Can’t believe the Beltway dingleberry who lit $100 million in donor funds on fire to take a double-digit beating from Lindsey Graham didn’t manage to lead the Democratic National Committee to glory. Glad he’s allowed to resign with dignity instead of being thrown out on his ass though 🫶
The Democratic Party (like the police/entire criminal control system) is working exactly as designed. It gets people to spend all of their time, energy, & money campaigning on political campaigns for centrists instead of building alternate structures and/or grassroots organizing.
The Harris campaign got people to give political consultants $1B, think of how that money could have been spent otherwise.
Even more than the money, think about what people could have done with all of the time they spent volunteering for the campaign & following it. Imagine what people could have done in their communities with that time & energy. Even just knowing what's going on in their city/town would be a huge improvement (it kills me the number of people in my city who spent a ton of time following the campaign & hanging on every poll that didn't know our city council is trying to defund affordable housing & pass massive surveillance)
First of all, we love Paul Blest! Great piece! I would argue that the rot started even well before Obama; it feels like everyone in senior leadership of the Democratic Party is still running the Clinton Campaign of the 1990s. Maybe it's because of the Olds at the top of the party leadership (Nancy Pelosi's sell-by date was at least 4 years ago, and if you don't think she still has outsized influence in the party you're dreaming), or maybe it's the PTSD from Bush-Gore 2000 and the inability for anyone involved to move on, but since 2000 the Dems have only won because of Obama's cult of personality and a national desire to move on from Trump 1.0 (so, in essence, a reverse cult of personality). The only new idea this party has had since the turn of the millennium has been for the candidate to go on Call Her Daddy in addition to 60 Minutes. Also:
And the only reason Republicans won was because parties rarely get more than 8 years of the presidency and then Trump got the benefit of the same anti-incumbent sentiment that's swept every through every country since the pandemic hit.
It is so dumb to think the "democrats" - AKA the people posting here are all dumb as rocks.
Obama was 8 years. The people here are all democrats. The parties are all permeable and made up of people just like those reading here. Spending all the time blaming others instead of realizing that the government, the parties etc. are all just people like us is how we get a basic lack of effort on changing anything.
It feels like forever since Howard Dean built a 50-state strategy. Obama's wins had a foundation that Dean built. It did a lot to win congressional seats, too, but then they all chickened out in 2010 and didn't defend their own bills.
The Democratic Party is incapable of learning. Not wasting my time. We need to put our money and time elsewhere because large changes won't come from voting. Voting doesn't even touch the levers of foreign policy with two war parties, and both parties are now anti-immigrant, too.
While many analysts offer complex theories about the Democrats' defeat, I've observed a simpler truth through my extensive travels across the Midwest as a healthcare professional. We don't need elaborate research studies or lengthy academic conferences to understand what happened – the answer lies in three fundamental issues that turned even hardcore leftists into Trump supporters.
First and foremost, let's address the elephant in the room: the gender factor. Whether we like it or not (and I personally don't), America remains stubbornly patriarchal in its political preferences. Trump would have likely never made it to the White House if Hillary Clinton and Kamala Harris weren't in the picture. I can't count how many times I've heard voters – even progressive ones – express subtle (and sometimes not-so-subtle) reservations about female leadership at the presidential level. Some might argue this reflects poorly on our society's progress, but denying this reality doesn't make it disappear.
Second, the cultural battleground over gender identity and what conservatives call the "sexualization of children" has become a massive voting issue. I've witnessed firsthand how parents and grandparents who once supported progressive causes have shifted their allegiance out of fear for their children's wellbeing. The so-called "trans revolution" and debates over gender identity in schools have spooked many traditional Democratic voters into Trump's camp. They view him, despite his flaws, as someone who will "protect" traditional values and their children's innocence. This issue has proven particularly potent in suburban communities where parents feel increasingly alienated from local school policies and curriculum decisions.
Third, and perhaps most predictably, immigration and the southern border crisis have become major turning points. The Republicans masterfully played this angle, transforming complex immigration policy debates into simple, emotionally resonant messages about safety and security. The images of migrants being bused to sanctuary cities and receiving free housing while American citizens remain homeless on the streets have struck a powerful chord. I've heard countless voters express frustration at seeing resources directed toward new arrivals while homeless veterans and families struggle in their own communities. Even in the Midwest, far from the border, these concerns have deeply resonated with voters who previously showed little interest in immigration issues.
What's truly shocking – and I see this regularly in my field work across the healthcare industry – is the profile of these Trump voters. If you had told me years ago that these hardcore leftists would switch sides, I would have laughed in disbelief. Yet here we are. I've sat in break rooms and homes across the Midwest, listening to former progressives explain their dramatic political shift. Sometimes it's one of these issues that pushed them over the edge; often it's a combination of all three.
