In this fast-paced, ever-changing election, with switching candidates, changing themes, fact-checkers who don’t really fact-check, world-events, rallies, fake news and fake transcripts, McDonald’s and garbage trucks…there are understandably columns that I didn’t get to finish. Notes on paper and my iPad, scribbled on the back on fliers, pizza boxes, and the occasional Softball scorecard.

Here are quick-hits on columns left unwritten — issues that we will be talking about into 2025, and beyond.

The legacy media has lost about half of America and counting. 

With that, there are almost no universally trusted news institutions. And, it’s not the fault of politics, politicians, readers,or viewers. As liberal billionaire, mogul and owner of the Washington Post (Jeff Bezos) told his readers: many Americans simply just don’t trust them anymore. 

It’s gone beyond the typical bias. It’s now overt. In fact, it’s moved from bias to advocacy to worse — often being more extreme and deceitful than even partisan spokespeople.

From “Russia-gate” in 2016 (demonstrably false) to the “Hunter Biden laptop” (demonstrably true) to the 2024 debate “fact-checking” that was overtly biased, and factually inaccurate. They conclude election 2024 doing damage control when Biden called Trump voters “garbage” (demonstrably true) and entirely mischaracterizing the Trump discussion of endless wars and Liz Cheney.

The trust is broken and may be irreparable. Elon Musk and X are only the beginning of what’s coming — to fight back, achieve balance, and allow and invite free speech.

The legacy media wanted us to pretend that neither Donald Trump nor Kamala Harris ever held office. Or, they wanted to tell us not to believe our “lying eyes and ears.”

The legacy media kept talking about what a Trump administration would mean and what a Harris would be. Trump would be a dictator/fascist/Hitler and his economy would be horrible. In other words, ignore that his economy was one of the strongest ever. Black-owned and female-owned business start-ups were at historic highs, inflation was non-existent and gasoline was $2. As for the dictator nonsense, not only did he never suggest that he’d violate or limit the first amendment, he expanded free speech and religious liberty.

And, unlike Biden/Harris and their Democratic colleagues in New York and Atlanta, he didn’t weaponize the justice system. As President, he stated live on-air that, in fact, he would not lock up Hillary Clinton. The nation needed to move forward.

As for Harris, the legacy media again focused entirely on the future, as if she hasn’t been Vice President since January 20, 2021. In reality, she often bragged about being “involved in every major decision” and “being the last person in the room” before the horrific Afghanistan withdrawal. She cast the deciding votes for trillions in spending. And she had one assigned job: oversee the border. She has a record, one of of abject failure.

Black voters — and especially black men — feel abandoned at best and disrespected at worst by the Democratic Party. And this is just one example of the parties’ bases shifting. When the Democrats aren’t ignoring them or taking them for granted, they’re attacking them. From Obama to Whoopi, they’ve been lectured to and told that they have a duty to vote Democrat. They’ve been accused of misogyny, and worse. Having taken them for granted and now lecturing them, Harris has tried to buy them off with offers of “free cash” for new homes or to start a business.

Democrats are treating black voters like an absentee parent treats their children. “Sorry, I forgot your birthday, sorry I couldn’t help with homework — here’s a video game and a Wawa gift card. All better now?”

Add to this shift — the only issue is the size of the shift in 2024 — the shift among Hispanic voters, and you can see more evidence that the parties are changing before our eyes.

We are becoming more divided and locked-in to our “teams,” and it’s becoming easier and easier to guess a person’s partisan allegiance after asking a few life questions. Politics is becoming solely about GOTV — get out the vote — and not persuading undecided voters. It’s focused on getting your voters to vote and discouraging your opponents’ supporters. The media plays a role in this both through “shaming,” and using polls — of questionable accuracy — to encourage or discourage (Republican-supporting) voters to vote.

Here are some generalities, often misrepresented by the legacy media. Gender and marriage.

The GOP generally wins three of the four groups. They win a majority — majority, not all — married men, married women, and single men. They lose single women — by a lot. Legacy media implies that the latter is some type of moral failing of the GOP.

One trend suggested by polling is that the GOP is losing single women by even more — but, winning single men by even more. Some inherent challenges for the GOP: women outnumber men and the percentage of the population that is married is shrinking. This is similar to people who “actively” practice a faith — i.e., attend a house of worship almost weekly. The GOP is growing its share, but, those “actively” practicing is decreasing. However, the GOP is growing its support among Jewish voters.

Another fault line is voters who have college or advanced degrees. The GOP is growing among those without a college degree, while Democrats are growing among college graduates. Colleges may not be graduating folks ready to find a job, but they are producing Democratic voters.

In 2025, do the parties double down on where they’re growing or try to win back those leaving?

The Democrats tried it with “Men for Harris.” But whether Harris wins or not, their effort was a dud. Trying to (re)define what a man is, while chasing “macho men” is not an effective strategy.

The parties’ bases are shifting. At the same time, many voters are becoming locked in to their party — their team. And the legacy media is only fueling the fire and spreading distrust.

Things may calm down after the counting, but there are stories yet to be told and our politics are changing before our eyes.

Guy Ciarrocchi is a Senior Fellow with the Commonwealth Foundation. He writes for Broad + Liberty and RealClear Pennsylvania. Follow Guy at @PaSuburbsGuy.