The World the Democrats Gave Us (Issue #77)
As we brace for four more years under Trump, it’s time to get real about why this happened – and how we can finally dig our way out.
Hi friends!
Election night at my house is always an Event™️. One that, like any proper gathering, requires an invitation that reflects the vibe.
Going into Tuesday night, I was “nauseously optimistic” right alongside the Harris campaign. Kamala Harris has never been my personal ideal candidate but more than anything, I did not want Trump to win. Given my options, Harris got my vote.
Polls predicted this to be the closest presidential race in at least 60 years, so I figured recounts would drag the results out to the next morning at the very least. But by around 9:20 pm CT, I started to feel uneasy. None of the swing states were called, but the math wasn’t looking promising for Harris. Soon the writing was on the wall – Trump was our president-elect.
The next morning, I opened my New York Times app and was immediately confronted with our new dystopia:
On Wednesday, November 6th, 2024, a heavy fog hung over my city. I woke before the sun, and the dense haze felt ominous and fitting. I cried a bit before starting to fit together the pieces of exactly how we’d ended up here — not an arrival, but a return.
And soon, a clearer story started taking shape. In 2016, Trump managed to win a slight victory, mostly due to his margins among white, working-class voters. But now, in 2024, Trump has increased his margins broadly across the country. An increase is not limited to one demographic, a couple of swing states, or even a single issue. Across America, and specifically among working-class voters, Trump increased his margins — amongst young people, Latino voters, and even Black men (albeit slightly). Even if none of these increases were huge, these small to moderate changes across a large coalition of voters is enough to sway an election, especially one this close.
Not even 24 hours after Trump’s victory, my feeds were inundated with “Discourse.” You know the kind. Discussions of who is and isn’t to blame. In-fighting. Accusations. Scarcity. All valid and understandable, and also, posts like this made me pause ⬇️
So, what was this moment telling me? What could be learned?
Let’s start with where things went wrong. To me, this loss began with Joe Biden’s refusal to cede his re-election bid. He entered his 2020 presidency hinting that he would only serve one term and he’d be a transition candidate to usher in a new generation. But somewhere in the last 4 years, Biden changed his mind, and we never got a primary. The Democratic party and (even more importantly) its constituents never got the chance at a public conversation about the candidate they really wanted. And when Biden did drop out of the race, it was too little too late. By then, Harris was the only option, and Democrats were left with little choice but to fall in line.
With just over 100 days on the trail, Kamala Harris was still able to run — by pundit standards — a rousing and aggressive campaign. Her rallies boasted attendance double that of Trump’s. She collected dozens of celebrity endorsements and set fundraising records (gift link). She outraised Trump 3-1 in September and 5-1 in the final days before the election. Harris is young, experienced, and charismatic, and she managed to meaningfully improve her favorability over the course of her campaign. Of course, that says nothing of her many policies I disagree with, not the least of which is her continued support of genocide in Gaza, but I digress. My point here is simply that her campaign, at surface, appeared less flawed than her opponent’s. Trump is volatile and offensive, and (surprise, surprise) folks don’t actually like him that much. Not to mention his closet full of skeletons, which is barely a closet as much as it’s a glass room with two impeachments, multiple allegations of sexual assault, and 34 felony convictions on full display.
And yet, here we are. Harris ran a strong campaign against a deeply flawed candidate and still lost. Now let me be clear – this isn’t just a Kamala problem. This is a Democratic party problem.
For almost a decade, the Democrats have held tight to the idea that a moderate, establishment candidate is what will help them win elections. We saw this in 2016, when Hillary Clinton was pushed through as the chosen candidate. When Bernie Sanders outperformed expectations and rallied a new coalition of support for the party, the Democrats intentionally distanced themselves from his rhetoric and refused to adopt any of his more popular positions like Medicare-for-all. Then in 2020, the Democrats once again resisted progressive pressure to try something different. When Sanders was (shocker) killing it, seemingly on the path to clinching the nomination, the Democratic party was quick to coalesce around Biden right before Super Tuesday. And so, Biden won the nomination and defeated Trump by a margin that frankly was way too close for comfort.
But even with the Democrats’ win in 2020, the distrust and distaste the American people had for the establishment never disappeared. Biden’s approval rating now sits below 50%, often dropping below 40%. Even when he was no longer the candidate, Harris’s position as Vice President tied her too closely to the current reality – one where many Americans are struggling just to get by.
The Democrats have actively pushed against populist, anti-establishment candidates and opted time and time again for polished insiders even when they should have known better.
