They may not be wrong. They were already on the backfoot and expecting losses simply due to the cyclicality of the midterms, and the economic issues just magnified that disadvantage. As we know, the electorate is both fickle and impatient and the pendulum could easily swing back just as hard in '28. Here's hoping that's not the case.
Democrat equivalent of losing Mississippi would be losing California. We have to deliver or it could happen. There are a lot of disaffected folks in CA that can't afford housing, food, and most everything else. The farmers always blame the Democrats for their lack of water for the inappropriate farming in the desert that they do here, but we still need to understand how to help them change their practices, grow crops that use less water and understand the effects of climate change that their Republican heroes claim to be a "hoax." Fear the pendulum!
Very well said. Democrats have a LOT of work ahead of them, and with the various democratic factions, there must be compromises between progressives, middle of the road, and even for the left, otherwise we won’t survive as a party.
I also suggest that democrats should make an effort to approach Republicans who still remember that they need to work for We the People, and not strive to make the billionaires richer. God help us!!!!
“ They’re treating 2026 like a fluke, like the stars aligned for the Democrats, like we stole a bunch of races we had no business winning, and everything will snap back into place in a few years.”
I sure wish I could share your optimism, Mike. But from what I have seen for the last 25 years, Republican strategy works because it feeds right into the superiority/paranoia fantasies and lack of political engagement that seems to characterize the American electorate – at least those that bother to vote. Because that’s one of our real problems. So many people are disengaged from actually knowing anything, and then disengage from voting.
That’s why all of this culture war garbage works. Low information people are convinced that low information equals wisdom. My 30 minute Google search is worth your 10 years of medical education. Secretary Brain Worms can convince them that what he has to say, even though he says he’s not a doctor, and no one should get medical advice from him, is the equivalent of 200 years of sound public health practice. Donald Trump can convince them that boys are getting their dicks cut off— on a whim, no less.
The list goes on and on and on and on.
We had eight good years with Obama, who brought us out of the recession caused by the last time the Republicans were in charge. He got replaced by Donald Trump, a know nothing, incompetent bankrupt. He screwed up everything that he touched. Joe Biden became president and managed to fix a good deal of it. But he couldn’t fix everything, and he should not have run for a second term. So they voted for Donald Trump again, despite their experience of the disaster the first time he was running the show.
And then they find out that he really still doesn’t know what he’s doing, the people he claims love America don’t love America, wars are not a great idea, and stoopid really isn’t as good as smart.
So they voted for the Democrats. This time. Maybe, just maybe, this time something will happen. But because we’re dealing with low information and low involvement people, it wouldn’t surprise me in the slightest if they vote for another incompetent Republican, who has managed to convince them that transgender people are a threat, the authoritarianism is freedom, and that eroding the wall of separation between church and state will make us a more moral people.
People need to realize that the voters do not want us to go back to what Democrats may perceive as "normal." They voted against normal when they voted Trump in. So now all of the new newly elected need to almost be warriors or pioneers to create a new normal that will give people hope and optimism.
I've seen some clips of speaker Mike Johnson, repeatedly say how the polls are (were) wrong and that Republicans will retain the house and senate, etc. I wish someone would have the balls to play those clips to his face and ask him about that now. Because the polls were NOT wrong. Maybe he has seen it and I missed it. I just want to see what response he has now, that cocky little prick.
I am thinking we need another massive national protest again as a message that we mean business..that we want an end to the war and an end to rounding up innocent people to place in detention centers. Trump appointing Vance to investigate the election is ridiculous and a slap in the face of Vance. Stephen Miller is going to make things very scary in every regard. He's a monster.
Thank you Mike for all your hard work. I appreciate you taking on right wing media.
I agree that single issue bills is the way to go. Make MAGA and Trump go on record, and get the message out that Democrats understand what people want!
And somehow Democrats still think Hakeem Jeffries and Chuck Schumer are the leaders for this moment in history.
Trump has an approval rating of somewhere around 33-37%.
Schumer’s is THIRTY points underwater (24-54). But he’s convinced he’s inevitable. And the fucked up thing is, he may not be wrong. Because nobody ever accused the Democratic Senate caucus of being able to read the room.
Jeffries? 26% Approve, 47% disapprove. That’s worse than MIKE JOHNSON (32-45).
You might ask why that is. Could be that both are viewed (and not for nothin’) as feckless cowards bringing a sternly worded letter to a knife fight.
The 2026 election wasn’t — as Angus King seems to think — the “World Series”. It was the end of training camp when the roster was finalized. The season hasn’t even started yet. And both chambers need majority leadership that realize this. If that fails, then 2028 will look a lot more like 2024 than 2026.
Old saying in investing, “Don't confuse brains with a bull market.” It was a bull market for Democratic Party candidates. Probably will be in 2028 too. But IMO you are on the right track with one issue bills. Let there be a record of what is being voted for and against and vetoed for the next election cycle. Hold their feet to the fire.
