By Mike Hersh, PDA Communications Director. Mike’s views are his own, and do not represent PDA’s official positions. 

Popular, Progressive Policies Would Win Elections

We must recruit and support candidates eager to run on a winning agenda for a governing mandate. Candidates win by aligning their campaigns and priorities with the needs and desires of the American public. A review of public opinion polling reveals strong support for progressive policies. This provides a clear  roadmap for candidates seeking electoral victories and reforms in the public interest.

Several progressive policies enjoy broad-based approval. These include: Expanded and Improved Medicare for All, a Green New Deal, fairly taxing the wealthy and corporations, campaign finance reform, reducing military spending and relying on international cooperation, gun safety, and a living wage enjoy widespread popularity. They therefore constitute a winning agenda for a governing mandate.

Candidates running on and then working to implement these popular, effective policies are likely to win election and reelection. These popular reforms would make life substantially better for all Americans. A critical mass of candidates willing to represent voters’ needs and repudiate corporate/oligarchic greed will win elections and could remake U.S. politics.

Medicare for All: Guaranteed Quality Health Care

Healthcare remains a top concern for Americans. Polling consistently shows that a majority of citizens favor a national health plan. “Medicare for All,” aka MFA remans popular despite relentless fear mongering attacks led by the health insurance corporations as well as media outlets and politicians they’ve funded.

Democrats and independents show greater support for Medicare for All (MFA) compared to Republicans. Still, recent events and trends indicate ever growing public support for this policy. A 2020 Kaiser Family Foundation (KFF) poll revealed that 77% of Democrats and 61% of independents favored a national Medicare-for-all health plan, while only 28% of Republicans expressed support.

Medicare for All Remains Popular…

Despite these partisan differences, overall public support for MFA has been strong and increasing. A Gallup poll from 2023 reported that 57% of Americans favored adopting a publicly funded, privately delivered system. This, reflecting a growing trend in support over recent years.The upward trajectory suggests shifting public opinion, with a majority of Americans now supporting MFA.

Polling shows Democrats and independents remain more supportive of MFA than Republicans, However, the overall trend demonstrates strong widening, and increasing support for Medicare for All. This, even though public understanding of the policy remains limited, with many Americans unclear about its impact on existing insurance coverage and cost-sharing.

…Despite Propaganda Onslaught

Medicare for All continues to appeal to voters despite a propaganda onslaught from health insurance corporations, media outlets, and politicians. The Kaiser Family Foundation has consistently tracked public opinion on Medicare for All. Their polling shows that while support varies depending on how the question is framed, a significant portion of Americans support the idea of a national health plan.

Open Secrets reported on big insurance and big pharma attacks on Medicare for All. The article identified the “Partnership for America’s Health Care Future (PAHCF), a group comprised of major drugmakers, insurance companies and private hospitals [that is] lobbying members of Congress, running online ads and working with the media to drive down popularity of Medicare for All, a single-payer health platform that continues to gain popularity in the Democratic party.”

Public Citizen explained, “Contrary to misleading news reports, and despite relentless industry attacks, Medicare for All continues to win support from a majority of Americans. Poll after poll finds that Medicare for All is supported by the vast majority of Democrats, many Independents and even a substantial number of Republicans. Even when battle-tested using biased attacks on Medicare for All, support remains consistent.”

Even the business friendly Forbes magazine admitted, “American healthcare is ridiculously expensive [citing] a host of reasons for such high prices, such as the historical connection between insurance and hospitals, the lack of price transparency, and the belated involvement of our federal government in healthcare policies. But mainly it comes down to the power of hospitals, physicians, and the rest of the healthcare industry to co-opt almost a fifth of our economy. Recent data on healthcare lobbying perfectly illustrates just how much power I’m talking about.”

Medicare for All Would Save Lives And Money

Most Americans understand that Expanded and Improved Medicare for All would save lives and money, but as the New York Times reported, “Health Care and Insurance Industries Mobilize to Kill ‘Medicare for All.’” Other mainstream media outlets exposed efforts by the health insurance industry and allies to undermine Medicare for All through lobbying and media campaigns. These same sources often provide evidence of the popularity of Medicare for All despite these coordinated efforts by corporations, media, and politicians to oppose it.

Candidates’ campaigns calling for putting patients over profits through Medicare for All would further bolster support. Addressing misconceptions via clear messaging would help expand public support, leading to electoral and legislative victories. Once enacted, MFA would deliver marked improvements in U.S. health care while eliminating waste and abuses inherent in the current profits over patience chaos. This would further enlarge and empower a governing progressive majority.

The Green New Deal: A Climate and Economic Imperative

By framing the Green New Deal as both an economic stimulus and a means to ensure long-term sustainability, candidates can gain support from voters who prioritize economic security and job creation alongside climate action.

Despite inaccurate right wing scaremongering, the Green New Deal and its core principles—investing in renewable energy, creating jobs, and combating climate change—remain popular. In the 2020 elections, a significant number of candidates who co-sponsored the Green New Deal were re-elected, signaling wide public sentiment in favor of bold climate action.

