Writes Ezra Klein, in "A Stake Through the Heart of Trump’s Red Map" (NYT).
I understand why they make headlines like that but it's SO out of line with the tone and substance of the article.
November 8, 2026
"In 2018, there was still a sense that Trump was an aberration or a fluke; that he’d gotten lucky in 2016 and Democrats could double down on who they were already..."
"... and end MAGA without changing much themselves. Democrats won power in 2018 and 2020 and wielded it so unconvincingly and alienatingly that Trump and his movement roared back, stronger and more dangerous, than ever. The Democratic Party that emerged from that bruising is chastened in a way its predecessor wasn’t. Democrats know they need to appeal to voters who mistrust them. They are not as liable to mistake Trump’s unpopularity for their popularity. All they have won is a chance to prove themselves. And so they may be more willing to learn lessons that this election had to teach."
Writes Ezra Klein, in "A Stake Through the Heart of Trump’s Red Map" (NYT).
Writes Ezra Klein, in "A Stake Through the Heart of Trump’s Red Map" (NYT).
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40 comments:
“ They are not as liable to mistake Trump’s unpopularity for their popularity. All they have won is a chance to prove themselves. And so they may be more willing to learn lessons that this election had to teach."
Wrong. The Dems will now have the power that they craved. They will impeach Trump and Hegseth. Abolish the filibuster. Restore the wind and solar federal tax credits. Abolish ICE. Open borders. Everything.
Sigh. Ezra Klein is indulging in wishful thinking. The Democrats have learned nothing and forgotten nothing. They do not have a plan. They do not have a program. They will fall back on mass impeachments and culture war purges to avoid admitting that they don't have the slightest idea of what to do about the economic issues that actually concern the voters.
God alone knows what we'll get in 2028.
Not really a fluke, as Victor Davis Hanson explains...
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yPqDxYAZlWw
Trump's 1.5-point victory in 2024 was a mandate. Democrats' 13.5-point victory in 2026 apparently isn't. Funny how that works.
You people are probably right because the Democrat leaders are just as arrogant and righteous as you are just
"stronger and more dangerous, than ever."
Removing criminals and some of Biden's illegally allowed in, illegals, brining manufacturing back to the US, Shining a light on the left's massive fraud like USAID, shining a light on the left's march to crush women and girls in sports and private spaces ... Building a new ballroom, (using private funds) a safe dignified space to keep mud off the shows of those visiting, cleaning up DC, freeing Venezuela.
OMG - so dangerous!
The left are so rage-fueled about Trump - they will destroy our nation with their non stop temper tantrum.
SEE Dave Chapelle. Politics is downstream of culture.
Not that I care about Ezra Klein, but can’t he see how the Democrat party has failed America. I’m guessing that he thinks he is a super smart guy driven by data.
So, dear Ezra, explain these stats.
1. Why is crime so much lower now under Trump.
2. Why is electricity so much more expensive in Blue states?
The pendulum swings this way and that. The more it swings this way, the more it will swing that way.
I'm not mad at Trump, but I am LIVID with the Senate Republicans, especially John Thune, who spent more time taking vacations to avoid passing bills like the Safe Act that 80% of the country agrees with.
The left destroy whole cities - and people still vote for more.
At some point - this place will become a lost cause.
Thanks Democrats!
As for the Progressives they just elected, I have absolutely NO hope that anything will be accomplished
Who are the contenders for the Dems 2028 presidential nomination. Anybody?
Dave Begley writes: ๐๐ณ๐ฐ๐ฏ๐จ. ๐๐ฉ๐ฆ ๐๐ฆ๐ฎ๐ด ๐ธ๐ช๐ญ๐ญ ๐ฏ๐ฐ๐ธ ๐ฉ๐ข๐ท๐ฆ ๐ต๐ฉ๐ฆ ๐ฑ๐ฐ๐ธ๐ฆ๐ณ ๐ต๐ฉ๐ข๐ต ๐ต๐ฉ๐ฆ๐บ ๐ค๐ณ๐ข๐ท๐ฆ๐ฅ. ๐๐ฉ๐ฆ๐บ ๐ธ๐ช๐ญ๐ญ ๐ช๐ฎ๐ฑ๐ฆ๐ข๐ค๐ฉ ๐๐ณ๐ถ๐ฎ๐ฑ ๐ข๐ฏ๐ฅ ๐๐ฆ๐จ๐ด๐ฆ๐ต๐ฉ. ๐๐ฃ๐ฐ๐ญ๐ช๐ด๐ฉ ๐ต๐ฉ๐ฆ ๐ง๐ช๐ญ๐ช๐ฃ๐ถ๐ด๐ต๐ฆ๐ณ. ๐๐ฆ๐ด๐ต๐ฐ๐ณ๐ฆ ๐ต๐ฉ๐ฆ ๐ธ๐ช๐ฏ๐ฅ ๐ข๐ฏ๐ฅ ๐ด๐ฐ๐ญ๐ข๐ณ ๐ง๐ฆ๐ฅ๐ฆ๐ณ๐ข๐ญ ๐ต๐ข๐น ๐ค๐ณ๐ฆ๐ฅ๐ช๐ต๐ด. ๐๐ฃ๐ฐ๐ญ๐ช๐ด๐ฉ ๐๐๐. ๐๐ฑ๐ฆ๐ฏ ๐ฃ๐ฐ๐ณ๐ฅ๐ฆ๐ณ๐ด. ๐๐ท๐ฆ๐ณ๐บ๐ต๐ฉ๐ช๐ฏ๐จ.
