Yes, absolutely! You are almost the only one calling out the real problem! I have been saying for years that Democrats can't message. They do great things, but then can't figure out how to tell people about what they do. (Obama admitted it.) The Republicans, and especially Trump, are so much better at messaging. Eg, they had lawn signs that said "Trump lower taxes, Kamala higher taxes." Nevermind if it's true. The Democrats don't need to do better things, they just have to message! Look at whitehouse.gov. There are many pages of the great things they did. Eg $35 insulin and a $2000 cap on medications under Medicare Part D. Those will hit in 2025, and Trump will take credit. Many of the infrastructure projects will be completed while Trump is in office, and the Republicans will take credit. As you said on CNN, Democrats have to stop virtue signaling. They need to stop talking to specific groups, and talk to everyone about what matters - i.e. "kitchen table" issues, and food prices. The Democrats need to do ad buys on Fox News NOW telling people what they've done as a bulwark against Trump taking credit. Do you have any influence with anyone who could do that? Eg convince a billionaire to pay for it?
Spot on, Julie. Your CNN segments and last two posts have been phenomenal.
We've had this kind of discussion with several friends and we all seem to somewhat agree, but there's always the few impulsive and more ideologically extreme friends who's immediate knee-jerk reaction is engaging in straw-man fallacies like "oh so you're pro-war?", "You're a zionist?" (using it as slur which isn't just historically incorrect it's also disgusting) "You think trans people don't matter?" when we do actually align on values but all they care about is arguing for the sake of defending their identity. It's lunacy. Forgive me if I care more about putting people with my values in power so they can actually help address these issues than I do catering to a social bubble. Addressing 2 out of 10 issues is still better than 0. If you disagree with people around you, that is completely fine. If you feel they would shame you or even ostracize you for thinking differently, maybe consider getting better friends.
It was also unfortunate to see Pete Dominick help prove your thesis in real time. The left continues to be so easy to bait into ideological rabbit holes. The attack ad on the republican side about trans operations in prisons is the perfect example. He is more offended by the ad and reactionary to the republican bait, which distracts from the big picture and made them lose on Tuesday, which will now hurt the cause he cares about. He wants to focus on his personal mission that is core to his social and political identity, you want to win elections.
The biggest blunder of the left is thinking that identifying socially for a cause matters more than actually advancing the cause. They seem addicted to losing. Just get over your own egos and look in the mirror! Enough with the ideological purity tests. Stop it with the self m@sturbatory virtue signaling and symbolic action on niche issues that just do not resonate with the electorate. I truly wish more democrats thought like you and acted accordingly.
Also would love to see you as a guest at Bill Maher's show sometime. Coleman Hughes who was also in your CNN panel was a guest at Real Time and it was a very engaging exchange.
I checked out your site ... I am very thankful that I did because I sense what you have to offer is a much healthier and wiser perspective than the other perspectives that have been put out there regarding our political situation. It is so easy to fall down the rabbit hole of anchoring in on one's party and look for ways to condemn the other party. Your approach transcends judgement and replaces it with empathic understanding. I am excited to go on that journey and look forward to having you guide me as I do.
This past summer I watched an interview with tennis great Novak Djokovic, and when asked what his greatest accomplishment was, he answered with "Learning how to become open-minded." The words you write will serve as a catalyst for my quest to achieve that same accomplishment. Thanks again for the insightful, thought-provoking, and inspiring words. Once gain, I look forward to following your words and learning from you.
Ms. Roginsky, I am neither a democrat nor a republican and I most often "caucus" with MAGA conservatives. Your recent superb presentation on CharlieNovemberNovember was a master class. You have articulated the only hope for the future of our historical two-party system. I pray your words might create an epiphany in your party. Will I vote for you? NO. But I believe many--now stymied, confused, and angry--democrats very may will.
Hi Julie. I second your opinion. I think you’ve been saying this a long time, and so have i. I wish I could have helped more, and I was hired as a consultant for a major film company, but life sidetracked me. This remains unchanged since 2020:
Politics play out in the courtroom. Here the Republicans played the Plaintiffs role, and stoked the most powerful emotion or the juror/electorate- anger.
The Dems needed to defuse the anger by accepting responsibility, harnessing “common sense,” and being the most reasonable person/party (Tyson and Mendes- Nuclear Verdicts)
Once you realize who has harnessed the Anger, as your article stated the other side must neutralize it.
