Okay now that I got some sleep and some time for reflection, I wanted to brain dump by thoughts about the 2024 election. My view is coming from more of a former history teacher’s mindset and as an average middle-aged gay white dude.  I am in no way an election expert nor do I have any idea what the Democratic Party should do next. Much wiser people will share their thoughts, but be wearily of anyone who proclaims they know exactly what happened, what will happen next or what Democrats should to do prepare for the next election 36 hours out are full of sh*t. Give it a little time.

I am so Proud of Kamala Harris

We did not deserve her. She ran an outstanding campaign, inspired so many and pitched a perfect game on the campaign trail.

You know who else pitched well and never won, Jacob DeGrom on the Mets. In 2018 he pitched 217 innings with 269 strikeouts and a 1.70 ERA. This was arguable one of the best seasons for a starting pitcher in baseball history; yet he only won 10 games which in 2018 was pretty mediocre.  He was an MVP on a flawed team, just like Harris. Unfortunately, her team is the United States.

Electing a Black Woman for President

I am sorry, but have any of us ever read a history book? Why did we think this was happening? Barrack Obama won in 08 (and has a penis) because we had a very unpopular two-term Republican president mishandling the Great Recession. Obama was also a once in a generation political talent, the ultimate outsider and was running against an unpopular incumbent party. Obama was also a centrist.

Oh yes, your perception that Obama ran a wonderful liberal administration is false. He ran as the most centrist Democrat in the primary compared to his two top rivals, Hillary Clinton and John Edwards on healthcare and the economy. Even as president much of what he accomplished were sensible centrist reforms like Mitt Romney’s healthcare plan. Even on gay marriage he followed the country, not led.

Unfortunately Harris carried the perception that she was a San Francisco liberal. On top of that, she had gender and race against her too. Sure, that is not fair or moral, but fairness and morality do not win elections, ask President-Elect Trump. The democrats are also the party in power, and she was considered the incumbent.

This is a Center-Right Country

There is a reason why I just cringe every time I hear the phrases ‘gender fluid’ or ‘Latinx.’ or ‘anti-racist’ or similar new phrases in the academic world. Sure, I am generally sympathetic to these issues, but the reality is most Americans find it all, as Tim Waltz would say, weird if not obnoxious.

This is not a country that votes for liberal causes regularly. Our two most liberal candidates, Hillary Clinton and Kamala Harris have now both lost to a mad man. Obama won because he ran to the center. In fact, I would argue one of his shortcomings as President was his centrist approach to the Great Recession.

Joe Biden won because of covid, plain and simple. It is mind boggling after Trump cozied up with Putin, mishandled the pandemic, separated children from their families along the border, etc., still almost defeated Biden. Biden’s win was not the ultimate defeat we like to imagine. He squeaked by in enough states due to covid.

Covid Became a Democrat Problem

Again, take fairness out of the equation, but Democrats are now blamed for covid. Trump was gone early, and Biden was there for all the new waves and post-economic reality of high inflation, closed schools and anger people had. We have seen all around the world the post-pandemic inflation is causing an anti-incumbency fever.

****

I was absolutely heartbroken Tuesday night. Matt and I knew as soon as those Georgia numbers were coming in it was going to be bad. I feel terrible for families who have to fear separation again, I feel terrible for Ukraine and our allies and it makes me sick that this country voted for a convicted felon who tried to overthrow our democracy because eggs are a little more expensive.

I can’t make people feel or think the same way I do; trust me I have tried. Me being angry all day is not going to solve anything so here is my plan for the next four years.

Delete Twitter and Stop Obsessing Over the News

I will continue reading the paper every morning, but there is a difference between being alert vs obsessed. I do not need to know the hour by hour, play by play of the news anymore. It is not healthy and a terrible way to spend my time and energy.

Twitter is like a drug. You dive in, think it is helping when in fact it is just causing so much mental unrest. I will keep Facebook and Instagram because those are mostly travel, food and fun posts. I have long removed everything else.

Live

I plan on spending less time-consuming MSNBC at night and more learning more about myself and my hobbies. The Travel Advisory work I am doing is a great start to that, cooking, exercise, reading and writing are others.

Detach From Politics

In Al-Anon I have learned and tried to live under the phrase, detachment. I cannot control others, how they vote or how they feel. Me getting angry and stressed all day over things I cannot control will not solve the problems this country faces.

Contribute as I can

Detaching from politics does not mean I do not care. I will continue doing what I have always done there, donate to causes and candidates I support, vote and call my representatives to express my opinions. Doom scrolling or fearing the worst will not solve anything except my mental capacity for happiness.

***

History and progress are not straight lines. I do think America will survive this, but it might look a little different. The post-WW2 order where both parties agree on the general direction of the country and its role in the world are over. Half of America does not want globalism or international cooperation. They want to be able to pay their bills and if that means a country like Ukraine suffers then that is acceptable. That is wrong and irresponsible, but just like I can’t stop an addict from consumption, I can’t write the world’s script or force someone to see the world like I do.

Sending all the love and hugs,

Andrew