see, I think the title doesn’t do the piece justice. The piece really hones in on the point that Harris did NOT listen to her constituents. So it’s not necessarily democratic voters, but democratic POLITICIANS who only have themselves to blame. And, more often than not American voters vote emotionally. There’s plenty of reasons under the sun to NOT vote for trump, but the Harris PR team didn't give adequate reasons to vote FOR Harris. It’s the arrogance and lack of accountability (Palestine, the economy, reproductive rights- to name a few) in her campaign that lost her the presidency.
I also think the loyalty section deserves to be highlighted in the title or description- that a democratic candidate is not entitled to the vote of POC Americans. The title as it is now can easily be taken by liberals (I say as a communist in the Midwest, surrounded by white liberals) as an attack on them as voters.
^^ purely constructive criticism, great article overall! ;D
This is a great article. I'm Irish, we totally understand the tyranny of colonial domination. It's true, Harris never condemned the Genocide, in fact she never even framed it as Genocide. And way back in October '23 when Biden visited Israel and hugged Netanyahu, that was pathetic. He hugged a right wing fascist, everything he criticised in the US. I believe the Democrats lost the election with that hug. The cognitive dissonance was too much for people.
I have been very clear in my politics that the US needs to stop supporting Israel. End of discussion. And I was very much hoping that with Harris this process would begin. My thought was at least with her there could be a discussion and we can move this forward. From your standpoint the surrogates she sent to Michigan - intentionally or unintentionally sent a very clear message that it would be status quo. So not voting seems to be the way to go. Why the votes for Trump?
Trump will be no better, but why would Arab and Muslims vote for Harris, after Biden refused to stop Netanyahu's obsession with ethnically cleansing Palestinians from Gaza? Palestinians have nothing more to lose.
I've always "felt" like a very moderate person. No extreme views or beliefs about anything, really. However as the years have gone I've become aware of a few things that shook my centrist identity:
1) the national "center" has been creeping steadily to the Right for decades. Hard right historical figures like Nixon and Reagan would likely be categorized as "Republicans in name only" now, if judged by their platforms and policies.
2) 40 years of hard data prove how disasterous unfettered Capitalism has been for lower and middle class Americans, not to mention it's role in the subjugation and deaths of millions across the globe.
3) Repeatedly, the US has failed to uphold the rule of law internationally, and has NEVER applied ethical standards equally.
4) The US is committed to the assumption that criticism of the state of Israel, and the holding of Israel to the same basic standards that every other country is held to = antisemitism, full stop. (See point 3, above)
5) My taxes fund the domination and exploitation of much of the world.
I now find myself in the strange and unfamiliar position of realizing that my personal values and opinions are now considered radical, far left and extreme by general cultural standards.
The Democratic party is less far-Right than the Republicans. But it's still part of the insatiable corporate machine. I voted for Kamala in an attempt to prevent the worst of a Trump v.2 presidency, but I know that real progress and change isn't coming from the Democratic party, at least not in its current form.
While many analysts offer complex theories about the Democrats' defeat, I've observed a simpler truth through my extensive travels across the Midwest as a healthcare professional. We don't need elaborate research studies or lengthy academic conferences to understand what happened – the answer lies in three fundamental issues that turned even hardcore leftists into Trump supporters.
First and foremost, let's address the elephant in the room: the gender factor. Whether we like it or not (and I personally don't), America remains stubbornly patriarchal in its political preferences. Trump would have likely never made it to the White House if Hillary Clinton and Kamala Harris weren't in the picture. I can't count how many times I've heard voters – even progressive ones – express subtle (and sometimes not-so-subtle) reservations about female leadership at the presidential level. Some might argue this reflects poorly on our society's progress, but denying this reality doesn't make it disappear.
Second, the cultural battleground over gender identity and what conservatives call the "sexualization of children" has become a massive voting issue. I've witnessed firsthand how parents and grandparents who once supported progressive causes have shifted their allegiance out of fear for their children's wellbeing. The so-called "trans revolution" and debates over gender identity in schools have spooked many traditional Democratic voters into Trump's camp. They view him, despite his flaws, as someone who will "protect" traditional values and their children's innocence. This issue has proven particularly potent in suburban communities where parents feel increasingly alienated from local school policies and curriculum decisions.
