Points 1, 2 and 3 are really sobering for left-leaning and progressive pundits. I'm left of centre leaning and point 3 resonates so hard. DEI is important for moving forward as a society and making sure those voices who have been disenfranchised have a seat at the table. But the negative sentiment that sometimes comes with DEI campaigns has resulted in a backlash from those people with privilege who are tired of hearing that they are the problem. It's really unfortunate but not surprising given the point that 2 makes about feelings. Emotions are always the primary driver in elections.
Jeremiah Johnson, who writes the blog “infinite scroll” had a very good post this week similar to your point number 5 about how people over the age of 40 just don’t understand how to reach voters now. “The online is more real than real life” for most people now. As depressing as that fact is, it’s what worked for Trump.
Given the high support for abortion rights ballot initiatives in states like Missouri, not sure "the democrats picked issues that failed to resonate" re abortion makes sense. I'd have to think through the different reasons for that, but on the surface it appears that they could have leaned into that more, but done it differently - not sure how.
Interesting, thanks. Not sure there was a way through to success for the Democrats there, but maybe. I wonder if it was as simple as voters wanting and getting both things: The Republican candidates they wanted and the abortion rights.
I read an analysis that pointed to this very thing. Since abortion rights were on the ballot in about 10 states, voters in those states who cared about it could both vote to support it and also vote for Donald Trump. The fact those rights needed to be enshrined as a direct result of decisions made by his appointed SCJs is far too in the weeds for the average voter to digest when they are making a voting decision.
Yes, that is what I have said earlier, that people are voting for Trump / Republicans but also voting for abortion rights.
That is a different issue than what you raised, about what people want in terms of how abortion rights are dealt with. Someone voting for abortion rights at the state level doesn't mean they want abortion rights settled at the state level. It does mean they had an opportunity to settle it at the state level and took it.
With all the post election navel-gazing by the democrats and pundits, the real root cause is being avoided like it’s a hot wire. All are giving the electorate far too much credit as rational thinkers who “just aren’t connecting with Democrat messaging”. The reality is that the electorate preferentially consumes garbage, bigotry, and lies. And to millions of voters, data, truth, character, ethics, competence simply have zero value. Zero. This isn’t about messaging. The Democrat’s messaging around competence, ethics, constitutionality, the economy, civil rights, and decency should have won them the election. Trump did everything but shit his pants on stage during the campaign. Yet people ignored the corruption, idiocy, bigotry, and depravity and voted for him by the millions. The problem is that the electorate are increasingly and irreparably stupid. It’s that simple.
The answer to "what's in it for me?" has been missing for a while on the center left side of things. An issue with Woke politics is it's for someone else. In contrast, I still hear "if business is doing good, I'm doing good" in Barrhead. Which is just a twist in accociation. It's unlikely I'll hear at family Christmas, "if LGBTQIA2S are free, then I'm free".
There must be a way to show support for "fringe" thoughts and stances such as LGBTQ rights without making it a cornerstone of a campaign. To the general population it's not salient or something they want to address. Instead they feel chastised and unable to pass the Purity Test and thus cast out.
I agree with much of this Corey, but I’m not convinced that “woke” is a caricature of much progressive politics or mainstream media. Here in Alberta, for example, the left has hand-waved away the lack of evidence for gender-affirming medical care for minors in favour of castigating any attempt at discourse on the issue as “anti-trans.” This podcast actually provides an evidence-based discussion on the issue (https://podcasts.apple.com/ca/podcast/on-point-podcast/id121534955?i=1000654951527)
This is just an example of several issues where the left loses contact with reality, and classical liberal principles, due to the heavy influence of critical social justice. This is not a caricature of progressivism unfortunately.
This is excellent. I almost forgive you for getting my hopes up on the podcast.
I might add electoral process to the list. First past the post forces parties to include more extreme elements in order to win.
Using rank-choice voting at every level of our government, I think, would drastically reduce polarization.
Thank you for point 6. Our politics won’t get fixed until we fix our political parties. And your prescriptions are bang on.
