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The Day After: How to Wield Power in a Post-Trump World – A Progressive Political Playbook on Saving Democracy from the #1 New York Times Bestselling Author of Shameless
From the #1 New York Times bestselling author of Shameless, Brian Tyler Cohen explores how Republicans have abused power, how Democrats have refused to exercise power when they held it, and how progressives should wield power if they are fortunate enough to win a free and fair election in a post-Trump world.
This book is a wake-up call about the decades-long project that led to Trump’s America.
It’s the playbook for progressives who want to do far more than restore the status quo.
This is how we build a stronger country, with hope and opportunity for all — before our democracy slides into a distant memory.
This book is a wake-up call about the decades-long project that led to Trump’s America.
It’s the playbook for progressives who want to do far more than restore the status quo.
This is how we build a stronger country, with hope and opportunity for all — before our democracy slides into a distant memory.
208 pages, Kindle Edition
First published July 14, 2026
About the author
Brian Tyler Cohen
2 books125 followersIn 2011, Cohen graduated from Lehigh University in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania, with a BS degree in Business and Economics and a BA degree in English. He addressed the graduating class of 2011 as their class president.
Cohen acted in a handful of film and television roles from 2012 to 2016.
In October 2018, Cohen started posting political content on his YouTube channel which primarily covers national politics. Cohen later started his first podcast, No Lie, during the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic in June 2020. Cohen has since created multiple different shows on his channel. On February 25, 2022, Cohen became the first YouTube creator/podcaster to interview U.S. President Joe Biden.
Abridged from Wikipedia.
Cohen acted in a handful of film and television roles from 2012 to 2016.
In October 2018, Cohen started posting political content on his YouTube channel which primarily covers national politics. Cohen later started his first podcast, No Lie, during the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic in June 2020. Cohen has since created multiple different shows on his channel. On February 25, 2022, Cohen became the first YouTube creator/podcaster to interview U.S. President Joe Biden.
Abridged from Wikipedia.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 36 reviews
August 2, 2026
★ 3.25 stars ★
uh ohhhhh.
here comes the leftisttttt...
why, yes. I am here to be a dick. don't get me wrong. i truly don't mind brian tyler cohen that much. he seems fine and at least slightly genuine in what he espouses. And this book was well written as far as diction/syntax goes.
that being said, this book just did not need to exist. within these pages are just restatements of what BTC often discusses in his YouTube videos. This book doesn't say anything new that he hasn't already said.
And yet...
He completely fails to address the elephant in the room: The democrats and their corruption.
Because they are just as wicked as the Republicans, just in a different way. I won't go into a whole rant about dark money, AIPAC, etc because frankly, I'm tired. it's depressing and angering.
The democrats and US government as a whole have made it clear they don't care about representing the needs and desires of the US population.
But I'm disappointed (although unsurprised) that BTC does not address the fact that the biggest thing holding our nation back is not Trump. It is not the Republicans. It's the collusion. It's the dark money and the greed. The late stage capitalism. The undying fealty to Israel. The SuperPACs. And that will long outlive Trump if we don't do anything about it.
And I doubt the author of this book wants to do anything about it.
So, in summary...
this book was kind of pointless. it does nothing.
I don't trust BTC.
VIVA LA REVOLUTION
p.s. i found it very funny that BTC seems so confident we'll have a dem president in 2028 lol.
the DNC will almost certainly find a way to f**k that up with the way they're going.
------
Many thanks to HarperAudio for a audio copy— NOT
HarperAudio did not deign to accept my request but don't worry... this radical left lunatic is here to critique anyway.
I like Brian Tyler Cohen. He seems decent. But he's also a major player in the democratic establishment and keeping the Overton Window where it is (aka very right leaning).
So, all this to say, I am very excited to here how Mr. Cohen thinks we should wield power in a 'post-trump' world and if he believes we should do so in a way that will actually reflect the voice of the people or keep things how they are.
uh ohhhhh.
here comes the leftisttttt...
why, yes. I am here to be a dick. don't get me wrong. i truly don't mind brian tyler cohen that much. he seems fine and at least slightly genuine in what he espouses. And this book was well written as far as diction/syntax goes.
that being said, this book just did not need to exist. within these pages are just restatements of what BTC often discusses in his YouTube videos. This book doesn't say anything new that he hasn't already said.
And yet...
He completely fails to address the elephant in the room: The democrats and their corruption.
Because they are just as wicked as the Republicans, just in a different way. I won't go into a whole rant about dark money, AIPAC, etc because frankly, I'm tired. it's depressing and angering.
The democrats and US government as a whole have made it clear they don't care about representing the needs and desires of the US population.
But I'm disappointed (although unsurprised) that BTC does not address the fact that the biggest thing holding our nation back is not Trump. It is not the Republicans. It's the collusion. It's the dark money and the greed. The late stage capitalism. The undying fealty to Israel. The SuperPACs. And that will long outlive Trump if we don't do anything about it.
And I doubt the author of this book wants to do anything about it.
So, in summary...
this book was kind of pointless. it does nothing.
I don't trust BTC.
VIVA LA REVOLUTION
p.s. i found it very funny that BTC seems so confident we'll have a dem president in 2028 lol.
the DNC will almost certainly find a way to f**k that up with the way they're going.
------
Many thanks to HarperAudio for a audio copy— NOT
HarperAudio did not deign to accept my request but don't worry... this radical left lunatic is here to critique anyway.
I like Brian Tyler Cohen. He seems decent. But he's also a major player in the democratic establishment and keeping the Overton Window where it is (aka very right leaning).
So, all this to say, I am very excited to here how Mr. Cohen thinks we should wield power in a 'post-trump' world and if he believes we should do so in a way that will actually reflect the voice of the people or keep things how they are.
July 30, 2026
Cohen feels strongly about what’s happened/is happening to our country and what needs to be done. The system is broken, he observes, and the next Democratic administration and Congress have to recognize the extent of the destruction because there's no going back to as it was before. New laws need to be written, the Supreme Court must be reformed (enforceable ethical codes) and expanded (settling on 9 seats was because there were 9 federal circuits at the time; there are now 13), the independence of DOJ must be formally written into law, and so on. Most importantly, he argues that Democrats in Congress must be as single-minded and ruthless as Republicans have been. It's been manifestly clear for decades that the GOP is not interested in compromise. Democrats should acknowledge that fact and stop acting as if they're above it all.
