We GAVE them two issues: the economy and socialism! Why?

[tableturner]

Re: the economy.....for almost his entire term we let Trump repeatedly say with almost no refutation that he "built this strong economy". We also let him say it during the campaign with a bit more refutation, but our counter argument was still relatively weak compared to how we COULD have aggressively destroyed this false claim. We should have very aggressively and repeatedly said from the beginning of his term, and continuing through the campaign even MORE aggressively, that he was riding the Obama/Biden recovery coattails, as shown by the fact that the GDP growth during the last three years of the Obama/Biden administration was stronger than during the first three years of the Trump administration. It was SO clear cut, and it would have been EASY. But....we didn't.

Re: socialism.....how did we let a puppet of Putin, who has been a communist for his entire adult life, and who has been a strong supporter of the Castro regime his entire time in office, label the Democrats as the party of socialism, thereby losing many Cuban American votes, and others, too? We could have very easily and irretrievably tied Trump to Putin generally, and specifically to Putin's support of the Castro regime. It would have been so easy to do.....imagine the TV ads pointing out Trump's sycophancy to Putin, along with Putin's ongoing support of the Castro regime, thereby tying Trump to the socialist/Communist Cuban regime. But....we didn't.

In both cases....the economy and socialism.....why didn't we fight those falsehoods tooth and nail, instead of fighting them so ineffectually like we did? Why? I have to admit that this haunts me this morning! We GAVE Trump those issues.

[empedocles]

1. The republicon excuse, was the virus stopped trump's strong economy.

Bought by too many.

'Socialism' is a Dem burden. Trying to explain it away, did not, does not work.

[tableturner]

2. Factored in by comparing the last 3 years of Obama/Biden to the first 3 of Trump!

That would have obliterated such a flimsy excuse!

Edited to add on socialism....my argument would have mitigated the damage to Biden almost totally....tying Trump to Putin, Castro's main supporter.

[42bambi]

5. All people heard was socialism - we didn't push fascism. Next election - go low!

[Big Blue Marble]

3. No, Trump took these issues

and repeated them to his base. He knows The Big Lie works. Just repeat the lie over and over and over
and it will be believed. Do not blame our side. He had a megaphone media that repeated the lies over
and over. The truth could not penetrate the minds that were so willing to receive the lies.

They do not, will not listen to us, to rationality or to truth. This is where we are as a nation.

[LostinRed]

4. Touchdown

Great pass from the armchair there, Quarterback

[tableturner]

6. Been saying it for years. Can't improve our advocacy without admitting the truth!

Edited to add: The future depends on it!

[ret5hd]

7. Great spin, no depth.

[Gothmog]

8. trump convinced many Florida voters that all Democrats are socialists

I am pissed at this. Too many candidates ran on socialism in the primaries and that hurt Joe

[Initech]

11. I may get some shit for this but I really think it's time for the Democrats to abandon socialism.

As a campaign talking point. Trump and his goons have made that subject way too toxic. I think instead the focus should be on improving the economy and making sure that everyone has their rights. If we start there, then we can start adding other things in as a focal point.

[Gothmog]

13. I agree

[Turin_C3PO]

12. But even Sanders wasn't really a socialist.

Republicans just like to paint Dems as commies because it fires up their ignorant base. It’s a shame that it appears to work.

[Gothmog]

14. trump was able to use sanders' positions to hurt Joe

[Initech]

9. People vote with their damn wallets every damn time.

Nothing else matters, the almighty dollar and the appeal of "I've got mine, fuck you" echoes throughout the country.

[lagomorph777]

17. Even when that vote will actually hurt their own wallets.

They've been snookered by scary words like "socialism" and "taxes" and don't have the information/intelligence to dig any more deeply.

These people are gullible. That is a vulnerability we need to exploit, rather than lament. We need to hack the brainwashing machine: hate radio, Falsebook, Twit, and Fux. Recruit some media billionaires (Bloomberg), tech billionaires, marketing wizards, psychologists, and tech gurus. Put them to work buying up outlets, ad time, and staff. Flip the message. Most MAGATs will never even realize it's happened. They will meekly go along with whatever we program them to do.

[Initech]

18. Yup. I know people who hate socialism.

And when I ask them to clarify why they hate it, they look at me like I am speaking a foreign language. Likewise, they know absolutely nothing about what Karl Marx actually said or did. They hate these things, but they don't know why.

"I love the poorly educated!" - @realDonaldTrump

[treestar]

10. Stop

Quit blaming us. Near half this country is deplorable. Nothing would have made a difference. If the Covid disaster didn’t the economy wouldn’t.

[JonLP24]

15. I agree

[BlueNProud]

16. There's only one issue and it's an ugly one

I'd rather lose than be on their side.

[Boogiemack]

19. I tried but no one paid attention. I tried to get the Dems to focus on two main things

1. Trump's lies about the economy and how Dems always do better for the economy and for working men and women.

2. The corruption of this administration and how it affect ordinary Americans thru the shredding of the social safety net, higher prices for goods and services, and defrauding the government through unpaid taxes and corrupt contracting practices.

Never got any responses back no interest in further developing the ideas.

[Gothmog]

20. The socialism attack cost Joe Florida and Latino votes in Texas

Link to tweet