Ya know what bugs me about the claim that it was all about the economy?

[Ocelot II]

It's the fact that Black women - the most economically disadvantaged group of all - voted overwhelmingly for Harris, while White men, the people who have most of the money, went for Trump. Black women were hurt at least as much as anyone else by the cost of groceries and gas, probably more. Why didn't they swing over to Trump like those White men who were so outraged at having to pay an extra buck for a carton of eggs? Sure, there are poor White people who struggle on account of inflation, but at least the Black women understood that voting for Trump meant selling out our rights and our democracy for the empty promise of cheaper groceries. So don't tell me it was all just the economy and not the racism and the misogyny.

[Elessar Zappa]

1. I think it's hard to pin it on any one thing.

I think misogyny was a huge factor and I think inflation was a big factor. Then you got the problem of young men of all races who feel left out (rightly or wrongly) and commit suicide at very high rates.

[Ocelot II]

4. I agree that it wasn't just one thing, but I'm reading a lot of analyses

that try to pin the whole debacle on the economy without even considering why a rapey pig like Trump was able to defeat not one but two accomplished, highly qualified women, one of whom was Black.

[InstantGratification]

18. It wasn't just one thing. It also wasn't just one constituency.

Last edited Sun Nov 10, 2024, 05:44 PM - Edit history (1)

Look at the different groups that slid a few points towards shithead. They had different reasons for their shift.

Pretty much all were influenced by the misinformation geysers that were spraying freaking everywhere.

For some, it was the misogyny.

For some, it was the racism.

For others, it was the hatred pumped towards LGBTQ.

For still others, their perception of the economy actually was the issue.

One of the things that stuck out to me was the number of first time and/or young voters that picked him. Comment after comment from them about how they struggle to make rent, struggle to pay high utility bills and feel that they will never save enough to buy their own home.

[Tribetime]

70. Yes I don't buy the economy claim

[Trust_Reality]

89. I agree except...

Dems promised more housing.

TAV (The American Voter): I don't care about more houses, I just want lower rent.

And of course Trump promised to make the best economy the world has ever seen.

Apparently it's gotta be real simple.

[BaronChocula]

81. I just want to say godblessyou for this post n/t

[jfz9580m]

16. I agree with this assessment.nt

[Native]

17. Don't forget racism!

[Ray Bruns]

38. it was the misogeny and the racsim

people have no problem voting for democrats when they are white. See North Carolina.

[EnergizedLib]

2. This white man is proud to have went for Harris

[CousinIT]

3. It wasn't the economy. That was an excuse.

This isn't the first time in history that "economy" actually meant that they were not going to vote for a woman, especially a woman of color, no matter what. They will protect their white privilege and their male privilege at all costs. And they did. "Economy" is the fig leaf under which they hid their racism and misogyny. Because it's ignorant and ugly, and they don't want to be the ones to pay for it. They want the rest of us to pay for it. And we are going to pay. But they are, too.

I expect my entire life—the past 45-50 years and all I worked for—to amount to nothing. I will never see everything I paid into SS and Medicare; if I do, it will be cut in half or worse. Then, after struggling for a lifetime to get where I could finally retire (I was so excited about that), I may not be able to do so. I may have to work until they shove me out the door, and then I will be destitute.

Trump offered them comforting lies. He provided them with pablum that aligned with their ignorance, their racism, and their misogyny and gave them cover for it. The rest of us will pay for their ignorance and hate and they will too.

It wasn't the economy.

JoJoFromJerz explains it better than me:

https://bsky.app/profile/jojofromjerz.bsky.social/post/3lakaynxxvg26

[Ocelot II]

5. Bingo. My point exactly.

[uponit7771]

7. +1, the German economy was doing relatively well when Nazi part won 37% or parliament. The excuse that it was the ...

... German economy is used to justify bad behavior and decisions among German society/

[soldierant]

41. JoJo from Jerz's mom didn't raise no idjits.

And she is also extremely articulate. She doesn't just get it, she gets how to say it so that it's clear to anyone who isn't so ideologically ensnared that they just can't and won't get it.

[uponit7771]

6. ☝🏾THIS!!☝🏾 Robison was ***JUST LIKE*** Trump without crime and MAGA dropped him like a hot rock and he lost !!

[Duncan Grant]

8. "She is for they/them. He is for you."

That’s what it was about. That anti-trans hatred won a lot of Republican primaries, too.

Republican strategy is: culture war. That’s why they hate us.

Meanwhile, the tech bros and other bazillionaires win the class war. It’s better to win a class war.

[krkaufman]

24. "Culture war"

It’s interesting to see the comments claiming that Democrats put too much emphasis on culture war issues. This is like saying that Ukraine seems overly concerned with Russia. The RW generates the culture war issues and then points the blame at the left for standing in defense of the latest targets of dehumanization.

[Ohioboy]

76. I like the way you put it

The RW generates the culture war issues, then blames those who defend the groups they attack. Thanks for your post.

[Shermann]

34. They ran that gender-affirming care for incarcerated trans people commercial relentlessly.

In a way it was unfair because it focused on Harris blue-skying before she was the candidate. Progressive candidates are particularly vulnerable here.

But I think it resonated in several ways. It stoked fears about trans people. It did suggest Harris was fighting for they/them and not he/him/you. It also suggested financial irresponsibility and being out of touch while reaffirmed the radical label.

