There’s egg on my face. I called the Presidential Election the wrong way.
My analysis was largely based on at least 20 million more Americans voting in 2024 than in 2020. Instead, the 2024 election had 20 million fewer voters. I am still flummoxed by this lower voter turnout.
Sigh! Politics is so unpredictable. We need to be humble in our political forecasting.
The Blame Game
There are already many reasons floating around for the Democrats’ loss.
I will say that I believe Kamala Harris was a competent campaigner and was delivering the kind of campaign many in the Democratic base had approved.
I will also say that Kamala Harris is a 21st century person trying to work with a 19th century social engineering tool.
And I will also say that 30% of Americans want to do away with democracy — as long as their demographics are making the big decisions. The various social/political forces of this significant minority have learned how to unite politically. They will not be going away any time soon, especially with their new elevation of influence.
The Future
Mr. Trump is an old man and not in good health. It is doubtful he will last the next four years.
His successor could bring politics back to some normality, but we should not depend on that.
There is a lot of talk about the USA soon turning into a fascist state. May I refer you to my article Democracy is a Greyscale, where I use an oligarchy-democracy paradigm. Most likely, the USA will move closer to oligarchy. Whether it becomes a full fascist state may or may not happen.
The media, activists, and remaining Democrats may be effective in turning back the anti-democratic tide. Or maybe not.
What I am saying here is that politics is unpredictable. We should stop assuming that “we know the future.”
Learning from the past
Those of us not on the front lines of the political trenches have just received a few important lessons.
We know that writing anti-Trump, anti-MAGA articles and posting them on the internet did not bring the result we were looking for.
We know that donating to the Democratic Party did not bring the result we were looking for.
We know that volunteering as low-level campaign workers for the Democratic Party did not bring the result we were looking for.
So should we really assume that these kinds of political activities will bring us the results we are looking for in 2028?
Maybe, just maybe, should we not try a different approach to politics?
Tiered Democratic Governance
While I was predicting a Democrat win since November 2023, I was also clear that a Republican win would make it easier for a few Americans to accept how broken their democracy really is. Some of them just might find the incentive to start building a new democracy.
Well, that Republican win is now the reality. Are you ready to build that new democracy?
Here’s what this new democracy will require from you:
Ten hours a month!
That’s it! No money. Just a little time! No commuting!
It all starts with you and three neighbors meeting in your living room, writing a new local TDG constitution.
I recommend meeting every two weeks. One of you will take on the role of “writer.” The writer will draft your collective thoughts into a document and pass them by email. Between meetings, you will reflect on this document. In your next meeting, you will refine the document. In about six months, you should have a working constitution on how your neighborhood will elect its TDG representative.
For those of you elected into the TDG, your role might expand to 20 hours a month. But I think many of you will enjoy this volunteer work. You are essentially building a new nation.
If you do not take on a TDG-building role, then your political involvement is limited to 1) writing anti-Republican articles for the internet, 2) donating to the Democratic Party, and 3) becoming a low-level campaign worker in 2026 and 2028. A few days ago, we learned how well those efforts really worked.
The TDG Builders
I don’t get many readers for my TDG articles on Medium. Few claps. Few comments.
Too often, those few comments can be summarized as “The TDG might fail” as the excuse not to investigate further.
Failure is indeed possible. But nothing in life is guaranteed of success. But not trying to build the TDG will — for sure — leave American politics in the hands of Republicans and Democrats. And maybe later just Republicans.
For sure, we know the traditional ways of average people participating in politics have failed. Why we stay with those ways is a mystery.
The TDG Novels
In 2018, I was on a few G+ groups promoting the TDG. One fellow recommended that I write some fiction based on average Americans building the TDG. By 2022, I had three TDG novels.
Diary of a Future Politician casts Len Pash as a TDG builder in Riverbend USA. Len is a factory worker and volunteer fire fighter. He likes ATVing and watching baseball. He gets laid off — and needs something to occupy his time. He joins a new political movement that his neighbor is starting. He turns from reluctant volunteer to dedicated builder.
Confessions of a Future Politician casts Thelma Delgers as a TDG builder in Riverbend USA. She is a young African American in rural America. She becomes the leader of this fledgling TDG. But she has a past.
Circles of a Future Politician casts Eli Weasel as a TDG builder on the Tankosin Indian Reservation. After Eli and friends build their TDG, not much happens. But then a catalyst happens. The Tankosin TDG becomes USA’s most influential TDG.
All three of these novels are available for a free read from my website.
I hope these stories inspire you to find those 10 hours a month.
If you have read this far into this article, I know you can do it.
Published on Medium 2024
All Hail the Republican Oligarchy