Take Trump. This man is not at all financially conservative. He is suggesting VERY radical economic policies – things like securing trillions of dollars worth of tax cuts, adding a 10 to 20% tariff on all imported goods, and implementing a 60% tariff on Chinese goods. But the radical policies resonate because folks want radical change in their government! Across the country, voters are feeling the economic strain – they can’t afford eggs or daycare and are struggling to stay on top of rent that’s just too damn high. Hell, a recent survey found that 56% of Americans don’t even have $1,000 for an emergency expense. And with the state of our current healthcare system, a $1,000 emergency expense is almost always right around the corner. For these voters, the only way to change that is to completely upend the status quo. And so, any economic plan promising massive sweeping change, even one that economists warn is a disaster in the making, is appealing,
I can’t help but wonder how different this all would have been if the Democrats had rallied behind someone with a real, grounded message on the economy that actually speaks to everyday people. A candidate who isn’t afraid to challenge the status quo and who talks about the tangible strain people feel in their pocketbooks. That’s the kind of leader who could make people feel seen, bring a lot of new energy to the party, and actually help working-class people.
Another good case for this is the fact that in 2016 and 2020, many voters said they liked Bernie and Trump. In most ways, these two candidates couldn’t be more different. And yet, they’re both anti-establishment candidates forwarding populist economic policies that resonate with working-class people. But let’s cut the rhetoric. They’re relatable and ready to blow shit up. It’s appealing when the target of the dynamite is a system people already know isn’t working for them.
I am beyond frustrated at the Democrats, who have continued to ignore the pleas and concerns of the working class. Now I think we’ll all pay the price for that hubris. It's a frustrating realization in a moment where everything feels too little too late, but I do hope this is a serious wake-up call for the party. In the meantime, I’m terrified about the damage Trump will do on every significant issue, from the economy to civil rights. But more than anything, I fear for the state of our democracy. Donald Trump's closest aides and allies have said he’s a fascist who admires Hitler, and he’s all but promised not to leave the White House again (gift link). I hope we get a free and fair election in 2028, and if we do, the Democrats better be ready to try something radically different.
But in the meantime, it’s up to us to ensure that happens. To stand up, fight back, and shoulder each other up. The next four years cannot be a resignation. Instead, we must re-commit. And that was always the case, wasn’t it? Win or lose, we promised resistance. The only difference is that now — there’s no more room for excuses.
Deep breath. We got this.
A round-up of things to watch, read, and listen to as you head into the weekend.
Youtube: Valarie Kaur @ Watch Night Service
I found this beautiful speech after @chrisdstedman shared it on Instagram. In it, Chris’ friend Valerie Kaur shares an inspiring message from 2016 that’s still profoundly resonant. Only 6 minutes of your time, it’s a moving watch to prepare us for the days ahead.
CNN: How elderly dementia patients are unwittingly fueling political campaigns by Blake Ellis, Melanie Hicken, Yahya Abou-Ghazala, Audrey Ash, Kyung Lah, Anna-Maja Rappard, Casey Tolan, Lou Robinson and Byron Manley
My phone was INUNDATED with political fundraising texts leading up to the election! This CNN investigation was a shocking look at how many elderly folks fell victim to these messages, unknowingly donating hundreds of thousands of dollars (most often to republican campaigns). The full report is heartbreaking and uncovers the huge ethical (and sometimes legal) risks with this type of fundraising.
Amazon Prime: Power of the Dream
My friends who got me into basketball recommended this doc! It explores the WNBA’s efforts to support Senator Raphael Warnock’s 2021 election campaign and how their work might have been a major factor in his winning the race.
Action items to support and care for the world around us.
No matter who is in office, we must always support community organizations doing the critical work to help folks every day. Here are three places to direct resources towards:
I found this GoFundMe from the immensely helpful Operation Olive Branch spreadsheet, which regularly highlights ways to tangibly help Palestinians affected by Israel’s attacks on Gaza. Donate to Maram’s GoFundMe to directly support their family’s journey to safety, and follow @operationolivebranch for more ways to help.
Access Reproductive Care – Southeast -
Co-founded by 3 Black clinic workers in Atlanta, ARC-Southeast provides reproductive support to folks in Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Mississippi, South Carolina, and Tennessee. Donate to support this critical work here.
The National Black Trans Advocacy Coalition -
According to their website, NBTAC’s national advocacy center and affiliate state chapters “work daily, advocating to end poverty, discrimination in all forms and its human inequities faced in health, employment, housing, and education that are rooted in systemic racism, to improve the lived experience of transgender people.” You can submit a request for help here, and donate to support their work here.
Take care, and I’ll see you back here next week.
Want to stay connected between now and next Friday? Don’t be a stranger!! Make sure to follow me on Instagram and TikTok. Know someone who you think would like Sincerely, Celisia? It would mean the world if you could help spread the word by sharing this newsletter through the button below!! <3