I think the biggest takeaway is that progressive candidates generally underperformed when compared with moderate or centrist Democrats. Whether it was Flanagan in MN, Abdul El-Sayed in MI or Nixon in FLA, the pattern was much the same. Compare their performances with Talarico in TX, Hamilton in KS, Cooper in NC, Turek in IA or Brown in OH.
The lesson is that candidates who can appeal beyond the party’s progressive base are better positioned to build winning coalitions, particularly in competitive and traditionally Republican states.
Nothing quite affects gas prices like the green new deal.
That's for sure.
"The Democratic Party that emerged from that bruising is chastened" Really? You mean, that's why they elected El Sayed? That's why LA moved left of Bass? That's why they promise lawfare against Trump, Musk, and any GOP supporter? That's why they keep talking about expanding the Supreme Court?
The Democrats are euphoric now with their election wins, and they have a sense that they will be in charge, completely in control. But they're not. Our government has 3 branches: legislative, judicial, and executive. They have only captured one branch and conservatives still will control the other two branches...IF they choose to fight to protect their control of those 2 branches. Trump's selection of Steven Miller is a clear signal of what he intends to do.
The Supreme Court, however, is the weak link now, particularly with Chief Justice Roberts and his weak-kneed actions in protecting the integrity not just of that court but particularly the unrestrained actions of the district courts. I suspect the Democrats will specifically target the judiciary as their next coup.
I personally look forward to Democrats having to actually do things in their own name.
They stupidly removed most of the republican traitors from congress.
With Democrats set to take control in January, could this be America’s last Christmas?
“The Democrats are euphoric now with their election wins, and they have a sense that they will be in charge, completely in control.”
Nope, wrong. Democrats are well aware of the three branches of government, unlike Trumpists. It wasn’t long ago that Trump said “I can do anything I want”.
I’m impressed that Klein seems to regard Tromp as a thinker. That’s almost a compliment from the left.
Biden DID do anything he wanted.
Illegally allowing massive illegal immigration - while he and his loyal hack media liars denied it, as it was occurring.
We all have eye balls.
Hey Ezra - got a comment about the DSA platform?
Perhaps Dave Chappelle is doing an experiment. He used to comment (make humorous jokes and observations) about trans people in his act and not too long after that, a trans nut rushed onto the stage and tried to kill him. When none of the MAGA people or any conservatives attempt to do him violence, he will (hopefully) realize that WE are NOT like THEM.
It is astonishing to me that the DFL candidates all won after the DFL enabled the theft of billions.
MN is finished.
Run Normie, legislate Commie.
Sharia uber alles
That's the political reality of the left right now
Sorry, Ezra, but you don't understand your own party if you think it's going to be moderate and liberal. In fact, at a guess, you will be piled on and pushed out before 2028 because your name is Ezra, not Abu-El whatever, and because you are a liberal.
Posting to follow conversation.
btw - the same reason the corrupt democrat party De-funded the police
1. to allow crime to increase
2. to purge the ranks, and re-fill with D-loyalists
is the very same reason the corrupt left are threatening Hegseth.
The corrupt left want to purge our military, and fill it with Democratic-communist loyalists.
That way - the corrupt democratic party can turn our military against US citizens.
Most of the Democrats who won in the midterms blue wave are moderates.
This is supported by post-election analysis: moderate Democrats flipped considerably more Republican-held Senate seats than progressive candidates.
Indefinitely Extended Excursion™️ said...
Most of the Democrats who won in the midterms blue wave are moderates.
"Moderates"
Open borders, mass mail in voting, defunded ICE, abortions after birth, all jobs shipped to Mexico and China.
"Moderate"
LOL - the "moderate" lie.
We all can see the mass corrupt Democratic threats on X.
They are all rage fueled and ready for revenge.
The only moderate Democrat I've seen in the last ten years has been Trump.
The democratic Communist Stasi are all lock-step in OPENLY demanding Musk be stripped of his businesses, arrested and jailed.
Wow- IUD(D) - how moderate of them.
After midterm election results, House Republicans are in need of someone who can reach across the aisle and help revive flagging legislative priorities. Too bad Lauren Boebert won't be around.
IUD - you can gloat all you want,. Your party is a corrupt vengeful mob crime syndicate - looking for one party state power.
Trump saw early on that the post-WWII reality had changed. His policies amount to bringing US economic and foreign policies into alignment with the new situation in a way favorable to the US. The voters now seem to understand that the post-WWII reality has changed but are uncertain as to what to do. You might say that they are reliving the questions raised in The Best Years of Our Lives and It's a Wonderful Life. But there is a difference. Time has gone on and change has changed. So, somehow, they are also at the top of Nakatomi Tower, wondering what's happening at the Christmas party.
From my point of view, as a person further along in understanding and trying to realize the new realities, we now need the bloody bastards of Bastogne to liberate liberalism from the Vichy regimes.
I look forward to the moderate proposals to defund ICE and impeach Hegseth and Trump.
I look forward to the moderate proposals to nationalize SpaceX.
Sharia, communism and Bourbonism (learn nothing, forget nothing) is a really bad cocktail. Call it the Brass Donkey.
Democrats may believe that the nation voted for them en masse because they support or even kinda like the Dems policies and ideas and protests.
The nation spoke about President Trump and the GOP Congress.
Just as quickly as things come to you, they can leave you. Democrats will not have learned what happened here. They will think people want their policies- that they threw out only two years ago.
Whichever politician understands what the public is yearning for will win in 2028- no matter the party. To me it's obvious. We'll see if a politician from either side can read the obvious.
At Bastogne they held the line at Christmas time against a Nazi breakout. The Battle of the Bulge.
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