Public opinion polling in the United States indicates strong support for environmental policies that also promote economic growth and job creation. Pew Research polling shows “Majorities of Americans continue to support a number of proposals to address climate change.” These include “[R]equiring oil and gas companies to seal methane leaks from oil and wells (84%), a tax credit to Americans who improve home energy efficiency (83%) [and] three-quarters of Republicans favor providing a tax credit for improving home energy efficiency and requiring oil and gas companies to seal methane leaks from oil wells.”

Bipartisan Concerns About The Environment

Concern for the future crosses the partisan divide as, “Among Democrats, protecting the environment for future generations is by far their top climate policy consideration: 83% say this is very important to them.” This, while, “About half of Republicans (52%) say protecting the environment for future generations is very important.”

A 2020 poll by Yale Program on Climate Change Communication revealed that 70% of Americans support government investments in renewable energy to stimulate the economy, indicating strong support for policies that align environmental action with economic benefits.

Framing essential environmental policy as both an economic stimulus and a means to ensure long-term sustainability resonates with a broad segment of the American public. Even Republicans support some key progressive policy approaches.

Candidates running on pledges to implement such policies are likely to win elections. Once elected, they can rely on wide and growing political support for a Green New Deal to achieve progress on environmental protection that spurs sustainable job creation.

Taxing The Wealthy and Corporations: A Bipartisan Consensus

One of the most unifying economic policies is the call to tax the wealthy and large corporations. Social Security Works reported that substantial majority of Americans, including both Democrats and Republicans, support increasing taxes on the ultra-wealthy to reduce the national deficit and fund essential social programs.

Public opinion polling in the United States consistently indicates strong support for tax reforms aimed at addressing income inequality. A comprehensive analysis of over 55 national and state polls found that approximately two-thirds (67%) of Americans support a billionaire income tax, including 84% of Democrats, 64% of Independents, and 51% of Republicans.

A 2020 Pew Research Center survey revealed that 65% of Americans believe there is too much economic inequality in the U.S., with 91% of Democrats and 65% of Republicans agreeing.

Candidates advocating for tax reforms targeting the wealthy to reduce income inequality would enjoy support from a significant portion of the American electorate. Given the widespread agreement on these issues, candidates running on economic fairness would win and have a clear mandate to push for tax reforms that ensure economic fairness and address growing income inequality.

Campaign Finance Reform: Restoring Trust in Democracy

The influence of money in politics remains a pressing concern for many Americans. A substantial majority of the electorate supports reforms to curb corporate and billionaire’s influence in elections. Most Americans agree that prioritizing ordinary citizens over wealthy donors would help restore public trust in elections and government institutions.

Public opinion polling in the United States consistently indicates strong bipartisan support for limiting campaign spending and increasing transparency in campaign finance.

Voters Want Clean Elections

Voters strongly support reforms to reduce corporate and billionaire influence in elections, with a majority of Americans believing that prioritizing ordinary citizens over wealthy donors would help restore public trust in elections and government institutions.

A 2023 Pew Research Center survey found that approximately 80% of Americans believe that people who donate large sums to political campaigns have too much influence on decisions made by members of Congress. Also that 72% of Americans favor imposing limits on the amount of money individuals and organizations can spend on political campaigns, with comparable majorities across party lines—76% of Democrats and 71% of Republicans supporting such measures.

A Pew Research Center report from 2018 revealed that a significant majority of Americans support limiting political campaign spending, with most believing that new laws could effectively reduce the role of money in politics.

Bipartisan Support For Electoral Reform

A bipartisan poll released by the Campaign Legal Center in 2018 showed that nearly three-in-four voters wanted the Federal Election Commission to take a more active role in enforcing campaign finance laws, and 83% support publicly disclosing political contributions to organizations, underscoring a widespread demand for greater transparency in political financing.

These findings suggest that a substantial majority of the electorate supports reforms to curb corporate and billionaire influence in elections. Similar majorities support reforms to prioritize ordinary citizens over wealthy donors, and see them as necessary to restore public trust in elections and government institutions. Candidates running on limiting campaign spending and increasing transparency in campaign financing would enjoy widespread support from voters.

Consensus: Cut Military Spending, Favor Cooperation

Candidates running on a pragmatic approach balancing legitimate national security—as opposed to imperialism and hegemonic designs—with domestic needs would win support from Democrats in the short term, and the general public over time.

Although such policies could initially alienate Republicans, exposing and eliminating waste and abuse in weapons spending could gain widespread public approval. A closer look at polling results strongly implies that enacting such policies would promote economic prosperity without compromising national defense, winning over a broad spectrum of voters.

Waste, Fraud, And Abuse In Weapons Spending

A 2022 article from the Quincy Institute for Responsible Statecraft highlighted that the U.S. military’s substantial budget, which reached $778 billion in 2021, has been a point of contention. The article suggests that such significant spending warrants scrutiny and potential reallocation to other priorities.