It all makes good sense, in my opinion, but I am less that sanguine about the prospect for a couple of reasons. First, will the midterms and 2028 general election be free and fair? The Administration and its supporters are already doing a lot to interfere with voting, that’s for sure, through voter suppression, gerrymandering, efforts to get rid of voting by mail (how does this not affect Republican voters in rural districts, one might ask), and disinformation. Second, if Democrats do retake the House and Senate in the mids and the White House in '28, will they have enough political will and courage to do what’s necessary? Will they honestly acknowledge and address the problems the Trump years has exposed, or will they just make a lot of outraged speeches and try to return things to the way they used to be (and haven't been for a very long time)? Cohen has a lot of very good ideas about what sets need to be taken. It’s going to be a difficult slog, he says many times. I hope the country is up to the challenge.
(PS: I'm listening to a late July episode of The New Yorker Politics Hour. The subject is why Congress no longer works or even tries to work. I recommend it highly.)
Thanks to Harper’s and Edelweiss+ for providing a digital ARC in return for an honest review.
It all makes good sense, in my opinion, but I am less that sanguine about the prospect for a couple of reasons. First, will the midterms and 2028 general election be free and fair? The Administration and its supporters are already doing a lot to interfere with voting, that’s for sure, through voter suppression, gerrymandering, efforts to get rid of voting by mail (how does this not affect Republican voters in rural districts, one might ask), and disinformation. Second, if Democrats do retake the House and Senate in the mids and the White House in '28, will they have enough political will and courage to do what’s necessary? Will they honestly acknowledge and address the problems the Trump years has exposed, or will they just make a lot of outraged speeches and try to return things to the way they used to be (and haven't been for a very long time)? Cohen has a lot of very good ideas about what sets need to be taken. It’s going to be a difficult slog, he says many times. I hope the country is up to the challenge.
(PS: I'm listening to a late July episode of The New Yorker Politics Hour. The subject is why Congress no longer works or even tries to work. I recommend it highly.)
Thanks to Harper’s and Edelweiss+ for providing a digital ARC in return for an honest review.
August 4, 2026
I get a daily dose of Brian Tyler Cohen via his YouTube channel, and admire his tireless chronicling and analysis of the Trump administration's attacks on the nation. It must be exhausting, depressing, and Sisyphean work, but Cohen keeps pushing that boulder up the hill. On top of running an independent media network, he's found time to write a second book: The Day After: How to Wield Power in a Post-Trump World. It challenges us to consider the necessary steps to protect, recover, and strengthen what democracy remains after Trump leaves office. What we can't do is try to put things back to the way they were before, because before is what paved the way to the now. We also can't let the Trump Administration's flouting of the law go without punishment in a misguided attempt to appear impartial, as Merrick Garland did in his feckless turn as Attorney General under Biden.
One of Cohen's first tasks is to show that Trump did not create this mess all by himself; there was a decades-long process, from McCarthy to Nixon to Reagan to the Bushes to Project 2025, to protect the wealthy, identify scapegoats, redirect power to the executive, rig the highest court, and erode public trust in the government. He also lays blame at the feet of past Democratic administrations who have largely stuck to norms, tried quietly to right the ship, not properly explained the importance of their policies to the public, and neglected to attach real penalties to breaking the law. If Democrats are able to reclaim the presidency and one or both chambers of congress, they are going to need to act with speed and resolve.
One of the challenges of speaking out against Trump's lawlessness and grift is simply keeping up. It is part of the MAGA strategy to "flood the zone" with chaos and a constant churn of lies, distractions, and illegal acts. It's hard to factually recount them without sounding like a wild, obsessed conspiracy theorist. This book may not be comprehensive (it would need to be much larger than its 187 pages), but Cohen presents a well-organized overview of how Trump has sidestepped the law at each step, and delayed justice when it comes for him. One strategy has been to gut accountability by firing watchdogs and inspectors general and science advisors, leaving key roles unfilled, and weeding out anyone who is not a committed loyalist. Another has been to obliterate or neuter agencies such as the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, or the Department of Education, by appointing directors antithetical to those agencies' purposes. DOGE played a huge role in cratering key government functions. Another has been to go after institutions of higher learning. Another to attack law firms and secure concessions from them. And news organizations. And the media more broadly. Another cornerstone has been building a Supreme Court filled with unaccountable judges who do not follow their own ethical or recusal guidelines, nor even pretend to avoid political entanglement (I reserve special contempt for Thomas and Alito). Another full-frontal attack has been on voting rights. The selective use of the filibuster. Lying about the economy and jobs numbers. Gutting health care. Attacking clean energy. Flinging tariffs at our allies. Giving tax cuts to the wealthy. Add to all of that a pure streak of grift, siphoning money to Trump and his family through crypto schemes, access to the pardon power, foreign bribes... that list goes on as well.
Cohen expands many of these vectors of attack into full chapters, and is able to quote the likes of Obama, Biden, Warren, Sanders, and other major players in the Democratic Party with things they said directly to him on his channel. It's a good book for communicating the seriousness of the problem, and lighting a fire under all of us to fight for a better country. Keep posting, and protesting... maybe even consider running. And no matter what... vote. I'll leave you with a quote from the epilogue:
One of Cohen's first tasks is to show that Trump did not create this mess all by himself; there was a decades-long process, from McCarthy to Nixon to Reagan to the Bushes to Project 2025, to protect the wealthy, identify scapegoats, redirect power to the executive, rig the highest court, and erode public trust in the government. He also lays blame at the feet of past Democratic administrations who have largely stuck to norms, tried quietly to right the ship, not properly explained the importance of their policies to the public, and neglected to attach real penalties to breaking the law. If Democrats are able to reclaim the presidency and one or both chambers of congress, they are going to need to act with speed and resolve.
