In American Greatness, before Victor Davis Hanson explains the risks of Democrats overplaying their hand, he implores readers not to panic or despair over the recent midterm upset.

Trump could still accomplish quite a bit, both domestically and internationally, writes VDH, even without a congressional majority.

Second, he would have Republicans ignore hubristic leftist claims that the election results prove widespread American support for the boutique neo-socialist agenda.

If Democrats fail to learn this lesson, then Republican success in 2028, alerts VDH, is practically guaranteed.

Trump will face euphoric, frenzied opposition, emboldened by a landside, and will have a difficult time confirming federal judges or cabinet members.

Most presidents in that dire situation try to rush through confirmations in the brief two remaining months of their lame-duck congressional majorities—not an easy task. Trump is, at this very moment, following in their footsteps.

Next year, Trump still won’t have to face a veto-proof Congress—unless renegade Republican senators and representatives join Democrats on key legislation to provide the necessary 67-Senate-vote/290-House-vote override.

Now is the critical time for Trump to shore up potentially apostate congressional Republicans and keep them in line to prevent this. A wave as huge as the 2026 blue wave can sometimes take two or three election cycles to correct itself—”meaning the 2026 left-wing momentum gives the socialist Democrats advantages in the 2028 presidential elections.”

Even though the Democrats cannot hope to override the veto, some, like Elizabeth Warren, have recklessly called for ending the filibuster—a huge mistake when they don’t yet have the White House. (Why end this time-honored institution just to pass legislation that will be vetoed by an opposition president anyway?)

The Do Nothing Congress

Trump’s own legislative initiatives are dead.

Bipartisan initiatives with the new socialist Democratic Party could be explored, but they would likely be untenable in the eyes of the MAGA base. Otherwise, Democrats will vote against anything and everything Trump proposes—in the fashion of what Harry Truman once called his oppositional Republican legislators: “The Do-Nothing Congress.”

Sometimes presidents, in the wake of bruising congressional losses, explains VDH, find ways to stay dynamic and popular.

The last two years of the Clinton and Obama administrations were supposed to be inert. They most certainly were not.

Part II from VDH tomorrow