Third, and perhaps most predictably, immigration and the southern border crisis have become major turning points. The Republicans masterfully played this angle, transforming complex immigration policy debates into simple, emotionally resonant messages about safety and security. The images of migrants being bused to sanctuary cities and receiving free housing while American citizens remain homeless on the streets have struck a powerful chord. I've heard countless voters express frustration at seeing resources directed toward new arrivals while homeless veterans and families struggle in their own communities. Even in the Midwest, far from the border, these concerns have deeply resonated with voters who previously showed little interest in immigration issues.
What's truly shocking – and I see this regularly in my field work across the healthcare industry – is the profile of these Trump voters. If you had told me years ago that these hardcore leftists would switch sides, I would have laughed in disbelief. Yet here we are. I've sat in break rooms and homes across the Midwest, listening to former progressives explain their dramatic political shift. Sometimes it's one of these issues that pushed them over the edge; often it's a combination of all three.
The conversations I've had reveal a deep disconnect between Democratic Party leadership and their former base. These aren't the stereotypical Trump supporters often portrayed in media narratives. They're healthcare workers, educators, and small business owners who once considered themselves solid Democrats but now feel the party has drifted too far from their values and concerns.
From my vantage point traveling through America's heartland, these aren't just theories – they're the unavoidable conclusions drawn from countless conversations with real voters who've made this dramatic political shift. Until we're willing to honestly confront these uncomfortable truths, we'll keep getting blindsided by election results that seem to defy conventional political wisdom.
Those are all good points about the American heartland. Thanks for sharing.
Looking in from outside America, I was struck by how Trump's MAGAs blocked the push for a $15 adult minimum wage, which would have lifted millions of working poor out of poverty, but then tge MAGAs fed on the anger of the very working poor they had blocked from a higher wage. And people swallowed their lies.
Here in Australia the minimum wage is $24, Australian salaries are generally higher than in America, but businesses go on and life is much better.
So Arab & Muslim voters are going to put their trust in the hands of a man who tried to introduce a highly restrictive ban on Muslim immigrants during his last term in office? The same person who criticised Biden for not allowing Netanyahu to "finish the job" in Gaza? Hmm....
Did you read the entire piece? I say explicitly we know Trump is not better - but Kamala and her party have sent bombs each day for the last year to kill Gazans (they are already finishing the job). Now they know that the Arab/Muslim vote means something, and we hold political power.
Based take!!
see, I think the title doesn’t do the piece justice. The piece really hones in on the point that Harris did NOT listen to her constituents. So it’s not necessarily democratic voters, but democratic POLITICIANS who only have themselves to blame. And, more often than not American voters vote emotionally. There’s plenty of reasons under the sun to NOT vote for trump, but the Harris PR team didn't give adequate reasons to vote FOR Harris. It’s the arrogance and lack of accountability (Palestine, the economy, reproductive rights- to name a few) in her campaign that lost her the presidency.
I also think the loyalty section deserves to be highlighted in the title or description- that a democratic candidate is not entitled to the vote of POC Americans. The title as it is now can easily be taken by liberals (I say as a communist in the Midwest, surrounded by white liberals) as an attack on them as voters.
^^ purely constructive criticism, great article overall! ;D
This is a great article. I'm Irish, we totally understand the tyranny of colonial domination. It's true, Harris never condemned the Genocide, in fact she never even framed it as Genocide. And way back in October '23 when Biden visited Israel and hugged Netanyahu, that was pathetic. He hugged a right wing fascist, everything he criticised in the US. I believe the Democrats lost the election with that hug. The cognitive dissonance was too much for people.
I have been very clear in my politics that the US needs to stop supporting Israel. End of discussion. And I was very much hoping that with Harris this process would begin. My thought was at least with her there could be a discussion and we can move this forward. From your standpoint the surrogates she sent to Michigan - intentionally or unintentionally sent a very clear message that it would be status quo. So not voting seems to be the way to go. Why the votes for Trump?
Trump will be no better, but why would Arab and Muslims vote for Harris, after Biden refused to stop Netanyahu's obsession with ethnically cleansing Palestinians from Gaza? Palestinians have nothing more to lose.
It's almost as if USasians don't enjoy their democracy!
I've always "felt" like a very moderate person. No extreme views or beliefs about anything, really. However as the years have gone I've become aware of a few things that shook my centrist identity:
1) the national "center" has been creeping steadily to the Right for decades. Hard right historical figures like Nixon and Reagan would likely be categorized as "Republicans in name only" now, if judged by their platforms and policies.
2) 40 years of hard data prove how disasterous unfettered Capitalism has been for lower and middle class Americans, not to mention it's role in the subjugation and deaths of millions across the globe.
3) Repeatedly, the US has failed to uphold the rule of law internationally, and has NEVER applied ethical standards equally.
