Monday Morning Quarterbacking of the Democrats’ loss

By Prakash Narayan-

Hindsight, as the saying goes, is 20-20. A “Monday morning quarterback” evaluates a result after it has happened, with the benefit of hindsight. They offer opinions on what should have been done and make judgments that are easier to make after knowing the outcome.

Along with 67m+ Americans, I woke up this morning with deep bewilderment at the news that Donald Trump had sufficient electoral college votes to become the 47th President of the United States. My first action was to congratulate his supporters. Though it was hard for me to comprehend, it was their dedication and steadfast loyalty that were instrumental in carrying Trump to this moment. They remained resolute in championing their man despite the divisive climate and numerous controversies surrounding Trump’s leadership.

Later, after reflecting some more, I realized that I was being too kind and generous. This election was “stolen”. Not stolen the way Trump claimed that the 2020 election was stolen from him. But stolen by rhetoric and false narrative by the Republicans. After all, on the eve of the elections, here was my assessment of Donald Trump:

  1. Has criminal indictments. Has shady business practices (he is not allowed by law to run a business in New York. How can he be qualified to run the country?)
  2. His policy positions on immigration and environmental policy were a huge concern for anyone prioritizing inclusivity and climate action
  3. His authoritarian, anti-democratic approach were red flags. In most countries, anyone who incites an insurrection would be automatically disqualified from running for any position.

All these were indisputable facts and not “fake news” or falsified narratives. Yet, the electorate chose to put blinders on these and believe the falsehoods that Trump and Vance repeated over and over again (even after they were told that their narratives were false):

  1. False claims about “late-term abortion”. He claimed, “They will take the life of a child in the eighth month, the ninth month, and even after birth.” Never mind that his claim is tantamount to murder, and not abortion.
  2. A nonexistent, grossly exaggerated immigrant crisis (all debunked by authorities in the respective states): Illegal Haitian immigrants eating cats and dogs in Springfield, Ohio. The city of Aurora, Colorado being taken over by Venezuelan gangs, and several more.
  3. False claims that the government had no money to help Americans suffering from the hurricanes because it had spent it all on munitions for Ukraine and Israel
  4. False claims that the government was not devoting resources to disaster relief because it is spending its budget on housing migrants.
  5. Inflammatory and baseless claims that schools are secretly providing gender-affirming surgeries for children

Both parties exercised “fear-mongering” tactics in their respective narratives. The Democrats based their tactics on truths:

  1. A young Georgia mother died after waiting 20 hours for a hospital to treat her for complications from an abortion pill – a direct consequence of Donald Trump’s actions.
  2. The insurrection by a mob that killed both civilians and police officers was incited by Donald Trump – making him a threat to democracy

The Republicans cared less about fact-checking their narratives. They did, however, have mass appeal. After all, who would not be concerned about illegal immigrants taking over their town or city? Or their child would be subject to a gender-changing surgery unbeknownst to them.

In my opinion, the Democrats should have spent more time and effort debunking the falsehoods. While they laughed over the ludicrous claims and the false narratives provided fodder for late-night comedians, the Democrats did not expect that it would result in influencing the electorate. I am not saying that the Democrats should have resorted to false narratives themselves. Instead, be more active and assertive in speaking out against the misinformation with clear, well-supported facts. By using credible evidence and straightforward explanations, the Democrats should have vociferously aimed to reduce the confusion caused and protected the public understanding of these crucial issues.

The next four years will require us to stay active in advocating for transparency, justice, and holding the Republican leaders accountable – particularly on issues of social and environmental impact.