The Gist Ben Ritz on Slopulism and the Democrats' 2024 Lesson
Mar 25, 2026
Ben Ritz, VP of Policy Development at the Progressive Policy Institute and policy writer, discusses the rise of 'slopulism'—half-baked populist policy. He breaks down why tempting promises on taxes, deficits, and affordability can be fiscally hollow. He also examines trade-offs, supply investments, and which big ideas might actually be sustainable.
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Slopulism Defined As Populism Plus Low Effort
- Slopulism is populist-sounding policy mixed with low-effort, half-baked ideas that fail detailed scrutiny.
- Ben Ritz coins the term to describe AI-style internet slop merged with populism, offering catchy but economically hollow proposals.
Middle Class Tax Cut Sounds Good But Breaks The Budget
- Booker and Van Hollen propose eliminating income taxes for most middle class households, a politically attractive but costly plan.
- Ritz points out the math doesn't add up: large revenue loss would cripple government's ability to fund other priorities.
Avoid Popular Tax Promises That Defund Government
- Avoid passing popular tax giveaways that effectively defund government programs Democrats need to deliver agenda items.
- Ritz warns such promises either break future delivery or force Democrats into anti-government narratives they can't sustain.