[Winstonm]

barmar, on 2024-November-08, 15:04, said:

The pandemic may have had another effect. We were in the thick of it at the time, and Trump was clearly not managing it well -- this was when he was downplaying its severity while many people saw relatives getting really sick and dying, and he was advocating things like injecting bleach.

So many people may have voted against Trump because of his mishandling of the pandemic. But now they're concerned about other things.

Trump's vote count was virtually unchanged from 2020; what changed was the 11 million people who voted for Biden but either didn't, wouldn't or couldn't vote this time.

[hrothgar]

Winstonm, on 2024-November-08, 15:23, said:

Trump's vote count was virtually unchanged from 2020; what changed was the 11 million people who voted for Biden but either didn't, wouldn't or couldn't vote this time.

that varies dramatically by state

In most of the Battleground states, Harris improved on Biden's numbers
Trump did even better

[kenberg]

Winstonm, on 2024-November-08, 15:16, said:

With Kash Patel and the other sycophants back in positions of power, we are dependent on the kindness of stangers to keep a republic where voting matters - do you really think it isn't a real possibility that it's over and the USA is now Hungary? The MSM reports this like a normal horse race; it was Hannibal and his elephants come to make war.

I think that we are in trouble, plenty of trouble. So, what to do?

Over the years I have made comments on where I think the Dems have made errors. Yes, I vote Dem, mostly, not always. But my life is easy. My vote isn't enough. Votes are needed from people who are struggling. If Dems are not getting votes from those that are struggling, then I suggest Dems ask themselves what has gone wrong. And just writing that question off by saying "Well, people are stupid/selfish/racist/etc" does not get us anywhere. People are people, they always have been and always will be. So some thought is needed. Or, of course, we can just give up.

Here is a starter observation.You mention Kash Patel. I saw that and thought "Who is Kash Patel?". In order to win an election, a candidate needs votes from people who are far more oblivious than I am. So I pose the question: How can Dems get votes from people who can't instantly say just who Kash Patel is?

[Winstonm]

hrothgar, on 2024-November-08, 16:09, said:

that varies dramatically by state

In most of the Battleground states, Harris improved on Biden's numbers
Trump did even better

Thanks for this. I had no stomach to look at this data. Now I am at a loss. One thing I am aware of: any time a genuine shock occurs, it is wise to reassess your own beliefs to see is they are still viable; could I be wrong? is always a good place to start

[Winstonm]

kenberg, on 2024-November-09, 09:03, said:

I think that we are in trouble, plenty of trouble. So, what to do?

Over the years I have made comments on where I think the Dems have made errors. Yes, I vote Dem, mostly, not always. But my life is easy. My vote isn't enough. Votes are needed from people who are struggling. If Dems are not getting votes from those that are struggling, then I suggest Dems ask themselves what has gone wrong. And just writing that question off by saying "Well, people are stupid/selfish/racist/etc" does not get us anywhere. People are people, they always have been and always will be. So some thought is needed. Or, of course, we can just give up.

Here is a starter observation.You mention Kash Patel. I saw that and thought "Who is Kash Patel?". In order to win an election, a candidate needs votes from people who are far more oblivious than I am. So I pose the question: How can Dems get votes from people who can't instantly say just who Kash Patel is?

Hopefully, your question still matters in 4 years. I don't think it will. When you look at the cooperation to generate the attempt to overthrow the 2020 election, and now you've placed those same people back in power with more experience, and with all the branches of government not just on their side but willing participants following a written playbook
then it is time to form a resistance movement - the republic is a goner. A repubic, if you can keep it, Ben Franklin said.

We can't in 4 years unwind the past 50 years of declining education and wealth disparity, the desparation of those toward the bottom rungs and the greed of those nearer the top, The opium of the people has been rebranded as Chrystal Meth and fired up the faithful to devour the infadels.

Kash Patel. Steven Miller. A host of brown shirts given power. It's hard to describe just how bad this is.

Live in fear of a enough states prepared to change the Constitution; of expansion of the SCOTUS so Aileen Cannon gets a seat; of loyalty oaths to get groceries; of kangaroo courts and a fractured military.

I don't know if they will succede but the people surrounding Trump along with the GOP will try to make the USA into a clone of Hungary.