[ismnotwasm]

9. I have this feeling that MAGA, having got what they wanted

Are not entirely ready for the consequences. Not in violence, those kind of threats they use, but in having to defend their votes for bigotry in uncomfortable spaces. Sure, many of them can just avoid those spaces, but not always and not forever

[allegorical oracle]

15. Repugs are the dogs that caught the car again. Trouble is they won't know what

to do with that car AGAIN. If much of tsf's plans are implemented (migrant workers are deported, Social Security is cut, tariffs are launched, corporate monopolies are encouraged), prices will shoot through the roof and poverty and homeless levels will rise.

But those issues won't bother tsf. He's either not planning to ever run again, or to hold office 'til he dies.

[hootman]

32. I JUST sent that to a friend; "they caught the car, lets see what they do with it"

Russia's interest rates are now at 21%; I'm sure trump will get to work helping THEIR economy.

[ismnotwasm]

36. True. But we are here to point out, that this, is exactly what they voted for

What they tried to dismiss as hyperbole, is now their reality. They wanted it, they own it

[calimary]

90. I think it's the latter.

“But those issues won't bother tsf. He's either not planning to ever run again, or to hold office 'til he dies.”

He wants to be king til he dies.

[FakeNoose]

31. We need to wear T-shirts that say "Don't blame me for this, I voted for Kamala"

[ismnotwasm]

35. Yup!

[debm55]

42. My neighboor flew a big ass flag that read " don't blame me , I voted for trump" during President Biden's term.

[Jrsygrl96]

10. It wasn't the economy

Or democracy. It was totally about misogyny. Black and Latino men who just could not vote for a woman.

[Katinfl]

30. I think it's a lot more than Black and Latino men.

[DemonGoddess]

40. White women as well

with their misogyny being spawned from jealousy of another woman being successful. I've seen that plenty of times in life.

[Wiz Imp]

46. Black Men voted for Harris in very similar percentages as they voted for Biden (77% vs 79%)

Latino men moved from 59% for Biden to just 43% for Harris. That is where the misogyny manifested itself, not amongst Blacks.

[Yavin4]

62. Don't say Black men.

Black men voted for Kamala overwhelmingly. I won't stand for slandering Black men.

[Ontheboundry]

82. I'm not buying that entirely

Hillary did better with Latino men than Biden did, and barrack did better than Hillary with Latino men

There is a trend starting from Obama to Kamala with Hispanics overall, and regardless of who tie candidate was, they have done worse

Mexico literally.just voted for a woman president down there, so I'm still thinking we are missing something with Hispanics

[JI7]

11. If Trump was non white like the crazy North Carolina candidate

she would have beat him.

This is what is referred to as white privilege. Women and people of color would not get the support Trump got even if we were in a recession.

The only black president we had is a once in a lifetime talent which we are unlikely to see again in this lifetime.

[cachukis]

12. "It's the economy, stupid." Carville's mantra.

Another excuse for grievance.
When you are good, you are good.
When you are not, you are no f'in' good.
Doers, do.
If you don't do, you blame.

[Jit423]

55. "No, it's about YOUR economy, stupid. Mine is really good!"

It really was about three things: racism, sexism, and the economy. But the economy that it was all about was the working people's economy. The wealthy had or have no worries except to ensure that they get to keep what they had and make more. They are not suffering and never will. The only thing that keeps them up at night is what they have to do to keep those "others" from having more. Unfortunately black women will remain at the bottom of everyone's list until ALL black men lift them up instead of "bitching" and "ho-ing" them down.

[cachukis]

57. I think you missed my point.

Carville was using grievance to inspire democrats.
His slogan has been used to simplify the complexities of world view.
The broadbrush panorama is hard working people are intent on bettering their plight. Those whose obstacles are winning, complain and blame. Ripe targets for sellers of salvation.
Sorry to disagree with you on black women. My experience is they keep their world going despite the complications black men face in a white privileged world.
The OP inferred the matters at hand were beyond the economy.
In my obviously too nuanced way, suggested the same.
Racism and fear of losing face is a major influence in what just happened.
Much more complicated than a banter solution.

[Mike 03]

13. Yes, that explanation doesn't sit well with me

either. I'm wondering if as a few days pass by some of the people making that argument will refine or repudiate their explanations.

One point about the white men. White men with a college degree voted for Harris, unless I'm mistaken. We are really talking about rural white men who have a high school education or less. I'm really curious about the white women who voted for him. I'm still learning and thinking this through and don't have many theories or answers.

We know from how everything President Obama did was distorted and demonized by the far right, so beyond any question racism plays a part. Sexism too. It's frustrating because we all want a solution. But it may be multi-faceted.

[CTyankee]

19. white women who voted for him were probably living lives of quiet desperation of some degree, IMO.

For some deep, dark reason they chose him and even celebrated their degradation. Maybe they thought that if they pleased him their husbands would stop beating them.

[TheKentuckian]

58. White women vote white first, class second, women third.

Which results in voting Republicans somewhat less than the men but still consistently Republican.

Women will have equality and the country will move forward as soon as the majority of white women are agreeable but probably not before.

[hootman]

33. I know SO many white women who voted for him & I cant understand it.

Nurses, lawyers, teachers, you name it.
I dont get it

[In It to Win It]

14. I don't think it was ALL about the economy, but I do think it was PARTLY about the economy

Last edited Sun Nov 10, 2024, 06:28 PM - Edit history (1)

I think the economy flipped some people from Biden in 2020 to Trump in 2024. Maybe not a majority of people, but some people voted on the economy. I don’t think we can deny that.

Some disengaged voters may have voted based on the economy.

