No one voted for Trump because of Citizens United or Fox News or "misinformation" or Elon Musk or Russia or any other scapegoat. The independents broke for Trump because his actual message actually resonated with them, while Kamala represented a view from nowhere. The Obama coalition eroded further because a number of voters have become disillusioned with the Democratic Party. There were never really a lot of never-Trumpers in the first place and Harris failed to peel off more. Elections are a popularity contest, full stop. Kamala and the Democratic brand are not as popular as Trump. Ask yourself why. Consider the possibility that Nancy Mace understands the situation better than you do, that a political party which tries to win women voters over abortion will fail as long as they are unable to say what a woman is, that a party which ostracizes and devalues men will lose men, that voters who are neither women nor men do not exist.
I don’t think people voted for Trump because of the misinformation or voter suppression. I think that viable Democratic voters were prevented from voting by suppression and gerrymandering.
I think that the press did not inform the public about the good things that Biden and Harris accomplished and allowed the GOP to lie about an economy that is actually booming, while never explaining what tariffs will really do, or that inflation comes from corporate greed and no president can control that.
The press also normalized a man who is clearly suffering from dementia, is a malignant narcissist, and openly seeks to be a dictator.
Do I love every position of the Democratic Party? Absolutely not.
But the MAGA are worse by orders of magnitude.
Harris ran a great campaign. She stated her proposed policies articulately. She had momentum, an amazing amount for the short timeframe she had to work with.
The POINT of this piece is that we do not shift to the right to address what we THINK people want when that is not the underlying message of what happened here.
Maybe identity politics sucks. Right wing totalitarianism is not how we fix it.
Under Trump, Emmanuel Macron called NATO "brain dead." Under Biden/Harris, Emmanuel Macron and his military chief not only support Ukraine but have promised up to French 60,000 troops if ultimately needed.
Under Biden/Harris NATO has expanded to its greatest strength.
Now, I will admit that millions voted for Trump simply because they like personalities from World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE), where some of Trump's imagery comes from.
As a 76-year-old man, who is not confused about sex, the Democratic Party is a good home for me.
But I agree with the spirit of your assessment. The Democratic Party has to engage in a self-assessment.
Annabel Ascher: A Democrat who draws lessons -- rightly or wrongly -- from the Bill Clinton phenomenon; doesn't have the patience to listen to YOU; spouts regressive views; UNFRIENDS you; blocks your response . . .
The person who excludes you is making exactly the wrong, the very wrong response.
We need unity and strength.
There is strength in diversity and reason.
My own stance: Kamala Harris did a wonderful, miraculous two-year-run compressed in 107 days. Kamala Harris is a statesman in my future, perhaps with launching pad of Kamala Harris as Governor of California next term.
I say future Democratic candidacies should resemble the 2024 model: The Optimistic Warrior.
We need to be inclusive.
We need to really focus on labor. Our workers need fair wages, fringe benefits, health insurance, and a predictable, safe retirement.
Maybe the other guy in your dialogue had some points; maybe not.
But his EXCLUDING YOU is exactly the wrong response.
We LEARN in inclusiveness.
Even if our debating partner has wrong views, she may have good points along with those we should hear.
We are all human and see the picture only partially, and we in numbers and diversity enhance each other.
From your column, I think you and I are chiefly in agreement, but where we would differ, I listen respectfully to you and learn.
From my standpoint:
(1) Kamala Harris ran an ideal campaign, a model for the future;
(2) Kamala Harris was allotted only 107 days for a two-year run;
(3) Americans are used to showmen, and the Orange-Carnival-Barker hits the spot with those who love game shows -- who knew?!;
(4) The voters for Trump are not informed on the news and are impressed with crass, Tony Soprano style in politics;
(5) We did NOT lose in any landslide, and we will fight;
(6) We will FIGHT;
(7) We will be HEARD;
(8) We will be SEEN;
(9) We will FIGHT against banning of books;
(10) We will FIGHT against cruelty to immigrants and minorities (e.g., as in Greg Abbott's Texas or on the national scale);
(11) We will support Blue-State Governors that compact together to resist;
(12) We will support labor organization and resistance;
(13) We will support -- financially always, with action where possible -- civil rights groups -- e.g., NAACP, Southern Poverty Law Center, the Anti-Defamation League (ADL), the League of United Latin American Citizens (LULAC, founded 1929);
(14) We will support liberal minded, free press, with such platforms as The Nation or . . . Annabel Ascher.
We will debate. We will dialogue. We will NOT fight each other.
Annabel Ascher can disagree with Armando 38 times a week, and Armando will listen and never, ever do otherwise than engage in respectful, well-reasoned, civil, friendly discourse.
I don't know what views your debate partner had. Maybe there was something to them; maybe not. But what we CANNOT endure is his EXCLUSION of you.
It is an age-old saw: Divided we fall.
We must stand united.
United is NOT lockstep.
United is diverse with room for a diversity of views with mutual respect and human dignity and equality for each person.
Agree with you, Armand. We MUST stand together. Or we will be lost. AND fight back against the criminality. Stay in touch with our legislative reps!!! Like A LOT!!! Our voices will be heard. PERSIST!
No one voted for Trump because of Citizens United or Fox News or "misinformation" or Elon Musk or Russia or any other scapegoat. The independents broke for Trump because his actual message actually resonated with them, while Kamala represented a view from nowhere. The Obama coalition eroded further because a number of voters have become disillusioned with the Democratic Party. There were never really a lot of never-Trumpers in the first place and Harris failed to peel off more. Elections are a popularity contest, full stop. Kamala and the Democratic brand are not as popular as Trump. Ask yourself why. Consider the possibility that Nancy Mace understands the situation better than you do, that a political party which tries to win women voters over abortion will fail as long as they are unable to say what a woman is, that a party which ostracizes and devalues men will lose men, that voters who are neither women nor men do not exist.
