Manifesto of the National Labor Party

The election of President Trump should be seen as the euthanizing bullet to the sick donkey long in decay. In truth, a Do Not Resuscitate order should have been affixed to it years ago, as we watched—helplessly—an arguably senile man preside over the world’s nuclear arsenal during a geopolitical climate more precarious than even the Cuban Missile Crisis. The modern democratic party must be dismantled and reconstructed, perhaps even renamed.

As Americans, we must reckon with an unavoidable truth: the democratic is beyond saving. It has been in a state of ideological decline since the days of Bill Clinton, who reshaped it into the political arm of corporate America. The time has come to seek a replacement—to construct a political movement that is neither a soulless machine of capital nor a carnival of reactionary populism, but something worthy of the nation it claims to serve. However, we must come to some consensus of what should follow and what absolutely must be abandoned if we are going to provide a tangible alternative to Trump’s vision of America.

We have spent the past 10-15 years slowly sinking the ship of American progressive politics, even as the warning bells rang and the storm clouds gathered on the horizon. We set sail into perilous waters without a competent captain at the helm, willfully ignoring the signs of impending disaster. Now, as the ship takes on water, we can no longer feign surprise—we were warned, and we chose to sail anyway. We need to let this ship sink, fully and let those who cannot swim, drown.

The Scourge of Identity Politics

By 2015, the great culture war had, for all intents and purposes, ended. A Black man had been elected president twice, and same-sex marriage had been legalized—a triumphant moment for progressive-minded people who had fought tirelessly since the days of Stonewall in 1970.

Yet, in the months leading up to Obama’s legalization of gay marriage, the final battle of this war was still being fought. You may recall the controversy surrounding Memories Pizza, the small Indiana shop that refused to cater a gay wedding—a dispute that spiraled into a national spectacle. If you don’t remember, I suggest refreshing your memory.

That episode felt like the proverbial shooting of prisoners at the end of a war—an unnecessary, vindictive public display. Of course, LGBTQ+ individuals deserve equal rights, but compelling religious individuals to participate in ceremonies that conflict with their beliefs crosses a line. There is a fine distinction between fighting for justice and exacting ideological retribution, and in that moment, we blurred it.

In the years since, progressive liberalism has elevated the transgender cause to the level of an ideological jihad, prioritizing it above virtually every other social issue. Meanwhile, what percentage of the population does the trans community actually represent? Rather than focusing on issues that affect broad swaths of the electorate—such as income inequality—the Democratic Party made this social battle its de facto political fight.

The Mujahadeen of Wokeism

The American left went even further, embracing Frankfurt School ideologies like critical theory, which later evolved into critical race theory. Now, I’m not here to outright denounce these intellectual frameworks, but their application in mainstream political discourse has proven deeply flawed. Expecting poor, rural white Americans to accept the idea that they are inherently privileged—simply by virtue of their race—was never going to resonate. A more effective approach would have been to show them that the very system they support is the same one that actively works against them.

Are we truly elevating minorities by offering them hollow affirmations, or would a more noble cause be fighting for policies that uplift all working-class people—such as universal healthcare? At the end of the day, big-tent politics wins more elections than narrow identity-based pandering. Instead of crafting a narrative that divides, the left should be uniting people under the banner of economic justice—something that transcends race, gender, and ideology.

At the end of the day, the people who build this country are not bound to the postmodernist ideals that universities attempt to force-feed into students. These are union members, laborers, the backbone of the nation. They drink Bud Light, drive Ford F-150s, and don’t waste their mornings ordering overpriced lattes with oat milk.

They are not the enemy. They are our brothers in labor. They are the American working class—the very people we claim to fight for. We should not alienate them by demanding ideological conformity to wokeism or the latest academic trends. Instead, we should be uniting them under a shared cause: a better, fairer economy, a government that works for them, and a future where their hard work is rewarded—not dismissed by coastal elites who sneer at their way of life.

We took all of these hollow affirmations and contorted them into the clunky, performative spectacle of corporate wokeness—a phenomenon that reeks of hypocrisy at best. When multinational conglomerates like Nike, notorious for operating sweatshops, proudly champion LGBTQ+ pride while thousands of underpaid laborers in developing nations toil in factories, unable to afford the very products they manufacture for wealthier markets, the optics are nothing short of abysmal.

