but this mess is all on the majority.

Trump holds them accountable. They fear the monster they created.

I hate to think that Republicans are the ones that need to really wake up and start doing the right thing, but that could be the only way forward, short of a 2A solution, which would cause a lot of blood to be spilled.

https://russblib.blogspot.com/?m=1

The only way they can redeem themselves is if they demand Trump and Vance resign now.

Other than that, it's just a lot of hot air lip service.

they will see that Trader Joe’s family sized meat lasagna from Canada going up 51 cents as a huge bad indicator of the direction of the country. I know I do.

I expect a lot of buyer's remorse by Christmas. Not sure how many will admit it though, since a common trait seems to be refusal to ever admit when you're wrong or made a mistake.

If I wasn't on the verge of crying all the time because of my fate as well as the fate of this nation under rethug rule... well, who cares, because I would still not give a shit about those who voted for this.

There is a HUGE difference between making a mistake and actively doing something when you know it will be bad.

Time for those people to learn the difference.

I understand that it is hard for political obsessives (i.e., like DUers) to get this, but Trump probably won on the simple claim that he would lower grocery prices. That's it. Politics really does remain at the level of that question (rightly!) for a lot of people: how hard do I have to work for food and shelter.

We have grinded out almost 8 full months of the Trump Presidency 2, and the grocery stores are bad now. Prices aren't down. At best it's a wash from last year, and on a lot of things it's worse, and on some things (meat department especially), it's much worse.

People determine the "direction of the country" question when they check out their checking account after getting through the check out line. That's facts. And right now it's looking like Whole Paycheck in every direction.

and we are reminded of this EVERY TIME WE GO SHOPPING....Trump, who has never gone grocery shopping in his entire privileged life, really doesn't understand he cannot BS Americans on stuff they can literally see with their own eyes

They're becoming WOKE!

Hoover's Tarriffs hit hard in 1930, several months after Black Monday. It was pretty much the final nail in the coffin for the Great Depression.

they have to know what happened before with Hoover's tariffs.

... so why would you say "they have to know what happened before" re Hoover's idiocy?

Let us not forget when Fascists are in charge during elections, they'll cheat & lie to prove how
they won overwhelmingly.

I don't remember it ever showing that a majority thinks we're "going in the right direction."

Anybody have a different recollection?

This is not just a popularity poll. The "right direction - wrong direction" goes a lot deeper emotionally, and it gets more honest answers because it is not about specific names or people.

The Gallup data goes back decades: https://news.gallup.com/poll/1669/general-mood-country.aspx

Forever, this question showed pendulum swings, mostly between 30% and 70% But something changed RADICALLY around 2005. SInce that time, the national sentiment has NEVER been above 50% "right direction," and it has mostly remained under 40% regardless whether the President was Bush, Obama, Trump or Biden.

The country is really pissed. They know they are getting screwed. They know politicians from both parties are being openly bribed -- and are heavily influenced to do the will of the billionaires and corporations. They see the cost of health care at ridiculous levels. They understand that the markets and money supply are rigged to favor the rich and the banks. They see the cost of an education is shooting out of control, and even with a good education, it is harder and harder to make a living wage and support a family. They see the cost of just about everything exploding far higher than the fictitious 2% inflation rate we are supposed to believe.

These are the issues that animate the majority of Americans. Trump is probably the worst person on the planet to deal with any of these things, even if he wanted to. But Dems have been so fixated on the narrow issues of "our base" that we have allowed Trump to position himself as the populist. He says only he can solve these problems -- because he is a great businessman.

We know that is absurd, but Dems have never presented any coherent or consistent plans for how we will deal with ANY of these problems. So we lose.

The only way out of this problem is to get leadership that understands just how pissed off Americans really are, and can unite the Party to present a real alternative to what the fascists are doing. We all enjoy the trolling that Newsom has been doing. That's fine. But trolling is not enough. We need to present a real plan -- a plan based on populist ideals that address the issues that have Americans so pissed off.

Time is running out. This cannot wait for 2028. We need leaders to step up now. We need a real plan now. We need this in time to recruit candidates to run hard on this plan in 2026. We need to come out of the mid-terms with a clear mandate. We can't have a mandate without a national plan. And without a mandate, we won't be able to shut Trump down in 2027-2028.

(For those who are inclined to flag posts that aren't sufficiently "feel good", let me point out that I have not attacked any Democrats here. You won't find any names stated or implied. I am talking about a mindset I see broadly throughout the party. I am talking about a lack of strategy, lack of messages, and lack of affirmative actions that can address the issues of concern to the majority of Americans. While some may not agree with my opinions, stating these opinions does not violate any site rules, as far as I know.)

Always said it - When Republicans were saying “Let Trump be Trump!” - I agreed!!

Only then will they come to realize they elected a psychopath whose dystopian dreams will destroy them!

Paraphrasing Mencken, they should get what they voted for, “Good and hard!”