Should Harris have continued with her more Populist messaging?

  • Thread starter Thread starter Duke Mu
  • Start date Start date
  • Replies: 221
  • Views: 2K
  • Politics 
Just to make sure we're on the same page, can someone post an actual quote from Harris or her messaging that we're referring to as the "populist messaging" that was later dropped? I want to make sure I understand what we're talking about here.
 
uncjhodges said:
I think it’s pretty clear a bunch of republicans and republican leaning independents lied to pollsters and the Harris campaign data people. This led to a misguided outreach and focus
Click to expand...
It’s not the first time the Democratic Party has tried the strategy and failed though. At this point, I think the PTB in the party are more willing to ride out a Trump presidency than to make left-wing promises and have to govern after running a left-wing campaign.

They wanted their base of support in a potential Harris admin. to be suburban Republicans and educated liberals. They don’t want to propose left wing ideas because the party itself is beholden to billionaires and corporate interests.

The Democratic Party must break from this dynamic to win against a populist right wing movement. A decrepit liberalism isn’t going to save us from fascism.
 
HintonJamesHeel said:
Democrats have lost the populist message. They are a part of elites that are out of touch with working America.

I hope we get back to the basics next cycle.
Click to expand...
That's not entirely true, I'm the exact non-college educated working class America and I was very pleased with her message.

Republicans muddy the waters with cultural issues and when Dems don't respond, R's say, see they are for all that nonsense.

editing: Maybe Dems should just go full on Democratic Socialism because they're going to be called communists anyways.
 
rodoheel said:
Just to make sure we're on the same page, can someone post an actual quote from Harris or her messaging that we're referring to as the "populist messaging" that was later dropped? I want to make sure I understand what we're talking about here.
Click to expand...
Can’t speak for others, but I’m specifically talking about her proposal regarding corporate price gouging. She announced this and then immediately ran away from what it should imply and said that it would target price gouging during emergencies only.

I thought when she picked Tim Walz, she would lean into a national program similar to what he implement in MN. Universal school breakfast and lunch, paid family leave, etc.

Having Medicare pay for at-home senior care was good, but too marginal to make a difference. Same with her various tax cut schemes and the home buyer assistance. Those things don’t move the needle for working class people trying to make ends meet.
 
I don’t think anything would have won. Inflation is too much of a millstone around her neck. That said, I think the Dems should stop trying to pivot right to get the ungettable and instead pivot to left leaning populism. The average American has no idea how far left or right a policy position is outside of the obvious with abortion, etc. They just hear something that benefits them, but left leaning voters who sit out elections might actually be attainable.
 
I still don't know what Trump has offered as a populist message that will bring inflation down. Tariffs certainly won't do it, it'll make it worse, so what is his solution to fix inflation? Or is it just going to be the same as it is now and he claims its down?
 
lightbluenc said:
I still don't know what Trump has offered as a populist message that will bring inflation down. Tariffs certainly won't do it, it'll make it worse, so what is his solution to fix inflation? Or is it just going to be the same as it is now and he claims its down?
Click to expand...
Part of Trump’s appeal on economic issues is innately tied to his brand as a businessman. A certain segment of the electorate sees this and assumes that means he will improve the economy of the country.

This part of his appeal is girded by decades of propaganda on the right regarding the efficacy of tax cuts + the Democratic Party not presenting a coherent alternative narrative as to why inflation went up and the solutions we have to either try to bring prices down or to increase people’s buying power in some way.
 
Paine said:
Part of Trump’s appeal on economic issues is innately tied to his brand as a businessman. A certain segment of the electorate sees this and assumes that means he will improve the economy of the country.

This part of his appeal is girded by decades of propaganda on the right regarding the efficacy of tax cuts + the Democratic Party not presenting a coherent alternative narrative as to why inflation went up and the solutions we have to either try to bring prices down or to increase people’s buying power in some way.
Click to expand...
all true
 
Paine said:
I think not offering enough of policy contrast with Trump was a part of the issue with the campaign.
Click to expand...

What policy did he run on that she should have contrasted with? When the economic message started to fall on deaf ears he preached hateful rhetoric about the border.

Let’s not do this thing where we just blame Dems for getting it all wrong. This country spoke loudly last night. This was always going to be the outcome.
 
Sure, but whats his actual "thing" to lower the cost of goods and rent?

Everyone asked Harris what her plan was, which she came up with an 80 page plan for people to see. What is his plan to lower rent and afford cheaper groceries?
 
dukeman92 said:
What policy did he run on that she should have contrasted with? When the economic message started to fall on deaf ears he preached hateful rhetoric about the border.

Let’s not do this thing where we just blame Dems for getting it all wrong. This country spoke loudly last night. This was always going to be the outcome.
Click to expand...
Economically, she could’ve contrasted Trump’s lack of a healthcare plan with a real plan to improve people’s healthcare and costs. Either Medicare for All or even “Medicare for those who want it” as Pete proposed in the 2020 primary.

Harris failed to castigate billionaires as the source of a lot of ills in society. They dipped their toes into this in a few ads about Trump and Musk, but she didn’t go full-bore for whatever reason.

Even though she had a few left wing policies in her repertoire, like raising taxes on some wealthy people, she didn’t lean into these. No doubt because her advisors told her not to.

It’s silly to say that this was the outcome no matter what. Loser talk. Let’s figure out where we went wrong, fix it, and win.
 
Loser talk is what you’re doing. But you keep going, chief. Whatever makes you feel better.
 
lightbluenc said:
Sure, but whats his actual "thing" to lower the cost of goods and rent?

Everyone asked Harris what her plan was, which she came up with an 80 page plan for people to see. What is his plan to lower rent and afford cheaper groceries?
Click to expand...

He had no plan. It’s just completely asinine to sit here and say that she lost on policy.
 
Paine said:
Not saying it would’ve been easy, just wish the Democratic Party would for once name who the enemy is like they used to. We need to get the party back to a point where they welcome the hatred of billionaires and elites rather than catering to them.
Click to expand...
That was a lot easier before Citizens United. Democrats need their money just like Republicans do.
 
lightbluenc said:
Sure, but whats his actual "thing" to lower the cost of goods and rent?

Everyone asked Harris what her plan was, which she came up with an 80 page plan for people to see. What is his plan to lower rent and afford cheaper groceries?
Click to expand...
He doesn’t have a plan to lower rent and grocery prices. People hear tax cuts, no tax on tips, no tax on overtime and see that as more money in their pockets.
 
farce© said:
That was a lot easier before Citizens United. Democrats need their money just like Republicans do.
Click to expand...
True. I understand the point about unilateral disarmament for sure. That being said, Trump was at a severe dollar disadvantage compared with Harris and still won.
 
She didn't lose on policy.

She lost on being tied to Biden on the border and on the inflation of 22 and 23. Dems never messaged about that well and here we are.

She also lost to a guy who knows TV whose entire current persona was created for The Apprentice. They built this guy, this facade of who he is. The only thing close on the dem side would be if Mark Cuban ran
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top