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Carla Sands's avatar

Bastard

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Danny Lineberger's avatar

I would agree that Democrats have largely become a party of small tents. Too often the Dems have engaged in Wok politics. However, in casting blame for what happened in the recent national election, I would look at the American voter. We know what Trump stands for. He said many times that his second term would be the revenge tour. Yet we voted for him. Democrats need to take a hard look in the mirror at ourselves and see what we can do better. However, the American voters also need to ask ourselves how we could possibly select a scoundrel like Trump over a decent person like Ms. Harris and a political party that stood for democracy and human values over a wannabe dictator.

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mindyoshrainmd's avatar

Your analysis makes me deeply uncomfortable. You are willing to throw the LGBTQ family under the bus, you ignore the misogyny and racism that kept people from voting for Harris. You also ignore citizens United and the role that Elon Musk played in this election. You also ignore the shift to the right worldwide in elections. This was an incredibly close election under very difficult and different circumstances, given Biden’s dropping out of the race at the last minute and the utter lack of good coverage by legacy media of the dangers of Trump and project 2025. We can all theorize; where is your data?

What you term “culture wars“ are actually important issues like racism, misogyny, freedom of choice in women’s healthcare, respect for others. Culture wars is a term of the right, just as DEI has become shorthand for another racist term. If being “woke” means being kind to others and protecting trans kids from wanting to kill themselves, count me in. Your framework is troubling.

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Michael Eisenberg's avatar

6 million Democrats who voted for Biden didn't vote Harr8s because of the situation in Gaza.

Game over.......

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curi0us's avatar

Apathy was our #1 enemy.

Even if we are few, we can still be mighty.

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Allison Mahaley's avatar

I appreciate your analysis, Thomas - as always. The right is a well organized coalition of extremists who have the left running in circles over distractions. We have to stop reacting to the them and start solely focusing on the DEMOCRATIC principles of voting rights and free and fair elections. When we save the democracy, we can work for human rights - but right now, the oligarchs are in power and they hope we never get to vote again.

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Marc Ohara's avatar

That is as good an analysis of the Democratic Party's problems as I have ever heard. The activists, especially among campaign staffers, are consumed with identity politics to the real detriment of electoral success at all levels.

I voted Democratic (in violation of federal election law) for the first time in 1976, when I first registered Dem. The next time I register it wil NOT be Democratic. I'll still vote reliably liberal, but I'm done for now with the DNC, where I used to work.

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LuEllen  Huntley's avatar

Most helpful analysis which answers questions I’ve had. We all know split personalities fragment. This is no time for that.

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Julie Trowbridge Martin's avatar

Another excellent commentary Thomas.

As a former newspaper editor in Asheville and Wilmington I say with some experience:

We must not forget how the changes in the news media -- how many folks read a daily newspaper anymore -- have choked out the truth from our society. The Fourth Estate should mean something important to a democracy. The daily focus on issues once served to educate people about what could unite us. How do we create something new at local, state and national levels that serves that end?

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Lee Mortimer's avatar

As another former newspaper journalist, I see the practical salvation for newspapers is to go all-digital with the public broadcasting model for funding. When I worked for a newspaper 50 years ago, 80% of revenue came from advertising and 20% from subscriptions. It's hard to see how papers today can sustain themselves when they're so dependent on digital subscriptions. Make it free for readers and solicit donations the way NPR and PBS do.

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Bev Cowdrick's avatar

Anderson Clayton, Chair of the North Carolina Democratic Party, is a stunningly strong leader. I hope that she will have more frequent online events with the rest of her cabinet to keep us pulled together as a party.

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