This way to the path of folly.
Folly? Sure it was. I consistently misread the polls and the national mood, believing the Democrats had the advantage, as demonstrated by their dominance in special elections. Between the horrid performance of Republican House and Senate members in 2022-2024, and the Democrats’ natural advantage on the abortion issue, I figured they’d gain the House, hold the Senate, and, heck, the Presidency, too. Who would vote for Mr. Mendacity?
Well, a lot of people, it turns out. I haven’t seen an authoritative analysis as of yet, although a lot of hobby horse riding is out there, and I’m fighting surgical after-effects and a head cold (yes, yes, it’s all minor, but bothersome), so I’ll just mention a few issues here:
- It’s the economy, stupid. A favorite of folks who think Americans can’t think beyond the tip of their nose, but important in a nation where the favored economic stance is that you should be borrowed, mortgaged, and leveraged to the hilt. When you have no real margin, even minor inflation can enrage folks who think they have to buy the biggest house they can – and that makes the economy important.
- Americans are fascists! I’ve seen this out of the progressive wing who can’t empathize more than half an inch. This is followed by a rancid screed about cutting ties with all MAGA friends and family. I do wonder if that’s just covert Russian propaganda, of course, but I don’t read the comments. This I’ve seen on Daily Kos. This is a CYA (Cover Your Ass) position.
- Americans hate women and will never elect us! Presumably from female writers, there’s a hidden assumption that the Democratic policy positions on offer were at least as good, if not better, than the GOP’s positions. And some may be. But if the opinion of the policy aggregate, and the behaviors exhibited by the Democrats, is that they’re inferior or dangerous, then this position is inflated with arrogance. This is a CYA position.
- The Democrats should have held a primary when Biden dropped out. I’ve seen this a couple of times, and the complaint seems to be that, rather than old-fashioned debate, Harris was simply anointed. I don’t know if there was really time to run a debate and a mini-primary, but that seems to have spread to enough of the citizenry that it may have cost the Democrats a Senate seat or two. And just how many intra-Party debates did Trump participate in?
- Vote splitting. That is, where abortion amendments to state constitutions were on the ballot, opinion is that abortion rights voters voted for the amendment and against Harris and, where applicable, the Senate candidate(s) from the Democrats. I had not expected that. If it’s true.
- Transgenderism! I didn’t see my own take on how the Democrats have botched the issue, but some reports have credited a single Trump ad for a two percent swing in voters, which in our system needs a lot more analysis before it can be proclaimed important – but remains an important signal of a political Party is desperate need of reform.
I’m sure I’ve seen more, but, if you want an executive summary, the Democrats need to hire and then take seriously the recommendations of a PR Firm. Their public image is much worse than I imagined, or they imagine, and, given their treatment of Rep Moulton’s (D-MA) quite reasonable remarks on transgenderism, they just don’t get it[1].
Once they figure out how they’ve come to grief, the Democrats will need to eject the dull-minded who let this disaster occur, and install those who will respect the citizenry, understand that arrogance leads to absolutist positions unacceptable to those citizens, as they should have learned in the wake of the 2021 Virginia Governor’s race, and that governance is complex and requires compromise.
Not that there’s much chance of that with the arrogant Republicans. That’s a challenge. Yes, a challenge.
Here’s an earlier summary of my post-election thoughts.
1 I added the last clause to the sentence later. I plead post-surgical anesthesia syndrome.
