It’s the job of politicians to appeal to voters. Right now what Joe Biden is selling is two wars and an economy that isn’t working for far too many ordinary people. If Donald Trump wins, don’t blame the electorate: this is Biden’s election to lose.
By Ben Burgis, Jacobin
It was a callback to a few years prior, when a rash of signs at anti-Trump protests had proclaimed that If Hillary Had Won, We’d Be at Brunch Right Now. “Brunch” became a shorthand for the attitude of liberals whose political complacency had been shattered by the rise of Donald Trump — and who now wanted their complacency back.
As 2020 drew to a close, Trump finally seemed to be out of the picture. He’d decisively lost the election — with Biden beating him in the crucial swing states of Michigan, Pennsylvania, Nevada, Arizona, and Georgia and racking up almost seven million more votes than Trump overall. So the debate between leftists and “brunch” liberals was about whether to keep pushing for a more just and equal society or to call a return to the Obama-era status quo good enough.
As 2023 draws to a close, Trump is beating Joe Biden in Michigan. And Pennsylvania. And Nevada. And Arizona. And Georgia. (Biden is leading by two whole points in Wisconsin if you want to take comfort in that.) A lot could change in the next year, of course, but as of this moment a second Trump administration looks not only possible but disturbingly likely.
Some liberals are reacting by expressing anger or incredulity at voters to Biden’s left who aren’t satisfied with what the president has offered them so far. They find the idea that some of these voters may stay home or vote for an independent candidate like Cornel West outrageous. Biden hasn’t been perfect, but the job numbers are good and he did some good things and if he hasn’t done more, that’s not really his fault — he’s trying! — and anyway Trump would be worse.
it should not be difficult to find it within your soul to say "whatever biden does, trump poses a mortal threat to us democracy and many residents and must be opposed at all costs." but instead a lot of people just have complicated excuses for why we shouldn't have to say that
— Will Stancil (@whstancil) November 26, 2023
Recent Posts
While Distancing From AIPAC, Most 2028 Democratic Hopefuls Are Still Embracing Israel
Take Action Now In sharp contrast to confronting the immorality of arming Israel’s genocidal policies, simply promising not to take AIPAC money is…
The Next Coup Attempt … And How to Stop It
Take Action Now It is up to us to put two and two together: Trump will seek to exploit the war (or the next one) to alter the elections. We bear…
‘A Moral Obscenity’: Trump Budget Pairs Record Military Boost With Billions in Cuts to Social Programs
Take Action Now “To pay for his endless wars, he wants the biggest increase to military spending in 70 years,” said Rep. Greg Casar. “Hell no.”By…
Meet Leqaa Kordia: Palestinian Protester Freed After a Year in ”ICE Dungeon”
Take Action Now While in custody, Kordia experienced destitute conditions at the Prairieland Detention Center, including overcrowding, inedible food,…