If we win next week, I predict that the GOP will learn nothing from their loss.
After all, they only have a platform of reaction, of anti this or that. We're just one of their currently highlighted targets, along with immigrants and cis women.
May they someday sink into the swamp of irrelevancy.
Only if we take congress. If we don’t win congress, the SCOTUS will likely rule against us on Skrmetti, and red states will be allowed to ban trans healthcare for all ages legally. I don’t know if Harris can do ANYTHING to stop it.
I hope this is all true. Living through the ads in Michigan has been awful. I've been knocking on doors for the past few weeks and most voters want to talk about the economy and immigration. Only a couple have brought up trans issues.
It is definitely positive to know that, at least, given their heavy focus on anti-trans sentiment widely. It won't work for them but they don't seem to learn.
If people actually *look* at it, it is indeed awful; Robert Reich (here on Substack) has made some excellent videos (and posts) detailing just how bad Trump was on economics as president, how abysmal he was as a businessman (his father's bequest would have been worth far more today if Trump had just put it into an index mutual fund!), and how devastating it would be if he were elected (tariffs instead of income tax??? Really????).
I think I can help clear up Andrew Lawrence's perplexity: it's not about any kind of logic that has pertained to U.S. politics in the past. Trump and trumpists have signed on to the Goering adage that the secret to success is telling a big enough lie often enough to destroy listeners' ability to know the truth. And they are so committed to this, almost as if it were a blood oath, that they can't look away and see the actual results.
As other comments here already emphasize (as does Erin in her final paragraph), we'll have this mindset to contend with for many years to come. But we may (I really believe we will - and Allan Lichtman is the driver of that belief) come through with blue states remaining safe, and a democratic system to work from.
I don't know whether to be happy that Republicans seem to be dead-set on shooting themselves in the collective foot, or horribly depressed and brick-shittingly terrified that so much of the electorate is so easily swayed by cheap soundbites that they'd forget what they believed just a few weeks ago and flip their vote across the aisle because of what they heard (or didn't hear) in a 30-second commercial.
The Trump campaign locked itself into this madness to hold his base in place. Fear and hate drive them to the polls. They know themselves it won't be enough. Hence the plans to steal the election.
Yes, he's repeating his mistakes. That's a feature not a bug.
I sincerely hope this article is right. A Trump/GOP win at the national level would be devastating for trans people. Polls are all over the place, with some showing Trump narrowly ahead in PA, and with NC and AZ also slipping away from VP Harris. That’s why I am worried.
Even if VP Harris pulls out the win, these anti-trans ads will probably do lasting damage. It is deplorable that we have come to this, and that this is considered even remotely acceptable in 2024. With approximately half of the electorate supporting Trump, and with him being the nominee three times in a row despite all the liabilities, I can only conclude that - win or loss next week - this is who we the country are as a people.
Polls, polls, polls. They're just there to freak everybody out. The anti-trans ads effect my mental health and make me angry. I know one thing. Choke on a hamburger already, Drumpf! We'll get to exhale a little after Kamala Harris becomes our President, but we can't sleep on those people who want to destroy us. I hope asswipe takes off, goes to Russia, and takes his cult with him. Sure would be a load off my shoulders. I'm still nervous about them, because the GOP is like a runaway train right now.
What stands out to me about the Dem messaging is that it's not just about 'the economy', it's about things that, relative to the big picture, are small details, that pertain directly to the lives and household budgets of ordinary folks who have to put thought into making ends meet. Every politician makes broad promises about, f'ex, creating jobs - but not many politicians say, 'You, voter, are being price-gouged on this product/service, and this is how we're going to make that stop.'
I think people are noticing that, and thinking, 'Hey, that's about *me*!' (And the Repubs don't have anything remotely comparable with which to compete, which might be why they're reduced to yelling, louder and louder, about the Scary Other.)
This outsider certainly hopes that enough of those bread-and-butter issues voters are aggrieved enough about Republican campaigning to punish them the one place it matters.
If we win next week, I predict that the GOP will learn nothing from their loss.
After all, they only have a platform of reaction, of anti this or that. We're just one of their currently highlighted targets, along with immigrants and cis women.