4) The US is committed to the assumption that criticism of the state of Israel, and the holding of Israel to the same basic standards that every other country is held to = antisemitism, full stop. (See point 3, above)
5) My taxes fund the domination and exploitation of much of the world.
I now find myself in the strange and unfamiliar position of realizing that my personal values and opinions are now considered radical, far left and extreme by general cultural standards.
The Democratic party is less far-Right than the Republicans. But it's still part of the insatiable corporate machine. I voted for Kamala in an attempt to prevent the worst of a Trump v.2 presidency, but I know that real progress and change isn't coming from the Democratic party, at least not in its current form.
Don't they always🤣
Hogwash!
While many analysts offer complex theories about the Democrats' defeat, I've observed a simpler truth through my extensive travels across the Midwest as a healthcare professional. We don't need elaborate research studies or lengthy academic conferences to understand what happened – the answer lies in three fundamental issues that turned even hardcore leftists into Trump supporters.
First and foremost, let's address the elephant in the room: the gender factor. Whether we like it or not (and I personally don't), America remains stubbornly patriarchal in its political preferences. Trump would have likely never made it to the White House if Hillary Clinton and Kamala Harris weren't in the picture. I can't count how many times I've heard voters – even progressive ones – express subtle (and sometimes not-so-subtle) reservations about female leadership at the presidential level. Some might argue this reflects poorly on our society's progress, but denying this reality doesn't make it disappear.
Second, the cultural battleground over gender identity and what conservatives call the "sexualization of children" has become a massive voting issue. I've witnessed firsthand how parents and grandparents who once supported progressive causes have shifted their allegiance out of fear for their children's wellbeing. The so-called "trans revolution" and debates over gender identity in schools have spooked many traditional Democratic voters into Trump's camp. They view him, despite his flaws, as someone who will "protect" traditional values and their children's innocence. This issue has proven particularly potent in suburban communities where parents feel increasingly alienated from local school policies and curriculum decisions.
Third, and perhaps most predictably, immigration and the southern border crisis have become major turning points. The Republicans masterfully played this angle, transforming complex immigration policy debates into simple, emotionally resonant messages about safety and security. The images of migrants being bused to sanctuary cities and receiving free housing while American citizens remain homeless on the streets have struck a powerful chord. I've heard countless voters express frustration at seeing resources directed toward new arrivals while homeless veterans and families struggle in their own communities. Even in the Midwest, far from the border, these concerns have deeply resonated with voters who previously showed little interest in immigration issues.
What's truly shocking – and I see this regularly in my field work across the healthcare industry – is the profile of these Trump voters. If you had told me years ago that these hardcore leftists would switch sides, I would have laughed in disbelief. Yet here we are. I've sat in break rooms and homes across the Midwest, listening to former progressives explain their dramatic political shift. Sometimes it's one of these issues that pushed them over the edge; often it's a combination of all three.
The conversations I've had reveal a deep disconnect between Democratic Party leadership and their former base. These aren't the stereotypical Trump supporters often portrayed in media narratives. They're healthcare workers, educators, and small business owners who once considered themselves solid Democrats but now feel the party has drifted too far from their values and concerns.
From my vantage point traveling through America's heartland, these aren't just theories – they're the unavoidable conclusions drawn from countless conversations with real voters who've made this dramatic political shift. Until we're willing to honestly confront these uncomfortable truths, we'll keep getting blindsided by election results that seem to defy conventional political wisdom.
Those are all good points about the American heartland. Thanks for sharing.
Looking in from outside America, I was struck by how Trump's MAGAs blocked the push for a $15 adult minimum wage, which would have lifted millions of working poor out of poverty, but then tge MAGAs fed on the anger of the very working poor they had blocked from a higher wage. And people swallowed their lies.
Here in Australia the minimum wage is $24, Australian salaries are generally higher than in America, but businesses go on and life is much better.
I really fear America is failing as a democracy.
So Arab & Muslim voters are going to put their trust in the hands of a man who tried to introduce a highly restrictive ban on Muslim immigrants during his last term in office? The same person who criticised Biden for not allowing Netanyahu to "finish the job" in Gaza? Hmm....
Did you read the entire piece? I say explicitly we know Trump is not better - but Kamala and her party have sent bombs each day for the last year to kill Gazans (they are already finishing the job). Now they know that the Arab/Muslim vote means something, and we hold political power.
Yes, but the American government has been captured by the Jewish lobby. However, Arabs and Muslims outnumber Jews, so that counts at the ballot box.