As Trump prepares to take office once more, the question that Democrats face is not just about political strategy; it’s about cultural understanding. Labeling Trump a fascist, a racist, and a sexist failed to diminish his support enough to cost him the election. His critics exhausted every label in the book. It didn’t work.

Maybe it’s time that our media and elites learn what people actually care about, rather than coercing them into mouthing slogans (left-wing activists tell us that “silence is violence”) or silencing them (left-wing activists also tell us that “speech is violence”).

Luxury beliefs sound appealing in theory—safe in the bubble of academia or in affluent neighborhoods—but they fail to address the daily struggles of working-class families, small-business owners, and communities concerned about safety, jobs, and education.