One of the challenges of speaking out against Trump's lawlessness and grift is simply keeping up. It is part of the MAGA strategy to "flood the zone" with chaos and a constant churn of lies, distractions, and illegal acts. It's hard to factually recount them without sounding like a wild, obsessed conspiracy theorist. This book may not be comprehensive (it would need to be much larger than its 187 pages), but Cohen presents a well-organized overview of how Trump has sidestepped the law at each step, and delayed justice when it comes for him. One strategy has been to gut accountability by firing watchdogs and inspectors general and science advisors, leaving key roles unfilled, and weeding out anyone who is not a committed loyalist. Another has been to obliterate or neuter agencies such as the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, or the Department of Education, by appointing directors antithetical to those agencies' purposes. DOGE played a huge role in cratering key government functions. Another has been to go after institutions of higher learning. Another to attack law firms and secure concessions from them. And news organizations. And the media more broadly. Another cornerstone has been building a Supreme Court filled with unaccountable judges who do not follow their own ethical or recusal guidelines, nor even pretend to avoid political entanglement (I reserve special contempt for Thomas and Alito). Another full-frontal attack has been on voting rights. The selective use of the filibuster. Lying about the economy and jobs numbers. Gutting health care. Attacking clean energy. Flinging tariffs at our allies. Giving tax cuts to the wealthy. Add to all of that a pure streak of grift, siphoning money to Trump and his family through crypto schemes, access to the pardon power, foreign bribes... that list goes on as well.
Cohen expands many of these vectors of attack into full chapters, and is able to quote the likes of Obama, Biden, Warren, Sanders, and other major players in the Democratic Party with things they said directly to him on his channel. It's a good book for communicating the seriousness of the problem, and lighting a fire under all of us to fight for a better country. Keep posting, and protesting... maybe even consider running. And no matter what... vote. I'll leave you with a quote from the epilogue:
"The first stage of recovery is to admit that our democracy is failing. The second stage is to make an inventory of our failures, being honest about the root causes. Those failures are not just the result of the enemies of democracy; they are also the result of the complacent friends of democracy, who have been too fearful to take action. The third stage is to seek accountability for those who have corrupted our system and abused power, because there can be no reform without a full reckoning. The fourth stage is to deliver results for the people who empower our leaders. Fixing the system matters only if the system improves the lives of our families, friends, and neighbors."
July 15, 2026
There’s no going back
Our first step to fix the country, argues Brian Tyler Cohen, is to recognize that our democracy has been broken. The rest of his book lays out what has broken, by whom, and what could be done to fix it.
To Cohen, our descent into autocracy didn’t begin with Trump; it has been decades in the making. Meanwhile, Democrats have been playing a bipartisanship game that the other side has refused to play and flipped the game board over, as Cohen points out. The Biden administration’s cardinal sin was acting as if we could go back to normal after Trump; Cohen suggests the next president will have to understand we can’t and act like the country’s democracy, rule of law, and fate are at stake.
I think his previous book, “Shameless,” was a work I couldn’t recommend more highly, and it is a great proof of why Cohen ought to be considered one of the best leaders of a new media network like what he calls for in this book.
Our first step to fix the country, argues Brian Tyler Cohen, is to recognize that our democracy has been broken. The rest of his book lays out what has broken, by whom, and what could be done to fix it.
To Cohen, our descent into autocracy didn’t begin with Trump; it has been decades in the making. Meanwhile, Democrats have been playing a bipartisanship game that the other side has refused to play and flipped the game board over, as Cohen points out. The Biden administration’s cardinal sin was acting as if we could go back to normal after Trump; Cohen suggests the next president will have to understand we can’t and act like the country’s democracy, rule of law, and fate are at stake.
I think his previous book, “Shameless,” was a work I couldn’t recommend more highly, and it is a great proof of why Cohen ought to be considered one of the best leaders of a new media network like what he calls for in this book.
July 14, 2026
A much needed to do list of how to push democratically elected officials to actually do what we want them to do rather than just propping up the establishment that has failed us for decades.
July 21, 2026
The Day After - how to wield power in a post trump world
- Brian Tyler Cohen
- The fecklessness of the Democratic Party. Their adherence to honoring institutions, compromise, and ethical governing
- The failures of the Clinton, Obama, and Biden administrations
- Republican presidents have only won the popular vote twice since ‘88. The won in ‘24 and ‘04
- When Democrats win reelection they are aggressive and unafraid. Clinton and Obama easily won in ‘96 and ‘12
- The Biden administration really did nothing to go after Trump or stop him coming back to power. What did Biden do in four years?
- Republicans are ruthless, they are terrorists. They have no ethics, no morals, and will not compromise
- Republicans rule with power over principle and it has made everything worse. Democrats choose principle over power and it has made everything worse
- This is one of the main thesis of the book
Congress:
- Congress has essentially ceded the power of the purse to the executive branch. Their most powerful tool and purpose they have turned over. They are no longer a co equal branch of government, they are a part of the executive branch
- Trump blatantly does illegal actions with his conflicts of interest and profiting off of the presidency. He illegally manipulates the budget and withholds funding
- I don’t understand the filibuster
- BTC is not beholden to the old institutions and norms. Republicans have violated, broken, and ignored all norms and institutions. The ones that they hold to, they only use to their advantage
SCOTUS
- Wow, he’s right the constitution makes no mention of the number of justices on the court. In the early years of the republic there were six justices. The court has gone as high as ten
- BTC suggests 13 justices, one for each district court in the US. The court should represent the size of the country
- He also wants a mandatory retirement age of 70, eight year terms, a clear ethics code, and more
- I have always been hesitant to expand the court but he has changed my mind
- As long as the court stays a conservative majority, they will block everything that democrats do
- Trump has made extensive use of the previously rarely used shadow docket. It was intended for emergency and time sensitive matters. I don’t understand the shadow docket
- Jesus Christ, Alito flew a flag upside down and pro January 6th flag in the days after
- Clarence Thomas is in a different category, wow. It’s incredible the amount of gifts he has received
- His wife was at the January 6th rally. She cofounded a conservative organization with Steve Bannon. She has direct ties to the Trump administration and the Bush administration. I had no idea she was so intertwined with these people, it’s awful
- The court is working for Trump. They are serve to endorse his behavior. They really did grant the president/him a significant amount of immunity
- Lower courts have ruled against Trump 90% of the time. SCOTUS has ruled with him 90%
- We need to change the court
Voting:
- Hello, we are NC, we get brought up in every conversation about voting
- Republicans rule with power over principle and it has made everything worse. Democrats choose principle over power and it has made everything worse
- Trump and his pardons - as all things in this book it’s worse than you think
- BTC hits on the economy, healthcare, climate change, media, all the important topics. In each one it is worse than I realized
- The media section is critically important
- It did give me hope for a green new deal
- Take action on day one. We will have a brief moment in time, we must seize it. Not to go back to how things were, but to make things better
- He does not have a specific 10 point plan but he does have a vision. I believe in that vision and I will help make that happen
- I discovered BTC this year and he has become my primary news source, he’s awesome
- I would have more notes but I was doing soil for the last three hours
- Brian Tyler Cohen
- The fecklessness of the Democratic Party. Their adherence to honoring institutions, compromise, and ethical governing
- The failures of the Clinton, Obama, and Biden administrations
- Republican presidents have only won the popular vote twice since ‘88. The won in ‘24 and ‘04
- When Democrats win reelection they are aggressive and unafraid. Clinton and Obama easily won in ‘96 and ‘12
- The Biden administration really did nothing to go after Trump or stop him coming back to power. What did Biden do in four years?