Raising the federal minimum wage should be absolutely be a no brainer for the first bill of the new session. Seems like all Democratic party members of Congress and the Senate should be able to agree on that, even Fetterman.
A friend told me that their health insurance premium would go up from $317 a month to $2,500 a month in January, so she and her husband are going to have to go without insurance next year. I think that instead of reinstating subsidies, we should go with Medicare for all. After this election, if this is not the time, I don't know when it will be.
I was glad to see you at least touch on the Democratic delusion. Looking at polling the only other group as disliked as Republicans are the Democrats. We have no choice. Republicans are ignoring us so we vote for Democrats. Back and forth while nothing really gets better. We need Democrats coming in to dump Schumer, Jeffries, and the other corporate Democrats. Put people who ran on helping working Americans and breaking the stranglehold of the wealthy corporation and people in charge. Stop thinking because you won that means we support you. I don't even know what, if anything, the Democrats wanted to do, the only reason to vote for them seems to be they are not Republicans.
It amazes me that the Republicans haven’t gotten the message since the midterms. It’s definitely not a fluke that they got creamed in the midterms. People were sick of things the way they are and wanted change. Thank you so much for the interviews you do and represent how a lot of people feel about the issues in politics. I hope you enjoy the conference in Denver.
Americans have short attention spans. They also refuse to learn from history or current events in other countries. One flipped election does not indicate regime change. Venezuela and Brazil are good examples from the opposite ends of the spectrum. After Hugo Chavez died, Nicolas Maduro won election in Venezuela. And the people there have been fighting to overcome that regime since then. In Brazil, Lula da Silva has been reelected over Flavio Bolsonaro, son of former president Jair Bolsonaro. If the Dems don't legislate the relief that voters have demanded, on the federal and state levels, they will lose in 2028.
Let's start with getting rid of the electoral college. Then put term limits on Reps and Senators and include age limits as well. Once we get the "career" out of politics, we will be in better shape. Next, move on to getting corporate donors out of politics as well. The likes of Musk and Soros must be kicked out of the system. Limit donations to $1000 max, period. And along with donation limits, donation receipts. A public accounting of where every dime came from and where every dime went. If you are serious about serving this country, that shouldn't be a problem for you, should it?
They may not be wrong. They were already on the backfoot and expecting losses simply due to the cyclicality of the midterms, and the economic issues just magnified that disadvantage. As we know, the electorate is both fickle and impatient and the pendulum could easily swing back just as hard in '28. Here's hoping that's not the case.
Democrat equivalent of losing Mississippi would be losing California. We have to deliver or it could happen. There are a lot of disaffected folks in CA that can't afford housing, food, and most everything else. The farmers always blame the Democrats for their lack of water for the inappropriate farming in the desert that they do here, but we still need to understand how to help them change their practices, grow crops that use less water and understand the effects of climate change that their Republican heroes claim to be a "hoax." Fear the pendulum!
Very well said. Democrats have a LOT of work ahead of them, and with the various democratic factions, there must be compromises between progressives, middle of the road, and even for the left, otherwise we won’t survive as a party.
I also suggest that democrats should make an effort to approach Republicans who still remember that they need to work for We the People, and not strive to make the billionaires richer. God help us!!!!
Don't "fear" anything. Just do the work. "Fearing" is the achilles heel of the left.
“ They’re treating 2026 like a fluke, like the stars aligned for the Democrats, like we stole a bunch of races we had no business winning, and everything will snap back into place in a few years.”
I sure wish I could share your optimism, Mike. But from what I have seen for the last 25 years, Republican strategy works because it feeds right into the superiority/paranoia fantasies and lack of political engagement that seems to characterize the American electorate – at least those that bother to vote. Because that’s one of our real problems. So many people are disengaged from actually knowing anything, and then disengage from voting.
That’s why all of this culture war garbage works. Low information people are convinced that low information equals wisdom. My 30 minute Google search is worth your 10 years of medical education. Secretary Brain Worms can convince them that what he has to say, even though he says he’s not a doctor, and no one should get medical advice from him, is the equivalent of 200 years of sound public health practice. Donald Trump can convince them that boys are getting their dicks cut off— on a whim, no less.
The list goes on and on and on and on.
We had eight good years with Obama, who brought us out of the recession caused by the last time the Republicans were in charge. He got replaced by Donald Trump, a know nothing, incompetent bankrupt. He screwed up everything that he touched. Joe Biden became president and managed to fix a good deal of it. But he couldn’t fix everything, and he should not have run for a second term. So they voted for Donald Trump again, despite their experience of the disaster the first time he was running the show.
And then they find out that he really still doesn’t know what he’s doing, the people he claims love America don’t love America, wars are not a great idea, and stoopid really isn’t as good as smart.
