Writer and policy wonk Heather McGhee on how Democrats failed to reach voters on policy, why having Beyoncé on your side isn't enough, and what it will take to build a left media in the Trump years
Until money is removed from the equation, along with the true facts , I doubt things will change. Congress , the Supreme Court and the media are bought. Most people in this country can’t see or understand the manipulation and gaslighting. She mentioned Sinclair broadcasting, just a brief reminder that this started years ago with the main stream media repeating the same words over and over, while many had know idea they were being manipulated. Also tell me why so many people that took an oath are so willing to destroy our way of life . I think of my dad that fought for our freedom in two wars and a felon, rapist, bigot is allowed to be the commander of the military. This makes no sense yet it’s happening. Why is it happening, because money bought it!!! Justice is blind,
The only political party that remains is the party of wealth, hate and evil. Takes us back to 1939!!
Ben Wikler worked up a strong ground game in Wisconsin during the months before the 2024 elections, and the Ds won with Harris-Walz at the top of the ticket. Now he is one of several candidates for chair of the national Dem party. He may be on to something truly populist. If Ds can work this vein of political energy, answering ordinary people's needs, the next two years can show D strength that appeals to more voters. The margins of voting victories and losses were narrow. Remember, tactical mistakes can be corrected; the basic ethos or strategy of caring for most, the common good versus the oligarchs, these ideas must be expressed often and everywhere. But the concrete facts of what has been accomplished for the most good, these examples have persuasive power. One set of examples sadly overlooked in last fall's campaign was the environment, last in many surveys of priorities, and a subject stupidly avoided by the administration calling the green aid act "Inflation Reduction Act." Energy saving measures that brought good-paying jobs and healthy environments, even to majority-red states, must be recalled and offered to more blue or independent voters too.
Harris/Walz did not win WI. It helped down ticket, but they didn't win any swing state despite a billion dollars and an impressive ground game. I agree that the information ecosystem is critical, but she mentions the NYT which is also compromised along with WAPO and now the LA Times. I like her approach regarding local news, social media, alternative sources etc.
I agree with her analysis that being able to "feel" policy results is essential and then SELLING IT. Trump, as awful as he is, has an instinct for sales to his base - though it's filled with lies, fearmongering, and other primitive elements, it works. Biden accomplished so much but became a terrible sales person. Without the ability to cut through the right-wing noise machine AND deliver a compelling message, it's going to be difficult to reach people in their information silos, especially with billions from the likes of Musk, Russia, and China eager to interfere for their own agendas. One other piece of this involves explaining to the American people that the reason "things didn't change" is because of GOP Congressional obstruction - or in this case, Manchin and Sinema too. I rarely heard Dems emphasize the importance of electing MORE Dems - not fewer - if they didn't like corporate control, poor health care, student debt etc. Ameicans understanding of civics and how a bill is passed is so poor, they just swing back and forth blaming the "other party," and then nothing really does change. Policy immediacy, messaging, and get money out of politics.
I hear a lot of wailing that if only the people understood us they’d love us coming from the Democrats. Blaming Manchin and Sinema for not delivering instant gratification to the unenlightened masses isn’t the problem, nor is developing progressive friendly video games or a Democrat friendly media ecosystem. Democrats are so sure that MAGA Republicans have simply pulled the wool over the eyes of the ignorant masses that they fail to ask themselves what they are missing. What is it that working class and rural voters find missing in the Democrat Party. Could it possibly be that Democrats aren’t addressing their concerns nearly as well as they think they are? Maybe the idealism of the educated elite has clouded their understanding of the real concerns of the unwashed masses.
Well Republicans say they address middle class concerns, but in reality, it's never true. Republicans always worsen the economy and Dems are always on clean-up. Sinema and Manchin were problems for bills that a majority of Americans wanted. (Sinema was my senator. She thought she was the smartest person in the room.)
Maybe rural people only get Sinclair as their local news show and listen to iHeart radio. Those sources certainly skew the "news." We know a majority of people watch fox for "news," and they prefer to be entertained. (See:trump rallies). It's more than one thing, but the news aspect, imo, is a big part of it. So was our candidate, a woman of color. Much of rural America is very, very white, racist and misogynistic.
