Jim Geraghty of National Review Online looks past the latest presidential election contest to offer advice for future aspirants.
The Republican Party of 2027–2028 might be very Trumpy, or it may not be. The Democratic Party of 2027–2028 might be drifting in a more openly socialist direction, or it may have recoiled from all of that.
The country as a whole is likely to be in a very different position in 2027–2028, with problems we may not even be able to imagine right now. In 2016, no one expected a global pandemic to be the most pressing problem in the year 2020.
The only thing a political figure can do to make himself a more compelling and stronger presidential candidate four to eight years from now is to be the best governor, senator, representative, mayor, or whatever you are right now. Try to accomplish things — get legislation passed, enact programs, cut programs, enact reforms. Travel a bit overseas and try to see some foreign-policy problems with your own eyes. Try to improve your little corner of America, and then get out a bit and see how other parts of the country are facing the same problems. (I salute the state of Florida for all of the ways it is well run, but it helps to be able to shift so much of your tax burden on snowbirds who only live there part of the year (property taxes), while benefiting from tourism revenue (sales taxes) and all those people driving through your state (26 cents per gallon).)
The country does not lack for problems — crime, failing schools, an insecure border and cities overwhelmed with migrants and asylum applicants, people making more money but feeling like they’re not keeping up with inflation. Approaching 14 years after Obamacare passed, people still feel like they’re paying too much in premiums, copays, and deductibles for insufficient care.
You want to be president in 2028? Go out and fix things.
