In light of Donald Trump’s second election as president, many observers, notably those from belief in luxury class, are perplexed. Portraying Trump and his supporters as ranging from “fascist” to “deplorable” to “racist” to “garbage» failed to sway public opinion or support from the electorate.

Although pre-election polls suggested a close race, the former president won a clear victory and is now on track to win not only the Electoral College, which he received, but also the national popular vote. This is the best performance by a Republican presidential candidate since George W. Bush in 2004.

Trump lost the popular vote by about 3 million votes in 2016 and by 7 million in 2020. Although votes are still being counted in California and elsewhere, he is expected to win the popular vote this time by several million votes. Like the free press underlines, not Only one state saw Harris outperform Biden’s 2020 total by 3% or more.

If Barack Obama’s first victory in 2008 was the Facebook election and Trump’s first victory in 2016 was the Twitter election, then 2024 is the podcast election. Podcasts and independent media have allowed political ideas to circulate instantly and unfiltered by traditional media or other gatekeepers.

The online and offline worlds have converged to influence politics in ways we’ve never seen. The Republican campaign focused on this new era. At 40, JD Vance will be the third youngest vice president in U.S. history and is the first millennial to join a major political party. Vance used his platform on THE Joe Rogan Experience and other popular podcasts to communicate complex ideas in simple, relevant terms. He is also active on X and appears to know the online vernacular in right-wing spaces.

In his recent interview with Rogan, Vance said, “The entire modern Democratic Party grew up in an era where there was consensus. They grew up in a time of strong social trust. Many of them attempt to reimpose this social trust from above, without recognizing that social trust arises organically from the functioning of American society. If people try to reimpose it from above, it degrades what you’re trying to create. »

Interestingly, a candidate like Trump, who has repeatedly accused the system of being “corrupt” and “rigged,” could only win an election in a society where trust is low. If voters thought their society was demonstrably functional and just, such accusations would not resonate with them. In 2024, public trust in the U.S. government remains stable. close historic lows. Vance’s words resonated with a generation accustomed to questioning authority. He showed them a party willing to challenge the status quo.

The 2024 election results suggest a remarkable shift in the traditional base of support for both parties. Trump not only retained his core constituency, but also significantly increased his appeal among non-white men, a demographic that Republicans have long struggled to reach.

Early exit polls estimate that it won 46 percent of Latino men and 24 percent of black men. These groups, historically democratic, signal a change in attitude. Perhaps Democrats’ relentless harassment about “toxic masculinity” has alienated some members of their most trusted voting blocs. A recent Pew survey find that nearly half of black Democratic men and 39 percent of Hispanic Democratic men identify as “highly masculine.” They obviously see nothing shameful in this identity, regardless of how the political left presents it. These shares are far higher than the 22 percent of white Democratic men who consider themselves very masculine. The incessant cries of “toxic masculinity” are perhaps the most effective against this particular group.

Many thought the abortion issue would sink Republicans, but it doesn’t appear that Harris fared any better with women than Biden. Others have suggested that immigration will hurt Republicans among Hispanics, but Trump will likely receive a higher share of the Hispanic vote than in 2016 or 2020.

Meanwhile, the mainstream media has largely missed the mark in understanding this. political realignment. Listening to many elite media outlets, you would think that most of America is horrified by Trump and his policies. A journalist from the prestigious German magazine South German Zeitung newspaper REMARK last week, “in a few days, Americans could elect a criminal to be their president.” Elite media pundits abroad and at home dwell on Trump’s many flaws. Trump’s campaign, however, focused on the perception gap between these media outlets and ordinary Americans. The media seems unaware of why their rhetoric fails to resonate.

As might be expected, this divergence of views is not without consequences. Large swathes of the country no longer believe that mainstream media understands or represents them. If these institutions want to regain their credibility, they might consider hiring more journalists who seek to understand American life as it is, rather than viewing it as simply an ideological battleground.

As Trump prepares to return to office, the question Democrats face isn’t just about political strategy; it’s a question of cultural understanding. Calling Trump a fascist, racist and sexist failed to diminish his support enough to cost him the election. His reviews have exhausted all the labels in the book. It didn’t work.

Perhaps it is time for our media and elites to learn what people really care about, rather than forcing them into slogans (left-wing activists tell us “silence is violence”) or silencing them. (left-wing activists also tell us that “discourse” is violence).

Luxury beliefs seem attractive in theory – safe in the college bubble or in wealthy neighborhoods – but they fail to address the daily struggles of working-class families, small business owners and communities concerned about safety, employment and education. As I wrote in my book Disorder“Ordinary people have real problems to solve.” And further:

Perhaps most voters like public safety and law and order.

Maybe voters like border security.

Perhaps voters believe in competitive college admissions and hiring based on merit rather than the racist principles of DEI.

Maybe voters believe that education the establishment abandonment of standardized tests was misguided.

Perhaps voters don’t believe that America is a structurally racist and white supremacist society.

Maybe voters don’t believe patriotism is a dirty word and don’t see U.S. history as a dark landscape filled with racism, sexism and oppression.

Maybe voters don’t believe that sex is “assigned at birth” and can be changed by forcing those around you to use different language.

Maybe voters don’t think it’s a good idea to police people’s language for “microaggressions” and bias against the “marginalized.”

Maybe the voters don’t want it.”disturb the nuclear family structure prescribed by the West.

Perhaps voters don’t view murderous terrorists like Hamas as righteous liberators.

In other words, maybe it’s time to listen to what voters actually care about, rather than demanding they adhere to their luxury beliefs.

Respecting the opinions of others, no matter how outmoded or implausible, may well be the key to restoring trust between the elites who govern and manage our institutions and the people they are supposed to serve.

Photo by ELIJAH NOUVELAGE/AFP via Getty Images