Points 1, 2 and 3 are really sobering for left-leaning and progressive pundits. I'm left of centre leaning and point 3 resonates so hard. DEI is important for moving forward as a society and making sure those voices who have been disenfranchised have a seat at the table. But the negative sentiment that sometimes comes with DEI campaigns has resulted in a backlash from those people with privilege who are tired of hearing that they are the problem. It's really unfortunate but not surprising given the point that 2 makes about feelings. Emotions are always the primary driver in elections.
Jeremiah Johnson, who writes the blog “infinite scroll” had a very good post this week similar to your point number 5 about how people over the age of 40 just don’t understand how to reach voters now. “The online is more real than real life” for most people now. As depressing as that fact is, it’s what worked for Trump.
https://open.substack.com/pub/infinitescroll/p/the-internet-is-more-real-than-real
Given the high support for abortion rights ballot initiatives in states like Missouri, not sure "the democrats picked issues that failed to resonate" re abortion makes sense. I'd have to think through the different reasons for that, but on the surface it appears that they could have leaned into that more, but done it differently - not sure how.
High support but apparently low salience - didn't appear to drive decision making. And the Harris campaign spent an incredible amount of money on the message. https://www.politico.com/news/2024/11/05/democrat-tv-ads-abortion-spending-00187234
Interesting, thanks. Not sure there was a way through to success for the Democrats there, but maybe. I wonder if it was as simple as voters wanting and getting both things: The Republican candidates they wanted and the abortion rights.
God I hate high support low salience issues.
I read an analysis that pointed to this very thing. Since abortion rights were on the ballot in about 10 states, voters in those states who cared about it could both vote to support it and also vote for Donald Trump. The fact those rights needed to be enshrined as a direct result of decisions made by his appointed SCJs is far too in the weeds for the average voter to digest when they are making a voting decision.
Or is the message that voters want to settle abortion at the State level?
I suspect polling would contradict that supposition.
The polling is clearly wrong. Arizona, for example, voted for Trump and approved an abortion rights initiative: https://ballotpedia.org/Arizona_Proposition_139,_Right_to_Abortion_Initiative_(2024)
Yes, that is what I have said earlier, that people are voting for Trump / Republicans but also voting for abortion rights.
That is a different issue than what you raised, about what people want in terms of how abortion rights are dealt with. Someone voting for abortion rights at the state level doesn't mean they want abortion rights settled at the state level. It does mean they had an opportunity to settle it at the state level and took it.
I think they feel like they constructed a safety barrier to block the worst GOP impulses.... for now.
With all the post election navel-gazing by the democrats and pundits, the real root cause is being avoided like it’s a hot wire. All are giving the electorate far too much credit as rational thinkers who “just aren’t connecting with Democrat messaging”. The reality is that the electorate preferentially consumes garbage, bigotry, and lies. And to millions of voters, data, truth, character, ethics, competence simply have zero value. Zero. This isn’t about messaging. The Democrat’s messaging around competence, ethics, constitutionality, the economy, civil rights, and decency should have won them the election. Trump did everything but shit his pants on stage during the campaign. Yet people ignored the corruption, idiocy, bigotry, and depravity and voted for him by the millions. The problem is that the electorate are increasingly and irreparably stupid. It’s that simple.
The answer to "what's in it for me?" has been missing for a while on the center left side of things. An issue with Woke politics is it's for someone else. In contrast, I still hear "if business is doing good, I'm doing good" in Barrhead. Which is just a twist in accociation. It's unlikely I'll hear at family Christmas, "if LGBTQIA2S are free, then I'm free".
There must be a way to show support for "fringe" thoughts and stances such as LGBTQ rights without making it a cornerstone of a campaign. To the general population it's not salient or something they want to address. Instead they feel chastised and unable to pass the Purity Test and thus cast out.
I need you to convince me about the "any and all money". That's going right over my head 🥺
I agree with much of this Corey, but I’m not convinced that “woke” is a caricature of much progressive politics or mainstream media. Here in Alberta, for example, the left has hand-waved away the lack of evidence for gender-affirming medical care for minors in favour of castigating any attempt at discourse on the issue as “anti-trans.” This podcast actually provides an evidence-based discussion on the issue (https://podcasts.apple.com/ca/podcast/on-point-podcast/id121534955?i=1000654951527)
This is just an example of several issues where the left loses contact with reality, and classical liberal principles, due to the heavy influence of critical social justice. This is not a caricature of progressivism unfortunately.