Some people blamed Biden and Harris for inflation. In truth, nothing would have prevented the inflation. If Trump had won reelection in 2020, we would have still had inflation. Didn’t matter whether a country was ran by right wing politicians or left wing politicians, they experienced inflation all the same. Therefore, it was unfair to blame Joe Biden for inflation he couldn’t do anything to prevent but people tend not to think at a macroeconomic level or don’t know how to so they just blame whoever is in charge.

I think the question is whether that slice of people that did vote based on the economy was enough to tilt the election toward Trump?

There is a slice of people that truly believe a woman should not be president. There are tons of interviews done by political pundits since the 2016 election in which people will clearly indicate they don’t believe a woman should be president. They don’t know view the presidency as a woman’s job so they will vote for a man who is crook over a woman. Sadly, woman are also included in this group of people. Was that slice people enough to tilt the election toward Trump?

Obviously, we have racist people in this country who will not vote for a non-white person. We were never getting those people anyway. Those people were likely voting Republican to begin with.

Of these, which group was enough to tilt the scales in Trump’s favor? I don’t know but to me, it makes sense that people would blame Joe Biden and Kamala Harris for inflation. It makes sense to me that the slice of people that swung to Trump over the economy COULD HAVE been the group that cost us the election. However, I do agree that the economy isn’t the only reason people had for not voting for Kamala Harris.

When I vote, I think about my grandmother who was born in the Jim Crow south and the world they fought to build. Her generation fought for the Civil Rights Act, the Voting Rights Act and all the necessary changes to pass down to people like me. Republicans are destroying the fruits of my grandmother’s labor, a legacy that I fight to preserve.

[TxGuitar]

20. My current favorite quote:

"Historians have a word for Germans who joined the Nazi party, not because they hated Jews, but out of a hope for restored patriotism, or a sense of economic anxiety, or a hope to preserve their religious values, or dislike of their opponents, or raw political opportunism, or convenience, or ignorance, or greed.

That word is 'Nazi'. Nobody cares about their motives anymore.”

[Botany]

21. The economy was a cover story for Russia & Elon Musk's attack on our voting systems.

Last edited Sun Nov 10, 2024, 05:50 PM - Edit history (1)

Just like in Ohio in 2004 the threat of gay marriage was “the reason” for the late
swing in the vote to w bush.

BTW we had a large outbreak of Avian flu which killed millions of chickens and even
more had to be put down in order to stop the spread of the disease.

[TheKentuckian]

22. Just like we saw in 2016 much of their economic anxiety is already receding

and will all but disappear by the 3rd week in January at which point the greatest economy in the history of Gawd's Green Earth will suddenly spring into existence thanks to Donald J. Trump only to return if a Democrat can be blamed for it.

We've seen this movie before.
The shitty remake will not be better but the script is set.

Tell me I'm lying?!? Double dog dare ya!

[PortTack]

23. I think the answer is pretty obvious..this country is too racist and misogynistic to elect a FE president

Don’t leave out latino men that voted 60% for tsf

So…. I’m all out of f..ks to give. Let them have their tariffs and broken immigration policy and everything else that will hurt not only us but them. Dems…do not save them!! This is what they wanted.

[Martin Eden]

25. Economists overwhelmingly agree Trump's policies will INCREASE inflation

I suspect they had other reasons.

[kentuck]

26. Democrats never defended the economy strongly enough.

Trump inherited a strong economy from Barack Obama, with 75 straight months of growth. He gave a $2 trillion dollar tax cut, mostly to the top, and they put their gains into the stock market and were gains in stocks and bonds.

However, he fumbled on everything else, including the way he handled the pandemic. He also added about $7 trillion dollars to our national debt and set in motion the inflation that was credited to Joe Biden.

He was a disaster.

[Akakoji]

27. A brilliant, short piece about what voters were thinking

It was all the economy. The fact that immigrants, people of color, and women that somehow threatened the fragile male financially battered ego were "othered" or blamed for economic distress caused by corporate profiteering are actually incidental. That's not to say that Americans are not stubbornly, and intentionally racist and misogynist. It's just that under stress - a lot of it was about housing as well - Americans want to blame. And they want revenge, or at least someone to pay for their pain. And just to add a salient point to the discussion, poor white people have existed for as long as this country try has been around. As have Latinos, and Asians, and Blacks, etc. People are brainwashed into thinking that what the oligarchs that control the media were saying was why they were suffering. The Biden/Harris economic policies - not corporate price gouging. Yes, they actually believe that somehow prices will return to normal, or at least the prices that exited during the first Trump presidency. That will not happen. In fact, it's going to get very, very bad financially for even more people. Lots of those idiots that voted for Republicans. Unfortunately, even worse for Black women.

Anyway, the article: https://www.nydailynews.com/2024/11/09/frustrated-americans-await-the-economic-changes-they-voted-for-with-trump/

[oldmanlynn]

28. It was misinformation disinformation misinformation disinformation

I think people are trying to figure out how democrats could have been better but its not that

Its clearly misinformation. Americans are inundated with misinformation disinformation.

We could have been PERFECT but misinformation disinformation could lead to Americans thinking the opposite.


We have to tackle misinformation disinformation as the highest priority

[Trust_Reality]

91. Yes, an avalanche of disinformation...

and Trump has an astonishing ability to portray sincerity when lying. He really is a world class con man.

[FakeNoose]

29. The Repukes said it was "all about the economy"

But most of them are repeating what they hear on Faux Noise. Do any of them have an original thought? I'm not sure, I haven't seen much evidence of it.

I agree that the Black women voters who supported Kamala in big numbers - they get it. It seems that most of the white women get it too, but I can only speak for the women I personally know. This is going to be a horrible next 4 years for all of us.

