Former Secretary of Labor Robert Reich is calling on progressive Democrats to coalesce around a unified message ahead of the upcoming midterm elections, outlining four core themes he believes should anchor the party's campaign strategy.

Reich, a professor of public policy at the University of California, Berkeley, acknowledged that the Democratic Party is a "big tent" and that individual candidates will inevitably tailor their messaging to local constituencies. However, he argued that the current political moment demands clarity, noting that the choice facing voters is among the starkest in American history. In a midterm cycle where national framing can influence local races, he said the party's broader message may also carry into the 2028 election cycle.

Reich characterized President Donald Trump as having embroiled the United States in a losing war in the Middle East, presided over soaring consumer prices, and personally profited from the presidency by billions. He criticized congressional Republicans as complicit and pointed to a coalition of billionaires heavily invested in artificial intelligence as backing the administration.

After consulting with political strategists and observers, Reich organized the proposed progressive messaging into four distinct pillars:

1. The economy. Reich argued that rising unemployment, soaring prices, and slowing wage growth have created a genuine affordability crisis. The progressive response, he wrote, should include raising wages, lowering costs, implementing Medicare for All, expanding access to affordable childcare, and making housing more affordable.

2. Democratic institutions. Reich asserted that Trump and the Republican Party are moving the country toward authoritarianism, undermining the Constitution and the Bill of Rights while usurping the authority of Congress and the judiciary. Progressives should pledge to strengthen democratic governance and ensure that the government serves the public rather than what he described as "Trump and his cronies."

3. Human rights. Reich criticized the administration's domestic and foreign policies on human rights grounds, citing actions by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), the Department of Homeland Security's arrest and deportation of immigrants, military operations abroad, and U.S. support for Israel. He called for a commitment to respecting human rights both within the United States and internationally.

4. Corporate power and wealth. Reich argued that large corporations and the ultra-wealthy wield disproportionate influence over American politics and the economy. His proposed agenda includes amplifying workers' voices, strengthening unions, breaking up monopolies, regulating artificial intelligence, raising taxes on the wealthy and major corporations, and directing the criminal justice system toward corporate and white-collar crime.

Reich invited readers to share their own views on which message should serve as the centerpiece of the progressive Democratic agenda.

Robert Reich's writings are available at his Substack.