Then there’s Hollywood—the gilded elite, adopting these social causes as a moral crusade, preaching progressive values from their multi-million-dollar mansions as if they were delivering divine revelation to the unwashed masses. It was cringe in the truest sense of the word. It became painfully obvious that these elites—whether in entertainment, politics, or business—weren’t championing these causes out of genuine conviction, but rather as a cudgel to berate and humiliate rural, working-class Americans into submission.

It was never a good look. And now, we sit here scratching our heads, wondering why Republicans have seized total control of the government. I do contend that, there is a path forward for an alternative political discourse than what is currently the ruling party. However, we must abandon identity as the focal point in our grievances.

A New Path for Progress

The Democratic Party and progressive forces in America need to return to the fundamentals. One thing is certain—Americans are acutely aware of the failures of their healthcare system. Just consider the public reaction to Luigi Mangione. He assassinated a man in broad daylight, yet his motivations are, at the very least, understood by the masses—if not outright seen as a legitimate means to an end. That speaks volumes.

Americans need universal healthcare. Decades have passed, and no one has fixed the broken system. Its dysfunction is not an abstract policy debate—it is a lived reality, visible to every working-class American struggling to afford basic medical care. This should be the rallying cry of any insurgent political movement: a nation where healthcare is a right, not a privilege.

This issue does not need to be framed as radical—it should be articulated with the same logic as defense spending. Just as we invest in military readiness to protect the nation, we must invest in the health of our people. The message should be clear: We are not seeking to abolish private healthcare but to introduce a government competitor that ensures universal coverage. This is not socialism—it is pragmatism. A healthy populace is essential for national stability and economic vitality.

Beyond Healthcare: The Case for Worker Rights

The American capitalist machine is undeniably successful—but it can and must be refined for the benefit of its workers. We see record corporate profits, the rich accumulating unprecedented wealth, and the American workforce proving itself to be the most productive in the developed world. Yet, workers reap little in return.

Consider this: The United States is the only advanced nation where workers are not legally entitled to any paid holidays. Contrast this with Britain and France, where employees enjoy five weeks of guaranteed vacation, or Canada, where workers receive at least a fortnight, depending on the province.

The American worker has been conditioned to expect less, despite being more productive than their peers in the G20. That is the conversation that needs to be had. Not one of abstract political ideology, but a simple question: Why should the most industrious workforce in the developed world settle for so little?

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This is where change begins—not in identity politics, not in symbolic posturing, but in showing everyday Americans that they have the power to demand more. A broad, well-coordinated social media campaign must be launched to educate America’s middle and working classes—to show them what they are missing. Democracy cannot function without an informed electorate, and we are already witnessing the profound impact social media has on elections. Rather than ceding this battleground, we must harness its power to our advantage, using it as a tool to cut through misinformation and mobilize voters toward policies that genuinely serve their interests.

As of today, we are losing the social media war by a wide margin. Conservative talking heads have effectively hijacked the digital public square, dominating nearly all forms of discussion.

Take Joe Rogan, for example. Once a niche podcaster focused on UFC fights, elk hunting, and offbeat conspiracy theories, he has now become the Oprah and 60 Minutes of Millennials and Gen Z. His platform has evolved into a megaphone for Elon Musk and the billionaire class, subtly shifting political discourse in their favor.

Meanwhile, Mark Zuckerberg has cozied up to the Trump regime in increasingly overt ways—as evidenced by his appearance on The Joe Rogan Experience. He has even appointed longtime Trump ally Dana White to Meta’s board of directors. Musk, as we all know, owns X (formerly Twitter), an increasingly unregulated propaganda machine. And then there’s Tucker Carlson—a Putin sympathizer who visited the Kremlin, parroted anti-U.S. foreign policy narratives, and is now seen in White House photos alongside Trump.

At this moment, I do not see any front where progressives are winning in the digital sphere. If this trend continues unchecked, younger voting demographics will inevitably drift further to the right. Someone needs to figure out how to change this—before it’s too late.

We are not going to win any hearts and minds if we continue to spend energy bogged down in these futile social wars. We need to accept that the the social pendulum is going to swing back to the right. We aren’t getting Roe v. Wade back, however, gay marriage will remain legal. The plight of undocumented migrants who have been good members of society and are now facing threats of deportation – is a futile cause at this point. We cannot let these discussions become the forefront of our demands as by and large, Americans are not shedding tears or suffering because Juan is being sent back to Mexico or some teenager with gender dysphoria is being denied gender-affirming care. What Americans are crying about is the reality that their insurance plans do not cover all their ailments or the prices they pay for prescription medication.

