This Is America

In a country where qualifications, experience, and integrity should count for something, Kamala Harris — profoundly qualified and experienced — was defeated by Donald Trump, a man steeped in scandal and defined by an insatiable appetite for power. But this is America, a place where the myths of wealth, supremacy, and privilege overshadow merit. Trump’s victory isn’t about policies or solutions — it’s about a seductive fantasy that resonates with millions: a vision of unbridled dominance, a nostalgic vision of “greatness,” and a reality where truth bends to power.

But this isn’t the Republican Party of old; it’s dead. The GOP, once a party with a core of traditional conservative principles, has been completely eclipsed by the force of MAGA. The MAGA movement, born from populism and grievance, has consumed the party, transforming it from a political institution into a cult of personality built around Trump and his vision of power. MAGA is not about policy debates or ideological values — it’s about raw, emotional loyalty, allegiance to an America that never truly existed for everyone, and a promise of protection against change.

Good Allies in the Fight for Justice

It’s important to remember that not every white American subscribes to MAGA’s message of fear and division. Many white allies, along with Jewish communities and other supportive demographics, see the systemic injustice and fight alongside Black and Brown communities for real change. These allies recognize that when the fight for racial equality is strategically fused with unrelated social debates, it dilutes the focus and splinters the movement, ultimately weakening the fight for true justice. They know that racial justice isn’t just another issue on a list of grievances — it’s foundational. The cost of burying it among unrelated social causes is too high, fracturing the movement and alienating potential allies. But even with strong allies, there is a profound truth emerging: Black America must take the lead.

After generations spent in the co-pilot’s seat, trusting a political system that hasn’t delivered, it’s time for Black communities to step forward and guide this country toward the unity and justice it claims to champion. We can no longer wait for a mythical “Christ consciousness” or divine unity to wake people up. The time is now for Black Americans to lead with an approach that’s logical, strategic, and patriotic in the purest sense, a way that not only bridges societal gaps but also centers our voices and agency.

MAGA Economics and the Politics of Fear

Under MAGA, economics is wielded not as a tool for growth but as a weapon for control. By dismantling social programs, limiting educational funding, and blocking healthcare expansion, the movement ensures that low-income Americans remain financially insecure and politically dependent. Trump’s 2017 tax cuts, marketed as relief for working Americans, were a mirage. These cuts overwhelmingly favored the wealthy, while undermining essential social safety nets like Medicaid, SNAP, and housing support, leaving vulnerable communities to fend for themselves. It’s a deliberate strategy: keep people in a constant state of struggle and then market MAGA as the savior.

Programs that stabilize families, like job training, food assistance, and Medicaid, are gutted or saddled with impossible requirements, making it harder for people to lift themselves out of poverty. For a population kept in financial insecurity, fear becomes a driving force. And MAGA is happy to exploit that fear, selling a narrative that government assistance is the enemy while simultaneously dismantling any structures that could actually help people succeed. This is a cycle designed to keep people struggling, dependent, and, ultimately, loyal to MAGA’s empty promises.

White Voters and the Fear of Decline

The core of MAGA’s support comes from white Americans, especially older ones, who cling to an America where their dominance remains unquestioned. In the 2024 election, over 80% of Trump’s voters were white, with 59% of white men and 53% of white women casting their ballots for him. This isn’t about traditional Republican values anymore; it’s about a movement centered on fear — the fear that white Americans will one day become the minority in “their own country.” MAGA’s rhetoric, its anti-immigrant stances, and its “law and order” messaging all fuel this fear, creating a sense that voting Republican is a last-ditch effort to protect their cultural legacy​​.

This fear is less about policy and more about existential dread. It’s a demographic anxiety that sees MAGA as a buffer against a future they don’t want. This isn’t conservatism in its traditional sense; it’s survivalism rooted in an imagined past where white comfort and power were uncontested. For this faction of America, MAGA is their last stronghold, the bulwark against an evolving society they can no longer recognize or control.

