In their quest to win back working-class voters and compete in battleground states, many Democrats have convinced themselves that the best way to beat Trumpism is to copy it — at least on economics. The new playbook is built around economic populism: tariffs, industrial policy, big government checks, and a willingness to bash corporations, billionaires, and free markets in the same breath. But while this might make for good focus group fodder, it’s a long-term loser — for the Democratic Party, and for American democracy.

MAGA populism isn’t just about economic pain; it’s about channeling that pain into resentment, isolation and authoritarian politics. When Democrats try to meet that energy with their own brand of populism —........

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