Thread by @ElieNYC

The challenge, after a loss, is to learn something *new.* Most people aren't doing that right now. They're taking in information and trying to fit that within their prevailing world view.

The NEW thing I'm learning is: People do not and will not vote for harm mitigation...

We see this most obviously with the people who withheld their votes due to Gaza, and instead invite Trump's Armageddon. But we see it elsewhere. Latinos did not vote for harm mitigation, they voted to harm others and think they'll be spared.

White women did not vote for harm mitigation. They voted to allow white men to do harm and think they'll vicariously benefit.

Workers did not vote for harm mitigation. They voted to let Elon bring them pain and think one day his money will trickle down to them.

This... is a *problem* for the Democratic Party, because what we're selling most often is harm mitigation. It's been that way since Reagan. There's an old @billmaher joke: "Republicans are pissing you, Democrats are offering an umbrella."

Democrats see value in blunting the worst aspects of society. But a majority of people don't. A majority of people agree with Republicans that some people should be hurt (the "right" people, of course) some helped (rich people) and everybody else should just deal with reality.

People will vote for the party that appears to be harming their enemies. They'll vote for the party that seems to be directly helping their interests.

They will NOT vote for the party who is promising to do *less harm* to them than the other guys or the state of nature.

That's a hard lesson for me to learn, because I value harm mitigation greatly. DECREASING SUFFERING seems valuable to me, so the choice between a "lesser of two evils" is always easy for me to make. Less suffering IS PREFERABLE.

But people, most people, don't agree with me. Help the "worthy" harm the "unworthy", that's what they want. That's what they think is "fair." That's what they think is the point of government.

I will learn this lesson. And understand that it will lead to more suffering.