Why Trump’s Movement Lost the 2026 Midterms, and How to Save It by January 20

The plan below is the author’s proposal. Neither Donald J. Trump nor JD Vance has made or endorsed it.

Part One: The Key Points

I. Why the Movement Lost

1. No expert could find a solution to America’s existential crisis, or a way to find one. That left Trump one choice: pivot toward the softest landing for the most people possible, while destroying anyone getting in his way.
2. No expert understands the Founding Documents well enough to close the open ends of our first two Amendments.
3. No one produced a plan or a narrative to bring MAGA, MAHA, patriots, conservatives, and every other faction together. That left the curious voter with one question: if they can’t manage themselves, how could they manage everyone else?

II. What Would Have Prevented It

1. Train generalists and refuse the soft landing. A National Emergency to train them, and one Basic Principle: coherence, with a bias for the Golden Rule.
2. Close the open ends. Six words do it: until such exercise abuses our principles.
3. Bring the factions together. An emergency conference of core Patriot leaders, then a weekly prime-time fireside chat.

III. How to Save the Movement by January 20

1. Trump and/or JD Vance announce a new plan to restore the American Republic and human civilization.
2. JD Vance takes over the administration temporarily to handle the realignment.
3. Trump takes a break to adjust his and his family’s involvement in government, and to work out with world leaders and thinkers how to organize such a civilization without the need for war.

Part Two: The Explanations

I. Why the Movement Lost

Contrary to the reports coming out the morning after the 2026 election, this generalist asserts that Trump and his MAGA, MAHA, etc., movement lost for three reasons.

1. No expert (specialist) could find a single solution to America’s existential crisis, or a way to find a solution. That left Trump the only choice possible: pivot toward finding the softest landing for the most people possible, while destroying anyone getting in his way.

The evidence, as this generalist reads it:

• Hillsdale College stealthily jettisoned America’s Basic Principles over successive editions of its Constitution 101 online course.
• The Claremont Institute abandoned its call for papers to cure its pitilessly bare condition exposed by covid, due to lack of responsiveness.
• The 1776 Commission found little unique and nothing exceptional to justify America’s continuance.
• The Hoover Institution, after years of research, staged a public debate by its top experts in 2025, finding no solution for America.
• In 2026, for our 250th, a colleague clarified their complete abjuration of responsibility: it’s up to one of the people. Not with any gagging apoplexy, or hopefulness, about the consequences. Just a nonchalant comme ci, comme ça.
• Solari, Brownstone Institute, and Promethean Action show the same shrug, waiting on magic beyond their scope.

2. No expert today understands America’s Founding Documents well enough to, for instance, close the open ends of our first two Amendments.

The evidence: we spend millions of dollars and thousands of man-hours every year arguing, litigating, and legislating ad hoc closures.

3. No leading person or group produced a plan, or a narrative, to bring all the MAGA, MAHA, patriotic, conservative, and other fractious elements together. That left the curious voter with the question: if they can’t manage themselves, how could they manage everyone else?

II. What Would Have Prevented It

This generalist is happy to announce the recent publication of a teaser pamphlet, Common Sense 2.0: The Mother of All October Surprises, that answers all these questions, including 16 Ways to win the elections in the final weeks before the election. See michaeljkram.com. Three of the fixes inside, one for each cause:

For the missing solution: train generalists and refuse the soft landing. A National Emergency to train and establish a strong American-generalist infrastructure. A public commitment: “We will not feed any perception that we have given up hope, nor are we shopping for soft landings.” And one Basic Principle, by Executive Order, until a suitable replacement is properly enacted: coherence, with a bias for the Golden Rule.

For the open ends: a one-line close. “Congress shall make no law concerning the exercise of (e.g., the press), until such exercise abuses our principles.” Six words close both Amendments.

For the missing plan: bring the factions to one table. An emergency conference of core Patriot leaders “to get our act together and set a coherent main course before the voters.” Then a weekly prime-time chat, in the manner of FDR and Bishop Sheen, explaining why all of this matters.

III. How to Save the Movement by January 20

This election may now be lost. But here is how we can save the movement by January 20, 2027, two years to the day after this term began, redeem Trump, if he will cooperate, at least in MAGA and MAHA eyes, and save America over the remainder of this term.

Here is one possible scenario to illustrate the thinking and the possibilities.

The Plan

After planning the strategies and contingencies, Trump and/or JD Vance announce a new plan to restore the American Republic and human civilization, where:

• Civilization is agreed to be the best mix of truth, beauty, and knowledge, based on the carrying capacity of our environment. All other important features and facets of civilization are part of, or incorporated in, truth, beauty, knowledge, and/or our environment.
• The 16 Ways are employed to help fix America.
• America’s national principles are honored as the best humanity has ever produced, but not required of or for others.
• Every special interest class gets its special but limited perk, and protection from scamming and plunder, dependent on the service it provides.

Who Does What

JD Vance takes over the administration temporarily to handle the realignment of arrangements made over the last 22 months, to be enhanced and continued in his, hopefully, successor administration. Section 3 of the Twenty-Fifth Amendment provides a lawful path: a written declaration from Trump makes JD Vance Acting President until Trump sends a second one.

Trump takes a break to adjust his and his family’s involvement in government, and to work out with world leaders and thinkers how to organize such a civilization without the need for war.

IV. What Comes Next

The long version is Common Sense 2.0, at michaeljkram.com. Please prove me wrong.