The Democrats lost the votes because the working class (lower, mid lower, upper lower), the paycheck to paycheck are absolutely done watching their taxes, state incentives, federal incentives, or program monies going to the betterment of people whos first footstep into the country was illegal. You speak of Columbia, but then there was Goerge Floyd. We are a law abiding class of people. We expect in return to be considered and respected. We have not been considered. In fact, we have been thrown aside in a manner of shut up and sit down. When a party puts illegals ahead of their law abiding, God fearing citizens they become the enemy of those people. I'm from Massachusetts. Look at the Governors record. All she wants is more money from us. The well off in Mass are still Democrats, and those on our expansive welfare system are democrats, but you all lost us when you put illegals above us, the working class. The tax revenue. The donator. The organizers of charitable events in the small towns. Stop trying to help everyone who doesn't belong here legally, and lift those Americans who work to survive. We in turn will be able to help others. When you allow breaking the law to come here you tell us only laws matter when it comes to you. When you offer to forgive loans for college students but don't consider Americans who worked their asses off for what they have you are viewed as elites. The media is now saying females who didn't go to college are the ones who voted for Trump, and college educated females were smart enough to vote Harris. I'm a Nurse. An LPN. I spent 20K on my license. The Democrats made no provision for that when speaking on loan forgiveness, then insulted me because I voted for Trump. The Democrats only worry about insulting the demographics that they need votes from. They need to realize we are the hand that feeds them. Your opinion is a door opener, but until the Democrats stop doing for illegals and start taking care of the Americans that grind for this nation, you're going to have problems getting us to turn. We don't want a unified world. We want a unified country that can protect themselves because of our Constitutional right in the second Ammendment. You need to back off the gun control. If that were the solution needles and syringes should be outlawed so addicts can't kill themselves.
I've gone on enough. I do appreciate your intelligence on this matter. You do have a start. I shall continue to watch and maybe subscribe.
Wow. Couldn't agree more. Independent voters here and the longer I watched the Democrat Party this election season, the further I want to steer clear of it. The very fact that there was not allowed to be ANY real primary for the DNC and then somehow pushing Kamala into the limelight was painful to watch. No one should be surprised - it was actually very undemocratic and the people didn't vote for Kamala in the primary.
The party feels out of touch with reality - their talking points were so old and having celebrity after celebrity endorse Kamala made me realize these aren't my people and never will be. Oprah doesnt care about me, Lady Gaga doesn't care about me, Katy Perry doesn't care about me. Who CARES what celebrities say! I make 50k a year - they don't speak to me. And the talking points about female autonomy was just so annoying. I'm a woman - I want that too but it felt like overkill this electio. When Oprah said on Monday this would be my last election to vote in, I decided then I couldn't vote for Harris. The fear and the polarization of her speech towards every day Americand was so out of touch. Of course we will have an election in four years. Please
The Democrat party makes me tired. Thank you for just speaking PLAINLY.
Been watching all the finger pointing on whose fault it was that Kamala Harris failed miserably. Everyone saying it was Joe Biden’s fault for not stepping down earlier to give Harris more time to launch her gifted run for the presidency. I believe it was actually the opposite. She immediately took the lead in the poles when they installed her as the nominee. Then the more she engaged with the public, the weaker her numbers became. They would have been better off to wait until 2 weeks prior to the election, announced her as their candidate and took their chances. Let her do a couple little interviews with David Muir and called it a day.
I saw you on CNN and empathize with you - I've been saying this for years as well. I've lost a few very leftist friends because when I would question them or try to engage, they'd try to shut me down.
I am very progressive, but I don't want to alienate people who don't live on the coast. I want to understand their lives and plights. The Democrats not being able to beat Trump is an embarrassment. It doesn't mean we have to sacrifice our values - it means we need to learn how to listen and talk to people, and get out of our bubble.
This is so true. It's absolutely exhausting always feeling like we have to watch where you step as to avoid "offending" folks. It's gone too far and so has cancel culture. Democrats need to take a step outside the echo chamber and stop being so damn offended by every little thing. The absolute refusal I have seen displayed on social media from so many to even attempt to comprehend Trump voters really illustrates this issue. Watching millennials having literal temper tantrums and degrading people who, for example, while they may support abortion, voted Trump for other reasons that were of higher importance (yes, these people exist), is doing us a huge disservice, imo. We have to stop behaving this way. We need to be more open-minded and engage in constructive conversation. We aren't listening.
