I'm with
@Paine on this and I think I understand exactly the points he's trying to make (he's way more intelligent than I am so hopefully that's true). And I'd reckon that mine and Paine's ideological viewpoints may differ in many respects, and align in others.
I completely understand the desire to blame voters for being morons and delivering the election for the singularly worst presidential candidate in the history of our country (and second place probably isn't even remotely close). Trust me, I get it. I've got an entire extended family of poor, working class, blue collar, non-college educated, rural-dwelling folks who voted directly against their economic self-interests- whether they understand it or not. I get the frustration. But Paine is right that the way for the Democratic Party out of this current predicament is almost strictly by creating and articulating a vision that the singular best way to improve the country, and creating as much equality as is possible, is by lifting *everyone* up economically. The biggest divide in our country right now isn't Black vs. white, gay vs. straight, Christian vs. non-Christian, etc.- it's have's versus have-not's. Right now, the biggest dilemma facing the Democratic Party is that the have-not's are voting for a party that is mostly comprised of the have's, and the have's have got the have-not's convinced that the reason for their economic plight is because lazy Black people get welfare, Hispanics are taking all of their jobs, gays want to turn their kids trans, and trans people want to hide out in women's restrooms and dominate women' sports.
I think Paine's point, and it's similar to one that I've been making about not falling into the culture warring trap laid by the GOP, is that Democrats have got to completely jettison anything that can be construed as identity politics in favor of actually finding a way to get into the rural communities, get into the blue collar and working class areas, get into the factories and the farms and the plants, get into the labor unions, etc. and lay out their vision for how their economic policies are going to life EVERYONE up- not just Black people or Hispanic people or immigrants, etc.- but every single person regardless of race, ethnicity, creed, etc. It's going to be up to people who are infinitely smarter than me to figure out how to execute it successfully, but I think that needs to be the game plan.
The GOP is currently serving up an opportunity for Democrats on a golden platter- not silver, but golden- to take back the mantle of being the party of the working class, because Republicans are in full control of every lever of power in the federal government, and not only are they doing nothing to help alleviate the economic pressures people are feeling, they are directly exacerbating and making those economic pressures worse. Those transgender sports bans ain't going to mean a damn thing in 6 months, 9 months, 12 months if inflation is at 5% again and climbing, gas prices are out of control, grocery prices are skyrocketing, etc.
Everyone here knows my story that I shared- I'm a former die-hard Republican, 2016 Trump voter, originally from a poor family, born in one of the poorest parts of North Carolina. I grew up thinking that Democrats were a bunch of America-hating, godless, communist snobs. But now I'm proud to align with the Democratic Party now because the party is way closer than the other party at present to upholding many of the classical conservative values and principles that I believe strongly in. Yet, there is tons about the Democratic Party with which I disagree policy-wise and ideologically. But I believe that overall Democratic policies make my life and the lives of most people around me better, and I think that life is more prosperous for more people when Democrats are in power. That's what Dems have to do all across America now in the next 18-36 months: help the folks in rural, working class, blue collar, everyday America see that that their policy aims make life better economically for every single person without regard to race, ethnicity, sexual orientation, religious preference, etc.
If the Dems can set aside the academic faculty lounge jargon and theory, and set aside a focus on making things more equitable by race, in favor of making things more equal opportunity by socioeconomic strata, I think they have a strong chance in 2026 and 2028 after the Republicans drive the country into the ditch economically for everyone except for the techbro billionaires.