Woke and Broke: How Cultural Elitism Doomed the Democrats at the Ballot Box

 

The Democrats were essentially preaching to the choir while ignoring the congregation: their obsession with identity politics created an echo chamber that resonated only with coastal elites, leaving middle America feeling unheard and abandoned—and this ultimately cost them the presidency.

The donkey might have just kicked itself into a corner it can’t escape. The Democrats have found themselves grappling with a rather glaring conundrum — they are simply out of sync with the cultural pulse of the majority of Americans. This was never more obvious than when Kamala Harris was thoroughly trounced by Donald Trump in the recent 2024 presidential election. In this seismic political face-off, Harris’s defeat was more than a clash of candidates; it was a manifestation of a deeper cultural disconnection that the Democratic Party has stubbornly refused to acknowledge.

The Democrats, with their increasingly progressive ideals, have veered so far left that they've alienated a significant portion of the American electorate. Sure, their policies might resonate with urban voters on the coasts, but in middle America—from the rural stretches of the Midwest to the suburban enclaves of the South—it’s a different story altogether. The heartland isn’t swayed by academic debates about gender pronouns or dragged-out discussions about dismantling law enforcement. Instead, the average voter is thinking about jobs, affordability, and yes, even about keeping their traditional values intact. It’s not that Americans have turned away from progress; it’s that they are resistant to progress forced down their throats.

Consider the controversial criminal justice reforms that the Democrats have pushed, like the 2021 moves to defund the police, which they later tried to walk back once they saw the political damage. Crime rates skyrocketed in cities like Chicago and San Francisco, two stalwart Democratic strongholds, and it wasn’t long before people connected the dots between lax law enforcement policies and the increasing chaos on the streets. For the average citizen trying to raise a family, the abstract idea of police reform pales in comparison to the very real concern of safety. These concerns were heightened by rising crime statistics, as 2022 saw violent crime increase by over 5% in major metropolitan areas—numbers that the Republicans were quick to capitalize on during the 2024 campaign.

Trump’s victory over Harris was proof that culture wars still matter more to voters than the Democrats expected. Harris, for all her qualifications, was seen as embodying the progressive ethos of the Democratic elite—one that didn’t quite mesh with the reality faced by many voters. Her emphasis on climate change, gender equity, and identity politics fell flat in towns where people were more concerned about paying their electric bills or finding a decent-paying job after their local factory had closed down. The Democrats’ cultural priorities seem out of touch with the bread-and-butter issues that still define everyday life for most Americans. As the proverb goes, "If you want to know what water is, don’t ask the fish." Perhaps the Democrats need to step outside of their own echo chambers to understand what ordinary Americans are truly concerned about.

The loss has exposed just how much the Democrats have leaned on identity and cultural rhetoric to the detriment of understanding the needs of a broad swath of the American populace. The numbers tell the story: in states like Wisconsin, Michigan, and Pennsylvania, which have historically been swing states, Trump secured decisive victories, flipping counties that Harris had hoped to turn blue. It wasn’t just a repudiation of a candidate, but of an entire worldview that seemed imposed rather than inclusive. The Democrats often like to cast themselves as the "big tent" party, welcoming everyone, but increasingly, many Americans feel that the party’s tent is propped up by the poles of political correctness, cancel culture, and elitism—all things that don't sit well with the majority.

And it’s not only about crime or cultural issues. Economically, the Democrats are also struggling to stay relevant to the everyday American. Harris touted her plan to transition the country to clean energy, a noble goal, but one that alienated voters in oil-rich states like Texas and even battleground states like Ohio. The voters heard “green energy,” but what they saw were potential job losses and increased energy costs. It’s the same story that cost Clinton the Rust Belt in 2016 — a perceived disregard for the livelihoods that many Americans have known for generations. When Biden’s administration imposed further regulations on oil and gas drilling in 2023, it might have gained applause from environmentalists, but it also lost critical support from voters whose paychecks depended on those industries. Trump didn’t need to do much more than point out that the Democrats were jeopardizing American jobs to appease European-style environmentalists.

Let’s not forget the elephant—or rather, the donkey—in the room: the cultural elitism. For the average American, the Democratic Party increasingly represents the Hollywood celebrities, Silicon Valley tech giants, and Ivy League professors who seem to preach to them about how they should live their lives. It’s hard to convince a single mom working two jobs in Oklahoma that she should embrace electric vehicles when her priority is figuring out how to make rent. The Democrats are masters at painting lofty pictures of a utopian future, but the voters want concrete solutions for today. There is a sense that Democrats live in an America of their own making—an America where everyone has access to advanced technology, gender studies degrees are in demand, and the greatest issue of the day is which statue should be removed from a park. Meanwhile, for a great many Americans, these debates are not only unrelatable but downright alienating.

Then there is the question of patriotism. Trump’s 2024 campaign unapologetically embraced traditional American symbols—the flag, the anthem, the idea of “America First.” The Democrats, on the other hand, appeared uncomfortable with even the idea of national pride, afraid that it might offend one group or another. But for many Americans, patriotism isn’t a relic of the past; it’s a vital part of their identity. Harris’s avoidance of overt patriotic rhetoric during her campaign rallies may have seemed inclusive, but it ended up coming across as un-American to those who take pride in their national symbols. Voters want to feel good about their country, not be lectured on its historical shortcomings without celebrating its progress. As the saying goes, "Don't throw the baby out with the bathwater." The Democrats, in their zeal to address historical wrongs, often come off as dismissive of the very idea of American greatness.

The 2024 election results were less of a political contest and more of a cultural verdict. The Democrats face a crisis of identity: do they continue pushing an agenda that caters to progressive urban voters, or do they recalibrate to reflect the values of the broader electorate? One thing is clear: the Democrats have lost their way culturally, and it has already cost them dearly. If they don’t change course soon, they risk becoming a party that is perpetually out of power, kept afloat only by the applause of those who are out of step with the rest of the country.

Perhaps it's time the Democrats realized that while the donkey might be a symbol of stubbornness, a little bit of flexibility could go a long way. After all, if you’re trying to lead a parade, it helps to make sure you’re actually facing the right direction—otherwise, all you’re left with is a lonely dance to the beat of your own drum, while the crowd follows someone else entirely.