Rep. Bonamici,

We are in a bleak time, but I think there is still hope. Several times in my lifetime, power has passed between the parties during a Presidential election, only to be passed back during a subsequent midterm. I believe that is the opportunity Democrats must be seeking starting today.

Two years of unified Republican rule will bring many hardships to our country, but it will also bring outcry. By the time you and your colleagues head back out to the campaign trail, the country will be ready to listen to alternatives.

You must provide them those alternatives. I still believe that Secretary Clinton would have been a fantastic President, but she never managed to crystallize a strong idea of what she was for, only what she was against. That’s not enough. We MUST have a strong Democratic platform, as if 2018 were another Presidential election. You, and the other Democratic members of the House, must come together and form a clear, unambiguous statement of intent–one not pre-hobbled by the realities of passing legislation past a hostile White House, but rather one that is aspirational, hopeful, and honest.

First and foremost, I would argue, the Democrats need to be the party of democracy. Re-instating the Voting Rights Act, or a modern equivalent, must be priority one, but that can’t be the limit of it. Anywhere and everywhere, Democrats should be pushing to make registration and voting easier than ever. We must forcefully push back against claims of voter fraud with a counter-narrative (that happens to be true) of Republican voter suppression and gerrymandering. In two years time, the GOP will have sold off as much of the country to their rich friends as they can. Use that as a weapon–THEY are the party of fat cats and WE are the party of ordinary voters.

Second, we must take a stand against racism and police violence. Every summer now we see clashes between protesters and militarized riot cops. In 2018, those clashes will likely take place during the campaign itself. Democrats must be the party that stands against police overreach. Yes, that may turn off some white law-and-order types, but we must come to accept that Democrats who would demotivate their minority supporters in favor of chasing fickle white voters are ceding victory for no good reason.

Third, we must strongly argue in favor of mandatory financial transparency on the part of all government officials in high office. The senior administration officials, the secretaries of the departments, everyone. The GOP will be neck-deep in crony dealing by the time the next election comes; let’s force them to defend that.

I’m sure you and your experts can see this as well as I can. I hope that you join with your fellow Democratic Caucus members in formulating a unified message and strategy that will help us go big into 2018 and nullify the final two years of Donald Trump’s administration.

We must resist. We must fight. Every inch. Every issue. We cannot allow these kleptocrats to destroy our great nation.

Thank you for your time. I look forward to hearing of the battles you wil fight.

– April Daniels