Yes, MAGA Republicans only pretend to address the economic concerns of working class and rural voters, but they do appear to address real social concerns that aren’t being addressed in a meaningful way by Democrats. We may not like the solutions that are being offered Republicans, but the concerns are real. It’s obvious that Democrats have started to come around on these social issues, but they are not connecting yet. We complain about Fox News, rightfully in my opinion, but we never hear Democrats or progressive thinkers going on Fox to present their argument. They prefer to go on MSNBC where they ca preach to the choir. My point isn’t that Republicans are right, it is that Democrats are obviously not really listening to real concerns of the voters they want to influence. Telling these voters what they should think isn’t going to be effective. Democrats need to listen to and actually address real concerns, and it may offend some of the more liberal Democratic base.
We do need more people on FOX. Pete Buttigieg goes on FOX all the time, but the interview is stacked against him. I think that's why others avoid it, but if that's where the audience is, we should be there more often. We are obviously not getting out to low information and misinformed voters.
As far as cultural issues, Rs use that a cudgel to avoid substance. Most people have never met a trans person. Demonizing is their specialty.
It's been said a lot, that Biden got several substantive bills passed that do help Americans, and those will be fully realized in the next couple of years but trump will claim credit for it. And since trump sucks the oxygen out of the country, and legacy media both sides everything, those low information voters will believe him. If you check the 2026 Senate map, it is not kind to Dems. That means trump can keep filling the judiciary with Federalist Society kooks. I'm not hopeful, unless trump does something extraordinarily bad, and even then (COVID pandemic, Jab 6th) voters excuse him. He's teflon; nothing sticks.
Until Democrats can convince voters that life is almost always better under their governance, they will lose. Better economy, more jobs, better health care etc. All absolutely true and most voters don't know these facts. I blame the Democratic Party for criminal neglect around marketing, messaging and making meaning for voters lives. Figure that out. Now. It's not that difficult. Ask Coke and Pepsi.
i’m extremely skeptical that the democratic party can evolve , make necessary changes , while so many members of congress are profiting from the military . Tried supporting only Progressive Caucus members but I’m leaving ; going to support only Independent
Until money is removed from the equation, along with the true facts , I doubt things will change. Congress , the Supreme Court and the media are bought. Most people in this country can’t see or understand the manipulation and gaslighting. She mentioned Sinclair broadcasting, just a brief reminder that this started years ago with the main stream media repeating the same words over and over, while many had know idea they were being manipulated. Also tell me why so many people that took an oath are so willing to destroy our way of life . I think of my dad that fought for our freedom in two wars and a felon, rapist, bigot is allowed to be the commander of the military. This makes no sense yet it’s happening. Why is it happening, because money bought it!!! Justice is blind,
The only political party that remains is the party of wealth, hate and evil. Takes us back to 1939!!
Ben Wikler worked up a strong ground game in Wisconsin during the months before the 2024 elections, and the Ds won with Harris-Walz at the top of the ticket. Now he is one of several candidates for chair of the national Dem party. He may be on to something truly populist. If Ds can work this vein of political energy, answering ordinary people's needs, the next two years can show D strength that appeals to more voters. The margins of voting victories and losses were narrow. Remember, tactical mistakes can be corrected; the basic ethos or strategy of caring for most, the common good versus the oligarchs, these ideas must be expressed often and everywhere. But the concrete facts of what has been accomplished for the most good, these examples have persuasive power. One set of examples sadly overlooked in last fall's campaign was the environment, last in many surveys of priorities, and a subject stupidly avoided by the administration calling the green aid act "Inflation Reduction Act." Energy saving measures that brought good-paying jobs and healthy environments, even to majority-red states, must be recalled and offered to more blue or independent voters too.
Harris/Walz did not win WI. It helped down ticket, but they didn't win any swing state despite a billion dollars and an impressive ground game. I agree that the information ecosystem is critical, but she mentions the NYT which is also compromised along with WAPO and now the LA Times. I like her approach regarding local news, social media, alternative sources etc.