Americans also lament about the stagnation in worker’s wages. I could explain this myself, but I will let ChatGPT give you a better understanding:

​Between 2010 and 2023, the average wage in the United States increased from $41,673.83 to $66,621.80, representing a nominal increase of approximately 60%. ​ssa.gov

However, when adjusting for inflation to reflect real wage growth, the increase is more modest. High inflation during certain periods, particularly between 2021 and 2024, has limited the growth in purchasing power for workers. ​barrons.com

Therefore, while nominal wages have risen significantly since 2010, the real increase in wages, accounting for inflation, is considerably lower.

​To determine the equivalent value of $66,626 in 2010 dollars, we need to account for the cumulative inflation rate between 2010 and 2025. According to data from in2013dollars.com, the inflation rate over this period is approximately 44.74%. ​in2013dollars.com+2in2013dollars.com+2in2013dollars.com+2

Using this information, we can calculate the 2010 equivalent as follows:​

$66,626 ÷ (1 + 0.4474) ≈ $66,626 ÷ 1.4474 ≈ $46,018​

Therefore, $66,626 in 2025 is roughly equivalent to $46,018 in 2010 dollars.

I’ve seen calculations that paint an even bleaker picture—suggesting that $100,000 in 2025 dollars is equivalent to just $50,000 in 2010 dollars. The key takeaway? American wages haven’t even kept pace with inflation. The purchasing power of workers has declined, and with costs continuing to rise, their economic position is growing increasingly untenable.

If Trump prolongs this trade war, the situation will only worsen. While there is some merit in renegotiating trade deals, the American worker is already in a weakened state, ill-equipped to absorb the inevitable price shocks that will follow.

This kind of economic disruption should serve as a catalyst—the moment that sparks a broad labor movement demanding higher wages. We need to return to the militant spirit of the early 20th century, when organized labor had the power to halt production, and the capitalist class feared a workers’ revolt. The path forward is clear: we must organize nationwide strikes, implement large-scale boycotts, and build a cross-political coalition that forces Americans—regardless of party affiliation—to recognize that the system is broken and must be reformed.

If prices continue to rise unchecked, this movement won’t just be necessary—it will be inevitable. The time has come to build a grassroots uprising capable of breaking the system that has kept workers in economic servitude for decades.

By engaging in strikes and boycotts, we can intensify the economic disruptions already set in motion by tariffs. In that turbulence, we will create the conditions necessary to mobilize the masses—to demand a fundamental restructuring of the system.

We must accept a hard truth: drastic, non-violent, and lawful forms of resistance are no longer optional. They are essential. If we fail to act now, we will sleepwalk into a far-right, traditionalist Christian state where “civic nationalism” is not about duty to the nation, but obedience to the oligarchs. It’s now or never.

Universal Goals for The Future

I have outlined the economic and social realities of where we have failed and where we must improve, but beyond these, there are foundational principles that any new progressive movement must rally around. Chief among them: we must reclaim the mantle as the party that defends the Constitution.

Free speech must be as sacrosanct as the right to bear arms.

We must not, under any circumstances, follow the path of the United Kingdom and Germany, where citizens are being kidnapped by their own governments—under threat of force—for nothing more than social media posts. These countries are slipping into a slow, creeping “do-gooder” tyranny, convinced that banning divisive speech is a noble pursuit.

But censorship, no matter how well-intentioned, is still censorship. In these nations, we now see police raiding people’s homes over speech violations, enforcing laws that punish individuals not for actions, but for opinions.

We must take an unequivocal, uncompromising stand in defense of free speech. It is not just a policy stance—it is the bedrock of any truly liberal society. To abandon it, even slightly, is to open the door to authoritarianism disguised as social progress.

In terms of what I said about the second amendment, I regret to inform you the obvious – it will not change and campaigning for this change is a waste of time. As regrettable as this is, we need more people in our tent, not less. Likewise, we need consider the reality that we may very well have to use the second amendment to defend ourselves from a descent into fascism! Now is not the time for this battle. We must focus our demands on issues that unite workers, not divide them.

We must defend the Constitution—not just in words, but in action. It is time to dismantle the overreaching national security policies that have granted the government far too much unchecked power. Warrantless wiretapping, the Patriot Act, and the arbitrary confiscation of electronics at airports under the guise of “security”—these authoritarian measures must end.

In this fight, we must build alliances with our libertarian comrades, who—if nothing else—understand the fundamental importance of resisting unchecked government overreach. The erosion of civil liberties is not a partisan issue; it is an American issue.

