The Elephant (no pun intended!) in the Democratic Party Room

[Mac-7]

Another thing about the Middle Class and the election:

Watching NFL games, holy crap, it seemed like there was a Trump ad about transsexuals in every freaking commercial break. That means that their internal research told them that many undecideds felt the same way. That kind of ad blitz doesn't happen by accident.

This was a self-inflicted wound.

That only works with people who watch NFL games

 

[Cellblock2429]

I know you disagree, but I think the biggest issue was the sex of the candidate. The second biggest was changing horses mid race. Policy (other than the "big two" (abortion and gun control)) run a distant third at best with the majority of the population.

/—-/ Gender had nothing to do with it. It was her politics.

 

[Arlette]

I don't think most Americans divide things up by party. That's for political geeks like us. They go by general impressions.

Look at the inflation we had. Their grocery bills went way up, they looked at the White House and decided it was Biden's fault. The inflation was inevitable, but Biden took the heat and it played a large role in Harris' loss.

What I described was real. That's what they see, day to day, in their lives. It could easily be argued that the GQP's initiatives are ANTI Middle Class, but the Dems have left such a bad taste in the mouths of many in the Middle Class that they just don't care. Fuck it, I'll just vote for Trump, they said.

You're overthinking it. The Dems have to drop the shit that works against them. The vote is too close not to.

So you can't answer my question CORRECTLY. The GOP has delivered exactly Jack Shit to the working class.

 

[Arlette]

/—-/ All of that —- pre Covid. democRATs and the Swamp took it away.

Dems took away what?

 

[Crepitus]

Well, I definitely lean on the PC/Identity Politics angle because I've been screaming about it since I've been on this board, but there were other elements. I thought that inflation was big (even though it was inevitable), and Biden's refusal to leave hurt. The gender thing? Yeah, it's not something I think about, but it's a fair point. I keep wanting to think that we're better than we are. I also wonder how many Democrats stayed home because of Palestine.

A lot stayed home because of Palestine, and they basically doomed everyone there by doing it.

I have also personally heard a Hispanic man, a "dreamer" say out loud in an astonished voice "he meant me?!?"

All those things I believe contributed, but I still feel the main thing was misogyny.

 

[Mac1958]

So you can't answer my question CORRECTLY. The GOP has delivered exactly Jack Shit to the working class.

You're certainly free to ignore everything I said. The Dems have been doing that for years.

How's that working out for you?

 

[Cellblock2429]

Dems took away what?

/—-/ Post # 76
Arlette said:
Ok, but that wasn't my question. What has the working class gotten from the GOP? Better wages? Cheaper health care? More jobs? What????

ALL OF THAT.

 

[Hum Dinger]

Nothing wrong with acknowledging what most Americans voted for and moving in that direction.

Trump only got 50% (at most) of the popular vote - so saying "what most Americans voted for" is nonsense.

48+% voted for Harris. Should we be completely ignored?

Trump does NOT have a mandate by a long shot!

 

[Lisa558]

Trump only got 50% (at most) of the popular vote - so saying "what most Americans voted for" is nonsense.

48+% voted for Harris. Should we be completely ignored?

Trump does NOT have a mandate by a long shot!

For four years we’ve been told that America voted for Biden, and we were treated like outliers - or worse.

Yes, Trump has a mandate - he won all seven swing states, we maintained the House, and we took the Senate.

America has kicked the Left out of power.

 

[Mac1958]

Trump only got 50% (at most) of the popular vote - so saying "what most Americans voted for" is nonsense.

48+% voted for Harris. Should we be completely ignored?

Trump does NOT have a mandate by a long shot!

Well, politicians pretty much always claim a mandate when they win.

The difference this time is, the mandate he's claiming is for large-scale destruction of the American government.

Not sure how that's going to work out, so all we can do is watch. They appear to think it will somehow be nice and smooth for Americans.

 

[Hum Dinger]

For four years we’ve been told that America voted for Biden, and we were treated like outliers - or worse.

Yes, Trump has a mandate - he won all seven swing states, we maintained the House, and we took the Senate.

America has kicked the Left out of power.

To anyone that's followed American politics for more than a few weeks, it's well known that power shifts back & fourth between the two parties every few years.

Trump & the GOP's margins were historically small. Only a partisan idiot would believe that Trump and the GOP have a mandate.

One of the biggest mistakes any administration or Congress can make is to assume that they have a mandate when they do not. It's why the power shifts back and forth between the parties so often.

If Trump and the GOP had a brain, they'd tread lightly and try to convince Americans to shift away from the Dems rather than doing extreme stuff that will push people toward the Dems.

 

[dblack]

One of the biggest mistakes any administration or Congress can make is to assume that they have a mandate when they do not. It's why the power shifts back and forth between the parties so often.

But every single one does. Remember Obama's "Elections have consequences" comment?

If Trump and the GOP had a brain, they'd tread lightly and try to convince Americans to shift away from the Dems rather than doing extreme stuff that will push people toward the Dems.

That would require real leadership. The two parties don't nominate leaders.

 

[Mac1958]

If Trump and the GOP had a brain, they'd tread lightly and try to convince Americans to shift away from the Dems rather than doing extreme stuff that will push people toward the Dems.

That was my hope, but nothing I've so far, specifically his cabinet choices, leads me to believe that this is going to be judicious, thoughful and careful. It's caveman time. Project 2025 on the way.

I'd usually say "if they screw up they'll be voted out", but the thing that concerns me is whether they change/destroy the election system to keep themselves in power. I never thought that would be an issue, but it is now.

 

[marvin martian]

So what has the middle class and the working class gotten from the Republicans?

Obviously I want the Democrats to go left, progressive.
As possible leaders I see Newsom, AOC, Major Pete, Jasmine Crockett?? from Texas......

