I couldn't believe Trump visited that barbershop in one of my old neighbourhoods.
Surprisingly, I was seeing, on tv, people say, "Kamala didn't do anything when she was in the White House" and she's talking too much Kumbaya with no real plans. Seriously. Some of this was even coming from relatives here in Australia. Apologising to me and saying they're leaning towards Trump this time.
I can't see how a dude that was bad with his own business, is giving those hope he'll fix everything with fist shafts.
Your last question. I believe in getting at the local officials. If there are more representatives like AOC that will fight locally and have locals back them, that holds weight for day to day concerns to be addressed and rectified.
Biden stepping down and Kamala having a short time to make a difference was a good move. It really showed many people missed Kamala's point of everyone from the people to the government, working together to make change.
I think you've hit the nail on the head.
The "Cost of living crisis" is ultimately the biggest factor in the US, UK, Australia, and most EU elections since Covid.
The whole Western world is poorer because of having to pay for Covid in particular (which has effectively cost the same as a small war) AND having to pay for the war in Ukraine, and there are other country specific factors which have added to this.
The cost has ended up falling on "working class" mostly in higher prices, higher taxes, salaries that couldn't keep pace with that inflation (whether rightly or wrongly this is what has happened in reality).
People are voting out governments around the world hoping that this will make themselves less poorer (US, UK, Germany, Italy, France, and so on). However, none of these new governments can magic away the cost of Covid and Ukraine (and Trump can't either for Covid [he might cut off Ukraine funding though which would be a disaster for everyone] but people haven't realised that yet and have voted in the hope that he can).
There's a lot of (in effect) people wanting someone else to pay for these things other than them (rightly or wrongly).
It hasn't helped either that no-one talks about Covid anymore (it's almost a taboo subject here now in the UK - I work in an office of 100 people and its NEVER mentioned) - which means it's even less likely that people will connect the fact that their poorer with Covid.
All governments can do is redistribute those costs in a different way.
The UK budget last week has started that process, but there is more to come.
The US election has its own specific factors in play, but the biggest factor is the same in ALL of these elections. See that graphic from CNN posted above.
People are poorer and are blaming those in charge (whether that is correct or not is a separate conversation, but in respect of why Harris is lost, that's clear enough from all the polling).
Last thought, I don't know why the result has surprised so many people on here. I thought it was likely (even though I REALLY hoped i was wrong), an obvious conclusion if you've followed any other major global elections in the last 2 years.
