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A theory of why the left lost
American Thinker ^ | 12 Mar, 2025 | Anthony Matoria

Posted on 03/12/2025 4:27:18 AM PDT by MtnClimber

The left's politics of destabilization has long been observed by Eric Hoffer and other thinkers. Democrats are well onboard that particular train.

The left seems to be perplexed by its recent electoral losses.

It lost despite many obvious advantages: a congenial and compliant media, a relentless lawfare campaign against the leading opponent, accommodating state election officials, access to seemingly unlimited campaign cash, and a partisan bureaucracy.

Here is a possible explanation of why the left lost:

There are two approaches to achieving political change in reasonably functional modern societies.

The first depends on persuasion. It consists of interested parties making their case to the public at large and trying to persuade a significant number of people of the desirability of a particular change. The goal is to reach a sufficient consensus, and then implementing change through established institutions. In civil, functioning societies, those opposing the change accept the popular consensus, and pursue additional changes through ongoing persuasion. In societies with elected legislatures, this model represents the republican and democratic ideal. It is civilized and orderly. It relies on civic discourse, the open expression of opinions and reporting of facts, and respect for popular judgment as the basis of political change.

The second approach relies on destabilization rather than persuasion. The idea is to create conditions under which a society's institutions may be taken over by the most expedient means, including subterfuge, abuse of authority, fraud, or violence. These conditions include the perception that the existing order is unsustainable, cruel, unjust, and exploitive. The goal is to get society to relinquish the institutions that reflect its values to reformers with their own agendas. Rather than trying to persuade the public at large, this approach focuses on establishing and motivating "militant groups" to attack and delegitimize the established order.

(Excerpt) Read more at americanthinker.com ...


TOPICS: Business/Economy; Society
KEYWORDS: marxism
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1 posted on 03/12/2025 4:27:18 AM PDT by MtnClimber
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To: MtnClimber

The left is certainly focused on the second method.


2 posted on 03/12/2025 4:27:29 AM PDT by MtnClimber (For photos of scenery, wildlife and climbing, click on my screen name for my FR home page.)
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To: MtnClimber

Theorize this: They just plain suck, and their maliciousness is right up there with their incompetence.


3 posted on 03/12/2025 4:33:26 AM PDT by equaviator (If 60 is the new 40 then 35 must be the new 15.)
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To: MtnClimber

One of the big reasons is that the left has left their developing voters on the abortion table, while conservatives have children in greater numbers.


4 posted on 03/12/2025 4:33:44 AM PDT by Jonty30 (I have invented blackened salmon salad by baking it in the oven for too long. )
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To: MtnClimber

America has awakened to the fact that the democrats hate them


5 posted on 03/12/2025 4:39:19 AM PDT by albie (U)
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To: MtnClimber

Great article. Puts into words what we know has been going on, but couldn’t verbalize.


6 posted on 03/12/2025 4:42:59 AM PDT by Cincinnatus.45-70 (What do DemocRats enjoy more than a truckload of dead babies? Unloading them with a pitchfork!)
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To: All

Dems have hard time connecting to voters because they know so much: says Hirono

By Louis Casiano Fox News
Published December 5, 2018

Mazie Hirono says Dems know so much; appeal to the mind
Sen. Mazie Hirono told a conference that she heard one of the reasons that her party has a difficult time connecting with voters is because Democrats know so much, and have a tendency of appealing to voters’ minds instead of their hearts.
Sen. Mazie Hirono, D-Hawaii, on Tuesday told a conference that she heard one of the reasons that her party has a difficult time connecting with voters is because Democrats know so much, and have a tendency of appealing to voters’ minds instead of their hearts.

Hirono made the comment at a conference in Washington, D.C. She was asked by the moderator about ways Democrats could drive voter turnout.
“I wish I had the answer to that because one of the things that we, Democrats, have a really hard time is connecting to people’s hearts instead of [their heads],” Hirono said. “We’re really good at shoving out all the information that touch people here [pointing to her head] but not here [pointing to her heart].”

Hirono, 71, said Democrats need to stop speaking in a way that comes off as manipulative or strokes fear and resentment.
“But we have a really hard time doing that and one of the reasons— it was told to me at one of our retreats— was that we Democrats know so much, that is true. And we have kind of have to tell everyone how smart we are and so we have a tendency to be very left brain,” she continued.

The left-hand side of the brain is often associated with analytical thought.

Video
The first-term senator gained widespread notoriety as a leading Democratic voice for the women who accused against Supreme Court Justice Brett Kavanaugh of sexual misconduct. She urged men to “shut up and step up” when the Senate was confirming Kavanaugh to the court.


7 posted on 03/12/2025 4:47:41 AM PDT by Liz
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To: MtnClimber

Two choice fallacy.


