It was heartening to see so many turn out across the nation for the Hands Off! rallies April 5. I sensed something missing, ​though, as there always is when people coalesce around a negative. Yelling “Hands off!” at ​President Trump implies that if he listened to us, we’d be happy for him to remain in office. But that national gathering wasn’t just against the status quo; we all yearn for something not yet fully articulated.

Sen. Cory Booker made a noble start, declaring on the floor of the Senate what was on our hearts, ​but that testimonial, albeit remarkable, was more than 25 hours long. We need a succinct, comprehensive statement of purpose behind which we can all unite that isn’t so general as to be meaningless — a battle cry to inspire us and renew our commitment to one another and to the virtues we truly care about.

Others will no doubt have better ideas​, but here’s a modest proposal: The American Vision: Liberty, Justice, Opportunity, Peace and Prosperity for All.

That’s a positive way of turning on its head everything Donald Trump stands for. It’s a motto on which we could build the policies and programs for the America imagined by our founders and to which we continue to aspire. It’s an America that turns our vast natural and human resources into an engine of progress not only for all Americans but for the rest of the world, as well. It’s both age-old and brand new.

MAGA denies liberty to all but white Christian men; pursues injustice for anyone deemed to be “other”; denies opportunity to women, historic minorities and just about anyone who isn’t already a billionaire; bullies our friends abroad and appeases our enemies, increasing the likelihood of a world war in which we may very well find ourselves on the wrong side; and undermines our prosperity by taking a wrecking ball to health care, science, academia and the world economy.

The very notion of “vision” is destroyed by MAGA’s disdain for all that is human in America. That includes our creative genius, our intellectual inquiry, the impulse with which we reach out to those in need both within and beyond our borders and our historic determination to seek the truth wherever it leads, even at a moment when our president denies there is such a thing.

As consequential as the 2024 election was, the elections of 2026 and 2028 will be more so, as the people we send to Washington will have to build anew the government the Trump administration has set about destroying. They will have to renew the independence of the Justice Department to restore the First Amendment rights guaranteed in 1791 to ​everyone within our borders, citizen and non-citizen alike. Freedom of speech, whether or not we like what we hear or read, is the bedrock of liberty, for someday, any of us might say something Donald Trump doesn’t like.

As government enables us to do together what none of us can do alone, we will have to rebuild our institutions of public health, education, environmental protection, worker protection and Social Security. We’ll need to determine together once again what fairness looks like and establish the equality of opportunity that can draw the best from all Americans. We’ll need once again to lift up research and invention as the dynamos of our economy.

Finally, we’ll have to do the long, painful, soul-searching work of regaining the trust of our allies by sharing our knowledge, wealth and care with the rest of the world. And why should we do that? Because nothing will make us less secure than to become an island of wealth ​amidst a world​ of need.

We know what we’re against. Perhaps moderate, centrist and progressive Democrats, as well as independents and even a good many Republicans, can stand together for Liberty, Justice, Opportunity, Peace and Prosperity for All.