As Democrats pick ourselves up off the mat after the elections, there is no time to lose in addressing the fundamental causes that led to the reelection of Donald Trump. It is now clear that, among the many issues that drove swing voters to Trump, the most potent are the affordability crisis facing a majority of Americans and a lack of faith in government to help. Working and middle class families are struggling, and low-income families are in increasingly desperate straits. As a result, voters chose the candidate who they believed would change the status quo. Whether we like it or not, this demonstrates that if Democrats do not provide real solutions on affordability, no amount of pointing out the very real horrors of Trumpism will provide a path back to power in Washington or long-term protection for the democratic rights and freedoms of all Americans. Under President Biden, the U.S. recovery outpaced other major economies, inflation was lower than in other countries and is now close to the Fed’s target rate of 2%. Real wages are higher than at any other time in U.S. history, and employment is near record highs. In short, and as usual, a Democratic president cleaned up the mess left by a Republican. But none of that matters electorally when most Americans must tighten their belts, with wage growth for the bottom 90% of earners stagnating for decades and being outpaced by the rapidly increasing cost of essentials. In the 1930s our country similarly faced a risk that harsh economic conditions would lead Americans to embrace fascism. Thankfully, FDR recognized this threat and understood the need to reorder the economy to make it work for the many, not just the few. In the process he rescued America from the path of authoritarianism. What we need now is nothing less than a comprehensive plan to tackle affordability at the scale and ambition of the New Deal, which was first tested out by FDR when he was governor of New York. We need more housing, affordable child care, better and expanded public transit across the state, lower utility and medical bills, and higher wages. We need the state to help local governments and school districts to reduce upward pressure on property taxes. We need to work with organized labor to ensure more workers benefit from the stability of a union job. And we need a government that can deliver on its promises, which means funding state agencies so they have the staff and resources to do their jobs. All this can and must be done at the same time that we fight to protect women, LGBTQ people, immigrants, people of color, and our progress on climate and other critical priorities from the extremists in Washington. We don’t need to abandon our American values of social justice. But history suggests that broad-based prosperity is a prerequisite for a confidently pluralist society. If we respond with half-measures, taking programs that would benefit the vast majority of New Yorkers and watering them down into ineffectiveness, or worse, turning to a wrongheaded policy of austerity to prove our “moderate” credentials, we will fail politically and as the people’s representatives. That so many people were willing to vote for Trump demonstrates that they are not interested in “moderate” approaches. Bold action will cost money, but the cost of inaction is far greater. That means we need to consider raising taxes on the very rich and large corporations (no, they won’t leave the state), and explore innovative new ways to raise revenue. It also means we need to stop wasting billions of dollars on so-called “economic development” spending that doesn’t create jobs or broaden prosperity, but simply turns hard-earned tax dollars into wasteful corporate welfare. In New York, most of this affordability agenda will have to be enacted through the budget process in which, because of our “strong executive” constitutional model, the Legislature has very limited power. That means the responsibility for the kind of bold leadership that is demanded of Democratic states in the Trump era falls primarily on Gov. Hochul. But those of us in the Legislature must be clear that we will support her when she provides that leadership and hold her accountable when she doesn’t. I urge her to follow in the footsteps of FDR, and provide a model for the nation to tackle affordability, achieve shared prosperity, and blaze a trail out of the Trumpist swamp. Krueger represents parts of Manhattan in the state Senate and chairs the Senate Finance Committee.