No. of Recommendations: 5
But looking at the bottom of the list reveals another symptom. You're right that the very least important was transgender issues. However, what's down there with that issue, the second-least important issue to voters?
Climate change.
The few times I heard Kamala speak, she was talking about jobs. Not climate change. I'm not disputing your point, but Joe Sixpack is going to hear the speeches (mostly), and seldom read the position papers. In which case, he heard about jobs. And no more tax cuts for billionaires. I think what defeated Kamala was a glass ceiling, and propaganda saying the economy was terrible when it wasn't.
Sure, if you read the minutia of Dem policy positions, climate change is there. But who reads that? I don't, and I dare say I'm more informed than about 90% of voters out there (which isn't saying much). IIRC, a lot of the "green" expenditures were creating more jobs than other options would have. But perhaps that nuance is too obscure for the average voter?
I totally agree that Dems need to focus on public safety/protection (e.g. safe food supply, safe drugs), jobs and economy (especially blue collar jobs), and they can't afford to be seen as indifferent to the border. I suspect the Felon is failing on the first two, and has taken #3 way too far. Die-hard MAGA won't see it that way, but it's the swing voters that decide elections.
I read an article within the past two or so years that said that Dems were really good at the stuff you never see, but you would notice if it wasn't there. Which was painted as a liability for the Dems (and it probably is). I hold out some hope that people will start noticing things that aren't there anymore. For example, national parks draw millions upon millions every year. Without park rangers, it is likely to be chaos, detracting from the visitor experience. Not every one visits the parks, but those that do will notice it. Those that rely on other services (e.g. FEMA) will notice their absence. Another epidemic that the government doesn't respond to (e.g. measles), and the resultant deaths. Get enough groups noticing deficiencies, and you are going to have a large bloc of unhappy voters.
