this post was submitted on 05 Jan 2025
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Summary

A post-election survey by Priorities USA found that voters in key swing states prioritized economic concerns like inflation over Donald Trump's role in the January 6 Capitol attack.

Many did not view Trump as a continued threat to democracy, including key Biden-to-Trump voters.

Efforts by Kamala Harris' campaign to highlight Trump’s authoritarian tendencies failed to resonate, as Trump's image as a "successful businessman" persisted.

Democrats underestimated voters’ lack of hostility toward Trump, particularly among younger non-white voters, complicating their strategy in the 2024 election.

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[–] Jimmycakes@lemmy.world 23 points 1 day ago (1 children)

The fbi didn't care taking years to arrest people the court system didn't care giving out mickey mouse sentences. This isn't on the American public. Dems still don't fucking get it

[–] Zak@lemmy.world 3 points 1 day ago* (last edited 1 day ago)

This isn’t on the American public.

It's on the substantial fraction that voted for the asshole.

Everybody saw January 6. Everybody heard the call to Raffensperger. At least, everybody who's paying the least bit of attention did, and I say this as a person who does not spend much time following political news.

I especially blame people who voted for him because of prices. I don't expect an advanced understanding of supply chains, but do people think the USA has a command economy? The president does not set prices, or have much ability to influence them.

[–] Snapz@lemmy.world 13 points 1 day ago (1 children)

America has the attention span of...

[–] Glasgow@lemmy.ml 3 points 22 hours ago

A gold fish with severe brain damage

[–] Ensign_Crab@lemmy.world 11 points 1 day ago

Don't blame voters for leadership's lack of urgency.

[–] Nightwingdragon@lemmy.world 45 points 1 day ago (1 children)

Because the DOJ didn't care. Neither did Biden.

The day that Garland got sworn in, there should have been a warrant issued for Trump's arrest on treason charges. Given his unique position as not only a threat to national security, but also a fight risk, Trump needed some 5 star accomodations at ADX-Florence until the threat to national security has been fully investigated and neutralized.

If they could literally hunt down Edward Snowden in real time like a real-time game of Carmen Sandiego, they can have Trump brought in for treason. Lock him up in ADX-Florence during the investigation to make sure he doesn't hop on a private jet and head straight to Saudi Arabia or Russia or something.

The FBI, CIA, NSA or whoever executed the Mar-A-Lago raid absolutely should not have given Trump a heads up as a courtesy. Show up, secure the documents, escort Trump out in handcuffs and take him and everybody who even walked into that room in the past six months straight to Colorado. Under no circumstances should securing top secret documents be treated with the same urgency as rescheduling an inconvenient doctor's appointment.

If the DOJ wasn't going to take this seriously, why should the people?

[–] Zak@lemmy.world 4 points 1 day ago (1 children)

The day that Garland got sworn in, there should have been a warrant issued for Trump’s arrest on treason charges.

That would have been foolish both legally and politically.

Garland should have appointed a special prosecutor immediately rather than delaying for a year and a half. Direct involvement of the administration would have raised questions of political bias and revenge with both the courts and the public. A prosecution for treason, which is defined very narrowly would raise similar questions.

The charges against him for January 6 would have likely derailed his campaign and could have led to a lengthy prison sentence had they been filed 18 months earlier. He is not a young man; chances are strong it would have been effectively a life term.

[–] Nightwingdragon@lemmy.world 5 points 1 day ago (1 children)

Garland should have appointed a special prosecutor immediately rather than delaying for a year and a half. Direct involvement of the administration would have raised questions of political bias and revenge with both the courts and the public.

I completely disagree with this logic. What you are saying is that the President would be essentially immune from prosecution even before that terrible SC decision because prosecuting the former president would have been bad optics anyway. Heaven for-fucking-bid. All this does is strengthen the two-tier justice system in this country.

A prosecution for treason, which is defined very narrowly would raise similar questions.

The man stole countless boxes of national security secrets, stuffed them in a golf club bathroom, and his son-in-law magically got $2 billion out of nowhere. The man held meetings in the white house with foreign representatives, behind closed doors, without allowing US translators or note-takers in the room.

That's treason. At the very least, put treason charges before the American people and let a jury decide. I stand by my belief: The man should have had a permanent stay at ADX-Florence the minute those boxes were found.