I'm baffled and discouraged watching my own state of Pennsylvania willing join the parade to Dumbfuckistan. It's so depressing.

[poli-junkie]

37. 40+ years of trickle down economics has

now morphed into fascism. Voters pin the blame for their struggles to get by on whomever’s in power. It’s now Trump’s turn to ignore them, and he will.

Dems need to take advantage of not being in power by returning to its roots as the party of the middle class. It’s the economy stupid.

[Akakoji]

48. Have to address the stupid part of that

Democrats need to learn to talk to and listen to the middle class. Especially, those that are less educated than they are. White men, people with college degrees your average person that does not know how the economy works still deserves attention. For most Democrats, the idea that someone might not have a high school diploma is inconceivable. And Democrats are known, for better or worse, as being the Party of the educational elite. It's a great thing that so many Democrats are college educated. It's a really bad thing when that makes those who are not feel less than.

[PennRalphie]

39. The economy is booming

Did you see that in one Harris ad? It should have been her number one talking point. I’ve been saying this for months.

Here in swing state PA, the economy is on fire. Everyone who wants a job has a job. Houses are selling as quick as possible. New construction is everywhere. Airports airplanes, hotels, cruise ships are all full. People have money to spend.

Did you ever hear an ad saying that?

Here in swing state PA we were inundated with ads-thousands upon thousands of ads. I never recall seeing one from Kamala Harris, talking about the booming economy.

I still felt confident that she was going to win this state by double digits. What changed my mind was election day itself. I had a meeting in a very red area. The lines to vote were the longest I have seen in my life. That worried me. I wonder how those people would have voted if Kamala Harris would have told them the economy is doing very well for them, not just the millionaire actors and singers who showed up at her rallies. . Instead, the ads were total negative all the time. I know many of you here on DU think negative ads work just fine.
I respectfully disagree.

[TheKentuckian]

59. Chump won on a positive message is a tough sell.

If that isn't the argument then I would say negative must have some utility.

[DemonGoddess]

43. One of the other things which played into it

which is really, really stupid and just show how ignorant half this country is. Instead of continuously tooting his own horn about what he was doing and how it benefited everyone, President Biden went to work. So, rather than being thankful for that service you had idiots who would rather be entertained by a monster.

[B.See]

44. No, it WASN'T about the economy. And IMO, saying so just

normalizes and rationalizes MAGA bullshit.

Except for the price gouging some corporations admitted to, the economy was (according to those in the field) strong.

ESPECIALLY given the fact that 400 ECONOMISTS, including 23 Nobel Prize winning economists, said Kamala's plan was FAR superior to Trump's and that Trump's will COST the middle class... big time.

So that 'economy' argument is bullshit. It was about exactly the same thing it was about in 2016.

It was about misogynistic men apparently threatened by women like Kamala, Michelle, and any strong minded, independently thinking woman

It was about women seeking autonomy over their own bodies and men like Trump who think women need "protection" from themselves.

It was about the "criminal and rapist" immigrants who are "poisoning the blood" of America... who are from "shithole countries" and who are "eating the cats and the dogs"... whether they're illegal or LEGAL.

It was about re-establishing the names of confederates to national institutions, and the embrace of that kind of ideology.

It was about voter suppression and disenfranchisement.

It was about "every city in America turning into Detroit" (a city with a sizable Black population (in case you missed the reference), the Central Park 5, the racist demeaning of a Black woman candidate (with the usual tropes reserved for people who trump reportedly considers "inherently lazy" )

and about sell-out sycophants like Donalds who was trotted out at Madison Square Garden to the tune of Dixie, no less, and who (according to Trump) was "ONE of the smart ones."

It was about HATE, racism, bigotry, a victim-hood mentality, and a sore-loser mindset out for revenge and "owning the libs."

So.......Don't ever give that kind of s----- more credit than it is due.

[Akakoji]

49. Disagree

Most of these traits disappear when people feel, or actually are, economically doing okay. Our biggest mistake was not listening to people, and challenging them. America has always been a racist, misogynist, classist country. Something drove them to believe in the victimhood angle.

[B.See]

56. Well I don't think it was mainly the economy

in spite of Trump voters and MAGA apologists seizing on that kind of bs excuse.

The hate they spewed at MSG certainly wasn't about the economy, nor any of their other racist, mean spirited, and malignant rhetoric

unless one falls for the false narrative that all those immigrants and Haitians supposedly "eating the cats and dogs" were also taking jobs (no one else wants) and spiking prices on goods and gasoline.

We'll see how that works out for 'em when there's no one left to work their fields and harvest their crops. We'll see how many magas rush in for THOSE positions when costs for produce skyrocket, and farmers fail again because of Trump's tariff wars. Btw,

There is also some theory being thrown up about how Democrats deserted the middle class. That's Democrats like Kamala, I suppose, who offered programs to uplift people and jumpstart small businesses while Trump and his filthy rich cronies benefit from tax cuts for corporations and the wealthy, then laugh about it. Right. He gave the middle class a tax cut alright... right up the bum.

Then tried to kill their healthcare to boot.

Who was it again trying to feed children via free summer lunch programs while magats blocked them? and trying to forgive student loans while magats blocked that? And trying to provide Medicaid to millions while magats blocked that as well?

Conversely,

Which party again has steadfastly opposed unions, collective bargaining, an increase to the federal minimum wage, legislation prohibiting bank junk fees? Which party again has undermined the Consumer Finance Protection Bureau?

Which party sat on thousands of pieces of (even bipartisan) legislation in the Senate... legislation aimed at helping the middle class, veterans and their families?