The conversations I've had reveal a deep disconnect between Democratic Party leadership and their former base. These aren't the stereotypical Trump supporters often portrayed in media narratives. They're healthcare workers, educators, and small business owners who once considered themselves solid Democrats but now feel the party has drifted too far from their values and concerns.
From my vantage point traveling through America's heartland, these aren't just theories – they're the unavoidable conclusions drawn from countless conversations with real voters who've made this dramatic political shift. Until we're willing to honestly confront these uncomfortable truths, we'll keep getting blindsided by election results that seem to defy conventional political wisdom.
"The Democrats once had an identity of being a party for the working class, and now that identity is defined by hating Donald Trump and protecting institutions that no one feels are particularly effective. One gave them a coalition that lasted decades, while the other appears to have lost every branch of government for the second time in eight years"
Ah yes, the identity of racists which kept the south under democratic rule until decades after the civil rights act was passed. Definitely need to get back to that.
Can’t believe the Beltway dingleberry who lit $100 million in donor funds on fire to take a double-digit beating from Lindsey Graham didn’t manage to lead the Democratic National Committee to glory. Glad he’s allowed to resign with dignity instead of being thrown out on his ass though 🫶
I bet Sarah Gideon or Amy McGrath would have done WAY better!
Seriously, though, I had forgotten how I knew Jaime Harrison. Now I wish I still didn't know.
I was in SC for it. It was so, so obvious he had no shot. Failed right up to the top of the DNC!
It's nice to know "failing up" is becoming multi-racial.
The Democrats threw the working class under the bus when Clinton signed NAFTA and gutted the social safety nets. He reminds me of Reagan🤮
Not to mention the repeal of Glass Steagall. This loss was 30 years in the making.
It actually started under Carter, Reagan took over from there. So roughly 50 years.
yep so much of this can be traced back to that fucking rapist piece of shut
Yep.
The Democratic Party (like the police/entire criminal control system) is working exactly as designed. It gets people to spend all of their time, energy, & money campaigning on political campaigns for centrists instead of building alternate structures and/or grassroots organizing.
The Harris campaign got people to give political consultants $1B, think of how that money could have been spent otherwise.
Even more than the money, think about what people could have done with all of the time they spent volunteering for the campaign & following it. Imagine what people could have done in their communities with that time & energy. Even just knowing what's going on in their city/town would be a huge improvement (it kills me the number of people in my city who spent a ton of time following the campaign & hanging on every poll that didn't know our city council is trying to defund affordable housing & pass massive surveillance)
𝘉𝘶𝘵 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘋𝘦𝘮𝘰𝘤𝘳𝘢𝘵𝘴’ 𝘧𝘢𝘪𝘭𝘶𝘳𝘦𝘴 𝘥𝘪𝘥𝘯’𝘵 𝘣𝘦𝘨𝘪𝘯 𝘸𝘪𝘵𝘩 𝘉𝘪𝘥𝘦𝘯. 𝘔𝘰𝘴𝘵 𝘰𝘧 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘴𝘦 𝘵𝘳𝘦𝘯𝘥𝘴 𝘤𝘢𝘯 𝘣𝘦 𝘵𝘳𝘢𝘤𝘦𝘥 𝘣𝘢𝘤𝘬 𝘮𝘰𝘳𝘦 𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘯 𝘢 𝘥𝘦𝘤𝘢𝘥𝘦, 𝘢𝘧𝘵𝘦𝘳 𝘖𝘣𝘢𝘮𝘢’𝘴 𝘭𝘢𝘴𝘵 𝘳𝘶𝘯.
First of all, we love Paul Blest! Great piece! I would argue that the rot started even well before Obama; it feels like everyone in senior leadership of the Democratic Party is still running the Clinton Campaign of the 1990s. Maybe it's because of the Olds at the top of the party leadership (Nancy Pelosi's sell-by date was at least 4 years ago, and if you don't think she still has outsized influence in the party you're dreaming), or maybe it's the PTSD from Bush-Gore 2000 and the inability for anyone involved to move on, but since 2000 the Dems have only won because of Obama's cult of personality and a national desire to move on from Trump 1.0 (so, in essence, a reverse cult of personality). The only new idea this party has had since the turn of the millennium has been for the candidate to go on Call Her Daddy in addition to 60 Minutes. Also:
𝘈 “𝘨𝘳𝘰𝘶𝘯𝘥 𝘨𝘢𝘮𝘦” 𝘪𝘴𝘯’𝘵 𝘢𝘣𝘰𝘶𝘵 𝘸𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘥𝘰 𝘴𝘪𝘹 𝘸𝘦𝘦𝘬𝘴 𝘣𝘦𝘧𝘰𝘳𝘦 𝘢𝘯 𝘦𝘭𝘦𝘤𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯. 𝘐𝘵’𝘴 𝘢𝘣𝘰𝘶𝘵 𝘸𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘥𝘰 𝘪𝘯 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘺𝘦𝘢𝘳𝘴 𝘣𝘦𝘧𝘰𝘳𝘦 𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘵𝘰 𝘣𝘶𝘪𝘭𝘥 𝘵𝘳𝘶𝘴𝘵.