- Republicans are ruthless, they are terrorists. They have no ethics, no morals, and will not compromise
- Republicans rule with power over principle and it has made everything worse. Democrats choose principle over power and it has made everything worse
- This is one of the main thesis of the book
Congress:
- Congress has essentially ceded the power of the purse to the executive branch. Their most powerful tool and purpose they have turned over. They are no longer a co equal branch of government, they are a part of the executive branch
- Trump blatantly does illegal actions with his conflicts of interest and profiting off of the presidency. He illegally manipulates the budget and withholds funding
- I don’t understand the filibuster
- BTC is not beholden to the old institutions and norms. Republicans have violated, broken, and ignored all norms and institutions. The ones that they hold to, they only use to their advantage
SCOTUS
- Wow, he’s right the constitution makes no mention of the number of justices on the court. In the early years of the republic there were six justices. The court has gone as high as ten
- BTC suggests 13 justices, one for each district court in the US. The court should represent the size of the country
- He also wants a mandatory retirement age of 70, eight year terms, a clear ethics code, and more
- I have always been hesitant to expand the court but he has changed my mind
- As long as the court stays a conservative majority, they will block everything that democrats do
- Trump has made extensive use of the previously rarely used shadow docket. It was intended for emergency and time sensitive matters. I don’t understand the shadow docket
- Jesus Christ, Alito flew a flag upside down and pro January 6th flag in the days after
- Clarence Thomas is in a different category, wow. It’s incredible the amount of gifts he has received
- His wife was at the January 6th rally. She cofounded a conservative organization with Steve Bannon. She has direct ties to the Trump administration and the Bush administration. I had no idea she was so intertwined with these people, it’s awful
- The court is working for Trump. They are serve to endorse his behavior. They really did grant the president/him a significant amount of immunity
- Lower courts have ruled against Trump 90% of the time. SCOTUS has ruled with him 90%
- We need to change the court
Voting:
- Hello, we are NC, we get brought up in every conversation about voting
- Republicans rule with power over principle and it has made everything worse. Democrats choose principle over power and it has made everything worse
- Trump and his pardons - as all things in this book it’s worse than you think
- BTC hits on the economy, healthcare, climate change, media, all the important topics. In each one it is worse than I realized
- The media section is critically important
- It did give me hope for a green new deal
- Take action on day one. We will have a brief moment in time, we must seize it. Not to go back to how things were, but to make things better
- He does not have a specific 10 point plan but he does have a vision. I believe in that vision and I will help make that happen
- I discovered BTC this year and he has become my primary news source, he’s awesome
- I would have more notes but I was doing soil for the last three hours
August 8, 2026
I deserve an award for finishing this.
I wanted to read to understand the other side. Though I am not politically aligned with Cohen in any way, I have great family, whom I love, who are and I was hopeful this could help me step into their worldview.
It’s a sob story where the author spends the first half of the book crying about Republicans seizing government control and only claiming the dems are too scared and weak to fight back.
Cohen wants us to believe this is a careful, sober look at how power works in America, it's not. Its long-form content creation and pep rally for his YouTube followers, where everyone who reads it is starting with the same premise as Cohen, “Trump Bad, we must save democracy through instituting fascism.”
Every single thing Republicans do gets treated like a five-alarm fire threatening the republic, but the moment it's his own side's turn, suddenly the exact same playbook becomes strategy. Pack the courts, kill the filibuster, stop being so polite.
It lacks seriousness, primarily in his consistent defense of the dems as being sooo committed to bipartisanship, but the reps just won’t play nice. Give me a break.
This whole book is built around being terrified of the current administration and a Republican Congress, while his own party is quietly getting reshaped by a DSA wing that's been pretty open about wanting to take a paper shredder to the constitutional order they claim to be protecting.
Also, this book aged poorly very quickly (thanks Fauci).
I wanted to read to understand the other side. Though I am not politically aligned with Cohen in any way, I have great family, whom I love, who are and I was hopeful this could help me step into their worldview.
It’s a sob story where the author spends the first half of the book crying about Republicans seizing government control and only claiming the dems are too scared and weak to fight back.
Cohen wants us to believe this is a careful, sober look at how power works in America, it's not. Its long-form content creation and pep rally for his YouTube followers, where everyone who reads it is starting with the same premise as Cohen, “Trump Bad, we must save democracy through instituting fascism.”
Every single thing Republicans do gets treated like a five-alarm fire threatening the republic, but the moment it's his own side's turn, suddenly the exact same playbook becomes strategy. Pack the courts, kill the filibuster, stop being so polite.
It lacks seriousness, primarily in his consistent defense of the dems as being sooo committed to bipartisanship, but the reps just won’t play nice. Give me a break.
This whole book is built around being terrified of the current administration and a Republican Congress, while his own party is quietly getting reshaped by a DSA wing that's been pretty open about wanting to take a paper shredder to the constitutional order they claim to be protecting.
Also, this book aged poorly very quickly (thanks Fauci).