[–] Zak@lemmy.world 1 points 23 hours ago (1 children)

the President would be essentially immune from prosecution

What is it you think a special prosecutor does?

The man stole countless boxes of national security secrets, stuffed them in a golf club bathroom, and his son-in-law magically got $2 billion out of nowhere. The man held meetings in the white house with foreign representatives, behind closed doors, without allowing US translators or note-takers in the room.

The first of those things is very much illegal, and the special prosecutor who was appointed too late did indict him for it. On a different timeline with a different judge, it likely would have resulted in a conviction and a lengthy prison term.

The other two are very suspicious. It's very likely there were crimes surrounding those events, but they are not, themselves crimes. They certainly aren't treason against the United States, which

shall consist only in levying War against them, or in adhering to their Enemies, giving them Aid and Comfort.

Now it's possible some of those foreign representatives could be considered "enemies", and possible he gave them secret information, which would qualify as "aid and comfort". The next thing the constitution requires is

No Person shall be convicted of Treason unless on the Testimony of two Witnesses to the same overt Act, or on Confession in open Court.

And sure, if that burden is met, he should be charged. Otherwise, charges that are actually likely to hold up in court are more appropriate.

[–] Nightwingdragon@lemmy.world 2 points 22 hours ago (1 children)

the President would be essentially immune from prosecution

What is it you think a special prosecutor does?

The idea of a "special prosecutor" is and always has been redundant. If I'm going to go after a political opponent, what is the difference between doing it myself and hiring someone to do it for me? If people are going to think it's political persecution, they're going to think that way whether I do it myself or hire someone to do it under my watch. The end result is the same. I can guarantee you that absolutely no AG is going to appoint a special prosecutor who isn't going to do exactly what the AG would have done themselves anyway.

shall consist only in levying War against them, or in adhering to their Enemies, giving them Aid and Comfort.

And exactly what the fuck did you think Donald Trump was going to do with a room full of national security secrets stolen, hidden, and locked in a golf course bathroom? Some light reading while taking a dump? What did you think the Saudis gave Kushner $2 billion for? A birthday present?

[–] Zak@lemmy.world 1 points 22 hours ago

exactly what the fuck did you think Donald Trump was going to do with a room full of national security secrets

Something very crooked, for which he should be in prison.

Most things that are crooked and harmful to the country are not treason, and many things that might be treason are difficult to prove as treason due to the unique constraints on prosecuting that crime. We have other criminal charges for those acts, and Trump was, in fact charged with felonies for them. The prosecution was started too late, for which I do blame the Biden administration and specifically Garland.

Laws aren't selectivly applied by popular vote. Do your fucking jobs.

[–] djsoren19@yiffit.net 35 points 1 day ago (1 children)

Serious question, why should they have cared? The Dept of Justice didn't care. US Attorney General Merrick Garland didn't care. President Joe Biden didn't care. If anyone actually cared, Trump would be in prison for treason, but the U.S. clearly has a two-tiered justice system that lets you engage in a coup as long as you're considered wealthy enough.

Both sides called each other a threat to democracy, and neither side actually backed up those claims. When the Dems tried, their donors got mad at them and they shut up, because being rude to fascists is a hard line in our country. Voters saw this and decided it was all smoke, so they focused on what each candidate was promising them. Harris promised 4 more years of a status quo that was hurting them, and Trump promised change.

[–] mojofrododojo@lemmy.world 3 points 1 day ago* (last edited 1 day ago) (1 children)

~~wealthy~~

white enough. if a bunch of people with melanin, whether they were from africa, the middle east or asia, had stormed the capitol and SMEARED SHIT ON THE WALLS INSIDE, they would have been met with a brutal, violent and LIVE FIRE response.

bet.

[–] Ensign_Crab@lemmy.world 2 points 1 day ago

There would have been more than just Capitol police present, to be certain.

[–] SnotFlickerman@lemmy.blahaj.zone 66 points 2 days ago (1 children)

as Trump’s image as a “successful businessman” persisted.

FUCKING HOW!?!? How does anyone not know this loser chucklefuck would be richer if he'd just put his money away in investments and that he lost so much money over the years because he's a shitty business man and the only inklings of success he's ever had are because he's a bastard mafioso who doesn't pay anyone.