We must restore democracy to what the Founding Fathers envisioned—not a surveillance state, not a security apparatus run amok, but a nation where the rights of the people are protected from the state. And to conservatives, we must hold up a mirror and force them to confront the mess they created—the erosion of freedoms, the police state they cheered on, the proverbial dog shit they smeared across the carpet of American society.

Our message must be clear: we respect all of the Bill of Rights—not just the convenient parts.

The fight for the environment

I find myself divided on this issue, but I’ll lay out my thoughts so you can understand my perspective.

On one hand, the United States has made a decisive turn toward solidifying itself as a petro-state, locking our economy into carbon-based fuels for another century. Europe’s ambitious goal of phasing out internal combustion engines anytime soon is laughable—they are woefully unprepared. Given this reality, one could argue that sabotaging Trump’s petro-economy serves a strategic purpose. However, the true costs and benefits of such an approach should be assessed by professionals with deep expertise in energy policy and global markets.

That said, we must not abandon the green energy fight. The only viable path forward—one that can realistically liberate us from dependence on fossil fuels—is a full-scale commitment to nuclear power.

This is where we must shift the conversation. Nuclear energy is the only existing technology that can generate massive amounts of power efficiently, sustainably, and with minimal environmental impact. We need to position this as a progressive issue, making it ours, rather than allowing the right wing to frame the debate.

Germany is already regretting its abandonment of nuclear energy, and Japan will follow suit. The future of energy is not in less nuclear power, but in more. If we are serious about combating climate change, this must be the foundation of our strategy.

Foreign Policy

Imagine if we rolled back the clock to those who lived through the 1960s, just listening to this quote from President John F. Kennedy :

In the long history of the world, only a few generations have been granted the role of defending freedom in its hour of maximum danger. I do not shrink from this responsibility–I welcome it.

Somewhere today, in a nameless village on the vast plains of eastern Ukraine, a 47-year-old taxi driver is likely making the ultimate sacrifice—fighting and dying in defense of freedom in its hour of maximum danger.

And yet, here in the United States, we have a president who bends to every Russian demand. He has halted intelligence-sharing with our democracy-loving allies on the eastern front, depriving them of vital information—intelligence that could prevent drone strikes from slamming into maternity hospitals, from reducing Ukrainian schools to rubble.

History will judge this moment. And unless we change course, it will be remembered as yet another chapter in America’s long and shameful tradition of abandoning its allies when they need us most.

The United States must stand firm in its defense of democracies around the world. No, we should not impose it at gunpoint like George W. Bush Jr.—but at the very least, even his ideological convictions were pointed in the right direction.

That’s more than can be said for the MAGA militia—drunk on its own diet Coke version of fascism.

Defense and international relations are not some idealistic Woodstock festival—they are far closer to the law of the jungle, where the strong prey upon the weak.

We are an empire. And if we fall, we will be replaced—not by some benevolent force, but by Chinese authoritarianism or Russian kleptocracy. That is the reality we must confront.

Understanding this, we must pursue our foreign policy goals aggressively, while still striving—to the best of our ability—to uphold our ideological convictions as a democracy. The challenge before us is clear: as Donald J. Trump drifts further from the transatlantic alliance, we must find a way to pull ourselves back—to row this nation back to port before it is too late.

The very foundation of American democracy was built with the aid of France, who stood by us in our time of need. We owe it to them—to all fellows of democracy—to stand together against the rising tide of totalitarianism and nihilistic tendencies that threatens to engulf the world.

In Conclusion

I do not believe I have said anything that would offend the sensibilities of most Americans. What I have laid out is not radical—it is a framework of ideas that we must build upon if we are to survive. The alternative? We place our faith in the Democratic Party to construct some new, corporate-branded “resistance” to Trumpism.

But we’ve seen this play out before. The Democratic Party has proven itself inept as an opposition force. They managed to push back against Trumpism once—and even then, only after a devastating global pandemic had laid bare the failures of his administration.

The status quo has failed us in every meaningful way. Even in its most fundamental duty—to act as a bulwark against the contagion of militant, far-right populism—it has collapsed. This movement is not just sweeping across America; it is actively threatening democracies across Europe.

If we do not make a stand now, our republic, our values—everything we claim to hold dear—will die.

We must reclaim and redefine the American Dream—a vision of a nation where an american can work, sustain themselves, build a future for his family, and not live in constant fear that a single medical emergency will bankrupt them. We need to rise to the occasion, as we have so many times before, and prove to the world that the American spirit is exceptional—that we can endure setbacks, but we will never abandon the ideals of the republic.

The time is now. Or never.