How did the Democratic Party become the party of college educated “elites”? What happened to the party of the American middle class, the working people? That’s what it used to be and should be again. Unfortunately, MAGAs and too many swing voters don’t see it that way.
Democrats not only have a messaging problem, but I fear that much of what they’re touting is nothing but nibbling around the edges of the overwhelming elephant in the (American) room—our ever-growing, incredibly dysfunctional, economic inequality. Things like “shrinkflation” and junk fees are valid issues, but even something as important as reducing drug costs is relative minutia in an economic system that’s so out of whack it no longer works for most Americans. The fact that corporations and the wealthy aren’t paying what Biden calls their “fair share” of taxes is a gross understatement. But ever since the advent of Ronald Reagan’s “trickledown” economics in the 1980s—with help from globalization, automation and technology—nibble is pretty much all the Democrats can do—and in 2024 it’s at risk of coming up short.
The Trumps are the real “Crime Family.”
Can you tell me why the Democrats haven’t started an investigation into Jared Kushner’s overseas business dealings, including the $2 billion he received from the Saudis to start his investment firm, Affinity (for stealing!) Partners? If they feared going after Kushner would encourage the Republicans to go after the Bidens, what’s stopping them now?
Have you heard Trump’s speeches lately? They’re nothing short of frightening, full of his trademark “retribution” and downright dystopian, including a “bloodbath.” Mostly he just rails incoherently for over an hour. The rest of us may not understand much of what he’s talking about, but his diehard fan base laps it up. They love him and sincerely believe he loves them in return. If there’s one thing this humble sprit has learned in his 150+ years hovering about the earth is how hard it is to know anything for certain, but I’ll go out on a limb and say Donald Trump doesn’t love these people. (It’s doubtful he loves anyone except his vulgar, orange self.)
It’s Become a Cliché, but MAGAs Vote Against Their Own Economic Interests.
I’ve said it before, but I can’t say it enough: Biden and the Democrats claim to be defending “democracy” against Donald Trump and his MAGAS, but far too many Americans no longer think democracy is working for them, so why shouldn’t they turn to an authoritarian demagog, who at the very least speaks to their grievances? Too many people think democracy just means being stuck in a system that’s hopelessly rigged against them. Maybe MAGAs vote against their own economic interests, but it’s the overwhelming conundrum we’re stuck in.
It’s a sad state of affairs when the rest of us consider MAGAs—a sizeable portion of our fellow citizens—to be the American “Yahoos” (think Gulliver’s Travels, not a big tech company) about to overrun the castle gates (not an unreasonable fear given how they overran the U.S. Capitol on January 6), but that’s where we are.
What was Fani Willis thinking?
Without getting into the sordid details, didn’t Ms. Willis know that Trump’s lawyers would come after her in every way possible in an effort to destroy her case? Would they have gone after her that way if she wasn’t a Black woman? Probably not. But you are Blanche, you are. Didn’t she know she needed to be squeaky clean? The “odor of mendacity”? How about the odor of arrogance and stupidity?