This is my analysis as to why Donald Trump, a convicted felon and habitual liar who consistently attacked the very core of American democracy as fraudulent (i.e. the election itself) won a second term after being rejected by voters four years ago.

The fact that Joe Biden initially ran for a second term and took up a lot of campaigning time is a major factor that can't be ignored. Then there was the substance of the campaign run by Harris, or the lack thereof. She fell into the trap set by Trump when she attacked the person (him) rather than his policies (or the lack thereof) because Trump ran a campaign basically devoid of policy detail but full of empty promises and slogans. Harris' campaign spent too much time focusing on Trump and not nearly enough time on putting her own policy agenda out there to differentiate her from him. Neither Harris nor Trump put any comprehensive plans out there for cost of living, border control, child care affordability, etc and in the absence of any real plans, voters went with the populist candidate.

Harris spent too much campaign time basically saying, "Trump bad, Harris good" without offering any real alternative beyond that and that worked just fine for Trump because his supporters couldn't give a crap about substance - they're populist voters and he just had to tell them what they wanted to hear, which they lapped up. Just look back at Trumps' last term. What did he achieve that he said he would do? Basically nothing. Repealing the Affordable Care Act (i.e. Obamacare) was something he constantly said he would do while campaigning, but did nothing. Building the border wall and getting Mexico to pay for it was another big campaign promise. He failed on both counts - the wall is unfinished and Mexico basically told him to bugger off with regard to paying.

So, firstly on Biden. He was increasingly frail in both mind and body toward the end of his term and should have early on ruled out a run for a second term for the sake of the Democratic Party and the country. The rush to remove him from the candidacy and install his Vice President was a colossal stuff up that was both hasty and should've taken place long ago. Is Kamala Harris a better choice for President than Donald Trump? Without a doubt. Is she the best choice? No. I think the best person to take on Donald Trump was Pete Buttigieg.

Why do I think Pete Buttigieg would have beaten Donald Trump? Look at his record as Secretary of Transportation, where he has excelled. Watch any of his interviews - especially on conservative broadcasters and podcasts. He didn't dance around answering questions - he took the bull by the horns and delivered factual arguments, factual rebuttals and eloquently stated his plans and positions on issues without ambiguity. In short, you weren't left wondering his stance and he also not only called out lies from conservative interviewers but why they were lies. He was very strong in town halls and in formal interviews. Harris obfuscated too much in the rare interviews she gave and offered too little detail on policy, if any at all. Regarding the homosexuality of Buttigieg, it's irrelevant to him running for office, and it's not something Trump could attack without losing a lot of gay voters (and sympathisers) and sending them to the Democrats. Had we seen Buttigieg running against Trump, we'd have seen policy substance running against populist nonsense and I think Buttigieg would have won in the end.

The other big impact on the election result was Trump making himself out to be a victim. He made himself appear to be a victim of government (both state and federal) going after him, even though that isn't the case, in court and at the polling booth through what he claimed without any evidence whatsoever to be a rigged, fraudulent election perpetrated by the Democrats. It might not be a big thing here, but in America, there's a heck of a lot of people who despise government, are suspicious of it and Trump played on their feelings like a fiddle. We all know the election was never rigged but that didn't matter to Trumps' supporters. It's a conspiracy theory that's been debunked many, many times and the proof is in the pudding - Trump won both the electoral college vote and the popular vote and looks very likely to control both the House and the Senate. Rigged election? What rigged election?

Elon Musk. He came into play relatively late in the campaign, but his social media platform gave Trump a huge advantage by allowing the unimpeded circulation of ridiculous conspiracy theories and outright lies while also contributing to the campaign financially in a very big way. There was also confirmed influence from places like Russia and China and Iran in this campaign that undoubtedly would have helped Trump gain votes.

So, that's my two cents. I might be right, I might be completely wrong, but that's how I saw it.

Bobby. wrote on Nov 7^th, 2024 at 9:15am:


The other stuff wasn't worth responding to.

Gordon wrote on Nov 7^th, 2024 at 10:03am:



He summed it up very well indeed.   

One day KumHoola was the worst VP ever who was dragging Biden down, the next she was the best thing ever.

Drms lost it years ago.

Armchair_Politician wrote on Nov 7^th, 2024 at 9:36am:


This bit is worth responding to:

aquascoot:

1. Trump is going to rack up even more debt than Biden and Harris, by lowering taxes on the wealthy.

2. Trade-crippling  tarrifs on China will raise prices of everyday items in the US, making the cost of living crisis for low paid workers in the US even worse. 

Quote:


Democrats made the error of going with a Woman and Black didn't help either.

We seen in 2016 that the people prefered a clown to a woman.

