Although when it comes to the working class, what the hell have republicans ever done for them or the middle class?
We have the Trump haters, the double Trump haters, but I now belong to the group of people who want all the Trump voters to get exactly what they wished for: good and hard!
The Palestinians and Muslims wanted their pound of flesh; they got it! Now let’s see how they feel when Huckleberry, I mean Huckabee is the US Ambassador to Israel? He’s a Christian Zionist who believes Israel needs to control all of Judea and Samaria, in order for End Times can send us Jews and Muslims to the dustbin of hell! Can’t wait to see their shock and anger when Trump hands Netanyahu his get out of jail free card?
And as for the immigrants who want all the other immigrants deported, because Trump isn’t coming for them, let’s see how that works out when their family members, legal or not, are caught up in the “feeding frenzy” that takes on a life of its own!
Or how about all those good pro-choice women who believe that Trump’s women’s reproductive rights agenda is better for them than Harris; I’m sure they’ll be fine when they, or a family member goes through a miscarriage and can’t get any treatments until they’re literally on life support!
And let’s not forget the Union members who are certain Trump is bringing back manufacturing jobs, let’s just hope they’re not the ones on the chopping block, when Made in China makes its comeback; after all, who do you think financed his campaign and his meme stock, which they could easily tank? If you haven’t guessed, it’s the same people who outsource to China and SE Asia!
So hers a shout out to all the “rubes,” I mean Trump supporters out there, as I leave you with a few words of wisdom which many of us tried to convey before the election, but fell on deaf ears: HOLD MY BEER!…:)
Meanwhile, the chilling reality of the New World Order is coming into focus. MSNBC's Morning Joe team flew to Mar-a-Lago to "kiss the ring" and 60 Minutes produced an 87 minute show filled with puff pieces, with only 3 minutes of political discourse (a recap of Trump's cabinet picks with slim commentary) -- looks like both channels are getting in line to save their licenses and keep their talent out of prison. A top Russian ballet dancer "fell from a balcony", by accident of course, though he was critical of the war in Ukraine, and I can't help but wonder when similar fates will befall the likes of Kimmel, Maddow, Jost, Colbert, Adam Kissinger, AOC, Cheney, Haley, and others. Trump announced he's going to implement Martial Law to manage the deportations and it doesn't even make headline news.
Perhaps the most chilling thing about having a Fox News Weekend host run the military is the likelihood we'll stop using our military overseas and use them exclusively at home to keep the US population under strict command.
"Bitecofer believes that because Democrats have focused so exclusively on identity politics in recent times, they have ceded working class issues to Republicans."
Were they and have they? Really?
I recall Democratic ads mentioning subsidies to homeowners, and cracking down on price gouging, and strengthening unions, and promoting healthcare. I recall Republican ads mentioning LGBTQ, and transsexuals in bathrooms, and what a woman is or isn't, all in complaining about Dems who, again, had working class issues as the dominating forefront of their campaign.
Regarding Rachel Biticofer's analysis. I agree in theory with her argument that Dems need to come up with broad unifying themes to attract the working class. However, I paid a lot of attention to Harris' speeches during the campaign and I didn't see much in the way of identity politics. Harris downplayed her own "identity" except her identity as someone from the middle class. Her policy proposals looked pretty broad-based to me. For example, $6,000 tax credit for every family having a baby, no mention of the "identity" of said families. Harris never made transgender rights a central plank in her electoral message. Pro-Trump ads made transgender issues a central focus, the same way same-sex marriage was a big deal in 2004, because of right-wing propaganda.
And there's the rub. I think perhaps it's pervasive right-wing propaganda that accuses the Dems of "identity politics" that has been as effective as anything to get people to think the Dems are guilty of some of the most ridiculous things that don't happen (sex-change operations at schools, for ex.) If we don't figure out a way to counter this propaganda, no change in "messaging" by the Dems will ever be enough.
Good points. You definitely can't discount the effect of right wing propaganda. However the reality is that Democrats have been focused on identity politics for so long that pivoting last minute during the campaign wasn't enough. Harris did immense damage to herself in the 2020 Dem primaries by running almost exclusively on identity politics, particularly her statement on providing gender surgery for inmates and illegal immigrants. She didn't distance herself from them in 2024 and the GOP crucified her for it. The ad they ran was incredibly successful. The whole thing sucks, but if Democrats want to win they need to distance themselves from the gender affirming care/pronoun stuff quickly, at least when it comes to campaigning. As Bitecofer says, you can only protect these vulnerable communities by getting into power.