And I do agree about the issue with protests in academia. I'll add to the list store looting. Watching videos of teenagers take over stores, destroy property, steal, and then just walk away is sickening. This is unacceptable behavior. It's a crime and it's destroying our cities. What are we even doing anymore?
What worries me is that, in some way, the Americans (how obnoxious their politics are) are further than the europeans in this sense. I'm from the Netherlands, and I can tell you with certainty that we have only just started seeing people having the confidence to speak out against what you call this lack of common sense.
That takes like yours (and in someway that of Bernie) are popping up right after the election, shows this is the begin of a new, united, strong, democratic party - I hope our leftist parties will follow this upcoming sentiment here in NL.
Subscribed because of your CNN clip. Thank you. I've watched the Democratic party become the party of identity politics over the past 30 years. The ends of this movement are admirable and desired, however the means by which these political beliefs have been espoused--specifically fear mongering, personal attacks, loss of jobs and careers--are reprehensible to me. We had a window where a portion of the Democratic party and it's followers focused on economic issues that impacted every citizen (a la Sanders), but was criminally neglected by the party as a whole and replaced with Hillary Clinton's sad Benneton commercial-like campaign. Sanders = common sense? Not my argument. But the argument for moving away from a fear based culture and a party that glorifies any and all marginalized communities as a primary platform is my argument. If I am reading your use of the fraught words "common sense" correctly, I agree Dems need to speak to issues of economic disparity, infrastructure (go Biden) concerns, the huge class divide, cultural and identity politics, and foreign policies (just to name a few) in a clear, intelligent, matter of fact manner that engages all citizens (even Republicans!) in intelligent debate. The fear to speak "common sense" that the identity politics movement has created may be unintended by it's adherents, but it it's stifling effect is felt throughout the Democratic party and muzzles everyone--citizen and servant. Bring back the party of the working class. Include the marginalized without the ridiculousness. Speak to us like you did in your clip. Well said and thank you.
Yes, absolutely! You are almost the only one calling out the real problem! I have been saying for years that Democrats can't message. They do great things, but then can't figure out how to tell people about what they do. (Obama admitted it.) The Republicans, and especially Trump, are so much better at messaging. Eg, they had lawn signs that said "Trump lower taxes, Kamala higher taxes." Nevermind if it's true. The Democrats don't need to do better things, they just have to message! Look at whitehouse.gov. There are many pages of the great things they did. Eg $35 insulin and a $2000 cap on medications under Medicare Part D. Those will hit in 2025, and Trump will take credit. Many of the infrastructure projects will be completed while Trump is in office, and the Republicans will take credit. As you said on CNN, Democrats have to stop virtue signaling. They need to stop talking to specific groups, and talk to everyone about what matters - i.e. "kitchen table" issues, and food prices. The Democrats need to do ad buys on Fox News NOW telling people what they've done as a bulwark against Trump taking credit. Do you have any influence with anyone who could do that? Eg convince a billionaire to pay for it?
Spot on, Julie. Your CNN segments and last two posts have been phenomenal.
We've had this kind of discussion with several friends and we all seem to somewhat agree, but there's always the few impulsive and more ideologically extreme friends who's immediate knee-jerk reaction is engaging in straw-man fallacies like "oh so you're pro-war?", "You're a zionist?" (using it as slur which isn't just historically incorrect it's also disgusting) "You think trans people don't matter?" when we do actually align on values but all they care about is arguing for the sake of defending their identity. It's lunacy. Forgive me if I care more about putting people with my values in power so they can actually help address these issues than I do catering to a social bubble. Addressing 2 out of 10 issues is still better than 0. If you disagree with people around you, that is completely fine. If you feel they would shame you or even ostracize you for thinking differently, maybe consider getting better friends.
It was also unfortunate to see Pete Dominick help prove your thesis in real time. The left continues to be so easy to bait into ideological rabbit holes. The attack ad on the republican side about trans operations in prisons is the perfect example. He is more offended by the ad and reactionary to the republican bait, which distracts from the big picture and made them lose on Tuesday, which will now hurt the cause he cares about. He wants to focus on his personal mission that is core to his social and political identity, you want to win elections.
The biggest blunder of the left is thinking that identifying socially for a cause matters more than actually advancing the cause. They seem addicted to losing. Just get over your own egos and look in the mirror! Enough with the ideological purity tests. Stop it with the self m@sturbatory virtue signaling and symbolic action on niche issues that just do not resonate with the electorate. I truly wish more democrats thought like you and acted accordingly.