All it takes is 6%, 8% or 10% of people spread across the country to change an election outcome.

Here we had the option between the worst President virtually ever or a Black Woman.

In the end being a criminal didn't matter, Being a rapist didn't matter, Being an insurrectionist didn't matter, being an authoritarian and a idiocrat not even his tired old brain falling apart mattered. Fact is that the orange clown isn't a woman was all that really counted.

The Americans made their bed. Now they get to pay the cost.

Bobby. wrote on Nov 7^th, 2024 at 10:48am:


All those likely get worse under Trump. Republicans will likely be looking up the 25th and Vance could be a worse disaster.

Bobby. wrote on Nov 7^th, 2024 at 10:55am:

A crusade against what and whom would be the question Australians should be asking.

Dnarever wrote on Nov 7^th, 2024 at 10:45am:


Why are you obsessed with the color of her skin and not her character, which is the reason she was slaughtered


Are you a racist?

Quote:


Donald's hats are better, that is why.

Armchair_Politician wrote on Nov 7^th, 2024 at 11:04am:




The Deep State runs America - all those 3 letter agencies:
CIA,
FBI,
DOJ,
NRO,
NSA,
DOD,
DHS,
DEA,
CID.

Trump will put his own men in charge of them.
Many of their members will go on trial.

Bobby. wrote on Nov 7^th, 2024 at 11:10am:


You realise this is precisely what dictators do, right? They install people loyal to them who feel beholden to him and will only tell him what he wants to hear, not what he needs to hear. America will be far worse off for it. There's nothing wrong with having people who disagree with you. It's not a bad thing to listen to more than one point of view. Unless you're Trump and you wrongly think you know better than everyone else, that you're always the smartest person in the room. If what you say happens, it will be a disaster for America's national security.

Bobby. wrote on Nov 7^th, 2024 at 11:10am:

Those men he puts in charge have their own egos and ambitions and will soon have more sh!t on the president to leverage off... or advise him in a way that suits their ends at the expense of Trump's presidency.

Trump's a geriatric... It will be no problem for the sharp-minded machiavellian to lead him into hell.

Armchair_Politician wrote on Nov 7^th, 2024 at 11:15am:


But they committed appalling crimes:


https://countersignal.medium.com/how-the-january-6-capitol-riots-were-an-fbi-ent...

Jan 6th FBI entrapment operation.
How the January 6 Capitol Riots Were an FBI Entrapment Operation

Jan 7, 2024

“The FBI had so many paid informants at the Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021,
that it lost track of the number and had to perform a later audit to determine exactly how
many “Confidential Human Sources” run by different FBI field offices
were present that day, a former assistant director of the bureau has told lawmakers.”

Armchair_Politician wrote on Nov 7^th, 2024 at 11:15am:

There's also no such thing as a safe autocrat... There's always the 'Palace Coup' to worry about... The 'loyal friend' collecting kompromat...

It's why all autocrats ultimately need to murder their close associates and 'loyal friends', or at least trash their reputations in public.

We're apes first, humans second.

Bobby. wrote on Nov 7^th, 2024 at 11:01am:

How does the US 'deep state' affect Australians?

What about the crusade against imports into the US?

Why did President Trump win this election?

aquascoot wrote on Nov 7^th, 2024 at 12:26pm:

First of all, I didn't like either of those two as the candidates.  In a nation of 333+ million, it's simply unbelievable - surely there are many fine upstanding intelligent younger candidates with lots of political experience and who have no red flags where corruption is concerned? 

However those were the two candidates ... and if one side calls the other side "deplorables" and "garbage," guess how the electorate is going to vote! Unlike the woke leftists who were slavering at the thought of a Democrat victory and first "black" female president, it was obvious that middle America was not happy.  The problem is the Democrats didn't learn from their previous "unlosable" loss.

Rudd should be recalled.  All those disparaging remarks he made about Trump on social media are now coming back to bite him painfully on the bum.  He's removed them but the Republicans know what he said and that is simply unacceptable for an ambassador from our country.  Between his and Albaneasy's comments, they are not doing any good for our future relations with the US. 

Voter ID requirements.
Is it just a coincidence?

Gordon wrote on Nov 7^th, 2024 at 10:03am:












.

The only good thing about 'Uncle Konstantin' sitting us down and telling us about 'Americans' is that he was clothed and not on all fours.

Kon's learned a lot about 'Americans' from all the billionaire bros he follows around like a labrador.

He and Williamson tell a slightly different story when they're talking together.

greggerypeccary wrote on Nov 7^th, 2024 at 5:08pm:

Australia has a COMPLETELY different election management system, stinker.

greggerypeccary wrote on Nov 7^th, 2024 at 5:13pm:

Where, connard?