Which party is responsible for 10 of the last eleven recessions?

Well, we'll sure as hell "find out" won't we?

[DallasNE]

45. But What Is The Trump Plan For Cheap Eggs?

Is he going to outlaw chickens getting sick? About the only 2 areas where Trump had even a vague plan were immigration /deportaation, tax policy. and tariffs. When asked about how he would end the Ukraine war he just said that he had to keep it secret otherwise it wouldn't work - akin to Kissinger's secret plan to end the Vietnam war, which turned out to be "Vietnamization". Harris was much more specific than Trump in her proposals. And not once did he say how he would pay for anything except tariffs. Where did the money for tariffs come from -- the American people in the form of higher prices.

[tulipsandroses]

47. I'm not buying the economy BS. If that's the case, you have no effin morals, no effin principles

We all watched that vile man incite an insurrection, and incite his violent followers to attack the capitol.
I am sure the “ economy” folks saw that too. What were your thoughts on that day?
If you don’t believe anything democrats say, you saw that with your own eyes.
There’s a reason trump needed a new running mate.
You don’t believe E. Jean or the jurors that found him liable? Fine. Women are not your concern, I get it.
The fraud he committed in NY by falsely inflating the value of his properties to get loans he would not otherwise be able to get? Then devaluing his properties to pay less taxes?
You are OK with that guy? That guy will be better for you financially?
You think that guy will do something about corporate price gouging in the housing market?

Yeah, I get you don’t care about others. Immigrants are not your concern. How about your daughters? wife? sisters?
Oh, you want to protect your daughters from trans athletes “getting run over by trans athletes or boys playing girls sports”.
Because that is so much more likely than pregnancy complications, miscarriages and rape. Right?
Oh, and I know a lot of our kids spend way too much time online and playing video games, instead of playing outdoors. Here’s the thing, and I know many of you Gen Xers, remember this too. When I was growing up, boys and girls played together and against each other. Not one day, can I recall being afraid of being run over. The Olympics has co-ed teams for several sports, maybe we should ban that out of fear the female athletes “ will be run over”.

This guy that pledges to withhold funding from universities that teach black history? You are OK with that?
Again, no morals, no principles.
Nah. It’s not me that needs soul searching.

[poli-junkie]

50. The bulk of voters vote with what's

left in their wallets at the end of the month. The economy may be booming but the average voter doesn’t see it. The cost of living is high relative to wages, especially rent. Now it’s Trump’s turn to show ‘em the money. But guess what? Trump will not lift a finger for these voters, and so they’ll swing back to Dems. Now is the opportunity for Dems to be the party of the middle class once again.

[Dlpger61]

60. It wasn't the economy

Is that after they spend their money on sporting events, trucks, guns, etc. So it's no problem buying $50-500 tickets to sporting events, but you complain about the price of eggs and gas?

Not buying the economy excuses, RACISM AND MISOGYNY.

[TheKentuckian]

61. Tariffs, tax cuts for the super rich, austerity, vaccine hokum, 7 trillion of empty debt, mass deportations are going to

do what for my wallet?

If your answer is to empty it well before the end of the month then two gold stars for you.

I don't want to hear about the economy when your prescription is to nuke it and ignore every credible economist in favor of the ranting of a mad and deeply corrupt carnival barker whose super power is bankrupting fucking casinos.

The excuse DOES NOT FLY BECAUSE IT IS PATENTLY ABSURD TO THE POINT OF UTTER INSANITY.

Can't nobody anywhere credibly explain how Chump's poppycock is not really stupid and bad much less how it is any benefit to poor, working class, or middle class people.

[love_katz]

69. Plus a gazillion.

The " it's the economy, stupid", people fell for the con, they bought the flim flam, they bought the get-rich-quick scheme. They think that their misogyny and racism are going to buy them entrance into the billionaire class.

Wake up, dumb shits. The billionaires are about to take everything you own or have ever worked for.

I really wish that there was a way to inflict the consequences only on the people who voted for this disaster, but that isn't how things work.

What happened: too many people are misogynist and racist, with some classism thrown in as well. They bought the fiction that billionaires are smarter, better people, who got all their success without ANY help or support from anyone else, and that those people deserve to rule.
And, they also bought the mass fiction that they just needed to hand over our government to "a business man", and flash boom, they would be saved and can become billionaires themselves.

The economy is very good and he as done remarkably well, after the tremendous damage done by the mishandled pandemic. But, Corporate McGreedia refused to be honest in their reporting and no one has figured out how to counter disinformation on Social McGreedia because they are privately owned businesses. More proof that the Private Sector is not automatically better for the public welfare ( I know they only care about their owners and shareholders. No one needs to remind me.)

[Emile]

51. It was about inflation and Republican propaganda

falsely blaming Joe Biden for the (worldwide) inflation.

[madaboutharry]

52. Ocelot II FTW.

[GoreWon2000]

53. It was all about maintaining the white anglo male power base

Sexism and racism are at the root of this.

[morillon]

54. I think it's an after-the-fact cover story

Trumpers and their toadies have latched on to the excuse that it was the economy and/or that Democrats are out of touch and so MEAN.

Maybe a few of them had concerns about their pocketbook, but to pretend like grievance and xenophobia and all kinds of bigotry weren't a huge factor is a whitewash.

[Ms. Toad]

63. It isn't about the ones who voted for Harris.

It is about the ones who didn't, and stayed home or vote for Stein.

The portion of our traditional base we lost were largely Muslim and/or low income/labor and black/Cuban men.

So yes, misogyny played a role in keeping some of our traditional base loyal - but what we need to pay attention to is why did we lost so many. And that is largely pocketbook economy and Gaza.

