The column below reflects the views of the author, and these opinions are neither endorsed nor supported by WisOpinion.com.
2025 was a year of Trump’s abysmal failure to provide affordability and economic security for the American people. Despite Trump’s campaign pledge to reduce prices on “Day 1” in office, Americans got chaos, cruelty and incompetence. Above all else cruelty was the point. When Rob and Michele Reiner were murdered Trump blamed their deaths on “a mind crippling disease known as “TRUMP DERANGEMENT SYNDROME … .” Earlier this year a Minnesota GOP state legislator, best known for sponsoring a bill declaring Trump Derangement Syndrome a mental illness, was indicted for trying to meet an underage prostitute. So it goes.
Cruelty is at the center of Trump’s administration. The U.S. Coast Guard decided to redefine Nazi swastikas and nooses (thousands of Blacks lynched in America) as “potentially divisive” as opposed to racist hate symbols (Washington Post). The Trump administration called the expose “false”, but the acting Coast Guard commandant rejected that and prohibited the change. Then Trump functionaries went ahead with the mindless downgrade. However, after an outcry from members of Congress, Trump’s appointees retreated with no apology or explanation. Stomach-turning.
Meanwhile, a do-nothing GOP-led Congress rushed out of session without extending enhanced Affordable Care Act (ACA) tax credits which expire December 31. Wisconsin Democratic Senator Tammy Baldwin said: “Today, Donald Trump and Republicans finally ran out the clock and locked in price hikes on millions (275,000 Wisconsinites) of Americans’ premiums for next year … . Make no mistake: Republicans caused this crisis and now it’s Wisconsin’s small businesses, farmers and working families who will pay the price.” No Wisconsin congressional Republican supports the extension, just repeal of the ACA or platitudes. However a new Kaiser Family Foundation poll signals that Republicans will pay a heavy political price for not extending ACA tax credits.
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2025 has already shown that voters have had enough of the cruelty, chaos and incompetence. Wisconsin got the ball rolling by electing Susan Crawford to the state Supreme Court despite Musk’s attempt to buy the seat. Crawford talked about growing up in the 3rd Congressional District (CD) and “fighting the world’s richest man.” So keep your eye on the indomitable Rebecca Cooke, Democratic challenger to 3rd CD GOP Representative Derrick Van Orden. Cooke is running on affordability and economic security. Cooke, deeply rooted in the 3rd CD, listens to all voices in western Wisconsin.
So far Democrats are winning everywhere: gubernatorial races in New Jersey and Virginia by double-digits, flipping multiple counties won by Trump in 2024, doing better in rural, suburban and urban areas; flipping 25 GOP-held state legislative seats around the nation; winning 3 Pennsylvania state Supreme Court contests; prevailing in many other local-state races as well as the California redistricting referendum. A Democratic-led House and perhaps a Democratic-led Senate are in sight.
2026 means better times are coming. Organize in Wisconsin and focus on bread-and-butter issues to elect a Democratic governor and a Democratic-led legislature. It is imperative to make Wisconsin an economic model. Affordability and economic security will be on the ballot. On Wisconsin!
– Kaplan wrote a guest column from Washington, D.C., for the Wisconsin State Journal from 1995 to 2009.
