Elephant rising, burro falling
The latest numbers from Gallup have a lot of Democrats wondering whatever happened to that theory about demographics making them the permanent majority. Why are the elephants in a good mood and the "burros" (donkeys in Spanish) in sour mood? Let's check the latest from Gallup:
The data show the Democratic Party retaining advantages among people of color and young adults, but in 2023 it was in a weaker position among these groups than at any point in the past quarter century. Democrats’ reduced support among Black and Hispanic adults should be especially concerning for the party, given Republicans’ continued strength among White adults, who remain the majority of the electorate.
Yes, the Democrats are still leading but the lead is shrinking. Why is it shrinking? The answer is complicated, but let me give you a few ideas.
For much of the Trump era, the Democrats have tried to scare people by claiming that he is a dictator, a "racista," an insurrectionist, or whatever other noun is in vogue. The problem is that most Hispanics don't remember such a presidency. What they remember is a good economy, stable prices, especially gasoline, a better situation on the border, and a more stable world. The last one is very important because many Hispanics have sons and daughter in military service. Pay a visit to a military base and see for yourself.
So a lot of Democrats sound like the kid who cried wolf. After a while, no one paid attention to the kid, as we learned from Aesop's Fables.
Another issue is the chaos on the border. Go to Del Rio, Texas, or Chicago and you can see how Hispanics and Afro-Americans are being devastated by a migrant crisis that did not have to happen.
Time will tell, but the Democrats have reasons to worry. Scaring their constituents about Trump is not working. This is because more and more of their constituents are paying the price of Biden’s policies.
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Image: SHUVADIP