I agree with her analysis that being able to "feel" policy results is essential and then SELLING IT. Trump, as awful as he is, has an instinct for sales to his base - though it's filled with lies, fearmongering, and other primitive elements, it works. Biden accomplished so much but became a terrible sales person. Without the ability to cut through the right-wing noise machine AND deliver a compelling message, it's going to be difficult to reach people in their information silos, especially with billions from the likes of Musk, Russia, and China eager to interfere for their own agendas. One other piece of this involves explaining to the American people that the reason "things didn't change" is because of GOP Congressional obstruction - or in this case, Manchin and Sinema too. I rarely heard Dems emphasize the importance of electing MORE Dems - not fewer - if they didn't like corporate control, poor health care, student debt etc. Ameicans understanding of civics and how a bill is passed is so poor, they just swing back and forth blaming the "other party," and then nothing really does change. Policy immediacy, messaging, and get money out of politics.
Psychopaths, republicans, and fascists ARE Like That.
Progressives Would Have WON
I hear a lot of wailing that if only the people understood us they’d love us coming from the Democrats. Blaming Manchin and Sinema for not delivering instant gratification to the unenlightened masses isn’t the problem, nor is developing progressive friendly video games or a Democrat friendly media ecosystem. Democrats are so sure that MAGA Republicans have simply pulled the wool over the eyes of the ignorant masses that they fail to ask themselves what they are missing. What is it that working class and rural voters find missing in the Democrat Party. Could it possibly be that Democrats aren’t addressing their concerns nearly as well as they think they are? Maybe the idealism of the educated elite has clouded their understanding of the real concerns of the unwashed masses.
Well Republicans say they address middle class concerns, but in reality, it's never true. Republicans always worsen the economy and Dems are always on clean-up. Sinema and Manchin were problems for bills that a majority of Americans wanted. (Sinema was my senator. She thought she was the smartest person in the room.)
Maybe rural people only get Sinclair as their local news show and listen to iHeart radio. Those sources certainly skew the "news." We know a majority of people watch fox for "news," and they prefer to be entertained. (See:trump rallies). It's more than one thing, but the news aspect, imo, is a big part of it. So was our candidate, a woman of color. Much of rural America is very, very white, racist and misogynistic.
Yes, MAGA Republicans only pretend to address the economic concerns of working class and rural voters, but they do appear to address real social concerns that aren’t being addressed in a meaningful way by Democrats. We may not like the solutions that are being offered Republicans, but the concerns are real. It’s obvious that Democrats have started to come around on these social issues, but they are not connecting yet. We complain about Fox News, rightfully in my opinion, but we never hear Democrats or progressive thinkers going on Fox to present their argument. They prefer to go on MSNBC where they ca preach to the choir. My point isn’t that Republicans are right, it is that Democrats are obviously not really listening to real concerns of the voters they want to influence. Telling these voters what they should think isn’t going to be effective. Democrats need to listen to and actually address real concerns, and it may offend some of the more liberal Democratic base.
We do need more people on FOX. Pete Buttigieg goes on FOX all the time, but the interview is stacked against him. I think that's why others avoid it, but if that's where the audience is, we should be there more often. We are obviously not getting out to low information and misinformed voters.
As far as cultural issues, Rs use that a cudgel to avoid substance. Most people have never met a trans person. Demonizing is their specialty.
It's been said a lot, that Biden got several substantive bills passed that do help Americans, and those will be fully realized in the next couple of years but trump will claim credit for it. And since trump sucks the oxygen out of the country, and legacy media both sides everything, those low information voters will believe him. If you check the 2026 Senate map, it is not kind to Dems. That means trump can keep filling the judiciary with Federalist Society kooks. I'm not hopeful, unless trump does something extraordinarily bad, and even then (COVID pandemic, Jab 6th) voters excuse him. He's teflon; nothing sticks.
https://www.newsweek.com/2026-senate-midterm-map-looks-rough-democrats-1982936
Until Democrats can convince voters that life is almost always better under their governance, they will lose. Better economy, more jobs, better health care etc. All absolutely true and most voters don't know these facts. I blame the Democratic Party for criminal neglect around marketing, messaging and making meaning for voters lives. Figure that out. Now. It's not that difficult. Ask Coke and Pepsi.
i’m extremely skeptical that the democratic party can evolve , make necessary changes , while so many members of congress are profiting from the military . Tried supporting only Progressive Caucus members but I’m leaving ; going to support only Independent
working class candidates.