Since the US Presidential Election of November 5th, 2024, I have seen a lot from Democrats and Harris supporters. I’ve seen a great deal of introspection. I’ve seen a great deal of hand-wringing. I’ve seen articles and posts asking for curiosity and courage. I’ve seen calls for reform.
I’ve seen a ton of Monday-Morning Quarterbacking.
Fair enough. Once again, the Democrats lost a crucial election to an odious political outsider (at least in 2016) who traffics in hatred, racism, and misogyny. A complicated, matrixed society like the United States has given astonishing powers to a person for whom personal vendetta is a higher calling than the good of the citizenry he governs. The losing side has only found the terminal disease during the autopsy, even as it could not identify any problem as it limped, slurred, and sputtered on its slow walk to November 5th.
The theories for its demise abound. Some say it is the “Economy Stupid.” Others find blame in the high number of non-white-males who voted for the “other side.” Still, some identify the US abetted genocide in Palestine as the culprit. Many (many indeed) believe that the Democrats lost “the culture wars” in their “woke” zeal. Some hardened and experienced activists suggest that racism and sexism played a huge role.
They are all partially right. All these factors played a role. The issue is not simply to identify the governing and causal factors in this loss but to have the desire to understand how this came to pass. I am heartened to see thoroughgoing critique happening and excited to see what emerges.
But then, I’m done. Enough mourning. Time to organize, right? I’ve seen and heard enough.
On one side.
But on the other, we’ve been met with some initial boasting then silence. Nothing in sight. Nada.
As Democrats sharpen their after-the-fact reading, Trump voters are showing no contrition; no, “I Fucked Around and now Found Out.”
The Trump voters who were pissed off that the Dems didn’t talk about the needs of normal, working Americans now don’t seem to be frightened that a cabal of Billionaires is taking over the commanding heights of their country. The Trump voters who worried about the price of eggs, don’t seem to be lamenting the imminent destruction of the US agricultural sector (with the insane price hikes that will come as a result) if all the undocumented people are rounded up and put in camps. And so on. And so on.
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It seems that winners don’t need to question anything. It seems that winners don’t need to be “curious and courageous.”
The mirror test is important, but the strength of society depends on everyone conducting it. Not just the losers. Else, we will soon find out that each and every one of us is just that- a loser, losing to an autocratic, undemocratic feudal cabal that has many plans. Democracy, however, is not on the list.