Commenters on the Lehrmann article:


What a brilliant, incisive and pertinacious article. I am a white male, aged 35, married, 2 great kids, small business owner, house with mortgage, living in the state of desuetude formerly known as Victoria. Precisely the demographic that will initiate the change we need to see. Nobody, no-one nada, goes into bat for us. My mates, our wives, families and friends all are isolated from  policies and attitudes that have become mainstream. Time to rise up and be the change we want to see. I have not felt so invigorated for a long time as I did last evening when it was apparent Trump had regained the Presidency. Time for a change.
....

Great article. Makes me want to be proud of being a man, raise a family, go out and build a great business and employ people….oh wait, I already do! But now I don’t need to be ashamed of my success.




Young men are with Aqua, not sooky Bandt. A good thing.

Dnarever wrote on Nov 7^th, 2024 at 11:18am:


And Epstein had morals? FFS

And the Ozpolitic world laughs @PECCARY: the forums biggest loser and denialist.


HAHAHAHAHA ; 🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣😂😂😂😂

Peccary, you are getting accused of being a conspiracy theorist.

How do you plead?

Because the Democrats did so much to make Trump appear bad that he just had to be better than them.

philperth2010 wrote on Nov 8^th, 2024 at 8:47am:

Because Trump won well beyond the margin of steal.

philperth2010 wrote on Nov 8^th, 2024 at 10:03am:


Thank you for  coming out boldly displaying your ignorance, Poison Pill Phil.


But just 44,000 votes in Georgia, Arizona and Wisconsin separated Biden and Trump from a tie in the Electoral College.


44,000 votes across three states- that is WELL within the margin of steal.

That large states like California and NY voted Dem hardly mattered: the Dems get their electoral college votes with 50.1% of the vote or 85%. Irrelevant for electoral college numbers.

See also
https://www.channel4.com/news/factcheck/factcheck-six-charts-that-explain-trumps-decisive-us-presidential-election-win

Frank wrote on Nov 8^th, 2024 at 11:12am:


Where is the evidence of the steal Fwank....Biden won by millions more votes than Trump so your analogy fails on a massive scale....Even after 4 years of lying about fraud you still cannot accept victory with grace....You are a pathetic whiney little bitch Fwanker!!!

UnSubRocky wrote on Nov 9^th, 2024 at 12:21am:


BS - that "experience" thing is only brought up for 2nd term ppl. Its not real. its an excuse used for 2nd term ppl.

Spot

Frank wrote on Nov 7^th, 2024 at 5:04pm:


Thanks Frank, that is a nice list

I have found americans to not be entirely like that, but I appreciate your list

Trump got a lot of votes from the poor white sector, the exact same people that Trump's policies will hurt the most. Sometimes people are their own worst enemies.

In many ways the Democrats deserved to lose these votes for their inability to keep their election commitments. Still people shooting themselves in the face is somewhat unpleasant.

        Because the WOKE, LEFTIST   MSM ignored many, many political realities in the U.S./world,
AND CHOSE, to invent their own [often 'doozy'] narratives [no matter how absurd and UNTRUTHFUL those narratives  may have been].

        Because LEFTIST POLLSTERS had no idea how to poll persons, who were fearful of being socially CANCELLED if they revealed their true opinions ???
[......so when those who lived in a Democrat district were polled, and asked to declare Harris or Trump,
many said, 'Oh yes, Harris......definitely Harris'.]

        Because the WOKE, LEFTIST political class [AOC, Democrats, Biden, Schumer, etc, etc.]
chose to publicly DISRESPECT and tried to socially 'CANCEL' anyone who did not agree with their WOKE, LEFTIST political agenda.
e.g.
'MAGA are Nazis and Fascists',
'MAGA and Trump will destroy our Republic',
'MAGA are extremists, and Trump IS too dangerous to allow to win government.'


Quote:
http://www.ozpolitic.com/forum/YaBB.pl?num=1731145785/0#0



IN ANY SOCIETY......
Using 'IDENTITY POLITICS' [based upon, a 'guided' 'Vox populi' opinion] to attribute social 'virtue' or social disparagement and hate, to whole groups of people........is stupid and evil.

The 'political class, need to allow the people, the citizens of a nation, to choose positions upon merit, as the people identify merit.

And not what some 'expert think tank' has declared to be meritorious.

The freedom to choose, for ourselves, ......is liberty, it is freedom.

And the freedom to engage in reasoned debate, ......is liberty, it is freedom.


The right, to Freedom of Speech,
is the foundation,
of all of our freedoms,
and is the basis of all of our lawful liberties.


.