May they someday sink into the swamp of irrelevancy.
Only if we take congress. If we don’t win congress, the SCOTUS will likely rule against us on Skrmetti, and red states will be allowed to ban trans healthcare for all ages legally. I don’t know if Harris can do ANYTHING to stop it.
I hope this is all true. Living through the ads in Michigan has been awful. I've been knocking on doors for the past few weeks and most voters want to talk about the economy and immigration. Only a couple have brought up trans issues.
It is definitely positive to know that, at least, given their heavy focus on anti-trans sentiment widely. It won't work for them but they don't seem to learn.
Maybe the GOP's economic platform would be so unpopular that their only strategy is distraction.
If people actually *look* at it, it is indeed awful; Robert Reich (here on Substack) has made some excellent videos (and posts) detailing just how bad Trump was on economics as president, how abysmal he was as a businessman (his father's bequest would have been worth far more today if Trump had just put it into an index mutual fund!), and how devastating it would be if he were elected (tariffs instead of income tax??? Really????).
I think I can help clear up Andrew Lawrence's perplexity: it's not about any kind of logic that has pertained to U.S. politics in the past. Trump and trumpists have signed on to the Goering adage that the secret to success is telling a big enough lie often enough to destroy listeners' ability to know the truth. And they are so committed to this, almost as if it were a blood oath, that they can't look away and see the actual results.
As other comments here already emphasize (as does Erin in her final paragraph), we'll have this mindset to contend with for many years to come. But we may (I really believe we will - and Allan Lichtman is the driver of that belief) come through with blue states remaining safe, and a democratic system to work from.
I don't know whether to be happy that Republicans seem to be dead-set on shooting themselves in the collective foot, or horribly depressed and brick-shittingly terrified that so much of the electorate is so easily swayed by cheap soundbites that they'd forget what they believed just a few weeks ago and flip their vote across the aisle because of what they heard (or didn't hear) in a 30-second commercial.
The Trump campaign locked itself into this madness to hold his base in place. Fear and hate drive them to the polls. They know themselves it won't be enough. Hence the plans to steal the election.
Yes, he's repeating his mistakes. That's a feature not a bug.
I sincerely hope this article is right. A Trump/GOP win at the national level would be devastating for trans people. Polls are all over the place, with some showing Trump narrowly ahead in PA, and with NC and AZ also slipping away from VP Harris. That’s why I am worried.
Even if VP Harris pulls out the win, these anti-trans ads will probably do lasting damage. It is deplorable that we have come to this, and that this is considered even remotely acceptable in 2024. With approximately half of the electorate supporting Trump, and with him being the nominee three times in a row despite all the liabilities, I can only conclude that - win or loss next week - this is who we the country are as a people.
Polls, polls, polls. They're just there to freak everybody out. The anti-trans ads effect my mental health and make me angry. I know one thing. Choke on a hamburger already, Drumpf! We'll get to exhale a little after Kamala Harris becomes our President, but we can't sleep on those people who want to destroy us. I hope asswipe takes off, goes to Russia, and takes his cult with him. Sure would be a load off my shoulders. I'm still nervous about them, because the GOP is like a runaway train right now.
Love you on Substack, Erin! I saw you on the PBS NewsHour. You were fantastic! Thank you for all the good work you do! So appreciative!
Great job on PBS NewsHour! Very effective. Thank you.
Good job on PBS news hour! I'm proud of you!
What stands out to me about the Dem messaging is that it's not just about 'the economy', it's about things that, relative to the big picture, are small details, that pertain directly to the lives and household budgets of ordinary folks who have to put thought into making ends meet. Every politician makes broad promises about, f'ex, creating jobs - but not many politicians say, 'You, voter, are being price-gouged on this product/service, and this is how we're going to make that stop.'
I think people are noticing that, and thinking, 'Hey, that's about *me*!' (And the Repubs don't have anything remotely comparable with which to compete, which might be why they're reduced to yelling, louder and louder, about the Scary Other.)
This outsider certainly hopes that enough of those bread-and-butter issues voters are aggrieved enough about Republican campaigning to punish them the one place it matters.