Well, today the actual trial of President Trump is supposed to begin, and even though the Republican leadership has already told us he will be acquitted, likely without hearing any witnesses, the historic importance of this event is difficult to overstate, at least to a guy like me who used to teach American government at the AF Academy.

Now, if truth be told, I’m actually writing these words last Friday, I mean today, but not today, but Friday, if you know what I mean. And so, I’d like to congratulate the AFC champion (please circle one) Tennessee Titans/Kansas City Chiefs, who will take on the mighty (please circle one) Packers/49ers. See? I can be topical and current. (Ed: not sure this counts…)

Which brings me, of course, to some seemingly random thoughts on the year ahead in politics. Colorado, the true bellwether state, won’t get as much attention as the key states in Trump’s 2016 victory, but we’ll still get lots of press for our Senate race, as well as our electoral votes. And as a life-long Democrat (a true moderate, which seems to irritate my friends on the extremes of both parties), I’d like to offer a few words of advice, which, I should note, not a single person has asked for.

The modern Democratic Party has a very interesting sense of what to do. I swear, the Dems seem to want to find a way in every election to make winning as difficult as possible, and to snatch defeat from the jaws of victory whenever possible. Plus, we don’t have the Russians on our side, so that hurts too. Therefore, I have a few suggestions:

• First, we should pick a presidential nominee who can actually win. Seriously, we need to do that. And while I support some of their issue positions, we as a party really should find a way to not nominate sure losers (here is where I really irritate some folks), like Bernie, Warren, Steyer, and the rich guy…what’s his name…it’s been over 10 minutes since I’ve seen one of his commercials…oh yah, Bloomberg. And for those who say I’m wrong, well, I sure could be, but as a western Democrat, I just don’t see how a super liberal from the east carries the needed purple states. Bernie and the others have yet to run through the GOP partisan gauntlet, where they will be smeared for comments 30 years ago, plus, again, the Russians. We need to nominate a person who can win nationally, and that person is Michael Bennet, or someone like him. 
• Next, whomever our nominee is, I have a bold slogan suggestion — “Make America Great Again.” I’m serious. The Trump folks have rolled back environmental protections, are taking shots at reducing Social Security benefits, and has us near a war footing with Iran, and much more. Take the MAGA slogan and slap it on a blue hat. It works on so many levels.
• During the Senate trial, we should offer up Hunter and Joe Biden as voluntary witnesses. I don’t really doubt that Hunter got the job in question mostly, if not entirely, because of his last name (and think about DJT Jr before you cast too many stones on this one), but multiple investigations have shown that the Biden’s did nothing wrong. And, if Hunter shows up, then we can call Ivanka Trump to explain a bit about her Chinese patents and much more.
• The Dems should have their dvr’s working full time. Come summer, the airwaves should be swamped with commercials that show certain GOP Senators declaring they won’t bother with any evidence, and that Trump will be acquitted regardless, and then showing them taking their trial oath and signing the “I promise to keep an open mind” book. Honor matters, especially to military folks. I’m not the slightest bit optimistic that the GOP will run an actual trial, regardless of what the GAO — an independent government watchdog — said about Trump breaking the law. I despise hypocrisy, and buckets of the stuff are drenching Republican senators right now.
• Finally, the Dems should take a page from the brilliantly crafted Reagan campaign playbook, and ask repeatedly, “are you better off now than you were four years ago?” We need to point out that Trump has just continued the Obama recovery, but managed to massively increase the federal debt and deficit — something Republicans used to claim they cared about. Sure, if you have lots of money in the stock market, you are better off. I have friends who use the markets as the only metric of economic success, but they are wrong. Most Americans are not checking stock prices every few minutes, they are working hard, for flat wages, in hopes of giving themselves and their children a better life. Lots are really suffering, for example, the farmers of this nation have borne nearly all the costs of our terrible trade war with China.

And so, while I think the Colorado Dems are in pretty good shape and are well led, nationally I continue to worry about the national Dems’ seeming commitment to finding a way to lose against one of the most unpopular presidents, well, ever. Perhaps my meandering thoughts above will help, but more likely, they will not. Now, if you will excuse me, I have to go watch football games, I mean, wait, they are over, so never mind…

Hal Bidlack is a retired professor of political science and a retired Air Force lieutenant colonel who taught more than 17 years at the U.S. Air Force Academy in Colorado Springs.