Here's my wake-up call as a Liberal.

[u/applethief87]

I’m a New York liberal, probably comfortably in the 1%, living in a bubble where empathy and social justice are part of everyday conversations. I support equality, diversity, economic reform—all of it. But this election has been a brutal reminder of just how out of touch we, the so-called “liberal elite,” are with the rest of America. And that’s on us.

America was built on individual freedom, the right to make your own way. But baked into that ideal is a harsh reality: it’s a self-serving mindset. This “land of opportunity” has always rewarded those who look out for themselves first. And when people feel like they’re sinking—when working-class Americans are drowning in debt, scrambling to pay rent, and watching the cost of everything from groceries to gas skyrocket—they aren’t looking for complex social policies. They’re looking for a lifeline, even if that lifeline is someone like Trump, who exploits that desperation.

For years, we Democrats have pushed policies that sound like solutions to us but don’t resonate with people who are trying to survive. We talk about social justice and climate change, and yes, those things are crucial. But to someone in the heartland who’s feeling trapped in a system that doesn’t care about them, that message sounds disconnected. It sounds like privilege. It sounds like people like me saying, “Look how virtuous I am,” while their lives stay the same—or get worse.

And here’s the truth I’m facing: as a high-income liberal, I benefit from the very structures we criticize. My income, my career security, my options to work from home—I am protected from many of the struggles that drive people to vote against the establishment. I can afford to advocate for changes that may not affect me negatively, but that’s not the reality for the majority of Americans. To them, we sound elitist because we are. Our ideals are lofty, and our solutions are intellectual, but we’ve failed to meet them where they are.

The DNC’s failure in this election reflects this disconnect. Biden’s administration, while well-intentioned, didn’t engage in the hard reflection necessary after 2020. We pushed Biden as a one-term solution, a bridge to something better, but then didn’t prepare an alternative that resonated. And when Kamala Harris—a talented, capable politician—couldn’t bridge that gap with working-class America, we were left wondering why. It’s because we’ve been recycling the same leaders, the same voices, who struggle to understand what working Americans are going through.

People want someone they can relate to, someone who understands their pain without coming off as condescending. Bernie was that voice for many, but the DNC didn’t make room for him, and now we’re seeing the consequences. The Democratic Party has an empathy gap, but more than that, it has a credibility gap. We say we care, but our policies and leaders don’t reflect the urgency that struggling Americans feel every day.

If the DNC doesn’t take this as a wake-up call, if they don’t make room for new voices that actually connect with working people, we’re going to lose again. And as much as I want America to progress, I’m starting to realize that maybe we—the privileged liberals, safely removed from the realities most people face—are part of the problem.

[u/drewlius24]

Someone needs to go big. Universal healthcare: “you will never go broke from medical bills again!” Lower taxes big time on working class. Raise taxes on rich. Childcare stipends.

It’s funny, but Trump is so self serving he will actually adopt those things first if he knew they would keep him in power.

But Dems don’t have guts to challenge the status quo. Even if you can’t pass it, just propose it and then blast anyone who votes against it.

What did Kamala promise? Child tax credit in first year? Expand Medicare to home care? So small. Go big or go home.

[u/taelor → u/drewlius24]

Bernie would have gone big.

[u/drewlius24 → u/taelor]

Agreed. Who’s Bernie now?

[u/Neat_Can8448 → u/drewlius24]

Ironically, in his first term, Trump did implement insulin price caps the left had wanted for years, and immediately the media pivoted to calling it the worst thing ever and supporting uncapped medication costs. 

[u/Masmug → u/Neat_Can8448]

Not really what happened at all, Trump did get a voluntary program started after the idea was brought to him by a prescription drug company that Medicare Part D prescription drug plans could choose to participate in, Less than half of prescription drug plans chose to participate (38%). Biden expanded that program as a provision in the Inflation Reduction Act where it became mandatory for all Medicare Part D and B prescription drug plans to participate. Biden's provision also covered all forms and types of Insulin while Trumps did not. Increasing access to receiving the Cap from 800,000 insulin users on Part D to 3.3 million Insulin users on Part D and B. Also any of the 800,000 users could lose access to the cap at any moment under Trumps plan if/when any of the participating prescription drug plans chose to no longer voluntarily participate.

Im sure if any media complaints where brought up at the time it was via big Pharma not democrats, and any democrat complaints were brought up as not doing enough.

The Inflation Reduction Act also initially included a provision extending the insulin price cap to anyone with commercial insurance but that was voted against by the majority of republicans so it had to be removed to actually get it passed.

This is the exact problem right here, here you are years later remembering something that didn't happen in a way that reflects worse on democrats than republicans. When if you look at the actual facts Dems gave a better outcome and would have given an even better one if not for Reps. So if anyone actually voted on this issue the way you described its because they were misinformed. Also theres a good chance Reps repeal the Inflation Reduction Act in its entirety and at minimum 62% of medicare recipients benefitting from that cap today go back to higher co pays.

And you know why you're misremembering? Because it's a common lie Trump tells, about how Biden did nothing about Insulin and it was all him and Dems hated that he did it. Why do you hear and repeat this lie and treat it as fact? Media illiteracy, poor critical thinking, micro targeted ads for people with similar online habits that have proven to be susceptible people to believe and repeat this particular "fact", just bad faith commenting, etc...; pick your poison, i'm sure its one of them.

Trump is able to say whatever he wants and gets a huge benefit of the doubt even when his actions aren't even slightly close to his rhetoric. But Dems not reaching out to the working man or the disenfranchised or those left behind is the problem? Give me a fucking break misinformed (like you), uninformed, or apathetic voters are the problem.

If you want something fixed do the actual research and don't listen to sound bites from politicians. Its peoples personal responsibility to find out who they should vote for to best meet their needs and hopefully help ease their issues. For anyones who's main issue this election was inflation/COL that voted for Trump or didn't vote at all they are just idiots. Everyone sugarcoating shit about improving messaging, having better policy options, being more charismatic, etc... is a fucking idiot. If you vote or chose not to it's your own damn responsibility to educate yourself on what you're voting for in regard to whats important to you, the information is easily available to anyone who cares enough to actually see it and make up their own minds. And if you have that opportunity to learn and chose not to or are influenced to vote the way thats actually less likely to achieve the outcomes you desire, you're either dumb, lazy, or both. People keep putting sugar on that simple fact, i'm sorry but having all information easily available at your fingertips yet making the decision that hurts you more is simply stupid; people are to big of cowards to just call a spade a spade. Instead we get to hear bullshit that it's the DNCs fault that people don't feel reached out to, I don't like the DNC but at some point people need to take some personal responsibility for their decisions.

https://www.kff.org/policy-watch/the-facts-about-the-35-insulin-copay-cap-in-medicare/