People have been disappointing me for some time now. First, as a single father, divorced, and bouncing from relationship to crazy relationship, and recently as a voter who was shocked by the 2024 presidential election.
Now, as a 60-year-old African American father of four, a blue-collar worker who has spent decades clocking in and out to provide for my family, and as a man who is seriously looking at early retirement the 2024 election hit differently. For sure, I did not want Donald Trump in office again. The man is a poor character, bad moral fiber and he’s an outright criminal and a liar.
But it wasn’t just about who sat in the Oval Office although I believed Kamala Harris would be a welcome and refreshing change from the White Male bureaucrats we are accustomed to. It wasn’t about which party controlled Congress—it was about a deeper reckoning with what voters like me are feeling and what this country needs to hear.
The election revealed something that many of us have been saying for years: the political establishment has lost touch with everyday Americans. Both parties claim to fight for the working class, but as someone who’s had to stretch every dollar to feed my kids, find a side hustle to be able to afford one or two luxuries, foot the bill for my kid’s college education while preparing for retirement, a politician’s promises often feel hollow.
This election, it seemed, a lot of voters—myself included—were saying, desperate for change, any kind of change. But around the country – from midwest flyover states to urban metropolises, voters were saying, “Enough is enough.”
The Vote-Splitting Phenomenon
One of the most surprising headlines post-election was the idea of vote-splitting. The fact that some people cast their vote for Donald Trump as president and Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (AOC) (New York) as their representative seems odd to me at first glance. But when I really think about it, it’s not.
Both Trump and AOC, despite their vastly different ideologies, have one thing in common: they speak to the frustration so many of us feel. By “us” I mean, us people. Trump says he’s going to fight the elites. We know this, but even poor Republican constituents in Iowa and West Virginia believe in Reagonomics’ trickle-down theory.
Meanwhile, AOC speaks about putting working families first. While I didn’t vote for Trump and I don’t quite get why some folks in my shoes voted for him, he was indeed speaking directly to them. He planted their fears, and then spoke to them. He gave them something to worry about, and then offered the prefabricated solution. He placed the enemy before them and then promised to take him away.
Republicans across the country feel tired of being ignored by Liberal messaging and just want someone who feels real, someone who they believe might actually listen to their struggles – even when history and reality prove he actually won’t.
What the Democrats Got Wrong
I’ve traditionally leaned Democrat, but I’ll admit, I’ve never been a die-hard anything as far as political affiliation and party are concerned. That said, as a former US Marine, I place a lot on the virtue of character when it comes to my Commander-in-Chief. I’d like him to be someone I can look up to and respect.
This election I thought long and hard before marking my ballot down the line. Representatives like Jared Moskowitz and Seth Moulton have finally admitted what I’ve been feeling for a while: Democrats have been coming off as out of touch.
I can’t tell you how many times I’ve watched someone on TV talking about policy in a way that feels like a lecture instead of a conversation. I cannot express how frustrating it has been to watch Democrats on the news and think, “Shut the hell up, already and get to the point! You’re not saying what I need to hear!”
And the economy? My family felt the pinch. Groceries cost more. My rent went up twice since I moved to a larger, more expensive apartment. These aren’t abstract ideas for my family; they’re daily realities. But, oh my God, Democrats didn’t even suggest that they had answers. In fact, while me and my neighbors (whom I despise) are all struggling, Democrats seem disconnected and focused on reaching the outliers on the fringes of society.
What About the Republicans?
I’ll give credit where it’s due: Republicans know how to talk to their people. Their messaging is simple, direct, sensationalized, exclamatory, and easy to understand. Democrats could learn from that, not by copying the content, but by delivering their values in a way that feels approachable.
AOC herself acknowledged this, saying that Democrats need to step up their game in digital communication and connect with voters more effectively. I agree. Times have changed. People get their news on their phones, through short clips, memes, and tweets. If you’re not meeting folks where they are, you’re losing them.
Looking Ahead: What Needs to Change
As a father, I teach my kids that admitting your mistakes is the first step toward fixing them. That’s what the Democratic Party needs to do now. They need to stop preaching and start listening. They need to stop trying to be all-inclusive and focus on basic human decency and tolerance.
Democrats have to listen to folks like me who are working long hours but still feel like they’re falling behind. Understand that I have a sixteen-year-old girl in high school, and while I have nothing against Transpeople, I am concerned about biological males entering the restroom with her, and her not having any choice in the matter. There has to be a better way than forcing decisions down our throats and then saying “Sorry,” when something bad happens. Not all of us fit neatly into the party’s assumptions about what we want or need.
Democrat leaders need to take a page from leaders like AOC, who seem genuinely curious about why voters crossed party lines. Instead of judging those who voted for Trump, maybe it’s time to ask, “Why?” Take a poll and create a task force to study the results.
Final Thoughts
The 2024 election wasn’t just about politics; it was a wake-up call. Liberals across the country need to understand that what’s important to us in big cities is not the same as what’s important to people in rural townships in Nebraska.
Moreover, the system as-is simply isn’t working for everyone. That’s clear now more than ever. I hope both parties take this moment to reflect and adjust because, at the end of the day, there’s more at stake than just trying to make things better for our families.
Unfortunately, now we have Neo-Nazi groups of young white men marching through Urban cities. We have hate speech happening at Congressional hearings. We have men and women believing it’s their right to become physically violent with someone with whom they have differing opinions. We have folks all over the country, in little towns and big cities, thinking it’s perfectly within their right to use the N-word and claim freedom of speech as an excuse. This is all happened under Donald Trump. We saw it before and we are about to relive it for the next four years.
And it’s not just people like me (i.e. Black people) who are at risk. Remember the violence towards Asians (i.e Asian Hate) during the pandemic? Undocumented Mexicans who think they are in the clear because they are “hard-working and honest” are in for a shock. Being undocumented means you are already a criminal, and thus the Trump Administration is likely to include your name on its deportation list.
The United States, especially those lower-middle class folk and people hovering around the poverty line are in for a big surprise. It will be a rude awakening for many Trump Supporters. The rest of us already know what we’re in for.
For me, the question now isn’t just who’s in power but whether they remember to follow through on their promises to help ordinary people. As a voter, a worker, and a father, I’m watching closely. Change isn’t just possible—it’s necessary.
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