[–] eran_morad@lemmy.world 40 points 2 days ago (1 children)

I'd be willing to wager that your average Joe has not a fucking clue what an index fund is. Probably 1 in 10 could explain mathematically compound interest. If that.

[–] thesohoriots@lemmy.world 28 points 2 days ago (1 children)

A very, very low number know how our tax brackets work, so compound interest is some intergalactic conspiracy.

[–] sensiblepuffin@lemmy.world 7 points 1 day ago

Too many Americans celebrate ignorance, it's depressing as fuck.

[–] Zorsith@lemmy.blahaj.zone 44 points 2 days ago* (last edited 2 days ago)

The orange fuck should've been in prison before the fucking midterms of the biden administration...

[–] FiremanEdsRevenge@lemmy.world 43 points 2 days ago (1 children)

And the normalization continues. Living in fucking bizarro world.

[–] FenrirIII@lemmy.world 4 points 23 hours ago

Lack of education and endless propaganda

[–] Uruanna@lemmy.world 23 points 1 day ago* (last edited 1 day ago)

I was pretty sure the fucking DOJ didn't care that Trump instigated Jan. 6. And when the people saw that it was going nowhere fast, their money became more important. It's not like voting for Harris was going to change anything anyway, none of the investigations were pointing anywhere to jail time or barely a conviction. Even the only one that went well is ending with the judge signalling that there will be absolutely zero jail time or fine or literally anything in the upcoming sentencing. What the fuck are the voters expected to think of it?

The only thing this article is talking about is that actual treason and attempted coup are used as a boogeyman being waved around to tell people to "vote for us or it will be worse" but never actually doing anything about it. Now they lost because they ended up doing nothing about anything. "There's nothing that comes to mind that I would do differently."

[–] Alexstarfire@lemmy.world 12 points 1 day ago
[–] CharlesDarwin@lemmy.world 20 points 1 day ago (1 children)

This is because there are a lot of very stupid people.

[–] grue@lemmy.world 6 points 1 day ago (2 children)

And they're all in the Democratic leadership.

How the fuck can the public at large be expected to recognize Trump as the fascist threat he is when the opposition itself doesn't even slightly take the issue seriously?

[–] Ensign_Crab@lemmy.world 4 points 1 day ago

Democrats are not the party of leading by example. They're the party of "Do as we say, not as we do."

They want lockstep voting for their candidates no matter what misgivings the electorate has, but always find some Manchin to come up with some nitpick to block legislation.

They want us to treat January 6 seriously when they demonstrated that they had no interest at all in prosecuting.

They want us to treat our votes as something valuable and precious that we must jealously guard so that we never lose them. And then they don't try to shore up voting rights. And don't hold primaries. If you regard voting with such contempt, why shouldn't we?

[–] Clinicallydepressedpoochie@lemmy.world 3 points 1 day ago* (last edited 1 day ago)

Oh no, don't you realize , the DNC is going to magically change and actually win elections consistently for the next 20 years so they can reverse all that trump has ruined. The only catch is you can't talk about how unlikely that is and you have to stick your thumb up you ass until then otherwise it won't happen and it's your fault.

[–] Maggoty@lemmy.world 10 points 1 day ago (1 children)

We got clear polling and focus groups on this. Voters didn't believe it was a big deal because the DOJ didn't arrest him. They know how the justice system operates and seeing it just not operate informed their opinion.

[–] ovalofsand@lemmy.world 0 points 1 day ago

Sources? I'd like to check that out

[–] beefbot@lemmy.blahaj.zone 21 points 2 days ago (1 children)

I don’t fuckin buy that for a second. Someone here is BSsing

[–] Atelopus-zeteki@fedia.io 24 points 2 days ago

Won the popular vote by the thinnest of margins, there was no mandate for trump. Congress, too, the tiny-est of margins. More media normalizing of fascist bullshit.

[–] HubertManne@moist.catsweat.com 14 points 2 days ago (1 children)

eyup. people seem to have no grasp on the fragility of democracy.

That's because a combination of the media's obsession with horserace politics for ratings and the Dem leadership's insistence that "bipartisanship" is the highest political virtue possible has succeeded in convincing the average voter that the fascists are just regular conservatives and worrying about the imminent demise of democracy is for sore losers who are probably too woke or something 😮‍💨

Also: a shitload of "it couldn't happen here where we have an infallible constitution to protect us" American exceptionalism idiocy.