[TheKentuckian]

78. "And that is largely pocketbook economy and Gaza"

So, staggeringly beyond all hope stupid on both counts it is.

When they breathe does that action prevent thought because they are so damn limited in brain matter?

Watch me work this Whirlypop in anticipation of those two shows!

[Xolodno]

64. It was about the economy, get over it.

Look at all the job cuts this and last year. Look at all the company bankruptcies and closing stores. People cutting back due to inflation, strikes occurring, etc. Revolutions have started over food so it makes sense people voiced their anger at the ballot box. Doesn't make sense, but that's what happens.

[Ocelot II]

65. "Get over it"?

That’s kind of rude. Anyhow, if it was just the economy how do you explain why Black women, the most financially disadvantaged voting bloc, didn’t take out their financial discontent on the Democrats?

[Xolodno]

66. Simple. They didn't show up.

Last article I read even stated that Trump may even win the popular vote. And if Biden stayed, Trump was likely to win at least 400 electoral votes, a freaking landside. Sure, you get a new job making 50k but you were laid off previously making 100k, that's going to hurt no matter what.

Was there misogyny? racism? Absolutely. But you cant win those votes. Meahwhile, you have people living off ramen noodles while were sending aid to Israel, Ukraine, etc. in the billions. Our party fell for the same trap George H W Bush went into. Focusing too much on foreign policy and not focusing on the average american of all creeds, color, etc.

You may not like what I have to say, but it doesn't mean I'm wrong. Blaming things on issues we have no control over is only going to give us more defeats.

[TheKentuckian]

75. More fucking stupid.

All the foreign aid is a tiny portion of the budget and and not even a rounding error as a percentage of the economy.

That has zero impact on our struggles to make ends met, it is just more flailing to avoid the truth we are being fleeced right here at home and crazypants "free marketeers" demand the fleecing must go on so blame some nonsense that can never ever, nevah EVAH math out no matter how much acid one eats and no.matter.how much one squints.

Isolationism is for myopic idiots.

[dpibel]

77. Amazing, isn't it?

The explosion of wealth at the top during the Trump era. Elon Musk's net worth doubles during and immediately after the pandemic.

And still people are saying, "It's all about sending money overseas."

[TheKentuckian]

80. Mindblowing indeed.

Plus, GAWD FORBID if we do help anyone here at home directly that isn't a fatcat, cheap crazies/wannabe 21st century plantation overseers lose their minds.

They are STILL hollering about people not wanting to work about $1200 from four years ago.

Peckerwoods in this Mad Max insane asylum consider feeding our school kids as gotcha political.attack material so cries about helping at home tend to be straight up smokescreen and are always nonsense anyway.

[TheKentuckian]

72. If you are going to sell your nation and daughters for a dozen eggs

failure to at least get the eggs makes you a weapons grade stupid, low life, no good, back stabbing piece of shit.

Well, guess what China is fixing to buy so many less eggs than Mexico bought wall that a mortgage will be needed to make an omelette if the true cost was seen at the check out.

Did these fuckwits have a collective stroke or are they some weird tribe of brain damaged at birth Pakloids?

Ain't nobody that stupid, this is enemy action and if not, that level of stupidity is still unforgivable.

There won't be enough MAGA economic anxiety to fill an ice tray even if those retrogrades are living off quarter portions of beans and rice by the end of January.

Mark it down, we've seen the charade before.

Getovait!

[Xolodno]

103. This here...

....is why we lose.

[TheKentuckian]

104. You identify where I'm wrong and I will earnestly consider it.

[Xolodno]

105. Well, let me put it this way.

The Russian revolution started because two nobles were haggling over the profits of bread. So they held off selling it. The people started to riot when they couldn't purchase it, and thus, revolution against a three century dynasty began.

So yes, the price of eggs and other goods is going to affect matters. May not mean to a lot to you or me, but it does to others. Sure, our foreign aid is incosequential, but when your stomach is growling, it is that fucking consequential.

The bastard ran on a message of focusing here at home. Harris didn't even have enough time to craft a message other than being Biden 2.0, not fair to her.

If that doesn't resonate with you, then nothing I can say will. I know what it is to go hungry, and managed to claw and fight my way out of that life. How about you?

[TheKentuckian]

106. I know full well. I've been homeless for crying out loud.

Even now rent and food are eating me alive.

I've killed my savings trying to keep a roof over my head and my credit card balance now grows.

Yes, I'm fully in the fucking middle of this but have not taken leave of my senses. Chump's policies will make my struggles FAR more difficult.

Feel free to explain how crazy tariffs will lower costs?

Please explain to me how a bunch of austerity is going to make anyone better able to afford a damn thing.

How about educating me on how mass deportations will magically lower food prices when it can only spike them?

The reality is these policies directly and clearly obviously can only make bad worse and that I can't absorb, these stupid motherfuckers will have me back on the street.

You think I can handwaive that shit because these twits can't think?

You don't know what the hell you are talking about or to who.

I cannot afford what they did and neither can their dumbasses.

[Xolodno]

107. Understood. And I sympathize.

But calling people with some means a bunch of imbecilic assholes, is not going to win votes. Yes, they made a stupid decision, I won't argue that nor defend it. For that that matter, I'm not doing it now. My argument is how to reach to these people, just pissing on them is not going to work. But people don't make rational decisions when emotional. If you are just venting, no problem. But that doesn't solve the problem.

[TheKentuckian]

108. Thank you. I feel the argument is they behaved in a justifiable fashion so I'm glad

I have not been told to believe the irreconcilable.