So they voted for the Democrats. This time. Maybe, just maybe, this time something will happen. But because we’re dealing with low information and low involvement people, it wouldn’t surprise me in the slightest if they vote for another incompetent Republican, who has managed to convince them that transgender people are a threat, the authoritarianism is freedom, and that eroding the wall of separation between church and state will make us a more moral people.
People need to realize that the voters do not want us to go back to what Democrats may perceive as "normal." They voted against normal when they voted Trump in. So now all of the new newly elected need to almost be warriors or pioneers to create a new normal that will give people hope and optimism.
I've seen some clips of speaker Mike Johnson, repeatedly say how the polls are (were) wrong and that Republicans will retain the house and senate, etc. I wish someone would have the balls to play those clips to his face and ask him about that now. Because the polls were NOT wrong. Maybe he has seen it and I missed it. I just want to see what response he has now, that cocky little prick.
I am thinking we need another massive national protest again as a message that we mean business..that we want an end to the war and an end to rounding up innocent people to place in detention centers. Trump appointing Vance to investigate the election is ridiculous and a slap in the face of Vance. Stephen Miller is going to make things very scary in every regard. He's a monster.
Thank you Mike for all your hard work. I appreciate you taking on right wing media.
I agree that single issue bills is the way to go. Make MAGA and Trump go on record, and get the message out that Democrats understand what people want!
Thank you, Mike, have a good time!
And somehow Democrats still think Hakeem Jeffries and Chuck Schumer are the leaders for this moment in history.
Trump has an approval rating of somewhere around 33-37%.
Schumer’s is THIRTY points underwater (24-54). But he’s convinced he’s inevitable. And the fucked up thing is, he may not be wrong. Because nobody ever accused the Democratic Senate caucus of being able to read the room.
Jeffries? 26% Approve, 47% disapprove. That’s worse than MIKE JOHNSON (32-45).
You might ask why that is. Could be that both are viewed (and not for nothin’) as feckless cowards bringing a sternly worded letter to a knife fight.
The 2026 election wasn’t — as Angus King seems to think — the “World Series”. It was the end of training camp when the roster was finalized. The season hasn’t even started yet. And both chambers need majority leadership that realize this. If that fails, then 2028 will look a lot more like 2024 than 2026.
I don't ask why that is: look at the coverage of the last week and a half and how we bought into it and propelled it and shot ourselves in the foot.
Old saying in investing, “Don't confuse brains with a bull market.” It was a bull market for Democratic Party candidates. Probably will be in 2028 too. But IMO you are on the right track with one issue bills. Let there be a record of what is being voted for and against and vetoed for the next election cycle. Hold their feet to the fire.
Raising the federal minimum wage should be absolutely be a no brainer for the first bill of the new session. Seems like all Democratic party members of Congress and the Senate should be able to agree on that, even Fetterman.
A friend told me that their health insurance premium would go up from $317 a month to $2,500 a month in January, so she and her husband are going to have to go without insurance next year. I think that instead of reinstating subsidies, we should go with Medicare for all. After this election, if this is not the time, I don't know when it will be.
100% Mike. The Democrats have to prove they deserved all the wins they got in the mid-terms.
I was glad to see you at least touch on the Democratic delusion. Looking at polling the only other group as disliked as Republicans are the Democrats. We have no choice. Republicans are ignoring us so we vote for Democrats. Back and forth while nothing really gets better. We need Democrats coming in to dump Schumer, Jeffries, and the other corporate Democrats. Put people who ran on helping working Americans and breaking the stranglehold of the wealthy corporation and people in charge. Stop thinking because you won that means we support you. I don't even know what, if anything, the Democrats wanted to do, the only reason to vote for them seems to be they are not Republicans.
It amazes me that the Republicans haven’t gotten the message since the midterms. It’s definitely not a fluke that they got creamed in the midterms. People were sick of things the way they are and wanted change. Thank you so much for the interviews you do and represent how a lot of people feel about the issues in politics. I hope you enjoy the conference in Denver.
Americans have short attention spans. They also refuse to learn from history or current events in other countries. One flipped election does not indicate regime change. Venezuela and Brazil are good examples from the opposite ends of the spectrum. After Hugo Chavez died, Nicolas Maduro won election in Venezuela. And the people there have been fighting to overcome that regime since then. In Brazil, Lula da Silva has been reelected over Flavio Bolsonaro, son of former president Jair Bolsonaro. If the Dems don't legislate the relief that voters have demanded, on the federal and state levels, they will lose in 2028.
Let's start with getting rid of the electoral college. Then put term limits on Reps and Senators and include age limits as well. Once we get the "career" out of politics, we will be in better shape. Next, move on to getting corporate donors out of politics as well. The likes of Musk and Soros must be kicked out of the system. Limit donations to $1000 max, period. And along with donation limits, donation receipts. A public accounting of where every dime came from and where every dime went. If you are serious about serving this country, that shouldn't be a problem for you, should it?