It is indeed pervasive right wing propaganda that has gotten people to think the Dems ran on "identity politics" (which they barely mentioned) and did nothing to attract the middle/working class (which was actually pretty much all they talked about).
It's been a highly effective propaganda campaign as you can tell from the fact Ben echoes their misrepresentation as if it's a given fact. "Democrats have focused so exclusively on identity politics in recent times, they have ceded working class issues to Republicans." Bullshit.
One of Trump’s most effective attack ads featured a clip of Harris vowing to defend the right of trans prisoners to gender affirming healthcare in prison. That’s literally electoral poison. Why would anyone with national political aspirations say something so tone deaf?
There is a national rationalization going on. Harris lost because; she was too extreme, too moderate, Anti - Semitic, supported genocide of Gaza, the economy, inflation, cackled, not experienced enough, too much of a Washington insider, was forced on us...etc., etc., etc. We, as a nation and as a political party if you are a Democrat, refuse to follow Occam's Razor, which given the plethora of contradictory reasons offered makes it more likely the reason Kamala Harris lost was her sex and her race. Don't like? Doesn't matter. Want to refute it? Do so in a way that is not contradictory. A WAPO opinion writer had the temerity to write the phrase "ideal candidate" referring to Trump and Harris. It is ridiculous and literally insane to use that phrase and somehow suggest Harris was lacking in comparison Trump. She lost because of misogyny and racism.
Excellent Ben,
Although when it comes to the working class, what the hell have republicans ever done for them or the middle class?
We have the Trump haters, the double Trump haters, but I now belong to the group of people who want all the Trump voters to get exactly what they wished for: good and hard!
The Palestinians and Muslims wanted their pound of flesh; they got it! Now let’s see how they feel when Huckleberry, I mean Huckabee is the US Ambassador to Israel? He’s a Christian Zionist who believes Israel needs to control all of Judea and Samaria, in order for End Times can send us Jews and Muslims to the dustbin of hell! Can’t wait to see their shock and anger when Trump hands Netanyahu his get out of jail free card?
And as for the immigrants who want all the other immigrants deported, because Trump isn’t coming for them, let’s see how that works out when their family members, legal or not, are caught up in the “feeding frenzy” that takes on a life of its own!
Or how about all those good pro-choice women who believe that Trump’s women’s reproductive rights agenda is better for them than Harris; I’m sure they’ll be fine when they, or a family member goes through a miscarriage and can’t get any treatments until they’re literally on life support!
And let’s not forget the Union members who are certain Trump is bringing back manufacturing jobs, let’s just hope they’re not the ones on the chopping block, when Made in China makes its comeback; after all, who do you think financed his campaign and his meme stock, which they could easily tank? If you haven’t guessed, it’s the same people who outsource to China and SE Asia!
So hers a shout out to all the “rubes,” I mean Trump supporters out there, as I leave you with a few words of wisdom which many of us tried to convey before the election, but fell on deaf ears: HOLD MY BEER!…:)
Perfect in a nutshell response
Meanwhile, the chilling reality of the New World Order is coming into focus. MSNBC's Morning Joe team flew to Mar-a-Lago to "kiss the ring" and 60 Minutes produced an 87 minute show filled with puff pieces, with only 3 minutes of political discourse (a recap of Trump's cabinet picks with slim commentary) -- looks like both channels are getting in line to save their licenses and keep their talent out of prison. A top Russian ballet dancer "fell from a balcony", by accident of course, though he was critical of the war in Ukraine, and I can't help but wonder when similar fates will befall the likes of Kimmel, Maddow, Jost, Colbert, Adam Kissinger, AOC, Cheney, Haley, and others. Trump announced he's going to implement Martial Law to manage the deportations and it doesn't even make headline news.
Perhaps the most chilling thing about having a Fox News Weekend host run the military is the likelihood we'll stop using our military overseas and use them exclusively at home to keep the US population under strict command.
Adam *Kinzinger*
What's stupid about this is, networks do not require broadcast licenses, nor cable outlets. Individual local broadcast stations do.
