The working folks who voted for Trump are beginning to figure out that he is hurting each and every one of them with his policies. If they, and the rest of us, are ever going to stop these actions and have viable alternative candidates in the future, we need to carefully look at how the Democratic Party let down all of us working folks in the first place. Though somewhat simplistic, I’d describe the vast majority of Democratic candidates as basically “Republican Lites.”

For decades, Democrats have accepted large amounts of corporate money; have not taxed the richest folks as they were in our past; have supported wars and genocides around the world; have not done anywhere near enough to stop our contribution to global climate change; have not had a just and coherent immigration policy; and have not provided today’s young people with the opportunities afforded to their parents.

When I speak to workers who voted for Trump, they say they are tired of a lack of representation by almost any of the regular politicians in Washington — politicians of either party. Their standard of living has gone down since the 1960s, and they want real change. Unfortunately, Trump said what both parties had been doing needed to be undone in the loudest voices.

Though starting from a very different ideological place, my under-30 son, daughter, and their friends share the sentiment that their needs and interests are not met by either party in Washington. They don’t see much of a future for themselves, given uncontrolled climate change, corporate control over every aspect of their lives, and an absence of bold moves supporting and recognizing them as humans and workers. They find the genocides and wars unconscionable. They are angry that the last time they went out and beat the pavement for a candidate was when Bernie Sanders ran, but the Democratic National Committee ignored them and torpedoed his candidacy behind the scenes.

Here’s what it would take to get both of these groups to believe in, vote for, and volunteer for a worker-centered Democratic Party — a party that would truly address and serve their collective interests, rather than pay lip-service and then betray them:

1. No democratic candidate accepts a campaign contribution over $100. No corporate contributions are accepted. This is the only way to prove candidates are not beholden to the rich when elected. Democrats in both houses of Congress would put forward legislation calling for that, but whether it passes or not, the Democrats need to practice it now.

2. Put forth legislation for a graduated income tax, like that under Truman and Eisenhower, where the multimillionaires and billionaires are taxed at a rate of at least 80%, this time with no possible loopholes. Then, create similar fair and graduated corporate taxes, with no loopholes. In the same legislation, include a decrease in all workers’ income tax. In the 1950s and ‘60s we built millions of homes and apartments and the interstate highway system using these collected taxes from the wealthy. We could do similar infrastructure projects now, while funding education and child care.

3. Introduce universal health care bills in both houses, the kind of health care demonstrated in virtually every other country to be more effective and cheaper than our current system. Then, push for it in every TV interview. Every podcast. Every email. Every social media post. Every day. Be relentless.

4. Heed the words of President and General Eisenhower, “beware of the military industrial complex.” We don’t currently have a defense budget. Rather, we have a military budget with unnecessary billions spent well beyond defense costs: the average American pays $1,087 per year on weapons contractors, compared to $270 for K-12 education and just $6 for renewable energy. Both Democrats and Republicans have supported countless unnecessary genocides and wars, and continue to do so. Cutting the military budget by about 50% would maintain our country’s defense, while simultaneously shifting our international policy toward a push for peace, rather than wars that support corporate profits rather than political solutions.

5. Immediately implement a detailed, just, and coherent immigration policy. Then, fund a sufficient bank of immigration judges, along with a significant cadre of workers that offers technical assistance, with the goal that fair immigration decisions be made within just a few days.

These concrete steps will make the Democratic Party a trustworthy party of the workers. Until then, neither the Republicans nor the Democrats are the solution.

Paul Jablon lives in Greenfield.