor’s seat this past summer feel like that decision had an actual impact on their quality of life.

Democrats just need to do the same on a national scale, and there are three easy ways to do so: first, there must be a unified message of hope and staunch support for everyone to enjoy this glorious imperfect experiment that is our democracy.

Democrats just need to do the same on a national scale, and there are three easy ways to do so: first, there must be a unified message of hope and staunch support for everyone to enjoy this glorious imperfect experiment that is our democracy. But good messaging is nothing without good policy to back it up, and two issues that will resonate well with voters should be your main focus—the Child Tax Credit and the expansion of Medicare. Beneficiaries would certainly never forget, while any naysayers who might disapprove would suffer zero negative repercussions. Moreover, the Child Tax Credit has been in place for nearly a year, and Medicare expansion is the most popular part of Obamacare. In other words, “Biden and Democrats on Capitol Hill might not have been praised by voters for adding the new benefit, but they almost surely will be blamed if the money abruptly stops flowing.”

Lastly, just because we’re a democracy doesn’t mean you have to treat the job like a PR gig. Rather than acting like someone you’re not, own your image—laugh at yourself, laugh at your critics, and go after the goals that you promised voters. Manchin, for all his faults and desire to be in the limelight, is just being himself, and he gets the respect of his voters for it. So why not try the same strategy? Americans gravitate toward authenticity, and we respect leaders who are unapologetically themselves.

Regrettably, Democrats seem to have grown complacent under a two-party system. All the resistance hashtags and fundraising emails in the world aren’t a substitute for concrete policy, and voter apathy isn’t a failure of the people so much as their representatives. At some point, it’s not enough to simply oppose the other party’s ideas—you have to offer your own, and you have to actually deliver.

Seth Jacobson is the founder and principal of JCI Worldwide, a Los Angeles-based communications and research firm. He spent several years in the Carter and Clinton administrations in positions focused on economic development, foreign policy, and media relations. He is a frequent lecturer on policy and public affairs at Pepperdine University and UCLA.