Trump is super unpopular. So why don't Democrats have a bigger lead?

xenospn

I hate trump and the gop. But I’ll also be the first one to admit that the dems are such fucking losers - very hard to actually vote for, because I know they’ll just do absolutely nothing with the mandate that is given to them.

baggy_trough

In politics, you always have to ask, "compared to what"? Yes, Trump is bad in all sorts of ways. So are the far leftists who are increasingly dominating Democratic politics.

dotcoma

Perhaps because pretty much nobody likes the Dems, either?

tts626

First off, Trump is only "super unpopular" with liberals. And if you only listen to liberals and the msm, you're not getting the full picture. For sane centrists and conservatives, despite all Trump's shortcomings, he's still the only real bulwark against the extremes of the (perceived) radical Left, which presently make up the Democrat's hard core base. For a liberal to hear that is damn near blasphemy, I know, but believe it or not, there's a whole lot of us out there who are not onboard with what the Dems have been pedaling the last decade and longer. But to answer the question more directly: for Democrats to have a "bigger lead", they'd have to appeal to the center, to moderates, to swing voters. Are they doing that? No. Not even close. Quite the opposite in fact. While the "sky is falling", "democracy at risk", "orange man bad" rhetoric worked to keep the public outraged for a long time, with help of the liberal msm, that messaging hasn't aged well. Implying half the country are Nazis doesn't bring in the new recruits either. But if Democrats are ever going to take the majority again, either the GOP/Trump will have to f'k up really bad, and that is certainly possible - OR - Democrats will have to stop pushing largely unpopular socialist-inspired policies and anti-American radical Left ideologies, all of which is off putting to the "everyman" of the political center. Of course, the Democrat plan to radicalize the youth and import foreign bodies has been moving along at quite the pace, but people are catching on. The fact is, the Center is what decides between Left and Right today, as each makes up roughly ~30% of the electorate. No side can win without winning the center. So, we have a largely moderate-right party in power and a far-left party out of power. Why? Because Americans have historically been moderate by nature, which used to de facto mean "liberal", but increasingly that moniker comes with some very pernicious baggage, as eventually, people do get wise to the grift, especially when it hits them in the wallet, as it has in so many now quite "unlivable" blue states which people are leaving en masse. Otoh, if Iran becomes a boondoggle, Dems may get their chance. And oh are they hoping it all goes completely sideways too. But it's going to be a very slim chance unless they get a clue, and start moving back to the center-left of the 80's and 90's. You asked. You probably don't like the answer. But don't shoot the messenger, OK?

k310

1. People are sticking with Trumpism, even if Trump looks batshit crazy, because they are in it for the racism, misogyny, homophobia, faux Christianity, anti-immigration, xenophobia ... all the things that "Make America Great Again", This is the classic fascist playbook that gets acted out from time to time. In fact, they have been gamed since Lee Atwater's "Southern Strategy" of getting people to vote their racism to advance the cause of the wealthy, to the voters' disadvantage. But they like the rush. (pun unintended) graphic: https://i.ibb.co/JtSWj63/Voterep-1.jpg 2. The Democratic Party has been under continuous vilification, demonization, character assassination and lies/CT's for a decade or decades by highly aligned right wing media, and the purchase of media (WAPO e.g.) by right wing oligarchs. The Democrats do not have such a nonstop flamethrower, and in fact, the DNC looks like a slumber party until just before election time, mostly having been painted into a corner and countering the discourse that someone else set. 3. BOTH parties are dominated by big donors, who moderate Democratic positions (cuz they REALLY hate regulations and fair-share taxation). The GOP covers this up with blood-inflaming racism, and targeting of immigrants to cover up the single-minded "welfare for the rich" agenda. Races this year have shown the power of "populism for and by working people" ... TBD Many people voted for Trump because he was seen as "revolutionary". They got a revolution in the form of destruction and literal bloodshed. It was tacitly a revolution of the wealthy against taxation and regulation. The latter was and is a main goal of the few in charge of the largest AI buildouts. Their purpose is control, and control abhors regulation. They tipped a lot of state electors. 4. Elections seem to be strongly influenced by economic/COL issues. Many devotees of right wing media still think (until very recently) that we are recovering from the "Biden Depression" and that things have never been better after the undoing of the (highly successful) "Bottom-up Bidenomics" program. Someone can truly say that "Things have never been better," but only for a few. 5. The GOP has largely slipped into a cult mentality. Projection, blame, denial, acceptance of CT's and lies ... Recovery is difficult. It's like losing the identity that you gave away to the group. You can't go to the demonized other side, and the previous identity was too weak to hold onto. Some elements that might eventually lessen the hold are the enormous contradictions being too much to handle ( see below), a sense of betrayal by the cult leader, or just plain hitting rock bottom (or close to it) Extracted tweets from the past: Now that Obama's poll numbers are in tailspin - watch for him to launch a strike in Libya or Iran. He is desperate. 10/9/12 What will we get for bombing Syria besides more debt and a possible long term conflict? Obama needs Congressional approval. 29 Aug 2013 The United States has spent EIGHT TRILLION DOLLARS fighting and policing in the Middle East. Thousands of our Great Soldiers have died or been badly wounded. Millions of people have died on the other side. GOING INTO THE MIDDLE EAST IS THE WORST DECISION EVER MADE.. 8:14 AM • 10/9/19 We are building the biggest and broadest coalition in American Political History. This includes record-breaking numbers of Arab and Muslim Voters in Michigan who want PEACE. They know Kamala and her warmonger Cabinet will invade the Middle East, get millions of Muslims killed, 11/2024