[–] zabadoh@ani.social 15 points 2 days ago (1 children)

i.e. Americans don't understand, or care, about democracy.

Got it.

[–] Ensign_Crab@lemmy.world 3 points 1 day ago

We learned by example from the party that preferred the Jim Crow filibuster to the John Lewis Voting Rights Act. We learned by example from the party that cares so little about the voice of the people that it didn't even bother with primaries.

[–] eran_morad@lemmy.world 13 points 2 days ago

Obviously. And we will all get what the MAGAts deserve.

[–] jaggedrobotpubes@lemmy.world 1 points 1 day ago

Yes they did.

[–] rockSlayer@lemmy.world 7 points 2 days ago (2 children)

And there it is folks, the democrats failing to learn from this election.

[–] wildncrazyguy138@fedia.io -5 points 2 days ago (1 children)

Of course they didn’t! Check the boxes beside which lessons you think they should have learned:

☐ The dems moved too far to the right ☐ The dems moved too far to the left ☐ The dems focused too much on vibes and not enough on ground game ☐ The dems focused too much on ground game and not enough on vibes ☐ The dems catered too much on the educated suburban class vote and not enough on the common folk ☐ The dems catered too much on the common folk vote and not enough on the educated suburban class ☐ The dems focused too much on Trump ☐ The dems focused too little on Trump ☐ The dems should never have put a woman at the top of ticket ☐ The dems should have messaged more that there was a woman at top of ticket ☐ The dems messaging was too vague ☐ The dems messaging was too specific ☐ The dems focused too much on x topic and not enough on y topic ☐ The dems focused too much on y topic and not enough on x topic ☐ The answer was complicated and varied by state ☐ The answer was simple and based on national/global trends

[–] rockSlayer@lemmy.world 9 points 1 day ago

I don't know if you're being sarcastic, but I feel all of those options are reductionist in some capacity and creates an illusion that a single tactical change would have altered the outcome. An election and what it takes to sway opinion is multifaceted and requires a diversity of tactics. To me, the problem is systemic and embedded in the party, which encompasses several of the points you think I solely blame. Namely, the oligarchic control over the party via delegates and super-delegates creates a dichotomy between the party's base of support and the desires of the billionaires holding the purse strings.

[–] Hobbes_Dent@lemmy.world -5 points 2 days ago (1 children)

Americans not learning from the 2016 election. Americans not learning from the high school smoke pit.

[–] rockSlayer@lemmy.world 6 points 2 days ago (1 children)

Personally, I think a bulk of the fault is on the political parties that produced the last 3 elections, and where most of the attention needs to be. There is certainly some fault with the public, but some of that also goes back to the political parties failing to produce and maintain the advanced political awareness needed to be an informed citizen in the US. The Democrats will not accept responsibility for their failures, and has proven to be the less robust party despite the GOP facing bankruptcy.

[–] orclev@lemmy.world 6 points 1 day ago (1 children)

It's not really about the GOP as much as those running under the GOP. Republican candidates don't need the GOP to bankroll them because they get tons of funding from foreign nationals and corporations who see an opportunity in them to destabilize the US further and increase the wealth gap respectively. The DNC meanwhile mostly see funding from the same sources as a hedge against a Republican loss and in order for them to keep Democrats from running with progressive economic policies. But to do that they only need to dangle just enough cash in front of the DNC to sway their policies, not enough to make them actually win.

[–] rockSlayer@lemmy.world 6 points 1 day ago* (last edited 1 day ago)

The foreign money in our elections are definitely a big factor when it comes to this topic for sure, especially when discussing the GOP. However when discussing the Democratic Party, it's not nearly as big a factor as the billionaires appointing delegates and super delegates. If there's one theme I've noticed over the last 4 years in regards to party structure, it's that the GOP has barely any money but the Democrats continue to get millions from the wealthy. Since our elections cater to put money in the hands of corporations, this directs both parties to provide for their sources of funding. For the GOP, that means fascism. For the Democrats, it's clinging to the same neoliberalism that produced the mess we've been in for 50 years.

That is the ultimate problem with having a government that deserves to be overthrown.

[–] technocrit@lemmy.dbzer0.com 4 points 2 days ago

It's funny how politicians, when attacked, will assume that regular people care.