"And what is good, Phaedrus?
And what is not good?
Need we ask anyone to tell us these things?"
- Plato


Proverbs 29:2
When the righteous are in authority, the people rejoice: but when the wicked beareth rule, the people mourn.


Proverbs 14:34
Righteousness exalteth a nation: but sin is a reproach to any people.


"Our Constitution was made only for a moral and religious people.
It is wholly inadequate to the government of any other."
- John Adams, one of the founders of the American Republic


When people get used to preferential treatment, equal treatment seems like discrimination.
- Thomas Sowell [BLACK ACTIVIST]
e.g.
preferential treatment, as AFFIRMATIVE ACTION


"Glory follows virtue as if it were its shadow."
- Marcus Tullius Cicero, Roman Statesman


The first principle of value that we need to rediscover is this: that all reality hinges on moral foundations. In other words, that this is a moral universe, and that there are moral laws of the universe just as abiding as the physical laws. (from "Rediscovering Lost Values")
**
- Martin Luther King Jr.




**

- Newton's Third Law of Motion

Sprintcyclist wrote on Nov 10^th, 2024 at 8:30am:



They apparently voted for Biden in 2020, no?

You silly bozos are like the German Communist Party : you have lost confidence in the people and would like to elect another one!!   




“Some party hack decreed that the people had lost the government's confidence and could only regain it with redoubled effort.
If that is the case, would it not be be simpler, if the government simply dissolved the people and elected another?”
― Bertolt Brecht

I dislike trump as he is a convicted felon and guilty of sexual assault. He is a sociopathic narcissist. He is abusive, sexist and racist, he has cheated on everyone of his wives. He financially or legally bullies people or fires those that differ from his viewpoint. He is a poor businessman.
He started a riot intending to overthrow an election result, he has divided america and created a lack of faith in the democratic system there.

Has much of that changed substantially ?

MeisterEckhart wrote on Nov 10^th, 2024 at 8:43am:



possibly

every democrat policy was designed to advance university educated women
and they had no intention of dragging poor white men up

now poor white men are at least going to drag them down and create a more equal society
thats socialism.....the whole of society can be united in purgatory, all angry broke and equal
isnt that what the left see as their purpose in life? "equality of outcome"
what are they complaining about 

Sir Spot of Borg wrote on Nov 9^th, 2024 at 7:24am:


I work at a place where the same bullshit I saw 12 years ago is happening again. This time, it is with people 20+ years younger. I'm now experienced enough to handle the situation. But the boss is giving too much leniency towards staff that would have been fired for even speaking the wrong way towards customers. Never mind the threats of violence against customers.

Could you imagine Donald Trump pulling out of the presidential race, and people electing JD Vance to presidency? It would be an absolute disaster. You need an experienced person to run the country.

Bobby. wrote on Nov 10^th, 2024 at 9:35am:


Actually, he's much more likely to be the cause of WWIII.

Armchair_Politician wrote on Nov 11^th, 2024 at 6:51am:



No - wants the killing to stop - in Ukraine and Israel.

Some polls get only 2 per cent of people willing to answer questions. No matter how you weight the answers to try to reflect the nation’s general social composition, it seems people who answer polls are just unrepresentative.

The polls showed the battleground states as desperately close. But Trump won them clearly, albeit by margins within the polls’ margin of error. Not one poll underestimated Harris. Polls are not much use if they simply declare battleground states an effective tie with a margin of error of 3 per cent, so that if either candidate wins by less than 3 per cent they can claim they were within the margin of error.

Mainstream media also emerge hugely discredited. Until Biden’s devastating debate performance, almost all of them connived in the obvious deception that Biden was cognitively fit to hold office. They were so soft in interviews with leading Democrats and so hostile to Trump and his surrogates, and their characterisation of Trump was often so absurd – fascist, Nazi, and so on – that they probably contributed to Trump’s vote.

The third institution whose credibility tanked was Hollywood and pop stars. What do Oprah Winfrey, George Clooney, Julia Roberts, Beyonce and Taylor Swift all have in common? They enthusiastically backed Harris. As political seers, they make good entertainers. I watch Clooney’s movies, but it has never occurred to me that he has any useful advice on politics.
Greg Sheridan

This is why Trump won, and why Harris lost ...

Frank wrote on Nov 11^th, 2024 at 12:18pm:


I think trump only likes trump

I told you all he was a winner:

philperth2010 wrote on Nov 12^th, 2024 at 1:59pm:



If they would have stuck to topics that people cared about they might have had a chance:

mass uncontrolled invasion of 20 million immigrants,
massive inflation and cost of living,
poverty,
crime,
WW3 coming from Ukraine and Israel  etc

Quote:


The list is long.

The excuses are poor.

The stupidity is great.