I see a lot of self flagellation going on here. [View all]

The "media" will no doubt want to discuss ad nauseum how the Harris campaign dropped the ball. But here's the thing.
It didn't. Harris ran a great campaign on traditional Democratic values. Nor did the Democratic voters drop the ball. We
did the right thing. We - along with a minority of moderate old school Republicans, recognized the threat and voted. It wasn't enough. There aren't enough of us. By "us" I mean people who possess a greater circle of concern than simply enlightened self interest. All the suggestions regarding "the message" fail to understand that playing to one portion of the electorate invariably alienates another. If you're a friend to all, you're naturally perceived as a friend to none.

I used to believe that everybody had the capacity to understand fairly complex issues if the information were presented to them in a friendly and un-threatening way. Everybody can be taught about climate change for example, and has the capacity to understand the threat to themselves and to their family. Everybody can surely understand how the accumulation of vast wealth and the influence it buys can't possibly be good for them. Or so I thought.

A majority of Americans cannot think their way out of a paper bag - nor do they have any interest in doing so. Talk of greater opportunity reads as work harder or learn new things. Such a messagae doesn't resonate with the stay at home dullards, the man boys, the "spank me daddy" evangelicals or the man-babies who get upset there's not a job waiting for their privileged white ass.
Just because.

Too many Americans are too far gone. They persist in wanting to break it all down because they falsely think they have nothing to lose. Many don't vote at all. Other mistakenly believe that their freedom to vote and "bet" on a better outcome will always be an option - like game of chance - a wheel of fortune - a scratch off lottery ticket. These folks are just fine being who they are. They have no desire to be curious, because that might involve changing.

Now there will be a tremendous brain drain in this country because those who have a mobile skill-set will leave. I'm too old to leave, but if I were 20 years younger I'd be making plans. There's something appealing about relocating to an altogether foreign land because you get to meet new people who haven't managed yet to break their country or your heart.