Listening to the pundits and the stuff going around social media makes me think that republicans likely win again in 2028.
After 2016 we were told that Hillary lost because of sexism, mixed with a little racism and homophobia. Apparently a grotesque stew of deplorable nitwits came out of the woodwork to try and kill America.
Eight years later and it is the exact same narrative about why Harris lost. There is zero recognition of the fact that democrats have lost the working class, and that people are sick of performative identity politics. The leadership in the Democratic Party is completely full of shit, and consumed with self righteousness. That is not a combination that lends itself to self reflection and growth.
There are plenty of deplorable, q anon dipshits out there. The extreme right Christian nationalist morons certainly exist, and we should probably keep a fairly close eye on them to make sure they’re kept in check. But they’re a small minority of extremists and there certainly aren’t nearly enough of them to win elections.
The brain rot on the left is a different beast. It may not be as radical, but it’s much more pervasive. The ‘land acknowledgements’ and woke oppression Olympics have become mainstream. The Democratic Party needs to change but so does its base. Until they get back to focusing on substantive issues that affect working middle class voters, they will continue to lose elections. Ironically, they will continue to take losses on the social issues in the process, because of the inability to coherently address the economic issues plaguing the middle class.
Sadly, I don’t think this country will ever come back together until/unless there is another major tragedy. Both sides had been thoroughly convinced that if they lost this election it would be the end of democracy. The truth is that we don’t need corrupt political elites to kill democracy, it seems like we’re perfectly capable of doing that to ourselves.
any tragedy-induced coming together is going to be temporary. Any true coming together is extremely unlikely. There will continue to be an ongoing, natural slide toward a more socialistic society and there will be those who resist that slide.
And I say 'natural' slide not because I think it's a good thing but because it's inevitable that in a successful, pampered society, so many people are enlightened only by their immediate environment which makes them ask, we have it so good, why can't we change the rules to let everybody have it so good. They tend to think of their situation as the natural default human condition which others are being deprived of. So they join forces with those who do have less.
Meanwhile others (that would include me) feel that this is taking away the driving force that allowed the society to become as good as it is, and who understand that the default natural human condition is harsh and competitive.. The stratification of classes is due to such competition, which is a good and necessary thing and which ultimately benefits everyone although not necessarily equally. The socialistic think of competition and class distinction as unfair and therefor wrong. Well of course it's unfair...it's life. But being life, it isn't wrong.
Those on the right think we have done enough in providing a path for anyone who wants to put his nose to the grindstone, while those on the left don't think that's good enough. Rightists want a level playing field, leftists want a level outcome. Equality or equity.
The long and the short of it is an old story....we are spoiled and being fooled by our own success.
