The midterm results have sparked a fierce debate over what the blue wave actually means. One of the more compelling interpretations is that voters have set the stage for a democracy-saving realignment. The question now is whether the new Democratic majorities can convert that momentum into lasting change.
There is a strong temptation to launch a barrage of investigations into the Trump administration's record of corruption and abuses. That would demonstrate accountability, but it also risks looking like the same kind of retribution politics that Trump himself practices. Congressional oversight is essential, but the party will only sustain its electoral coalition by tackling the issues that matter to middle America.
The new Congress should start with a crisp agenda that addresses the midterms' central concerns: corruption, affordability, health care, energy independence, immigration, and the Epstein files. It should also invite Republicans to join in serving the public rather than the president. As Trump hints at a cabinet shake-up and with Democrats now controlling both chambers, the political dynamics have shifted. Republicans may be more willing to break with the White House, especially if the MAGA movement shows signs of collapse.
Corruption and Oversight
Oversight committees should identify and close the legal gaps that allowed Trump and his associates to profit from public office. For instance, the president and vice president are currently exempt from the criminal conflict-of-interest law that applies to other executive branch officials. Congress should eliminate that exemption and require presidents to place their financial assets in independent blind trusts, with full disclosure of business interests held by themselves or their families.
Affordability and Tariffs
Trump's tariffs are a hidden tax on businesses and consumers, costing the average household roughly $1,000 in 2025 and $820 this year. The Constitution gives Congress the power to levy tariffs, but lawmakers have ceded too much authority to the executive. They should reclaim that power. Democrats have vowed to counter Trump's tariffs, but any legislation faces a likely veto.
Spending and Energy
Trump has also defied Congress's authority over federal spending, using a so-called pocket rescission to block billions of dollars that lawmakers had appropriated for programs serving minorities, immigrants, and housing. Lawmakers must ensure the executive branch faithfully executes their appropriations.
The Iran war has underscored the fragility of an economy that relies on fossil fuels for 82 percent of its energy consumption. The disruption of global oil supplies has driven up energy prices by more than $153 billion, or $1,175 per household, since the conflict began. The Inflation Reduction Act of 2022 included $369 billion for clean energy investments, but Trump has withheld more than $7.5 billion, primarily from Democratic-leaning states. His 2025 budget bill canceled an additional $82 billion in clean energy investments, sacrificing nearly 500,000 future jobs. Congress should restore those funds.
Military and Immigration
Congress should also reassert oversight over Trump's use of military force. As of September, the Pentagon had conducted more than 70 strikes on boats in the Caribbean and Pacific, killing more than 240 people, in what some legal experts call war crimes. The administration has refused to release the legal opinion it claims justifies these killings. Lawmakers should compel its release.
On immigration, Congress should approve the bipartisan reform bill it developed in 2024, which Republicans dropped at Trump's direction. It should also claw back unspent funds from the $170 billion appropriated for immigration enforcement in the 2025 budget act, withholding them until the Department of Homeland Security reforms its practices, including due process, detention conditions, and an independent ombudsman for detainees.
Health Care and Epstein Files
According to the Institute on Taxation and Economic Policy, every income group except the richest 1 percent is paying more under Trump's tax and economic policies. Congress should roll back the tax cuts in the 2025 budget bill and restore Republican cuts to Medicaid and the Affordable Care Act.
Finally, Congress should hold Attorney General Todd Blanche in contempt for failing to release 2.5 million pages of Epstein files, in apparent violation of the Epstein Files Transparency Act. It should also pass legislation allowing states and survivors to sue the Justice Department for inadequate compliance.
Winning power is one thing; earning public trust is another. Democrats have achieved the first goal. Now they must accomplish the second.