Also would love to see you as a guest at Bill Maher's show sometime. Coleman Hughes who was also in your CNN panel was a guest at Real Time and it was a very engaging exchange.
Media landscape changed.
Big, formal political speeches matter less, providing simple snack-sized content that people understand & connect with matters way more.
Hi Matt,
I checked out your site ... I am very thankful that I did because I sense what you have to offer is a much healthier and wiser perspective than the other perspectives that have been put out there regarding our political situation. It is so easy to fall down the rabbit hole of anchoring in on one's party and look for ways to condemn the other party. Your approach transcends judgement and replaces it with empathic understanding. I am excited to go on that journey and look forward to having you guide me as I do.
This past summer I watched an interview with tennis great Novak Djokovic, and when asked what his greatest accomplishment was, he answered with "Learning how to become open-minded." The words you write will serve as a catalyst for my quest to achieve that same accomplishment. Thanks again for the insightful, thought-provoking, and inspiring words. Once gain, I look forward to following your words and learning from you.
~ Mark
thanks Mark! gonna start my own substack…
Ms. Roginsky, I am neither a democrat nor a republican and I most often "caucus" with MAGA conservatives. Your recent superb presentation on CharlieNovemberNovember was a master class. You have articulated the only hope for the future of our historical two-party system. I pray your words might create an epiphany in your party. Will I vote for you? NO. But I believe many--now stymied, confused, and angry--democrats very may will.
Hi Julie. I second your opinion. I think you’ve been saying this a long time, and so have i. I wish I could have helped more, and I was hired as a consultant for a major film company, but life sidetracked me. This remains unchanged since 2020:
https://www.socialdisinfluencer.com/post/compassion
Politics play out in the courtroom. Here the Republicans played the Plaintiffs role, and stoked the most powerful emotion or the juror/electorate- anger.
The Dems needed to defuse the anger by accepting responsibility, harnessing “common sense,” and being the most reasonable person/party (Tyson and Mendes- Nuclear Verdicts)
Once you realize who has harnessed the Anger, as your article stated the other side must neutralize it.
The Democrats lost the votes because the working class (lower, mid lower, upper lower), the paycheck to paycheck are absolutely done watching their taxes, state incentives, federal incentives, or program monies going to the betterment of people whos first footstep into the country was illegal. You speak of Columbia, but then there was Goerge Floyd. We are a law abiding class of people. We expect in return to be considered and respected. We have not been considered. In fact, we have been thrown aside in a manner of shut up and sit down. When a party puts illegals ahead of their law abiding, God fearing citizens they become the enemy of those people. I'm from Massachusetts. Look at the Governors record. All she wants is more money from us. The well off in Mass are still Democrats, and those on our expansive welfare system are democrats, but you all lost us when you put illegals above us, the working class. The tax revenue. The donator. The organizers of charitable events in the small towns. Stop trying to help everyone who doesn't belong here legally, and lift those Americans who work to survive. We in turn will be able to help others. When you allow breaking the law to come here you tell us only laws matter when it comes to you. When you offer to forgive loans for college students but don't consider Americans who worked their asses off for what they have you are viewed as elites. The media is now saying females who didn't go to college are the ones who voted for Trump, and college educated females were smart enough to vote Harris. I'm a Nurse. An LPN. I spent 20K on my license. The Democrats made no provision for that when speaking on loan forgiveness, then insulted me because I voted for Trump. The Democrats only worry about insulting the demographics that they need votes from. They need to realize we are the hand that feeds them. Your opinion is a door opener, but until the Democrats stop doing for illegals and start taking care of the Americans that grind for this nation, you're going to have problems getting us to turn. We don't want a unified world. We want a unified country that can protect themselves because of our Constitutional right in the second Ammendment. You need to back off the gun control. If that were the solution needles and syringes should be outlawed so addicts can't kill themselves.
I've gone on enough. I do appreciate your intelligence on this matter. You do have a start. I shall continue to watch and maybe subscribe.
Wow. Couldn't agree more. Independent voters here and the longer I watched the Democrat Party this election season, the further I want to steer clear of it. The very fact that there was not allowed to be ANY real primary for the DNC and then somehow pushing Kamala into the limelight was painful to watch. No one should be surprised - it was actually very undemocratic and the people didn't vote for Kamala in the primary.