I don't know if I'm venting or not. I may not make it back this time, I feel I have been put into the fire with no path forward and I hate the traitors and deserters pretty badly right now.

Not anger, actual hatred. They are fucking me.

[yardwork]

93. False. Jobs grew under Biden.

Company bankruptcies are mostly caused by people changing their buying habits from brick and mortar stores to the internet. And, there weren't that many bankruptcies.

Strikes were caused by low wages. Period.

[Xolodno]

99. You demonstrated my point perfectly.

"Low wages"

Exactly. You get fired but quickly get a new job. But instead of making 100k a year, you now only make 50k. Job numbers mean squat when it comes to income. Even then, some of those job numbers may be inflated. It's anecdotal, but a lot of people on my Linkedin account have become "consultants". And the industry isn't hiring high wage positions.

[yardwork]

100. You didn't say anything about low wages.

[Xolodno]

101. I have in other posts...

...just getting tired of repeating it. Racism, etc. Yes, that was there and we are never going to get those votes. However, your average voter is not a DU'er. Nor should we expect them to be. People often vote or don't with their emotions, I know, it doesn't make sense. But this is the reality, but not looking deeper into statistics can often lead you to the wrong conclusion. I should know, its my primary job.

[Hekate]

67. What bugs me about that claim is that it was really the stupid misogyny, the hatred of women

[oasis]

68. You are 100% correct.

[BlueKentuckyGirl]

71. Sometimes, I am embarrassed to be a white woman.

I am a 70 year old white woman and I have voted for the Democratic party all of my life. So, I am embarrassed to be in a group of people who overwhelmingly vote for Republicans. I have a brother-in-law who lives in Tennessee, and who once told me that I have a "black mentality". You know what? I consider that a badge of honor... a good thing.

[BattleRow]

73. A sister from another mister.

[Kali]

74. economy, racism, misogyny, other bigotries...

meh, bottom line is a whole lot of this country is just fucking mean, easily frightened, and ignorant.

[MrWowWow]

79. "all about the Economy" is just racist misogynistic code for...

"I ain't gonna vote for no woman..especially a colored one at that!"

[Ontheboundry]

83. Guessing nobody saw the NPR interview Friday

Where they broke down how, at least with hispanics, a national trend.

With Hispanic men, Hillary did way better than Biden, and Kamala did worse than Biden. I'm not sure the misogyny holds up under the microscope when looking at it historically slipping

The person who NPR interviewed said, Democrats target hispanics as recent immigrants when most are at least 2nd and 3rd generation and really don't think of themselves in the same.ligjt as an illegal,.as they are.invested into the system here.

They also noted that Hispanics overall are.vecoming.a very populist demographic,.and region makes.no difference in this trend

I'll.see if I can find a link for it,.since I heard it on the radio

[FBaggins]

84. Of course it was "the economy stupid"

One thing missing from all the counter speculation is an acceptance that voters were asked the question explicitly and there isn’t really any room for debate.

68% of the electorate said the economy was poor or “not good”. They went for Trump 70-28%

Impressions on the economy didn’t change when Biden dropped out. If anything - they should have improved because the news was generally positive. It’s unsupportable spin to claim that a white guy at the top of the ticket would have done better.

Note that this isn’t a denial of racism or misogyny in the electorate. But that’s not really the point you have to defend. The problem here is that you have to defend a very narrow type of racism/misogyny that supports someone for VP but not president

[TheKentuckian]

110. They are much more stupid than racist or sexist.

It is more like Stupids say it is the economy and voted to nuke it.

I don't want to hear cries about the cost of groceries if the fix is to expel the farm and meat cutting workers.

I believe it is a lie to be whining about affordability but then sign up for a South African billionaire to institute self described painful austerity.

When a peckerwood comes to me about things being too expensive but wants crippling tariffs then said peckerwood is full of runny shit.

When the hell has giving the super rich more tax cuts helped working and poor people?

How is adding SEVEN FUCKING TRILLION DOLLARS of completely empty calorie deficit spending to fluff billionaires not going to cripple the economy long term with zero growth at the root?

No, they could not possibly have the slightest concern about the economy if this shit is what the "prescription".

People are all but saying they too believe this brainless nonsense or they wouldn't be defending and making absurd excuses for it.

[DAngelo136]

85. The Canadian British Economist

Umair Haque broke this all down, in an article, that was linked to here in DU, 4 years ago titled: America’s Problem is That White People Want It to Be a Failed State Can America Solve the Problem of the White American Voter? Published in
Eudaimonia and Co Nov 1, 2020

He wrote the following:

"White Americans want America to be a failed state — and that is its fundamental, deep, and long standing problem. That is how America ended up here — more than half a century of white hostility to any kind of social progress whatsoever — which resulted in social collapse, and culminated in Trumpism. White people made America a failed state."

America’s problem is that white Americans as a social group, its majority social group, want America to be a failed state. They don’t want to live in a modern, civilized democracy, and never have.

Who voted, over and over again, to have worse lives? No healthcare, retirement, affordable education, childcare — no public goods of any kind whatsoever? White Americans did. What the? The question baffles the world. Why would anyone choose a worse life? The answer is that white Americans would not accept a society of true equals. “I won’t pay for those dirty, filthy peoples’ educations, healthcare, retirements! Why, their grandparents were my grandpappy’s slaves!” White Americans chose to retain power, supremacy, superiority, even in a failing society. They chose staying on top of decline and ruin, rather than prospering as equals.

It confounds people from all over the world. "How?" "Why?" they ask. The reason is very, very obvious.

