The Election Blame Game in Two Minutes Flat
In the aftermath of the recent election, it is crucial to confront an honest reality: Harris did nothing wrong. Her campaign was strong, her policies were sound, and her commitment to serving the country was unwavering. So why did she lose? The answer is both complex and disheartening: a significant portion of this county has been swayed by factors beyond reason-- rooted in deep-seated biases and an undercurrent of irrational fear. While nothing is ever perfect, Monday morning quarterbacking is oh so easy.
Harris's record speaks for itself. Throughout her career, she has been a force for positive change, championing policies that aim to create equality, strengthen community resources, and promote economic growth. Her focus on inclusive policies, education, and public health initiatives should have resonated across demographics, including the majority of Trump voters.
Nothing that the Harris camp could have done would have been nearly enough. The delay of Biden to exit was meaningless. He did not want to run to begin with but decided to only when Trump announced he was running. It was not what many are calling a foolish decision. It avoided a dozen democrats from shooting at each other in a primary that would probably have made things worse. Even New Jersey may have turned red. Plus, he beat Trump in 2020 before the 34 felony convictions and numerous other disqualifying statements. Common sense would say that it should be a slam-dunk.
Yet, the election outcome points to a different truth: we are still grappling with a society where racial prejudice and fear dictate decisions. Recent demographic shifts have only magnified these underlying tensions. The voices of progress and reason were drowned out by those unwilling or unable to look past long-held biases or confront unfounded fears. These voters were not responding to Harris's merits or flaws as a candidate-- they were reacting to the very idea of change that she represented.
The solution will not be easy:
It is a wake-up call. The fight for a more inclusive, rational, and just society must continue, and recognizing the real reasons behind Harris's loss is the first step toward meaningful progress. We must engage in honest conversations about race, bias, and fear, striving to build bridges of understanding that can reshape the fabric of our community for the better.
Almost inevitably, it will require a lot of pain to the Trump voters (and almost everyone else) before they will wake up to realize, and then to acknowledge that they were conned. Whether it will be too late is problematic.
At the same time, the 13 million democrats who voted in 2020 but who did not in 2024 need to be contacted, repeatedly. Only if the masses understand that health care, immigrants, clean air and water, labor unions and almost every other thing contained in our platform, including science, are really good things, just maybe, our democracy can survive. It is a big if, as basic rules are about to be changed and, by any definition, rigged.
Boycotting Amazon, Musk, and other Republican influencers may or may not help, but at least a little revenge may make us feel a tad better.
Lastly, millions of non-secure individuals, whether it be financial, skin color, or immigration status, are now at very high risk. More than likely, many very important programs and safety nets will soon disappear. Thus, let's be generous to them with our cash, time, and other resources.
Again, we must remember that whether manifested as overt racism or more subtle, subconscious fears, these attitudes create an environment where candidates like Harris are not evaluated on their vision or policies but often, just outright dismissed.
When basic facts are met with resistance, fueled by misinformation or fearmongering, this naturally clouds judgment, leading voters to act against their own best interests in favor of perceived safety or comfort within familiar structures. It becomes easier to vote based on emotion than to embrace the forward-thinking change that leaders like Harris embody.