The party feels out of touch with reality - their talking points were so old and having celebrity after celebrity endorse Kamala made me realize these aren't my people and never will be. Oprah doesnt care about me, Lady Gaga doesn't care about me, Katy Perry doesn't care about me. Who CARES what celebrities say! I make 50k a year - they don't speak to me. And the talking points about female autonomy was just so annoying. I'm a woman - I want that too but it felt like overkill this electio. When Oprah said on Monday this would be my last election to vote in, I decided then I couldn't vote for Harris. The fear and the polarization of her speech towards every day Americand was so out of touch. Of course we will have an election in four years. Please
The Democrat party makes me tired. Thank you for just speaking PLAINLY.
Been watching all the finger pointing on whose fault it was that Kamala Harris failed miserably. Everyone saying it was Joe Biden’s fault for not stepping down earlier to give Harris more time to launch her gifted run for the presidency. I believe it was actually the opposite. She immediately took the lead in the poles when they installed her as the nominee. Then the more she engaged with the public, the weaker her numbers became. They would have been better off to wait until 2 weeks prior to the election, announced her as their candidate and took their chances. Let her do a couple little interviews with David Muir and called it a day.
I saw you on CNN and empathize with you - I've been saying this for years as well. I've lost a few very leftist friends because when I would question them or try to engage, they'd try to shut me down.
I am very progressive, but I don't want to alienate people who don't live on the coast. I want to understand their lives and plights. The Democrats not being able to beat Trump is an embarrassment. It doesn't mean we have to sacrifice our values - it means we need to learn how to listen and talk to people, and get out of our bubble.
As an Independa-Republicrat, Thank You. So right and timely! Best of luck on this new journey.
Julie: is it possible that the next administration will cancel the new tunnels project or is all the funding locked in?
This is so true. It's absolutely exhausting always feeling like we have to watch where you step as to avoid "offending" folks. It's gone too far and so has cancel culture. Democrats need to take a step outside the echo chamber and stop being so damn offended by every little thing. The absolute refusal I have seen displayed on social media from so many to even attempt to comprehend Trump voters really illustrates this issue. Watching millennials having literal temper tantrums and degrading people who, for example, while they may support abortion, voted Trump for other reasons that were of higher importance (yes, these people exist), is doing us a huge disservice, imo. We have to stop behaving this way. We need to be more open-minded and engage in constructive conversation. We aren't listening.
And I do agree about the issue with protests in academia. I'll add to the list store looting. Watching videos of teenagers take over stores, destroy property, steal, and then just walk away is sickening. This is unacceptable behavior. It's a crime and it's destroying our cities. What are we even doing anymore?
Love this take.
What worries me is that, in some way, the Americans (how obnoxious their politics are) are further than the europeans in this sense. I'm from the Netherlands, and I can tell you with certainty that we have only just started seeing people having the confidence to speak out against what you call this lack of common sense.
That takes like yours (and in someway that of Bernie) are popping up right after the election, shows this is the begin of a new, united, strong, democratic party - I hope our leftist parties will follow this upcoming sentiment here in NL.
Subscribed because of your CNN clip. Thank you. I've watched the Democratic party become the party of identity politics over the past 30 years. The ends of this movement are admirable and desired, however the means by which these political beliefs have been espoused--specifically fear mongering, personal attacks, loss of jobs and careers--are reprehensible to me. We had a window where a portion of the Democratic party and it's followers focused on economic issues that impacted every citizen (a la Sanders), but was criminally neglected by the party as a whole and replaced with Hillary Clinton's sad Benneton commercial-like campaign. Sanders = common sense? Not my argument. But the argument for moving away from a fear based culture and a party that glorifies any and all marginalized communities as a primary platform is my argument. If I am reading your use of the fraught words "common sense" correctly, I agree Dems need to speak to issues of economic disparity, infrastructure (go Biden) concerns, the huge class divide, cultural and identity politics, and foreign policies (just to name a few) in a clear, intelligent, matter of fact manner that engages all citizens (even Republicans!) in intelligent debate. The fear to speak "common sense" that the identity politics movement has created may be unintended by it's adherents, but it it's stifling effect is felt throughout the Democratic party and muzzles everyone--citizen and servant. Bring back the party of the working class. Include the marginalized without the ridiculousness. Speak to us like you did in your clip. Well said and thank you.