Sen. Elissa Slotkin (D-MI) is roasting her party for its disastrous messaging and communications skills. But does it matter? She’s right that the party talked down to people, dismissed their concerns about rising costs and inflation, and pointed to studies, professors, and experts to disprove their feelings. Telling voters ‘You’re wrong’ is not something you want to do, and it's politics 101. Perception is everything, but this was reality—and Joe Biden and the Democrats failed miserably by the time the 2024 rolled around.
Voters can see rising prices, Democrats. They’re not stupid. And more so, it was likely women you were talking down to since America’s mothers are the ones who usually balance the checkbook in the household. Your base also isn’t a good gauge. It’s loaded with wealthy, white, overeducated progressives who shop at Whole Foods and can absorb the price hikes. It’s a different story for working families who you’ve castigated and driven from your ranks (via Fox News):
Though she defended voting in favor of many of former President Joe Biden’s economic policies as a congresswoman, Slotkin told the New York Times’ "The Opinions" podcast that Democrats largely fumbled by ignoring people's struggles.
"So we did pass a bunch of things, but we also spent a good year plus after the pandemic explaining to people that the economy was not as bad as they thought," Slotkin said. "Saying things like: This Harvard economist says that G.D.P. is the highest, bah, bah, bah."
[…]
Slotkin went on to say that the Democratic Party made voters feel "stupid" by ignoring their issues because the economy looked good "on a piece of paper in a spreadsheet in Boston."
"That was annoying and was our fault," she said.
Slotkin, who was elected to the Senate last year, rose to national prominence after giving the Democratic response to President Donald Trump's congressional address in March. Since then, she has been equally critical of her own party for its focus on identity politics.
In April, Politico previewed a speech she gave in Lansing where she called on the Democratic Party to "f---ing retake the flag" and stop being "weak and woke."
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Slotkin added that there was a point where she could punch someone who cited another Harvard economist to shill for the party’s position on the economy. Okay, but all of this looks politically motivated, which it is. Democrats need not shout about what killed them on this issue with voters; everyone knows.
There’s still zero movement on winning back working-class voters, and there likely won’t be. This party is too stupid, too insular, and too elitist to take accountability. They’re spending $20 million on how to talk to dudes, folks. This is going to be a lengthy rebuild for the Left. Will it be an election cycle or two? Who knows, but if they keep clinging to being on the wrong end of 80/20 issues—they’ll be there forever.
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