White Americans are the rich world’s most hostile, ignorant, violent, cruel, and selfish social group — by a very long way. “Voting conservative” after all doesn’t mean nearly the same thing in Europe or Canada. There, even conservative parties agree on the basics — people should have healthcare, education, retirement, that the only point of the public purse isn’t endless war and death machines. Conservatism in America is off the charts, and so “voting” that way carries a very different meaning. It means that White Americans are the rich world’s most regressive, ignorant, and self-destructive political bloc — by such a long way that they might as well not be in the rich world at all.(ibid)

This is the fundamental blind spot that Rev. Barber, Bernie Sanders, every so called "progressive", Liberal and yes, even Leftists refuse to see.
When pundits talk about "messaging", the only message that white Americans will ever respond to will be the repeal of the Voting Rights Act. That's what it would take. LBJ KNEW what was going to happen when he signed the bill in 1964 that the Democrats would lose the South for at least a generation; that's what Nixon's Southern Strategy was all about. And dammit, it worked. "It's the RACISM and now the MISOGYNY!"

The economy is the fig leaf rationale that covers the actual reason. Because white Americans' self image of themselves contradicts their very ugly actions, they gaslight themselves and others into believing the lie. But, actions speak louder than words, don't they?

Since 1964, no Democrat has won the majority of white votes. Now, what politically seismic event happened in 1964? Look at the voting patterns
https://www.americanprogress.org/article/what-about-white-voters/
Hello?

W.E.B. DuBois, who was a Socialist, who read Marx, observed that white Americans do not identify along class lines but racial ones:

"It must be remembered that the white group of laborers, while they received a low wage, were compensated in part by a sort of public and psychological wage. They were given public deference and titles of courtesy because they were white. They were admitted freely with all classes of white people to public functions, public parks, and the best schools. The police were drawn from their ranks, and the courts, dependent upon their votes, treated them with such leniency as to encourage lawlessness. Their vote selected public officials, and while this had small effect upon the economic situation, it had great effect upon their personal treatment and the deference shown them. White schoolhouses were the best in the community, and conspicuously placed, and they cost anywhere from twice to ten times as much per capita as the colored schools. The newspapers specialized on news that flattered the poor whites and almost utterly ignored the Negro except in crime and ridicule."From "Black Reconstruction in America: An Essay Toward a History of the Part Which Black Folk Played in the Attempt to Reconstruct Democracy in America, 1860–1880" (1935)

-

What did LBJ say? "If you can convince the lowest white man he's better than the best colored man, he won't notice you're picking his pocket. Hell, give him somebody to look down on, and he'll empty his pockets for you."
And they did, didn't they? He was basically robbing them and they voted for him anyway.

Face it, America. This is a country of white supremacists, misogynists, bigots and racists. White America has spoken. They chose, consistently, white male mediocrity over female and Black excellence. Black folks, especially Black women are done with maintaining the charade that Americans are serious about peace and prosperity. White Americans got us into this, only white Americans can fix it. But y'all got to get over your delusions, first.

“If you don't understand white supremacy/racism ,everything that you do understand will only confuse you..”― Neely Fuller, Jr., The United Independent Compensatory Code System Concept a textbook/workbook for Thought, Speech and/or Action for Victims of Racism

[D23MIURG23]

86. It's not about the economy. In 3 months were going to be hearing that the economy is great. n/t

[TheKentuckian]

111. By the end of January MAGA will be bragging to beat the band

about the greatest economy in the history of the world even if they are living off grubs.

[Linda ladeewolf]

87. Not the economy

They just didn’t want a woman in charge. Hilary was white and too many didn’t want her in charge. They keep going on about the economy, but I haven’t really noticed the difference, gas prices have always gone up and down so has the cost of food. Just wait six months, I’m sure they’ll be saying the economy is great even if eggs are $20 a dozen and gas is $20 a gallon. These people are that stupid and trump will blame it all on Biden, when he isn’t even in office and these nit wits will still believe the lies. I’m not in the stock market, so don’t use it to judge the economy. I use other factors. History, previous economic events.

[bdamomma]

88. Just a question

may be not related to OP. Do you Blue states support Red states??? And do Red States officials retain that money for themselves and don't forward those funds for essential services for their constituents.

Can a DU'er can enlighten me on this subject?

[yardwork]

92. Of course!

I know that many people feel left behind in this economy but those are not the people who voted for Trump.

[LetMyPeopleVote]

94. The threat of Trump's tariffs is already impacting how businesses operate, steering money away from bonuses and raises

Link to tweet

[58Sunliner]

95. Not buying the economy either. Sexism/racism.

[PaulnFortWorth]

96. It WASN'T The Economy

It was Misogyny and Racism. HATE of minorities in America was a stronger pull than "Love Thy Neighbor". When the majority of Americans can choose a convicted felon and con-man over a competent black woman during a period of economic growth and low unemployment just blew my mind.

[bonniebgood]

97. IN MY BRAIN It was All About National Security , Trump wanted the Office & the Office wanted

To Keep those Classified Documents, That Trump Stole, out of the hands of THE Enemies. BLACKMAIL. Nothing Else Makes Sense. Period. Right Now President Biden could release that information but he won’t. For the same Reason President Kennedy assignation will never be released.

[iemanja]

98. Democrats lost the vote of people making under $50k for the first time

in a long time. Telling people the economy is great while there suffering is not a winning tactic.

[Opbrg]

102. Of course

they would say the economy...they aren't going to be honest and say they are racist

[Blue_Tires]

109. It was NEVER about "the economy"

It wasn't even "about the economy" in 2016...