Just gonna keep this short and to the point.
We all know FDR only went so far with including black people in new deal programs to appease the southern coalition of Dems. He also denied entry for Jewish Refugees and deported many Mexicans during the Great Depression.
Once LBJ passed the Civil Rights Act, Dems essentially lost the South forever.
Nixon pulled federal funding from affordable public housing in black neighborhoods and it strengthened his base.
Reagan blamed the aids epidemic on gay people and was embraced by the country.
Obama had to run on being anti-gay marriage in 08, but ran on being pro-gay marriage in 2012 and lost some support.
Trump spent millions in anti-trans ads. And leaned into the trans panic.
I know social issues aren’t everything, but it seems like that’s the direction America has gone post Civil Rights.
No, it’s the economy, stupid.
Racism and bigotry are just the keys that they dangle to keep people distracted. But it is not why people vote. Trump voters actually believe he is going to make America great again. It’s stupid, but you have to consider how non-existent the Dem’s alternative vision is.
Trump literally won in 2016 with a good economy. He got 74 million votes in 2020 and barely lost with a bad economy. It’s not the economy.
Last year there were numerous articles about how the economy was doing so well but average people were extremely pessimistic. This confusion and divide highlights why it is and always will be about the economy. The economy is extremely unequal. When it’s good, people don’t realize it because nothing changes for them. Boiling it down to “good” and “bad” economy is exactly the myopic viewpoint the Dems have and why they will continue to lose.