July 20, 2026
If you're expecting Project 2029 you'll be disappointed. Cohen, a top political commentator, gives a lot of history both of Trump 47 and what led up to it. His reforms are the obvious ones: the Supreme Court, elimination of the filibuster and the electoral college, restoring the integrity of the Justice Department, and resuming our transition to renewable energy. Perhaps his most important message is that President 48 -- assuming it's a Democrat -- has got to hit the ground running.
July 27, 2026
End the filibuster, reform the Supreme Court, seek accountability for corruption, see through a wave of change after Trump for actual change: these are the basic principles of this book that got muddied along the way but i was reminded in the epilogue that this was his thesis. Most everything else was a retelling of everything we’ve been through in 2025 and a splash into 2026 before he had to take this book to publication. I was hoping for more “this is how we take down Trump” but got “these are the reminders of why Trump is awful in a short form in case you missed or forgot something, even though it’s now tracking as outdated as the days tick on” and instead is a “this is what we need to do January 6, 2028.” This is now basic entry-level expectation for the next slate of candidates’ policy platforms. Assuming we get there without intervention attacking or removing Trump first. More like 4.5 stars but the GR overlord needs data saying it’s a 5 rather than a rounded down 4.
July 16, 2026
4.5 stars
August 5, 2026
The Trump opposition needs an agenda that goes well beyond resistance and restoration. It needs a blueprint for serious reform, similar to the Project 2025 playbook that animates the Trump administration.
"The Day After" is that Democratic playbook. Its author is Brian Tyler Cohen, a progressive media creator followed by millions of people. His book consists of two parts: recounting GOP abuses of power during the Trump era, and proposing institutional reforms to address those abuses and prevent them from happening again.
Reaching out to work with Republicans failed to gain any support during the Clinton and Obama administrations. The next Democratic president should learn from this experience and refuse to make compromises that won't gain any GOP support.
Promoting bipartisanship is a chief reason given to maintain the filibuster. Obviously, it has led to far more gridlock than bipartisan cooperation. The exceptions to the filibuster allow Republicans to cut taxes and to approve judges and cabinet members — the top GOP priorities.
When Democrats have a Senate majority, the filibuster prevents Democratic priorities from passing. That's why Cohen calls for abolishing the filibuster at their first opportunity.
Once that is done, the next priority should be to expand the Supreme Court to 13 justices. That number would equal the number of federal court circuits in the nation, which is what the number on the court was originally based upon. Unless that is done, other reforms would be struck down by the rightwing majority.
The next order of business should to establish eight-year term limits for justices and a mandatory retirement age of 70. The justices could continue to serve as federal judges for a lifetime, but on lower courts.
Finally, there should be be a code of ethics that the justices are required to follow, unlike today when they are on the honor system.
Cohen does not address the concern that the benefit from court packing would probably be short-lived. That's because the next time Republicans get Congressional majorities along with a Republican president, they would further expand the court, creating a cycle of partisan seat creation.
Cohen also advocates adoption of the Democratic Freedom to vote Act, which would make it easier to vote and ban gerrymandering. Trump and the GOP have been making it harder to vote and put gerrymandering on steroids.
The Electoral College would be reformed if and when a sufficient number of states joins the National Popular Vote Interstate Compact, which Cohen favors. (This reviewer was a state rep who voted for the Compact when Illinois joined it.)
While other presidents have abused the pardon power, Trump has taken it to new lows. Republicans who complained about Biden's pre-emptive pardons of people who had not been charged were silent when Trump pardoned state officials who had no federal charges for submitting false slates of presidential electors in 2020.
Consequently, a Democraric Congress should re-establish legal checks on executive authority based upon the hallowed tradition that no one is above the law. Passage of the No Kings bill would be a good start. Among other things, it would remove presidential immunity for criminal acts that the SCOTUS created.
When it comes to the economy, Cohen supports mainsteam Democratic policies: Raising the federal minimum wage substantially from its current $7.25 per hour, and raising taxes on big corporations and wealthy individiuals.
Americans pay 85% more per person for health care than Canadians, but the latter enjoy a lomger life expectancy. Medicare for all is the solution Cohen wants.
Until the Trump era, the Justice Department had been insulated from politics going back to the post-Nixon period. During the Clinton administration, for example, the DoJ appointed an independent counsel to investigate the President. During the Biden administration, the DoJ prosecuted Hunter Biden for two crimes that rarely result in criminal cases.
Those days are long gone. No one could imagine the Trump DoJ investigating him or prosecuting his sons.
Cohen's policy prescriptions are useful only if the court-packing plan is successful. For example, he recommends legal protection from firing for the Office of Government Ethics. What Cohen misses is that the Ethics Office is in the executive branch. Under the newly discovered unitary executive principle supported by the GOP justices, the president has the authority to fire anyone in the excutive branch without cause.
Cohen is right that Americans are deeply unhappy with the status quo. However, he ignores a fundamental reason for that unhappiness, namely, the two-party system. The best explanation of the problem and its solution are presented by Lee Drutman in "Breaking the Two-Party Doom Loop: The Case for Multiparty Democracy in America."
"The Day After" reminds me of another book I've reviewed:
"IT’S TIME TO FIGHT DIRTY: How Democrats Can Build a Lasting Majority in American Politics" by David Faris (2018, Melville).
Faris had much the same agenda. To the extent Democrats wanted to follow it, they were thwarted by Senators Manchin and Sinema who defended the filibuster. Unlike Cohen, Faris addressed the imbalanced Senate by urging that Puerto Rico and D.C. be made states.
Most of "The Day After" recounts Republican outrages, while a smaller section addresses proposed reforms. Anyone looking for an in-depth analysis of the pros and cons of abolishing the filibuster or establishing term limits for SCOTUS justices won't find it here. -30-
"The Day After" is that Democratic playbook. Its author is Brian Tyler Cohen, a progressive media creator followed by millions of people. His book consists of two parts: recounting GOP abuses of power during the Trump era, and proposing institutional reforms to address those abuses and prevent them from happening again.
Reaching out to work with Republicans failed to gain any support during the Clinton and Obama administrations. The next Democratic president should learn from this experience and refuse to make compromises that won't gain any GOP support.
