How Democrats can make the most of their chance to get something done

Now what?

A Democratic wave of historic proportions appears to have saved us from endless charges of voter fraud and court challenges. President Trump had his Orban moment and quietly conceded the results on Election Night.

Even when the new Congress is seated, the conventional wisdom is to expect gridlock. Despite their gains, the Democrats do not have 60 votes in the Senate, and the president has a veto Sharpie.

Beyond that, the Democratic Party leaders, who have said many of the right things so far, must prove that they can hold their fractious caucus of moderates, progressives and Democratic Socialist-adjacent members together to get some real work done.

Members of that caucus should start every day by looking at the polls showing that more than half the country has an unfavorable view of the Democratic Party, symptomatic of the sour view that Americans hold of our current politics but also the result of plenty of missteps and outright stupidity.

Now Democrats have a chance for a new start. Why not try being the adults in the room and creating a Congress where actual Article I responsibilities are carried out with a seriousness of purpose?

Start with the fact that the Congress has not passed a complete budget — all 12 appropriations bills — in 30 years.

All Democrats have promised to attack the issue of affordability, but here they will hit a mine field. There are no quick legislative solutions to gas prices or grocery bills. Restoring the child tax credit — which did so much to alleviate poverty — or healthcare subsidies would help millions of Americans but also cost billions when we are already running a $2 trillion deficit this fiscal year.

If the Democrats could manage to pass a budget, it should provide a blueprint for more fiscal sanity that is not solely reliant on tax increases. Eliminating some of the president’s tariffs would theoretically help lower costs, but even Democrats support some tariffs — such as the Biden tariffs on Chinese cars.

As part of those budget deliberations, there must be an urgent focus on Social Security and Medicare. Current forecasts predict that the trust funds that sustain these programs will run dry in just six years. The political cost of doing nothing should focus minds on both sides of the aisle.

That would seem to be a full plate, but too many cans have been kicked down the road for too long. Comprehensive immigration reform, AI/data center rules of the road and strengthened ethics rules cannot wait. Govern. Legislate.

Many Democrats can’t wait to issue a flood of subpoenas. Yes, oversight is a major Congressional responsibility and, yes, Americans are rightly concerned about the corruption they see from this administration. But as vital as that role is, it could easily turn into a circus. Banish the word impeachment. Do the work, lay out the facts, and let voters decide in 2028.

Churchill once quipped that in wartime the truth is so precious that it must be accompanied by a bodyguard of lies. The president has taken this dictum to insane levels, employing battalions of lies, whether they concern Ukraine or Iran or almost any of his domestic or foreign policies.

Restore support for Ukraine, tighten sanctions on Russia, and bring administration officials before the Congress and the American people to explain how, exactly, more bombs will prevent Iran from acquiring a nuclear weapon. Given that Plan A has not worked, what is Plan B?

Americans sent a message last Tuesday that they don’t like the status quo, and they expect solutions to their everyday problems. The Democrats have been given a chance to show they can make a difference between now and 2028.

If the president’s hold on Republicans has been broken, perhaps some important things can get done.

• Keith Peterson, of Lake Barrington, served 29 years as a press and cultural officer for the United States Information Agency and Department of State. He was chief editorial writer of the Daily Herald 1984-86. His book “American Dreams: The Story of the Cyprus Fulbright Commission” is available from Amazon.com.