When keeping it “woke” goes all kinds of wrong liberals start pointing fingers in every direction except the right one. They had one job, really. Just one. Persuade Americans that they had their best interests in mind, and that by “best interests” they meant economic stability, national security, and—you know—keeping the lights on.
But somewhere along the way, the Democratic machine decided, “Why not sprinkle some socialism deep into the mix and fulfill all of our far-left bucket list issues in 2024?” As a result, they’ve turned a sizable portion of their base into the politically ambivalent and alienated almost everyone outside of the coastal liberal elite bubble enclaves.
It was painfully obvious from the beginning of the election cycle: they wanted America to believe that Trump was a fascist, and his supporters were a brainwashed cult of misguided patriots. But it backfired. Badly. Yes, there are plenty of people who aren’t paying attention, but they’re not that unaware.
Any time a microphone was placed in front of a protester’s face or directed toward a passing college student, they rapidly seized the opportunity to toe the Democrat Party line and deem Trump a fascist. When the intrepid reporter (those outside of the mainstream media mob) dared to follow up and ask their subject what a fascist was, they were all completely unable to define the term they had eagerly used to label a fellow human being.
Let’s break down where they went off the rails. Shall we? Welcome to Marketing 101: How Not to Run a Political Campaign.
1. Marketing to Everyone Is Marketing to No One
You cannot please everyone at the same time. It’s like mixing coffee with soda: you don’t get a supercharged drink, just a questionable concoction that nobody asked for or likes. The Democratic Party, however, thought they’d try to hit all the bases—worry about broad appeal later. Here’s a list of the greatest hits from their out-of-touch album:
- Electric Dreams: Democrats attempting to force us out of our gas and diesel vehicles and into electric vehicles the bulk of us could not afford was a top liberal talking point during the 2024 election. They touted the earth-friendly “green” nature of EVs while vowing to pass laws to mandate their use in the near future but willfully failed to address the obvious flaws in their argument. The prime components used in making electric vehicles run are not only accrued through a mining process that is nowhere near “green” neither is their disposal. Are those necessary components mined or produced in the good ole’ USA, of course not.
- College Debt: The Democrats also promised to wipe out college debt accrued by adults who willingly signed on the bottom line to assume it – with the bill being paid instead courtesy of the American taxpayer – many of whom never went to college yet make a good living because they learned a trade.
- Transgender Issues: Not just pushing for trans rights, but advocating for public policy that targeted Americans who did not agree with their ideology as bigots, homophobes, and once again…wait for it…fascists.
- Bathroom Battles: When we think “policy that changes lives,” most people probably aren’t envisioning where everyone can pee. But, hey, if you asked the Democratic Party, apparently they think it was at the top of America’s wish list. They wanted America to believe the economy was healthy in spite of our empty pockets and focus our ire not on failed liberal policies but on why a guy in a dress should be allowed to shower in the same locker room as your teen daughter.
- Gender Surgery in Prisons: Footing the bill for gender surgeries for convicts… because that’s definitely what’s keeping middle America up at night, right?
- Redefining Gender in Sports: Let’s say it—America wasn’t exactly clamoring for new ways to rethink who plays on the volleyball team. It should be simple, girls play on a girls volleyball team – conversation over. But oh no, the liberals couldn’t tolerate commence sense and actual fairness being used when dividing up teams on the court, the pool, or the field. Female players getting hurt by boys or men wearing the same uniform as well as verbal and even physically threatening attacks on female athletes who dared to stand up against the Democratic Machine’s pet issue became far too commonplace.
- Economy: How about jobs, wages, inflation, and taxes? You know, the stuff that affects people’s actual lives.
- Security: People like feeling safe—radical idea, right?
- Border: The whole “is there or is there not a wall” debate might seem silly, but Americans like a clear plan.
2. How Not to Sell to Middle America: The “Elite Bubble” Problem
Here’s the deal: nobody likes being lectured to. But try telling that to the Democratic strategists, who seemed to believe that condescension was an effective strategy. Americans in middle America, the rust belt, and rural heartlands don’t appreciate politicians who treat them like they just don’t “get it.” Being told what’s best for them by people who look down upon them and also don’t know how much a gallon of milk costs is, well, not endearing.
While the Democrats paraded out hot-button cultural topics and attacked anyone who didn’t agree, Trump made his message about kitchen-table issues, playing to the economic insecurities and concerns about safety that are closer to home. Let’s face it: he wasn’t addressing transgender bathrooms and outlawing wood burning stoves. He was talking about the economy, security, and borders.
3. Overloading the Message – and Losing the Plot
Most of America, while tolerant and open-minded, has limited patience for constant cultural lectures. Everyone deserves basic rights and dignity; nobody’s arguing that. But when your policy starts reading like a list of demands to transform society in ways that feel irrelevant to everyday life, people check out. And by the time election day rolled around, the Democratic agenda sounded like an echo chamber of overly-complicated “solutions” for “problems” that everyday Americans barely knew existed or couldn’t care less about.
The lesson here is simple: the Democrats needed to pick a coherent, realistic message and stick to it. Instead, they tried to cover every angle, resulting in an incoherent strategy that lacked focus. In marketing terms, they lost brand loyalty because their brand was…well, confusing.
4. Ignoring (or Misunderstanding) Actual Problems
While some may claim that “hot button” issues make the Democrats look like they’re tackling the tough stuff, it’s the core issues that actually matter to people. Democrats could have spent more time talking about cost of living, border security, crime, and employment. But they opted to zero in on niche policies and hyper-specific social issues that often didn’t resonate with most voters.
The Irony of the Failed Narrative
The Democratic machine bet big on the idea that all Americans would come to see Trump as a fascist threat. They underestimated that the average American voter isn’t exactly enthused by culture wars, especially when they seem manufactured. And for every attempt to paint Trump’s supporters as a “cult,” the Democrats inadvertently strengthened the loyalty of Trump’s base. By painting his supporters as “too dumb to understand,” they only managed to alienate more people.
The irony? In trying to “correct” America’s view of Trump, the Democrats ended up creating a more passionate, unbreakable base for him. The lawfare used leading up to election day, backfired on the Dems, as well. By the time they were done, it was no longer Trump against the Democrats; it was Trump versus the Establishment.
Final Thoughts: Will They Learn?
At the end of the day, the lesson here is Marketing 101. A brand needs clarity, focus, and the ability to connect with its target audience. The question for them now is: will they learn from this mistake, or will they continue to double down on policies that fail to connect with the real concerns of Americans?
While a few Democrat talking heads seem to grasp both the severity and reality of what happened in the 2024 race for the White House, many others are doubling down on “protecting” their state or America from Trump. If these hard lessons from this election cycle go unlearned, JD Vance is going to have a far easier time getting his turn behind the Resolute Desk in 2028.
Tara Dodrill is a self-reliance author, educator, and patriot homesteader in Appalachia. She studied journalism at Ohio University and previously served several terms as a town council member in her hometown. Dodrill worked as the editor of her county's newspaper before shifting her focus to writing books and hosting the largest hands-on homesteading, survival, and bushcraft annual event in the United States.