Great post Benn will share it , Peace to you
"Bitecofer believes that because Democrats have focused so exclusively on identity politics in recent times, they have ceded working class issues to Republicans."
Were they and have they? Really?
I recall Democratic ads mentioning subsidies to homeowners, and cracking down on price gouging, and strengthening unions, and promoting healthcare. I recall Republican ads mentioning LGBTQ, and transsexuals in bathrooms, and what a woman is or isn't, all in complaining about Dems who, again, had working class issues as the dominating forefront of their campaign.
"Democrats have focused exclusively on identity politics" is buying into the lies and misrepresentations Republicans make about Dems. As noted by the Ogre, "They clearly did not watch Harris’ actual campaign. They watched the fictional campaign fabricated by the right and amplified by the legacy press." https://substack.com/home/post/p-151799408#:~:text=I%20saw%20a%20comic%20a%20few%20days%20ago%20that%20was%20spot%20on%20and%20not%20in%20the%20way%20the%20asshole%20cartoonist%20wanted%3A
Regarding Rachel Biticofer's analysis. I agree in theory with her argument that Dems need to come up with broad unifying themes to attract the working class. However, I paid a lot of attention to Harris' speeches during the campaign and I didn't see much in the way of identity politics. Harris downplayed her own "identity" except her identity as someone from the middle class. Her policy proposals looked pretty broad-based to me. For example, $6,000 tax credit for every family having a baby, no mention of the "identity" of said families. Harris never made transgender rights a central plank in her electoral message. Pro-Trump ads made transgender issues a central focus, the same way same-sex marriage was a big deal in 2004, because of right-wing propaganda.
And there's the rub. I think perhaps it's pervasive right-wing propaganda that accuses the Dems of "identity politics" that has been as effective as anything to get people to think the Dems are guilty of some of the most ridiculous things that don't happen (sex-change operations at schools, for ex.) If we don't figure out a way to counter this propaganda, no change in "messaging" by the Dems will ever be enough.
Good points. You definitely can't discount the effect of right wing propaganda. However the reality is that Democrats have been focused on identity politics for so long that pivoting last minute during the campaign wasn't enough. Harris did immense damage to herself in the 2020 Dem primaries by running almost exclusively on identity politics, particularly her statement on providing gender surgery for inmates and illegal immigrants. She didn't distance herself from them in 2024 and the GOP crucified her for it. The ad they ran was incredibly successful. The whole thing sucks, but if Democrats want to win they need to distance themselves from the gender affirming care/pronoun stuff quickly, at least when it comes to campaigning. As Bitecofer says, you can only protect these vulnerable communities by getting into power.
It is indeed pervasive right wing propaganda that has gotten people to think the Dems ran on "identity politics" (which they barely mentioned) and did nothing to attract the middle/working class (which was actually pretty much all they talked about).
It's been a highly effective propaganda campaign as you can tell from the fact Ben echoes their misrepresentation as if it's a given fact. "Democrats have focused so exclusively on identity politics in recent times, they have ceded working class issues to Republicans." Bullshit.
One of Trump’s most effective attack ads featured a clip of Harris vowing to defend the right of trans prisoners to gender affirming healthcare in prison. That’s literally electoral poison. Why would anyone with national political aspirations say something so tone deaf?
There is a national rationalization going on. Harris lost because; she was too extreme, too moderate, Anti - Semitic, supported genocide of Gaza, the economy, inflation, cackled, not experienced enough, too much of a Washington insider, was forced on us...etc., etc., etc. We, as a nation and as a political party if you are a Democrat, refuse to follow Occam's Razor, which given the plethora of contradictory reasons offered makes it more likely the reason Kamala Harris lost was her sex and her race. Don't like? Doesn't matter. Want to refute it? Do so in a way that is not contradictory. A WAPO opinion writer had the temerity to write the phrase "ideal candidate" referring to Trump and Harris. It is ridiculous and literally insane to use that phrase and somehow suggest Harris was lacking in comparison Trump. She lost because of misogyny and racism.
https://open.substack.com/pub/billionairbear/p/trump-canal-solving-illegal-immigration?r=1g5bw0&utm_medium=ios
"This one graph tells us exactly why Democrats lost."
Really? A single graph has THE answer. Impressive. A Chuck Todd-worthy sentence.
Ok, this is kind of funny. It's like realizing what Bernie Sanders has been saying, without necessarily attributing it to his observation.