In 2016, we warned that Hillary Clinton’s campaign was not resonating with Americans. In 2024, we warned about Kamala Harris, and we were ignored again. Now, the worst has happened. So, what do we do? A leftist analysis can help us chart a path forward.
I really don’t care, do you?
If people didn’t vote for Harris it just means they are happy with fascists.
I care because I’m not happy with fascists, and yet, due to others’ apathy, ignorance, malice, or a mix thereof I have to live in a land ruled by fascists.
Welcome to the club. In my country we have fascist in the government since '94. Lately an openly fascist head of government.
And that’s because the majority of the people living in Italy simply don’t go to to vote.
Welcome to democracy. It’s not perfect.
It won’t be around much longer for further testing, regardless.
That’s cute.
That’s one interpretation of what it could mean but one I expect is overly simplistic.
There is a difference between being happy with fascism and not feeling motivated enough to resist it. If the tide has any chance of turning towards what would be more healthy it will have to come by creating a platform that really excites and motivates a large number of people to invest in it. It has to feel authentic to those who are feeling unmotivated today eg the millions of former Biden voters who did not turn out. It should activate people who are not reliable voters to genuinely support the cause.
I’m no leftist but I do agree that Democrats and others whose main goals are to leave unchallenged the status quo of growing wealth inequality cannot win going forward. The promise of a truly experienced greater tangible quality of life, enough food, affordable housing, access to affordable medical care, debt relief, high minimum wages and/or UBI, etc would move the needle better towards excitement and engagement than abstractions like defence of democracy. “A chicken in every pot”. We need another FDR. We need a strong middle class and that has to mean powerful unions.
Edited for paragraphs.
Dems definitely lack a coherent, interesting economic message. Any new proposal - medicare for all, UBI - immediately gets sucked into a quagmire of details. Turning to Republicans for the votes they need to win in general elections has been such a consistently losing strategy that I have no idea why they keep doing it.
Meanwhile Republicans keep running on “You feel poor and it’s Their fault,” continues to resonate, for varying definitions of “Them,” as long as GOP is out-of-power. It’s simple. It feels good. It completely absolves them of needing any policy more complicated than “Get rid of Them.” It’s a winning strategy as much as the Dems have a losing strategy.
Dude those are promises completely devoid of validity or meaning.
“Vote for me and I’ll fix everything”.
Trump says it: “great!! Let’s vote him”
Any democrat says it: “but how? Have you considered the plight of the fruitfly??? I cannot vote for you unless you explain everything in every detail”
I forgot that trump just needs “concepts of a plan”
There is totally a double standard.
Yeah at this moment I am not ready for recriminations and finger pointing. A bunch of people voted FOR that idiot criminal fascist and I’m reserving all my rage for them right now.
No man, those guys will always vote R no matter what. The problem is the Dems not showing up because the candidate is a woman.
great, lmk when that rage does literally anything productive
they already know youre mad at them. fun fact: it makes some of them even happier to vote the way they did. but, sure, be angry! oh those damn, foolish, selfish people! …
ok, yes, welcome to the last 40 years. hi!
now what?
Hey, I’m beyond doing anything productive at the moment and I recognize this. So how about you take a break from sniping at people who are probably on the same side as you are and let them take the time they need to process this so they can get to a place where they can chart a course of action?
Pretty much this, by now pretty much everyone knows Trump and knows what he wants and what he stands for, and we had a referendum of sorts. If that alone isn’t enough motivation for someone to go to the polls or request a ballot it’s pretty disingenious for people to point fingers at the DNC or Harris because they weren’t jazzed up enough.
Like, if someone isn’t willing to stand in line for a couple hours in an attempt to ensure that their great-great-grandchildren have a habitable world in which to exist we’re a pretty hopeless species, right?