8 posted on 03/12/2025 4:48:26 AM PDT by Raycpa
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To: MtnClimber

The progressives confused cause and effect.


I have been saying this for years.

It happens because the Left has false assumptions about the nature of reality.


9 posted on 03/12/2025 4:53:14 AM PDT by marktwain
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To: MtnClimber

it is not a theory that the left lost. it is fact. the thinking that they know what is best for everyone else has a lot to do with that.


10 posted on 03/12/2025 5:02:53 AM PDT by teeman8r (Armageddon won't be pretty, but it's not like it's the end of the world or something )
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To: MtnClimber

True.

Also, it’s always been my opinion that the Left was talking to the media while Trump was talking directly to Americans (still is).

If politicians are so invested in having their message filtered through the media, they put themselves at a disadvantage, IMMEDIATELY. This is especially true if (as is NOW the case) the media has made itself SO distrusted, maligned and frankly, irrelevant.

Surrendering your voice and your message to a third party is never going to make you look authentic and credible.


11 posted on 03/12/2025 5:06:33 AM PDT by SMARTY (In politics, stupidity is not a handicap. Napoleon Bonaparte I)
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1000 words to say nothing


12 posted on 03/12/2025 5:07:33 AM PDT by campaignPete R-CT (I owe, I owe, it's off to work I go ...)
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To: MtnClimber

The Left seeks power through the adoption of a narrative that denies many basic realities. Sooner or later, the narrative diverges from reality to such an extent that it loses credibility. Think gender ideology for example. Some have said the 2024 election was about 80-20 issues, meaning one side was heavily favored by voters, and the democrats were on the side which had 20% support.

They came to this end because they were captive to a progressive ideology which had no self-regulation, accepted no corrective feedback. They can persevere for awhile, but eventually reality reasserts itself over denial.


13 posted on 03/12/2025 5:10:04 AM PDT by hinckley buzzard ( Resist the narrative.)
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To: MtnClimber
The Left kept showing their total disdain for ordinary Americans and didn't even try to hide it any more.
Finally enough people noticed.

14 posted on 03/12/2025 5:13:41 AM PDT by BitWielder1 (I'd rather have Unequal Wealth than Equal Poverty.)
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To: MtnClimber

The Left lost because, after lying, cheating, and stealing to take control of the institutions of power, they found themselves utterly incapable of performing the actual duties required. Instead of governing, they could only corrupt and degrade the institutions they seized, lacking any instinct beyond destruction.

It’s like a mutinous ship crew tossing the captain and officers overboard, only to realize—oops—they don’t know how to sail.


15 posted on 03/12/2025 5:14:14 AM PDT by RoosterRedux ("Think AI is scary? Imagine a world run by gov't bureaucrats.")
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To: MtnClimber
The first depends on persuasion. It consists of interested parties making their case to the public at large and trying to persuade a significant number of people of the desirability of a particular change. The goal is to reach a sufficient consensus, and then implementing change through established institutions.

Many years ago democrats realized it took too much time and money and 'real' popularity to convince citizens to vote for them. So, they switched tactics to convincing members of the press (the whole MSM) to do their work for them: to convince citizens to vote democrat. The outcome was success - too much success - - unintended consequences included the MSM lost their credibility. And with that loss - democrats started losing. Focus groups lost power too... and what were they left with? Name calling, bullying, and 'be afraid' freakouts...

16 posted on 03/12/2025 5:21:16 AM PDT by GOPJ (Corrupt MSM press ignored Biden's inflation almost to the end. With Trump they'll watch every day.)
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To: MtnClimber
From the article -

This helps explain some of the puzzling political behavior of the left, and the developing rifts within the Democrat party.

During President Trump's speech in front of the Congress, I failed to see any rifts within the Democrats.

17 posted on 03/12/2025 5:59:22 AM PDT by 7thson (I've got a seat at the big conference table! I'm gonna paint my logo on it!)
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To: Liz

In other words - lie.


18 posted on 03/12/2025 6:00:40 AM PDT by 7thson (I've got a seat at the big conference table! I'm gonna paint my logo on it!)
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To: MtnClimber

I have been of the opinion that a turning point occurred after Musk took over Twitter/X.


19 posted on 03/12/2025 6:06:57 AM PDT by Tench_Coxe (The woke were surprised by the reaction to the Bud Light fiasco. May there be many more surprises)
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To: MtnClimber

EXACTLY! Yes, excellent article. The bottom line is that Americans are not Europeans. Culture is not inherited, it is taught and American culture became different from Europe’s before the Revolution. It’s why we had a Revolution.
This is something the left has trouble grasping . Thank God.


20 posted on 03/12/2025 6:13:31 AM PDT by Varda
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