How a united message of 'Tax the Rich' could make life more affordable, and win elections

Despite recent wins by individual Democratic candidates in elections that focused on the issue of affordability, the Democratic Party is still in trouble. And it's not just the current state of Republican control of the White House and Congress, but also a supermajority of conservatives on the Supreme Court, seemingly hellbent on overturning hard-fought liberties and the Constitution itself.

While the Republicans, led by President Trump, are outright denying that prices from food to healthcare continue to rise, the Democrats have seized on the ensuing anger from citizens by simply repeating how life is becoming unaffordable. And it’s an election-winning strategy. However, if they don’t start offering and enacting real, specific solutions to lower prices, their recent election successes will not last. So, what are the Democrats to do?

I suggest unifying around an unwavering commitment to “Tax the Rich!” and demonstrating how the potential massive windfall would be used to lower prices across groceries, energy, education, childcare, and healthcare. Throughout history, the most successful revolutions have been waged by unifying a population suffering economic and other hardships against the wealthy minority. Whether monarchies, dictatorships, or authoritarian regimes of the past, few have stood the test of time when nearly the entire population is unified around a common grievance against the 1%, even when that 1% controls wealth, enterprise, politics, the military, the courts, and the media. Therefore, I urge Democrats to focus in a unified way on the one bona fide solution to lower prices. It’s a solution that is rallying huge crowds for Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez and Bernie Sanders, winning votes for NYC Mayor-Elect Zohran Mamdani, and sparking similar movements in countries from France to Brazil: "Tax the Rich."

Focusing on "Tax the Rich" and demonstrating how the government will use the additional funds to help most working-class voters is the only remaining galvanizing force for Democrats to appeal to voters of all persuasions. Lowering costs for all by taxing the rich at higher rates would be a unifying solution among a majority of voters. Start with grocery prices continuing to rise amid inflation — an essential concern for a majority of American voters, including 57% of Republicans and 78% of Democrats, according to a Pew Research study. Even before ACA subsidies and other benefits are set to end for millions facing higher costs in 2026, healthcare costs are a significant concern for 75% of Republicans and 72% of Democrats. Housing ownership and related costs have become unaffordable in the past year, with 65% of both Republicans and Democrats agreeing. Trump's federal "sales tax" disguised as tariffs is pushing inflation artificially higher — a big concern for 89% of Americans, according to a Gallup 2025 poll. These are just starting points for lowering costs with additional tax funds from the rich, yet with focus, they are vital for appealing to Democrats and winning more Republicans and independents.

At some point, the political fortitude of the Republicans will soon crater for most people who are aggrieved by worsening economic conditions denied by an authoritarian, selfish ruler. Again. The Democrats have the perfect opportunity to hasten the demise and return us to the democratic values that our great nation stands for.

I know this is not a new suggestion and often dismissed outright because the one thing the Republicans and Democrats have in common is that much of their mutual party leadership is among the mega-wealthy, whose taxes would be impacted by higher rates. Sadly, a platform of taxing the rich and spending the money on the public good should be a rallying cry for the mega wealthy, too, especially among the most affluent in the Democratic leadership.

Imagine for a minute what we could do with a fair and equitable tax on the rich, highly profitable corporations, and even a moderate tax on religious and non-profit institutions. The tax windfall could amount to trillions of dollars every year. It would give the government the ability not only to pay down the growing federal deficit but also to pay it off at a rate that could lead to increased U.S. investment for the greater public good. The "tax the rich" approach, even at a modest rate of 35%, could include providing the masses with such equal benefits as:

Equal healthcare for all. Imagine that we can finally catch up with the rest of the world by providing world-class healthcare, paid for by this increased tax revenue, which will significantly lower costs and offer preventative incentives for every citizen, from prenatal care to hospice care.

Subsidized higher education and student loan debt. Free access to public universities, technical training, and other job training for every citizen would set up the workforce for future success, especially as the AI revolution continues to eliminate lower-wage, hourly workers. A portion of student loans could also be forgiven for some citizens.

AI investments and reparations. Along with re-education grants in sectors where AI will take over jobs — such as grocery, manufacturing, quick-service retail, transportation, and more — companies could be mandated or taxed to pay into a reparations program for AI-replaced employees to provide basic income, training for new jobs AI creates, and a fundamental ability to keep spending.

Lower the federal tax rate for the 99%. Even if we moved the average tax rate of the 1% into line with the current level of the 99%, we may lower the tax rate for the 99% while maintaining the lift on the 1%.

Return investments in previously defunded domestic and international programs. USAID was not just a lifeline for many countries; it helped eradicate disease threats to the U.S., mitigate illegal immigration, and address other problems before they could impact our country. It’s common sense and a moral imperative to restore the wealthiest nation’s funding to the rest of the world.

By consolidating a message around the benefits of taxing the 1% at levels much higher than the current average and restoring recent cuts for wealthy corporations from Republican-led legislation, "Tax the Rich" will return power and the country to the people. And the people are showing they are ready to vote for it!