LOL! Great idea, all of them should be eying a 2028 run. Harris, too.

 

[JohnDB]

 

[Hum Dinger]

Well, politicians pretty much always claim a mandate when they win.

The difference this time is, the mandate he's claiming is for large-scale destruction of the American government.

Not sure how that's going to work out, so all we can do is watch. They appear to think it will somehow be nice and smooth for Americans.

Trump is a liar, so he may not turn out to be as radical as he's said he's going to be. (We can only hope)

On the otherhand, Trump is an idiot that surrounded himself with idiots. Like so many revolutionaries (Robespierre, Lenin, Mao, Castro), when their policies completely fail, they find a new set of people to blame, when they continue to fail, they continue to find new sets of people to blame.

Things could get awfully ugly when Trump's policies cause the economic collapse that is sure to happen.

Trump is Putin's vengeance for Yeltsin. Say goodbye to the dollar as the world's reserve currency!

 

[Mac1958]

Trump is a liar, so he may not turn out to be as radical as he's said he's going to be. (We can only hope)

On the otherhand, Trump is an idiot that surrounded himself with idiots.

Yeah, the issue in this season of the show is that, unlike last season, he's surrounded by absolute True Believers.

So he'll either have to say "no" pretty often, or he just won't care. This is about him, after all.

 

[imawhosure]

As the Democratic Party looks around and finds itself in the political abyss, I'm starting to see some folks ask about who is going to lead them out of that abyss.

Personally, I think that if the person or people behind whom they rally keeps them on the same path that got them here, they're going to stay here. That means the new leader(s) of the party have to focus squarely on the Middle Class (if it isn't too late), and run directly away from the Identity Politics & Political Correctness that largely put them in this mess.

"But we DO support the Middle Class!" they'll say. To which I would respond, "no, when you were screaming RACISM and HOMOPHOBIA and TOXIC MASCULINITY at people, when you were wrecking their careers and their businesses because they "offended" you, many of those people WERE the Middle Class. And who came running to defend them? The Republicans. MAKE UP YOUR MIND."

So, Democrats, which direction should the party take, and who do you see as your new possible leaders?

Democrats are again ‘in between leaders’ as Biden prepares to leave office - Roll Call

Democrats are once again without a head honcho as Joe Biden prepares to leave office and hand the reins to Donald Trump.

rollcall.com

MACAFLOOZY! I will lead them out of the political abyss! But, before I do it, they have to do something! Throw YOU.....the MIGHTY MACAFLOOZY, BERGTESGADEN, the Mighty G, MammyMAMOOTH, FORTFU****inindiana, and the rest of you absolute haters, phonies, and gaslighters under the bus!

By the way FLOOZY and friends--------->since you have proclaimed DJT is like Hitler, when are all of you going to start hiding, since we all know the government can quickly discover who/whom you are........even on the internet! Why haven't all of you LEFTIST heroes become WALLFLOWERS in hiding? Are YOU trying to tell ALL of us that YOU are putting your wealth, (if you have any) your freedom, and your family's well being on the line to post to 100, to 200 people tops?!?!?!?!

Lookie here KEYBOARD WARRIORS...........I know, and you know I know, and almost everyone else knows along with me.........you are BLOWING SMOKE, lolololol. Your position, regardless if you like it or not, is untenable.

We are LAUGHING at all of you, lolololol. NOT because you lost, but because all of you believe that the same nonsense you used is somehow, going to work again, hehehehehehehehe.

Tell you HOW CONFIDANT I am that your side is screwed-------------->after seeing that AOCs district voted for Trump in the general, I believe AOC and most of the rest of the squad are going to lose their seats in 26. If you were wise, you would help US to help yourselves, but hey, there is no accounting for stupidity. So who/whom wants to bet?

 

[SweetSue92]

I don't think most Americans divide things up by party. That's for political geeks like us. They go by general impressions.

Look at the inflation we had. Their grocery bills went way up, they looked at the White House and decided it was Biden's fault. The inflation was inevitable, but Biden took the heat and it played a large role in Harris' loss.

What I described was real. That's what they see, day to day, in their lives. It could easily be argued that the GQP's initiatives are ANTI Middle Class, but the Dems have left such a bad taste in the mouths of many in the Middle Class that they just don't care. Fuck it, I'll just vote for Trump, they said.

You're overthinking it. The Dems have to drop the shit that works against them. The vote is too close not to.

You're a Dem, Mac, and we know this. Thanks for outing yourself again

 

[Missourian]

As the Democratic Party looks around and finds itself in the political abyss, I'm starting to see some folks ask about who is going to lead them out of that abyss.

Personally, I think that if the person or people behind whom they rally keeps them on the same path that got them here, they're going to stay here. That means the new leader(s) of the party have to focus squarely on the Middle Class (if it isn't too late), and run directly away from the Identity Politics & Political Correctness that largely put them in this mess.

"But we DO support the Middle Class!" they'll say. To which I would respond, "no, when you were screaming RACISM and HOMOPHOBIA and TOXIC MASCULINITY at people, when you were wrecking their careers and their businesses because they "offended" you, many of those people WERE the Middle Class. And who came running to defend them? The Republicans. MAKE UP YOUR MIND."

So, Democrats, which direction should the party take, and who do you see as your new possible leaders?

Democrats are again ‘in between leaders’ as Biden prepares to leave office - Roll Call

Democrats are once again without a head honcho as Joe Biden prepares to leave office and hand the reins to Donald Trump.

rollcall.com

I read the article.

I was struck by Obama's exclamation that good ideas are worthless if the people don't get to hear them.

The problem is the left is bereft of good ideas.

That's what led to identity politics in the first place.



I implore you...share the "good ideas" if you have any.