We Didn't Lose the Election Because "Dems Failed"

We lost because the oligarchs and zealots succeeded.

On January 25th, 2025, my friend Gayle Jordan wrote a Facebook post that struck a nerve.

She is absolutely correct.

Those expecting a perfect campaign apparently think humans can be gods, but the lie that Kamala Harris (a terrific candidate) lost because of fringe-lib-wokeist-unamericanism or whatever was carefully manicured and massively funded by the opposition.

• Billionaires behind outlets like Fox News and X culled and weaponized entire media cultures.

• Radical Christian lobby groups and shadow puppeteers (Leonard Leo, etc) schemed for decades...unconstitutionally giving voter guides to churchgoers as pastors spout Christian nationalist sermons and demonize Trump’s opposition.
  

• "Dear Leader" allegiance was labeled patriotic duty, especially for the (often heavily armed) target demographic easily activated by tribal symbols and xenophobic rhetoric.
  

• Religious tendencies toward authoritarianism and holy war narratives further rallied the flock. All it took was a performative prayer and a "Bible in my hand" photo op to seal the deal.
  

• An epidemic of American ignorance herded the many to blindly follow the few. How can one expect an informed vote by those who don't understand how the rest of the world works, from vaccines to evolution to climate science to tariffs? Note that, right now, 25% of Americans don't know that the earth orbits the sun.
  

• And finally, Harris was very much a champion for inclusion, equality, fairness, and a melting pot nation with a place for all, but her campaign messaging led with reproductive rights, tax breaks for young families, job creation, and other "mainstream" issues that would actually benefit those not born with silver spoons. Fox News, Newsmax, Elon Musk, etc. told their myopic masses that the "radical left" Democratic party loved border rapists, wanted to murder babies, would have your kid's gender changed in homeroom, knew only selfish hedonism, used DEI programs to persecute whites, sought laws to make religion(s) illegal, planned to strip every citizen of every firearm, and hated 'Murica.

Our self-flagellation over the election loss takes focus away from the power of the oligarchs, the Christian nationalism machine, history revisionists and their platformers, and the overall sad state of indoctrinated, dismissive, lazy, and/or bigoted and cruel Americans.

Introspection is always wise. But Kamala lost because Trump Cult was an easy mark for empty promises and scary monologues about the traitorous and dangerous Others.

In my heart (and I'm in conflict about this, because these people have children with no say), I'll admit to wanting Trump Cult to feel consequences for what it has done. Already, MAGAs are starting to realize their healthcare policies are on the bubble, critical immigrant workers might disappear from their companies, grocery prices might spike, tech bros care more about power and expensive toys than struggling citizens, chest-beating military conflicts might put American sons and daughters on the front lines, important public services might be less available in emergencies, and the smoke in their nostrils might be coming from their own burning houses.

If the rabid gorilla they unleashed turns on them, my sympathy centers are pretty numb. I only hope these people haven't taken the rest of us down with them.