I don’t think people voted for Trump because of the misinformation or voter suppression. I think that viable Democratic voters were prevented from voting by suppression and gerrymandering.
I think that the press did not inform the public about the good things that Biden and Harris accomplished and allowed the GOP to lie about an economy that is actually booming, while never explaining what tariffs will really do, or that inflation comes from corporate greed and no president can control that.
The press also normalized a man who is clearly suffering from dementia, is a malignant narcissist, and openly seeks to be a dictator.
Do I love every position of the Democratic Party? Absolutely not.
But the MAGA are worse by orders of magnitude.
Harris ran a great campaign. She stated her proposed policies articulately. She had momentum, an amazing amount for the short timeframe she had to work with.
The POINT of this piece is that we do not shift to the right to address what we THINK people want when that is not the underlying message of what happened here.
Maybe identity politics sucks. Right wing totalitarianism is not how we fix it.
Matt Osborne: With all due respect, you totally exaggerate the role of transgender and it is NOT true that Democratic women degrades men.
"The independents broke for Trump because his actual message actually resonated with them . . ."
REALLY?!
"Immigrants POISON our blood."
"The steal your pets and eat kitties and puppies in voodoo rituals."
The latter is the age-old Blood Libel. See:
https://www.adl.org/resources/backgrounder/blood-libel-false-incendiary-claim-against-jews?gad_source=1&gclid=CjwKCAiA3ZC6BhBaEiwAeqfvykv2-megx8MYBt6XX_MFUfEF9iLpXUwTi-1YRuxLYdUokuqnPM8nzBoC7xgQAvD_BwE&gclsrc=aw.ds
Under Trump, Emmanuel Macron called NATO "brain dead." Under Biden/Harris, Emmanuel Macron and his military chief not only support Ukraine but have promised up to French 60,000 troops if ultimately needed.
Under Biden/Harris NATO has expanded to its greatest strength.
Now, I will admit that millions voted for Trump simply because they like personalities from World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE), where some of Trump's imagery comes from.
As a 76-year-old man, who is not confused about sex, the Democratic Party is a good home for me.
But I agree with the spirit of your assessment. The Democratic Party has to engage in a self-assessment.
In my view, the Democrats MUST reclaim Labor.
I definitely see this as you see it. But I was so mad at B. Clinton for moving to the right that I did not vote for him the second time.
Annabel Ascher: A Democrat who draws lessons -- rightly or wrongly -- from the Bill Clinton phenomenon; doesn't have the patience to listen to YOU; spouts regressive views; UNFRIENDS you; blocks your response . . .
The person who excludes you is making exactly the wrong, the very wrong response.
We need unity and strength.
There is strength in diversity and reason.
My own stance: Kamala Harris did a wonderful, miraculous two-year-run compressed in 107 days. Kamala Harris is a statesman in my future, perhaps with launching pad of Kamala Harris as Governor of California next term.
I say future Democratic candidacies should resemble the 2024 model: The Optimistic Warrior.
We need to be inclusive.
We need to really focus on labor. Our workers need fair wages, fringe benefits, health insurance, and a predictable, safe retirement.
Maybe the other guy in your dialogue had some points; maybe not.
But his EXCLUDING YOU is exactly the wrong response.
We LEARN in inclusiveness.
Even if our debating partner has wrong views, she may have good points along with those we should hear.
We are all human and see the picture only partially, and we in numbers and diversity enhance each other.
From your column, I think you and I are chiefly in agreement, but where we would differ, I listen respectfully to you and learn.
From my standpoint:
(1) Kamala Harris ran an ideal campaign, a model for the future;
(2) Kamala Harris was allotted only 107 days for a two-year run;
(3) Americans are used to showmen, and the Orange-Carnival-Barker hits the spot with those who love game shows -- who knew?!;
(4) The voters for Trump are not informed on the news and are impressed with crass, Tony Soprano style in politics;
(5) We did NOT lose in any landslide, and we will fight;
(6) We will FIGHT;
(7) We will be HEARD;
(8) We will be SEEN;
(9) We will FIGHT against banning of books;
(10) We will FIGHT against cruelty to immigrants and minorities (e.g., as in Greg Abbott's Texas or on the national scale);
(11) We will support Blue-State Governors that compact together to resist;
(12) We will support labor organization and resistance;
(13) We will support -- financially always, with action where possible -- civil rights groups -- e.g., NAACP, Southern Poverty Law Center, the Anti-Defamation League (ADL), the League of United Latin American Citizens (LULAC, founded 1929);
(14) We will support liberal minded, free press, with such platforms as The Nation or . . . Annabel Ascher.
We will debate. We will dialogue. We will NOT fight each other.
Annabel Ascher can disagree with Armando 38 times a week, and Armando will listen and never, ever do otherwise than engage in respectful, well-reasoned, civil, friendly discourse.
I don't know what views your debate partner had. Maybe there was something to them; maybe not. But what we CANNOT endure is his EXCLUSION of you.
It is an age-old saw: Divided we fall.
We must stand united.
United is NOT lockstep.
United is diverse with room for a diversity of views with mutual respect and human dignity and equality for each person.
Agree with you, Armand. We MUST stand together. Or we will be lost. AND fight back against the criminality. Stay in touch with our legislative reps!!! Like A LOT!!! Our voices will be heard. PERSIST!