Promoting bipartisanship is a chief reason given to maintain the filibuster. Obviously, it has led to far more gridlock than bipartisan cooperation. The exceptions to the filibuster allow Republicans to cut taxes and to approve judges and cabinet members — the top GOP priorities.
When Democrats have a Senate majority, the filibuster prevents Democratic priorities from passing. That's why Cohen calls for abolishing the filibuster at their first opportunity.
Once that is done, the next priority should be to expand the Supreme Court to 13 justices. That number would equal the number of federal court circuits in the nation, which is what the number on the court was originally based upon. Unless that is done, other reforms would be struck down by the rightwing majority.
The next order of business should to establish eight-year term limits for justices and a mandatory retirement age of 70. The justices could continue to serve as federal judges for a lifetime, but on lower courts.
Finally, there should be be a code of ethics that the justices are required to follow, unlike today when they are on the honor system.
Cohen does not address the concern that the benefit from court packing would probably be short-lived. That's because the next time Republicans get Congressional majorities along with a Republican president, they would further expand the court, creating a cycle of partisan seat creation.
Cohen also advocates adoption of the Democratic Freedom to vote Act, which would make it easier to vote and ban gerrymandering. Trump and the GOP have been making it harder to vote and put gerrymandering on steroids.
The Electoral College would be reformed if and when a sufficient number of states joins the National Popular Vote Interstate Compact, which Cohen favors. (This reviewer was a state rep who voted for the Compact when Illinois joined it.)
While other presidents have abused the pardon power, Trump has taken it to new lows. Republicans who complained about Biden's pre-emptive pardons of people who had not been charged were silent when Trump pardoned state officials who had no federal charges for submitting false slates of presidential electors in 2020.
Consequently, a Democraric Congress should re-establish legal checks on executive authority based upon the hallowed tradition that no one is above the law. Passage of the No Kings bill would be a good start. Among other things, it would remove presidential immunity for criminal acts that the SCOTUS created.
When it comes to the economy, Cohen supports mainsteam Democratic policies: Raising the federal minimum wage substantially from its current $7.25 per hour, and raising taxes on big corporations and wealthy individiuals.
Americans pay 85% more per person for health care than Canadians, but the latter enjoy a lomger life expectancy. Medicare for all is the solution Cohen wants.
Until the Trump era, the Justice Department had been insulated from politics going back to the post-Nixon period. During the Clinton administration, for example, the DoJ appointed an independent counsel to investigate the President. During the Biden administration, the DoJ prosecuted Hunter Biden for two crimes that rarely result in criminal cases.
Those days are long gone. No one could imagine the Trump DoJ investigating him or prosecuting his sons.
Cohen's policy prescriptions are useful only if the court-packing plan is successful. For example, he recommends legal protection from firing for the Office of Government Ethics. What Cohen misses is that the Ethics Office is in the executive branch. Under the newly discovered unitary executive principle supported by the GOP justices, the president has the authority to fire anyone in the excutive branch without cause.
Cohen is right that Americans are deeply unhappy with the status quo. However, he ignores a fundamental reason for that unhappiness, namely, the two-party system. The best explanation of the problem and its solution are presented by Lee Drutman in "Breaking the Two-Party Doom Loop: The Case for Multiparty Democracy in America."
"The Day After" reminds me of another book I've reviewed:
"IT’S TIME TO FIGHT DIRTY: How Democrats Can Build a Lasting Majority in American Politics" by David Faris (2018, Melville).
Faris had much the same agenda. To the extent Democrats wanted to follow it, they were thwarted by Senators Manchin and Sinema who defended the filibuster. Unlike Cohen, Faris addressed the imbalanced Senate by urging that Puerto Rico and D.C. be made states.
Most of "The Day After" recounts Republican outrages, while a smaller section addresses proposed reforms. Anyone looking for an in-depth analysis of the pros and cons of abolishing the filibuster or establishing term limits for SCOTUS justices won't find it here. -30-
August 3, 2026
The Day After: How to Wield Power in a Post-Trump World, progressive political commentator and bestselling author Brian Tyler Cohen delivers an urgent, pragmatic blueprint for the future of American democracy. Following the massive success of his previous work, Cohen pivots from analyzing the immediate crises of the present to addressing the critical question of what comes next. The book operates on the fundamental premise that simply defeating Donald Trump and the MAGA movement at the ballot box is not the finish line, but rather the very beginning of a much larger and more difficult struggle. Cohen argues that the progressive movement must move far beyond the comfort of mere resistance or a nostalgic desire to restore a romanticized pre-Trump status quo. Instead, he frames the post-Trump era as a narrow window of opportunity to build a fundamentally stronger and more equitable nation before the current democratic backsliding becomes permanent and irreversible.
At the core of Cohen’s thesis is a sharp, unflinching critique of how the Democratic Party has historically handled political power. He contends that while Democrats are often successful at winning popular majorities, they have repeatedly paralyzed themselves with a timid, "good-governance" mindset when it actually comes time to govern. This paralyzing reverence for political norms, institutional decorum, and bipartisan compromise has frequently led Democrats to pull their punches. Cohen argues that the party has fundamentally failed to wield power aggressively, often retreating into an institutional timidity that ultimately frustrates voters and leaves campaign promises unfulfilled. By clinging to an idealized version of politics that no longer exists, the left has inadvertently allowed its opposition to continually dictate the terms of engagement and secure long-term victories.
In stark contrast to Democratic hesitation, Cohen meticulously outlines the Republican Party’s decades-long project to reshape American institutions. The book serves as a wake-up call, detailing how conservative forces have systematically abused power to rewrite the rules of the game. Cohen reminds his readers that the conditions which gave rise to Trump were not an overnight accident, but the result of a precise, ruthless, and long-term strategy executed by the right. He emphasizes a sobering reality: conservative power does not simply evaporate when it loses an election; it adapts, regroups, and waits for its next opportunity. By focusing relentlessly on structural advantages—such as aggressively packing the courts, gerrymandering legislative maps, and exploiting procedural loopholes—Republicans have learned to exercise power with a precision that progressives must now study and adopt.
