Aw jeez, can we get off the cheap 'primary' diversion? If Mr Trump dies of congestive heart failure on day 207 from an astounding number of bic macs, you also don't get a primary to choose the next American president OR HIS VP.
It's hardly a diversion. As stupid a choice as Trump is, he was still viewed by voters as their pick. While the Republican party is held hostage to the populist Trump and his supporters, the DNC won't even let voters participate in the selection of candidates. Can you really say that Biden won a normal primary (coming from behind as other candidates strategically dropped out)? Would you say Harris was selected by voters at all? Did Clinton's bailing out of the DNC in 2016 not register with you?
I understand why voters haven't been that excited about the Democrats for over a decade.
There's so much cope out there. Sure she "only" lost by 2 million-ish votes, but when you disaggregate the data and see these votes came from almost exclusively the most embattled counties in the country, 2 million suddenly becomes a much more meaningful number.
Although, I am worried about Republican strategies moving forward. Frankly, Trump's policies will have some very strong negative consequences if he follows through on them. It will be interesting to see Republicans try to win using the "down with the system!" strategy of the past 8 years when Trump is gone and they have the incumbency advantage. If the Dems put someone good up, they'll win handily again.
Frankly, Trump’s policies will have some very strong negative consequences if he follows through on them.
Trump plans to destroy the United States governmental system and become a king, with the power to kill his opponents and remove anyone's ability to ever challenge his hold on power without bringing down the full weight of a multi-trillion-dollar punitive system down upon themselves. Probably he will imprison or kill anyone who tries to disobey him. Also, he's explicitly allied himself with violent foreign adversaries who view us as an enemy that needs to be exterminated.
I would call that negative consequences. It's not guaranteed that he will succeed, but that's what he's planning, and he has some powerful allies who are going to try to help him with it.
"Israel had a right to defend itself, however after their indescriminate attacks on civillians in Gaza, not just the men, but also, the women and children, an act that clearly and undeniably violate internation laws, Israel no longer have the right to defend itself. I will immediately call on President Biden to suspend any and all military aid to Israel. Futhermore, sanctions will be imposed on Israel until they cease their indiscriminate killings."
Then actually make Biden do it. Kneecap him if he doesn't.
And for domestic policy:
"As president, I ensure every American has access to healthcare by calling on Congress to pass legislation that would make Medicare For All a reality in America."
There, campaign saved. Just keep up the public appearances, talk to people, and win the election.
But unfortunately, that's a different timeline. This timeline is fucked.
I don't think its that "Americans Care", but its the fact that it fuels propaganda that strengthens the "Both Sides Same" narrative which causes democrats to stay home.
I think far too many people see the price of groceries, fall for the GOP line that it's Biden's fault (and that deporting all illegal immigrants will help) and think Trump will save the day.
Like, yeah, post-covid recovery has been hard. Mostly stagnant wages don't help. People feel that. Unfortunately it's harder to feel the fact that other countries are feeling the exact same things, often worse than we are, so they vote for some weird nostalgia for the days when things were better under Trump.
Sanders said it perfectly in his open letter after the election.
While the Democratic leadership defends the status quo, the American people are angry and want change. And they're right.
Today, while the very rich are doing phenomenally well, 60% of Americans live paycheck to paycheck and we have more income and wealth inequality than ever before. Unbelievably, real, inflation-accounted-for weekly wages for the average American worker are actually lower now than they were 50 years ago.
Democrats just didn't do enough to make people believe that their lives would change for the better from them. Continuing the status quo is not something they wanted to hear.