Despite my misgivings about DOGE’s actual actions and policies as a government entity, it maintains remarkably high approval among the U.S. electorate. DOGE thrives because it embodies Silicon Valley’s ethos: act first, figure out details later.
While this “move fast and break things” mentality can be disastrous in governance, Democrats currently face the opposite problem: excessive caution and hesitation. Too often, we move too slowly, paralyzed by fear of imperfection. But to beat DOGE’s influence and Musk’s media mastery, Democrats must embrace action over endless process.
That’s why Senator Cory Booker’s (D-N.J.) recent 25-hour speech on the Senate floor—a passionate stand against the Trump administration’s first actions in office—made waves.
But the most exciting sign of change is a new initiative by NewDEAL Leaders and The Next 50. This project is a partnership to identify and support 50 next-generation Democratic leaders—not in Washington but in school boards, city halls, and statehouses across America. These are people solving real problems: expanding affordable housing, protecting public education, and fighting for economic dignity in communities that national Democrats often overlook.
The brilliance of this project isn’t just that it recruits good candidates—it builds capacity. It gives leaders the training, networks, and resources they need to win elections and govern effectively. It’s a rejection of top-down politics and a bet on real-world leadership.
As Ezra Klein and Derek Thompson argue in their new book on abundance, we’re often so obsessed with process that we fail to build anything at all.
Lambert here: Gad.
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