The Shift Among Black and Latino Men: Power Over Progress

Trump’s appeal has reached beyond his traditional base, extending into some unexpected corners of Black and Latino communities. In 2024, Trump captured 42% of the Latino vote, with 47% of Latino men and a notable 24% of Black men casting their ballots for him. Latino women, though slower to follow, are also beginning to show a slight shift. For many, especially Black and Latino men, Trump’s appeal lies not in policy or ideology but in a brand of raw, unfiltered power.

These voters, who may not feel personally connected to the Civil Rights Movement or to collective struggles of the past, are frustrated. Tired of waiting for broken promises to materialize, they’re more inclined to seek power wherever they can find it. They don’t see the GOP as an ideological home, but rather as a vehicle for change, for individual gain, and perhaps for a taste of the control they feel has long been denied. In a system that offers few routes to power, Trump’s message of personal success and toughness resonates, even if it ultimately works against their broader communities’ interests.

Black Women: The Backbone of Justice

As others shift, Black women remain steadfast, grounding their political choices in the collective pursuit of justice. Black women overwhelmingly supported Kamala Harris, standing by a vision of an inclusive, equitable America. Their loyalty to Harris and the Democratic Party is not about party lines but about a deep-seated commitment to an America that values every voice, not just the loudest. Black women know that true strength lies in unity, and their votes reflect an unwavering dedication to community-centered progress, not individual gain.

In this new political reality, Black women’s consistency is a powerful reminder that America’s promise isn’t about returning to an imagined past but building a future where justice and opportunity are accessible to all. While some Black and Latino men may be drawn to MAGA’s vision of power, Black women have held their ground, voting not for dominance but for equity.

Black America’s Call to Lead

In the vacuum left by the death of the GOP, there is a growing need for Black leadership — a leadership that isn’t waiting for permission but is ready to shape the future of this country. Black America must step forward, not to replicate the broken strategies of the past, but to lead with logic, technical skill, and a sense of duty to a nation that has often ignored our worth.

It’s time for Black communities to take the reins, creating a path that is grounded in truth and justice. We can no longer sit in the co-pilot’s seat, trusting systems that were not designed with our best interests in mind. We need to lead with strategy, with a clear-eyed focus on bridging divides and creating lasting change. This isn’t about exclusion; it’s about providing a model that others can follow, a blueprint for a fairer America that fulfills its promise of liberty and justice for all. This is America, and it’s time we lead it.

Good Branding Trumps Bad Facts

MAGA’s greatest strength lies not in its policies but in its branding. Despite policies that dismantle social programs, deepen inequality, and overwhelmingly favor the wealthy, MAGA has managed to convince millions that it stands for “the forgotten American.” Trump’s messaging convinces struggling families that he is their only ally, even as his policies cut the very programs that would help them thrive. MAGA economics doesn’t create growth; it creates dependency, pushing an agenda that ensures the wealthy benefit while the poor are kept in a cycle of fear and scarcity.

This is where Black America’s leadership becomes even more essential. We must create a vision that speaks to people’s real needs, to an America where facts, not branding, drive policy. We need a message that’s both powerful and honest, rooted in solutions that uplift without empty promises. The goal is not just to counter MAGA but to redefine the very idea of American leadership, setting a course that values truth and justice over spectacle and dominance​.

This Is America: Leading Toward a New Vision

This is America — a nation at a turning point, where ignorance is weaponized, fear is currency, and the dream of a fairer society hangs in the balance. The GOP is gone, its remnants absorbed into the MAGA movement, a force that has abandoned principles for populism, policy for personality. But if there is any hope for America to become the nation it claims to be, Black America must take the lead. We must show this country what it means to build something beautiful, powerful, and just.

No longer can we wait on the sidelines, hoping for a revelation that never comes. We are the revelation. And in stepping forward, in leading with vision, clarity, and purpose, Black America is poised to show this nation what true patriotism looks like. This is America — and it’s time for us to steer it toward its highest ideals.