A 2025 report from the Stimson Center calculated that eliminating waste within the Department of Defense could save taxpayers up to $60 billion. This would be popular with Democrats immediate, white it may take some time to win over Republicans.

Democrats Want To Cut Weapons Waste

A 2019 Pew Research Center survey found that while a majority of Republicans supported maintaining current defense spending levels, Democrats were more inclined to support decreased defense spending, with 31% advocating for cuts. This indicates a nuanced public opinion on military spending.

The Associated Press reported that Americans are increasingly ambivalent about military spending. Democrats increasingly support reallocating military funds toward social programs such as education and healthcare.

“Guns Vs. Butter”

A 2024 survey by the Chicago Council on Global Affairs found that a majority of Americans support maintaining a strong military while also prioritizing domestic issues. Specifically, 60% of respondents agreed that the U.S. should “maintain its military superiority” but also “focus on domestic issues.”

A 2023 poll by the same organization revealed that 70% of Americans believe the U.S. should “work with other countries to solve international problems” rather than “act alone.” This suggests a preference for collaborative international engagement over unilateral actions, aligning with a balanced approach to national security.

Voters Support International Cooperation

Some progressive policies regarding national security and international relations enjoy widening support all across the political spectrum. Specifically, recent polling indicates a growing skepticism among American voters, including Republicans and Trump supporters, regarding U.S. intervention in international conflicts.

A 2023 Chicago Council Survey revealed that, for the first time, a majority of Republicans (55%) preferred the U.S. to stay out of world affairs, marking the lowest level of GOP support for active international engagement in nearly five decades.

A 2024 survey by the Cato Institute found that pluralities of voters in key swing states—Wisconsin (47%), Pennsylvania (50%), and Michigan (49%)—believed that U.S. involvement in the Middle East has worsened America’s national security.

Bipartisan Support For A Better Foreign Policy

These findings collectively suggest a notable shift in public opinion, with increasing numbers of American voters, including Republicans and Trump supporters, favoring reduced U.S. involvement in international conflicts. Taken together, they show that candidates prioritizing a leaner, less wasteful weapons budget would resonate mainly with Democrats at first, and a broader segment of the American electorate over time.

Polling suggests that although public opinion on military spending is complex, identifying and eliminating wasteful expenditures would deliver profound benefits. So much so that support for such reforms would increase and spread from Democrats to all voters.

Candidates running on a platform pledging to address national security needs by eliminating military industrial complex abuses and by increasing international cooperation are likely to win. Increasing spending to meet domestic needs, funded in part by savings from eliminating wasteful weapons spending, would provide widespread benefits. This would foster ever widening public support, allowing for ongoing and accelerated U.S. demilitarization while decreasing international strife and increasing national security.

Gun Safety Policies: A Common-Sense Approach

Gun violence remains a significant concern in the United States, with public opinion polls consistently showing overwhelming support for specific gun control measures. A hard core pro-gun faction funded and incited by the NRA and other special interest groups make efforts to stem the epidemic of mass shootings much more difficult. Open Secrets reported on why this is so. Still, policies such as closing the gun show loophole, implementing red flag laws, and requiring gun permits enjoy bipartisan backing.

A 2022 NPR/Ipsos poll found that a majority of American gun owners favor enforcing universal background checks, raising the minimum age to purchase guns, and enacting red flag laws. A 2021 Quinnipiac University poll revealed that 89% of Americans support requiring background checks for all gun buyers, and 74% favor red flag laws that allow authorities to remove firearms from individuals deemed a risk.

With such strong public support, candidates running on and enacting common-sense gun safety measures are likely to win elections while advancing a morally necessary course of action.

A Wage We Can Live With

Public opinion polling in the United States indicates substantial support for implementing a living wage policy. A 2021 Pew Research Center survey found that 67% of Americans favor raising the federal minimum wage to $15 per hour, with notable demographic variations: 72% of women and 61% of men support the increase; 93% of Black Americans, 73% of Hispanic Americans, and 60% of White Americans are in favor. A Harris Poll found that 85% of Americans agree that large companies should raise their minimum wage to a living wage to help reduce income inequality.

These findings suggest a broad consensus among the U.S. populace for policies ensuring wages that meet the cost of living. Considering the public outcry about inability to afford basic needs helped fuel Trump’s prospects, all reasonable candidates and elected officials must do all they can to address the economic pain Americans face, due to decades of neoliberal policies/

Conclusions

The data is clear: progressive policies on healthcare, climate action, economic fairness, campaign finance reform, military spending, and gun safety enjoy broad public support. By championing this winning agenda, candidates can win elections and secure a governing mandate that reflects the will of the American people.

Campaigning and delivering on these issues would reshape American politics for the better by offering and then delivering a more just, sustainable, secure, and prosperous future for all. This would build a new consensus capable of unifying diverse constituencies into a successful, durable, and transformative political alignment, much like the New Deal Coalition.