NOV 21, 2024 | OPINION | By Rachel Weissman
My emotions at an ungodly hour on the morning of Nov. 6 were a complex medley of sadness, anger and disbelief that is difficult to put into words. Watching Pennsylvania, Wisconsin and Michigan fall into the red wave was a disconcerting experience I’ll likely tell my children about — one that is hard to forget.
Here are my informal thoughts as a relatively in-the-know, non-political-science major, average Colorado College student.
I’d like to preface this article with my top issues as a voter in this presidential election: gun control, the economy and women’s reproductive health, in that order — and I’d like to note Supreme Court appointments as an honorable mention. However, I will admit that these priorities are highly influenced by the fact that I am currently a resident in the state of Colorado, which means that abortion rights and same-sex marriage were highly likely to be codified in the state’s constitution, which I am happy to say passed under Amendment 79 and Amendment J.
With the outcome of this election, many Democrats have thrown President Joe Biden under the bus for the upcoming Trump term. Much of the election rhetoric that is currently circulating claims that if Biden had dropped out of the race months earlier, we could’ve seen a Democratic president-elect, whether that be Kamala Harris or not, and either way, voters would feel safer voting for Harris or another candidate who would’ve taken that spot because they were voted into it, rather than swapping in last-minute.
I would also agree that Harris’ downfall, and likely a significant issue for the future of the Democratic party, was the lack of a primary. However, I would hate for Trump’s re-election to destroy Biden’s legacy and hinder everything he and his administration accomplished. Not only was Biden met in the White House with violence and extreme polarization in January 2021, but he was also met with a grossly mismanaged pandemic that shocked America and the rest of the world.
Biden repeatedly promised the American people he would get them through the tribulations of COVID-19, and he did just that. Biden created over 13 million jobs, kept the unemployment rate under 4%, rejoined the Paris Climate Agreement and reduced prescription drug prices. The Biden-Harris administration had a successful term, and I don’t believe his approval ratings are an accurate reflection of his time as president. When the GOP comes screaming about the economy, I will happily argue about the catalyst for the inflation we are experiencing — COVID — all day.
It saddens me that when Biden originally stepped down in July, he received high praise from across the Democratic Party for his patriotic act. Yet, that praise quickly turned to blame on Nov. 6, and it is disheartening to know Biden’s legacy will be determined by the president after him.
Putting my unpopular appreciation for the Biden administration aside, I theorize that Harris lost this election because of the lack of a primary. While the economy was the hot topic in this election, the underlying concern swept right under everyone’s noses and led Trump to victory: democracy.
As nebulous as this term is, it’s one factor among many of those that cost Harris the election. While neither of these candidates are necessarily the face of a democratic candidate, with Trump declaring war on multiple federal agencies and Harris sweeping the Democratic nomination without more than a few thumbs up, the beginning of Harris’ campaign set a poor tone that persisted through election night.
As a left-leaning and independent voter, I am concerned for the Democratic Party. Despite my refusal to align myself with one of the two major contemporary political parties in the United States, I have never, and likely will never, vote for an independent candidate for a presidential race, and frankly, I have anger towards those who do. We’re never going to have a perfect presidential nominee from either party, not in my lifetime, so suck it up.
Now I want to talk about this election’s independents and undecided voters. The fact is, these voters were not pleased with the extreme left perpetuating the idea that everyone who votes for Trump is racist, sexist and xenophobic. It simply does not land with the average voter. Who wants to be called a racist? The superiority complex these Democrats have adopted is not good for their party’s brand, and rather than spark a fire under many Americans to take action and vote for Kamala Harris, it insulted them. It pushed them further down the political spectrum to Donald Trump.
However, I won’t curse the working-class families that voted for the “better for the economy” figurehead — misinformation and media illiteracy are not the fault of the public.
On top of this dissonance, the Harris-Walz campaign was not what I had hoped. Despite the new invigorated energy voters saw in Harris, and notably raising 1.5 billion dollars in their 15-week presidential campaign, I agree with the conclusion that Harris focused too much on her opponent rather than her own campaign. In simple terms, Harris consistently dragged Trump down instead of building herself up.
I hate to be bleak, but I must look to 2028: JD Vance. Truthfully, I’m not sure I see a full recovery for the Democrats by our next presidential election. Despite my lack of allegiance to the party, I hope that they can put up a strong candidate to fight a likely Republican-nominated Vance. I fear the day when the Republican party has a younger, family-centered candidate with an incumbent advantage, especially if we see the slightest decrease in inflation over the next four years. This being four years away I won’t stay too hung up on it and instead will prompt you to Jack Scholessberg’s (President John F. Kennedy’s grandson) satirical videos mocking JD Vance.
In all seriousness, Nov. 6 was a tough day for many women. I’m not only talking about the states potentially facing abortion and IVF bans, but the intrinsic stillness of watching yet another female Democratic nominee defeated by Trump. To all women who are scared of the future of their reproductive freedoms — I’m sorry, I don’t have the words to convey the depth of my heartache. All I can say is keep an eye on your state representatives, know your resources and give yourself some grace. To all of the women mourning the egalitarian leader of the free world we could’ve had while listening to “What Was I Made For” by Billie Eilish, I am with you. I am you. But now we must bide our time and continue the inspirational legacy Harris left for us, even more so in the wake of defeat.
As our Vice President said in her concession speech, “This is not the time to throw up our hands. This is a time to roll up our sleeves.”