To combat this entrenched conservative infrastructure, The Day After provides a comprehensive progressive playbook for a post-Trump world. Cohen insists that if progressives are fortunate enough to secure a governing majority in a free and fair election, they must be willing to blow up the systemic obstacles that stand in the way of true progress. He outlines specific, aggressive strategies that the Democratic Party must embrace, primarily focusing on structural reforms that are often deemed too controversial by party moderates. Chief among these recommendations is the absolute necessity of abolishing the Senate filibuster, which Cohen views as an archaic tool used to enforce minority rule. Furthermore, he advocates for bold, offensive actions such as reforming and rebalancing the judiciary to reflect the will of the majority, rather than allowing courts to act as a permanent conservative veto over progressive legislation.
The book ultimately serves as a fierce battle cry designed to shake complacent friends of democracy out of their stupor. Cohen attempts to cut through the gaslighting, empty political slogans, and dangerous rhetoric that have characterized the last decade of American politics. He challenges the reader to understand that democracy is not a fixed, permanent fixture of American life, but a fragile system that requires active, muscular defense. By using history as a guide, Cohen argues that progressives can no longer afford to simply talk about the nation's problems; they must solve them with the exact same ruthlessness that their political opponents have wielded for years.
In conclusion, The Day After is both a confrontation with the present and a roadmap for the future. Cohen leaves his audience with a lingering, inescapable challenge regarding their role in the ongoing fight for the country. The book asserts that holding power is meaningless if a party lacks the courage to actually use it. For America to truly be free and fair once the dust settles, Cohen argues that the progressive movement must finally stop apologizing for its values and start wielding power like it actually means it.
At the core of Cohen’s thesis is a sharp, unflinching critique of how the Democratic Party has historically handled political power. He contends that while Democrats are often successful at winning popular majorities, they have repeatedly paralyzed themselves with a timid, "good-governance" mindset when it actually comes time to govern. This paralyzing reverence for political norms, institutional decorum, and bipartisan compromise has frequently led Democrats to pull their punches. Cohen argues that the party has fundamentally failed to wield power aggressively, often retreating into an institutional timidity that ultimately frustrates voters and leaves campaign promises unfulfilled. By clinging to an idealized version of politics that no longer exists, the left has inadvertently allowed its opposition to continually dictate the terms of engagement and secure long-term victories.
In stark contrast to Democratic hesitation, Cohen meticulously outlines the Republican Party’s decades-long project to reshape American institutions. The book serves as a wake-up call, detailing how conservative forces have systematically abused power to rewrite the rules of the game. Cohen reminds his readers that the conditions which gave rise to Trump were not an overnight accident, but the result of a precise, ruthless, and long-term strategy executed by the right. He emphasizes a sobering reality: conservative power does not simply evaporate when it loses an election; it adapts, regroups, and waits for its next opportunity. By focusing relentlessly on structural advantages—such as aggressively packing the courts, gerrymandering legislative maps, and exploiting procedural loopholes—Republicans have learned to exercise power with a precision that progressives must now study and adopt.
To combat this entrenched conservative infrastructure, The Day After provides a comprehensive progressive playbook for a post-Trump world. Cohen insists that if progressives are fortunate enough to secure a governing majority in a free and fair election, they must be willing to blow up the systemic obstacles that stand in the way of true progress. He outlines specific, aggressive strategies that the Democratic Party must embrace, primarily focusing on structural reforms that are often deemed too controversial by party moderates. Chief among these recommendations is the absolute necessity of abolishing the Senate filibuster, which Cohen views as an archaic tool used to enforce minority rule. Furthermore, he advocates for bold, offensive actions such as reforming and rebalancing the judiciary to reflect the will of the majority, rather than allowing courts to act as a permanent conservative veto over progressive legislation.
The book ultimately serves as a fierce battle cry designed to shake complacent friends of democracy out of their stupor. Cohen attempts to cut through the gaslighting, empty political slogans, and dangerous rhetoric that have characterized the last decade of American politics. He challenges the reader to understand that democracy is not a fixed, permanent fixture of American life, but a fragile system that requires active, muscular defense. By using history as a guide, Cohen argues that progressives can no longer afford to simply talk about the nation's problems; they must solve them with the exact same ruthlessness that their political opponents have wielded for years.
In conclusion, The Day After is both a confrontation with the present and a roadmap for the future. Cohen leaves his audience with a lingering, inescapable challenge regarding their role in the ongoing fight for the country. The book asserts that holding power is meaningless if a party lacks the courage to actually use it. For America to truly be free and fair once the dust settles, Cohen argues that the progressive movement must finally stop apologizing for its values and start wielding power like it actually means it.
August 3, 2026
With all this hell going on around us and the powers that be treating it that it is normal and okay, let me tell you how nice it is to seclude myself in audiobook echo chamber where someone sounds like they are talking sense. When Trump’s reign of hatred and absurdity is finally over, this is the guidebook to how we put things back together. We can’t return to the status quo. We can’t brush it off saying it is over and done with. We have to take everything that has happened in the Orange turd’s presidencies seriously and know that those things happened because it wasn’t just one man who wanted it to happen: it was because a bunch of loud racist, homophobic, transphobic, xenophobic twats encouraged it. We need to lift our voices in a way that makes them scuttle back into the shadows. We need to make things better and work to earn the respect of the world again. It’s going to take time and hard work — he fucked it up that badly. But it isn’t impossible. We just can’t do things the way we’ve done before.
July 22, 2026
I have been a fan of Brian Tyler Cohen for years, and The Day After feels like the playbook the Democratic Party needs in a post-Trump world.
This is not about pretending we can simply go back to normal. Cohen makes the case that restoration is not enough when the systems themselves helped create the crisis. Democrats need to stop treating power like something to apologize for and start using it to protect democracy, reform broken institutions, and deliver for the people who put them in office.
The sections on institutional reform, accountability, the courts, and the limits of endless appeals to bipartisanship all hit hard. This is urgent without feeling hopeless, practical without being dry, and direct in a way I wish more Democratic leaders would be.
Smart, clear, and necessary. I hope the right people read it, absorb it, and act on it.
This is not about pretending we can simply go back to normal. Cohen makes the case that restoration is not enough when the systems themselves helped create the crisis. Democrats need to stop treating power like something to apologize for and start using it to protect democracy, reform broken institutions, and deliver for the people who put them in office.
