The Politics Thread

[Wendy]

Racism is alive and well. But I think the sexism is worse. Had Kamala been male, I think she may have had a shot. See Obama. But she's a lowly woman, so...

[I Am A Swede]

Yes. This is twice now that Trump has defeated a woman infinitely more competent and accomplished than he could ever dream of being.

[ChateauCardboard]

I......just can't. I'm Australian so I'm less affected but I actually feel like I'm going to be sick. What is wrong with people? They've put an that thing back in power after Dobbs, Jan 6, rape trials, Project 2025 and it's plans because they were scared of a black woman?

[Wendy]

Misogyny and racism run DEEP here. Sadly.

[JaneAusten]

I'm not sure. So much of his original election was resentment of President Obama.  I remember people saying when Obama was elected how we had turned a page and then watching his presidency for 8 years before Trump, we know this was not true. Not even when he was re-elected.  

No one can say this is not who this country is.  The ugliness is exactly who we are. I don't know what to say about the US.  This country has been a beacon of light for so many for so many years, but we've allowed this man again.  We can;t make excuses any more. This has shaken me up so much more than 2016.  And my fellow women.  After I have witnessed so many fighting especially the past 2 years and abortion referendums passed all over this country outside of Florida tonight also. I need to somehow make sense of that.

Lets face it people of all walks of life voted for this. It's a rejection of std American politics and he gained in demographics I never thought possible, I'm not even sure what now if you oppose what he represents. I'm not angry at Harris - she gave this her all - but part of he feels she was made the sacrificial lamb.  Will any democrat in Washington serving suffer? I'm not sure.  One thing is the consulting class needs to go.

We have people from Apartheid South Africa now as the puppet masters in the United States. Make that make sense.

Oh and the only thing I can say is that the only demographic Trump did not gain with was college educated women.  

Edited November 6, 2024 by JaneAusten

[sivad40]

It looks like Kamala is going to lose every swing states. The rumor about her internal polling being worse than Hillary in 2016 and Biden in 2020 turned out to be true.

[Wendy]

I remember Elissa Slotkin mentioned Harris being "underwater" in Michigan. But I - and many others - thought she was being hyperbolic.

Sadly, she was just "Cassandra" - telling a truth none of us wanted to hear.

[JaneAusten]

If that in fact is true, they had to know. I am not sure how to react to that.

[BetterForgotten]

Trump aside, this was a damning condemnation for the Democratic party by not just the MAGA contingent, but also within its own party, and casuals who have no strong political affiliation at all.   

Now Trump has:

1. A Senate majority
2. A House majority
3. A Supreme Court made in his vision

This is a disaster and it will have detrimental ramifications for generations to come. 

The biggest question for me is where does the Democratic party go from here? Who is the future of the Democratic party that has a legitimate chance in 4 years? How can they successfully reinvent their image and galvanize voters to come out in both the next mid-terms and the next presidential election? 

Democrats only seem to come out in waves to make a difference for their party's candidate when it's a massive rebuttal to something (Bush-era politics, Trump's first term, etc.). I guess they have the next Trump term to galvanize and empower their base to come out and make a difference. But make no mistake, tonight was a crushing defeat for that party from all sides. 

Edited November 6, 2024 by BetterForgotten

[Wendy]

Well, as I said, I do not see any viable candidate being a woman. Not in this US as it stands.

It's an automatic loss. Old white guys - even if they have zero character - are the go to.

[wingwalker]

Slotkin and Harris might still pull off the win here in Michigan, but it's going to be very close and Kamala's underperformance, likely cost Dems control of the Michigan State House.  Thankfully the State Senate is still Dem controlled and all our statewide officeholders still Dem. 

Somehow in all this, Dems has increased their majority in the Michigan Supreme Court from 4-3 to 5-2.  

Edited November 6, 2024 by wingwalker

[Wendy]

Last I looked, Elissa Slotkin is losing to Mike Rogers.

[JaneAusten]

So then why was Biden pushed out and why VP Harris then? I think the problem is bigger than one person. It's an institutional problem with the democratic party. Same as there is one with the GOP also. Except they just won another election with a buffoon at the helm that the democratic party has lost to twice. 

[Wendy]

If I were to guess - and it's all I can do here - maybe Joe's internal polling was just as bad? And the thought that a younger candidate could turn things around prevailed.

Obviously, it was wrong.

[JaneAusten]

If you want to win you have to deliver.  And learn how to talk to people again.  For example, you make promises when you run(they all do this I know), like a public option for the ACA and increasing the minimum wage and then you don't deliver because of - the Parliamentarian. How many people hear that and actually understand it. All they know is it was promised and not fulfilled. There are accomplishments you have as a president(Biden) and there is how to communicate this.  The democrats SUCK at the later plus you have a media that refuses to cover any of it,