Fucking Christ I love you Paul.
And the only reason Republicans won was because parties rarely get more than 8 years of the presidency and then Trump got the benefit of the same anti-incumbent sentiment that's swept every through every country since the pandemic hit.
It is so dumb to think the "democrats" - AKA the people posting here are all dumb as rocks.
Also where are you getting 8 years from? Biden had one term between Trump's now-two.
Obama was 8 years. The people here are all democrats. The parties are all permeable and made up of people just like those reading here. Spending all the time blaming others instead of realizing that the government, the parties etc. are all just people like us is how we get a basic lack of effort on changing anything.
I'm not a Democrat🤣 I'm an anarchist. Both parties hate us🤦♀️
I didn't say anything about people posting here. I was talking about the party leadership.
It feels like forever since Howard Dean built a 50-state strategy. Obama's wins had a foundation that Dean built. It did a lot to win congressional seats, too, but then they all chickened out in 2010 and didn't defend their own bills.
Just do stuff that helps normal people, then take the credit for it. This isn't that hard jfc.
The Democratic Party is incapable of learning. Not wasting my time. We need to put our money and time elsewhere because large changes won't come from voting. Voting doesn't even touch the levers of foreign policy with two war parties, and both parties are now anti-immigrant, too.
FWIW:
A Post Mortem Autopsy: From A Diddy Party to a Pity Party https://shorturl.at/eIVYI
Black Women Blaming Black Men For Harris Loss https://shorturl.at/mq0kH
While many analysts offer complex theories about the Democrats' defeat, I've observed a simpler truth through my extensive travels across the Midwest as a healthcare professional. We don't need elaborate research studies or lengthy academic conferences to understand what happened – the answer lies in three fundamental issues that turned even hardcore leftists into Trump supporters.
First and foremost, let's address the elephant in the room: the gender factor. Whether we like it or not (and I personally don't), America remains stubbornly patriarchal in its political preferences. Trump would have likely never made it to the White House if Hillary Clinton and Kamala Harris weren't in the picture. I can't count how many times I've heard voters – even progressive ones – express subtle (and sometimes not-so-subtle) reservations about female leadership at the presidential level. Some might argue this reflects poorly on our society's progress, but denying this reality doesn't make it disappear.
Second, the cultural battleground over gender identity and what conservatives call the "sexualization of children" has become a massive voting issue. I've witnessed firsthand how parents and grandparents who once supported progressive causes have shifted their allegiance out of fear for their children's wellbeing. The so-called "trans revolution" and debates over gender identity in schools have spooked many traditional Democratic voters into Trump's camp. They view him, despite his flaws, as someone who will "protect" traditional values and their children's innocence. This issue has proven particularly potent in suburban communities where parents feel increasingly alienated from local school policies and curriculum decisions.
Third, and perhaps most predictably, immigration and the southern border crisis have become major turning points. The Republicans masterfully played this angle, transforming complex immigration policy debates into simple, emotionally resonant messages about safety and security. The images of migrants being bused to sanctuary cities and receiving free housing while American citizens remain homeless on the streets have struck a powerful chord. I've heard countless voters express frustration at seeing resources directed toward new arrivals while homeless veterans and families struggle in their own communities. Even in the Midwest, far from the border, these concerns have deeply resonated with voters who previously showed little interest in immigration issues.
What's truly shocking – and I see this regularly in my field work across the healthcare industry – is the profile of these Trump voters. If you had told me years ago that these hardcore leftists would switch sides, I would have laughed in disbelief. Yet here we are. I've sat in break rooms and homes across the Midwest, listening to former progressives explain their dramatic political shift. Sometimes it's one of these issues that pushed them over the edge; often it's a combination of all three.
The conversations I've had reveal a deep disconnect between Democratic Party leadership and their former base. These aren't the stereotypical Trump supporters often portrayed in media narratives. They're healthcare workers, educators, and small business owners who once considered themselves solid Democrats but now feel the party has drifted too far from their values and concerns.
From my vantage point traveling through America's heartland, these aren't just theories – they're the unavoidable conclusions drawn from countless conversations with real voters who've made this dramatic political shift. Until we're willing to honestly confront these uncomfortable truths, we'll keep getting blindsided by election results that seem to defy conventional political wisdom.
"The Democrats once had an identity of being a party for the working class, and now that identity is defined by hating Donald Trump and protecting institutions that no one feels are particularly effective. One gave them a coalition that lasted decades, while the other appears to have lost every branch of government for the second time in eight years"
Ah yes, the identity of racists which kept the south under democratic rule until decades after the civil rights act was passed. Definitely need to get back to that.
This is so true, I am scared and concerned what the future is going to look like especially the next 4 years, what damage he’s going to do!