The sections on institutional reform, accountability, the courts, and the limits of endless appeals to bipartisanship all hit hard. This is urgent without feeling hopeless, practical without being dry, and direct in a way I wish more Democratic leaders would be.
Smart, clear, and necessary. I hope the right people read it, absorb it, and act on it.
July 30, 2026
This was a dynamic impactful book that provides hope for the return of democracy and a system of checks and balances, in our near future. Brian lists the things necessary for democracy to return to our everyday lives. This resonated deeply with me, as I'm sure it did with others too, that are looking for a way back. Reclaiming our basic rights to birth control and voting rights without maga gestapo at the polls to deter people of color, and bringing ICE back under control and answerable to the laws, not above them.
I listened to the audio version of this narrated by the author who did a phenomenal job bringing the story to life, and the information accessible and understood. Thanks Brian for all your work for Democracy.
I listened to the audio version of this narrated by the author who did a phenomenal job bringing the story to life, and the information accessible and understood. Thanks Brian for all your work for Democracy.
July 30, 2026
This new book by one of my favorite independent media creators, Brian Tyler Cohen, is an engaging and accessible look at where the United States could go after the period of deep political division we have faced for the past ten years. It is a challenge to think of what we could and should do to emerge from the ashes. It is an opportunity and a challenge that we shouldn’t squander.
Cohen does a great job of explaining complicated political issues in a way that is easy to follow without feeling overly simplistic. This book encourages readers to think critically about democracy, civic engagement, and the future of the country. If you are a fan of his podcast or YouTube videos, you will enjoy this book.
Cohen does a great job of explaining complicated political issues in a way that is easy to follow without feeling overly simplistic. This book encourages readers to think critically about democracy, civic engagement, and the future of the country. If you are a fan of his podcast or YouTube videos, you will enjoy this book.
August 2, 2026
For a book about wielding power in a post-Trump world, it doesn’t actually offer much about wielding power in a post-Trump world. Most of the book is a recount of the events leading up to and of 2025, with only a few pages at the end of each chapter devoted to suggestions on what should be done after the 48th president is inaugurated.
The stories of what led us to this point are well written. They’re crucial to understand in order to reform our country post-Trump. I’m just disappointed that they overshadow the actual agenda and policy suggestions that the author includes.
The stories of what led us to this point are well written. They’re crucial to understand in order to reform our country post-Trump. I’m just disappointed that they overshadow the actual agenda and policy suggestions that the author includes.
August 11, 2026
This is a very quick and easy read making it more accessible to more people which I think is a good thing. I don’t agree with everything here (maybe it’s not great to have the democrats act more like republicans in ALL the ways Cohen lays out), and I have a real problem with the lack of contending with racism (and sexism, ableism, transphobia,) and other “identity” issues, how do we really plan for moving forwards without at least discussing this. But for all the ways I find this lacking, I *do* find it helpful to be having the conversation (or reading it).
July 26, 2026
Even as a Canadian I found this book interesting and full of hope especially with Trump's repeated threats and insults against Canada. We will never be the 51st state! In this book Brian gives a game plan on how the Democrats when they get back into power can right the ship called the United States of America. It will not be easy or done quickly but it must be done. I highly recommend this book if you hope to see the US regain any of the status it once had around the world.
July 30, 2026
Great summary of what got us where we are today, and a very loose plan of what to do going forward should we get a Democrat congress after the midterms. He doesn't go into a lot of detail about each of the steps that need to be taken, but I do agree with them all on principle. It will be up to a reasonable Congress to implement them. I follow Brian on social media, so I'm aware he's a great speaker and a very good writer.
July 23, 2026
Excellent book of instructions for our next president to repair the damage Trump made during his second term. Repairing the judicial system, refilling and replacing the public heath department and WHO (World Aid) repair our soft power that we desperately need.
BTC did an excellent job writing this one. Best one yet of his works.
BTC did an excellent job writing this one. Best one yet of his works.
July 18, 2026
Finally the whole truth!
An eye opening history of how the nightmare we're living came about and a sobering look at what awaits us when we boot the monsters out of office. Because it's coming, and soon. I'm ready for change. Are you?
An eye opening history of how the nightmare we're living came about and a sobering look at what awaits us when we boot the monsters out of office. Because it's coming, and soon. I'm ready for change. Are you?
July 21, 2026
I would have liked a few more suggestions, but everything he said was/is spot on. This was in the same tone as his podcasts, so it was easy to read and understand. I loved it. It should be must read for all of us in order to get through the next couple of years.
July 25, 2026
Wisdom for our democracy
Brian Tyler Cohen has done it again! This book gives explanations and answers on the issues confronting us since Donald Trump took office for a second time. I highly recommend everyone read this.
Brian Tyler Cohen has done it again! This book gives explanations and answers on the issues confronting us since Donald Trump took office for a second time. I highly recommend everyone read this.
July 29, 2026
Another Political Masterpiece...
... as well as a thought-provoking eye-opener by Brian Taylor Cohen. Furthermore, he not only points out the problems, but dares to provide workable solutions!
... as well as a thought-provoking eye-opener by Brian Taylor Cohen. Furthermore, he not only points out the problems, but dares to provide workable solutions!
July 31, 2026
Brian Tyler Cohen has done a great job of laying out how Trump, with the help of his yes men and women, has tried to destroy Democracy. Each chapter covers a different topic and ends with Cohen sharing his opinion on how the next Democratic President can correct the course.
August 8, 2026
A Warning and a Challenge for Us All!
Brian Tyler Cohen lays down the facts of how we got here and the steps that we MUST take to move forward. Reclaiming democracy, in a posts trump world, is not going to be easy, but forewarned is to be fore armed!
Brian Tyler Cohen lays down the facts of how we got here and the steps that we MUST take to move forward. Reclaiming democracy, in a posts trump world, is not going to be easy, but forewarned is to be fore armed!
July 16, 2026
Not just a diagnosis! Brian Tyler Cohen gives concrete steps toward healing and real change.
All Americans should read this book
All Americans should read this book
July 19, 2026
Brian has a steady grip on the pulse of Democracy.
July 20, 2026
Great information, inspiration and food for thought.
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