Rachel says, "Get Scrappy"

Yes, it sucks that we lost ... however, there is a pony in this pile

“If you are an American citizen who does not want a strong man authoritarian system … if that is not the kind of country you want, then yesterday’s election means that you have more to do for your country than you have ever done before.” — Rachel Maddow (full video)

GRATITUDE: I will be eternally grateful for Joe Biden, Kamala Harris, Tim Walz, Liz Chaney, the Obamas, Pete Buttigieg and so many others who reawakened us and magnified the importance of our active engagement in our democracy.

This campaign was brilliant and engaging for us … however, it obviously missed its mark with others (73 million others). We have to figure out why, and how to engage those voters who were looking for something we didn’t offer them.

First … we are not alone. To reassure yourself, please look at the Wikipedia page of endorsements for Harris/Walz.

Second … we are not done. We can no longer go to sleep and assume the wheels of democracy will continue turning. I’ve been on the losing side of many elections and never before lost faith in the good intentions of the people and parties that won (although a few tested me more than others). This one is different.

Third … The worldwide trend is toward authoritarianism. It’s a natural reaction to increasing uncertainty … climate disasters, conflicts and wars, and broken trust in our organizations, governments, and media. While there is a lot to be said about strong leaders, power attracts money, and power + money is a formula for corruption.

Rachel: “We are the only 248-year old, multi-racial, pluralistic democracy in the world. Shall we keep it?” (full video)

While 73 million voters indicate a strong leaning toward Donald Trump who ran as a “strong man, I can fix everything” candidate, 68 million voters chose Kamala Harris, a we’re in this together, small-d democrat candidate.

The difference is less than 4% of the total vote count; in other words, the jury may still be out.

We are going to have to earn the trust of our trust-broken neighbors.

If we want to keep it, we are going to have to fight … peacefully … for it. Imagine for a moment being a young, hungry child in a candy store and having someone ask you to give back a piece of candy that had just fallen into your lap. Would you just let go … or, perhaps, hold on even tighter?

When we on the left began our attack on Trump in 2016, we may have been inadvertently asking people to give up the one thing they thought they could trust; asking them to reject the new family that had just accepted them. Even with the best of intentions, we may have caused them to hold on tighter.

So, where is this so-called pony? Well, it actually may be a small herd.

• The election results made clear the depths of our division, while not pinpointing the causes nor potential solutions.

• More voices are rising even as the established media are losing even more of the public trust. (Hello, Substack!)

• Kamala Harris conceded with grace. There will be no repeat of January 6th.

• As

  David Pepper
  points out in Aftermath, policy issues such as school vouchers and abortion rights ran counter to Project 2025-type recommendations.

• We have ready activists in organizations and networks, an energized network waiting for new directions.

Rachel: “What we know is that the more ground that authoritarian takes, the harder it is to get that ground back.” (full video)

The time is NOW! We may not have four more years to get ready for a new election.

Yes, we’re wounded and tired. Yes, we’re discouraged and dumbfounded, Yes, we’re pissed and want to be on to other things. Each of us has to ask ourselves what continuing the fight will cost us and whether it’s worth the risk.

One thing that haunts me from my chats with Perplexity, is this bit of history that was presented as I refreshed my memory of the Hitler timeline:

• January 30, 1933: President Hindenburg appoints Hitler as Chancellor of Germany … i.e. head of the German Government.

• February 1933: Reichstag fire occurs; Hitler uses it to suspend civil liberties

Autocrats use chaos as a reason to use “unusual” powers … even military powers … martial law. Could it happen here? I don’t know, but I do know that it is more likely under a authoritarian strong man.

With that in mind, I can’t move on to other things. I don’t know what’s coming in this transition … or even on my own path, but I am going to keep working for democracy and hope you will join me in any way that works for you.

More reading:

David Pepper

“Aftermath, History, and A Telling Election (on Vouchers) in Kentucky

Gabe Fleisher

“A skeleton key that explains the 2024 result: America’s trust divide.”