Heartlanders Put MAGA on Notice and Democrats Snub Their Black Base

As great-grandmas across the heartland like to say, “the bloom is off the rose” when it comes to MAGA and Donald Trump. The steadiest base the president has kept since 2015 has eroded with each promise unkept, and many who once followed him unquestioningly have become more vocal in their disillusionment. But MAGA folks aren’t the only ones shaking their collective heads in hurtful disappointment: The black base of the Democratic Party also had the door slammed in its face over the location of the 2028 convention. But it’s all alright because New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani has a place where you can dump your kids for a date night. And, yes, parents of the DSA variety will think this is a great idea.

MAGA Comes Undone

It isn’t just the fact that Trump did start a new war with our mortal enemy. Nor is it merely the ongoing war in Ukraine that has contributed to the dismay for the leader of the free world. But pull together all of that plus immovable gas prices, an economy teetering on what we’d see in the Carter years, and a ridiculous national debt number, and it’s no wonder the good folks in the middle are speaking out in anger.

John D. Thomas in Gulf Shores, AL, said: “Passing the buck to future generations. Musk was trying to at least put a dent in the waste but got shut down by both parties. Citizens need to vote for a balanced budget or no pay for congress until it is but will never happen.”

Free with the Daily Briefing

85Essays

Unravel the Constitution

Hamilton, Madison & Jay’s complete case for America, free and searchable in the Publius Reader.

Join Free & Read

Free with the Daily Briefing. Unsubscribe anytime.

Bernie Yeater of Waterford, MI, chimed in with: “Shock and disgust for a week and then they continue to vote for deficit budgets and debt limit increases. Perhaps someday they will grow a spine. Perhaps the bond market will balance the budget for them.”

In Dillsboro, IN, Kevin Ballmer is skeptical of any saving grace: “It’s pretty obvious we are being governed by a den of thieves. And that's both sides of the fence.”

Mark Stepp, a small businessman in Fountain County, Indiana, isn’t just disappointed; he’s downright angry at President Trump. “We have stood against all of the insanity that was thrown at the man only to have him do nothing for the last two years. NOTHING. Businessmen BALANCE the budget. Businessmen use LINE ITEM VETO,” he lamented. “They do not start wars without a swift finish or leave constituents dangling with bills that are getting out of hand. Right now the MAGA base is close to closing up shop.”

“Smoke and mirrors can only get you so far,” said Deb Groleau, an animal rescuer in Warren County, IN, “and the fire has gone out.”

Now We’ll Alienate Our Black Base

Trump isn’t the only one keeping folks in the heartland scratching their heads these days. Sure, Middle America has pretty much decided the Democratic Party is auditioning for a “Communist Chic” makeover, but deep down, your average blue dog Democrat is still desperately trying to hold on to relevance – like a cat clinging to a screen door. The daily chorus of “What did the Democrats do now?” just gets louder. Apparently, the party wants the South (bless their hearts), but heaven forbid they actually embrace it after all the caterwauling about plantations and Jim Crow. Case in point: Atlanta Mayor Andre Dickens went full flamethrower on the Democratic National Committee (DNC) after the DNC decided, in its infinite wisdom, to boot Atlanta from the shortlist for the 2028 convention. Because nothing says “we value you” like a big public snub.

Dickens was eloquent in his anger: “Yet again, the DNC and Chairman Ken Martin have shown they are unwilling to do the bare minimum to support the base of the party.” Dickens emphasized that Atlanta has not hosted the convention in nearly four decades: “They are afraid to leave their comfort zone and blind to the fact that the South is the answer. They are abandoning Atlanta, abandoning the South, and once again abandoning Black voters.” Dickens learned that Atlanta was not selected when the Associated Press announced the finalists for consideration on Thursday. The cities that remain in the running for the 2028 convention are Boston, Denver, and Philadelphia. Georgia has become an important battleground state for Democrats after voting for Biden in 2020 and Trump in 2024. The Peach State’s Senate delegation, Senators Jon Ossoff and Raphael Warnock, is entirely Democratic.

So, Dickens found out Atlanta was unceremoniously dropped from the DNC convention shortlist not with a polite heads-up, but courtesy of the Associated Press. It’s almost like the DNC forgot Atlanta existed for the past forty years – but what’s four decades between friends? Meanwhile, Boston, Denver, and Philadelphia get to bask in the glow of being finalists for 2028. Apparently, “thanks for playing” is the new “we value you.”

Georgia, of course, is the Democrats’ darling battleground state – after all, it voted for Biden in 2020 and switched right back to Trump in 2024, because nothing says stable politics quite like whiplash-inducing swings. The state’s Senate delegation, Jon Ossoff and Raphael Warnock, is proudly Democratic; perhaps that’s why Atlanta’s reward for loyalty is, well, being left out in the cold yet again. Long-suffering wives sometimes just snap.

The whole mess has brought a few interesting folks out of the woodwork. Remember Robert MacDonald, the former sheriff from Uvalde, TX? Yeah, he had something to say: “This is exactly what all the conservative Black American Nationalist Christian podcasters on U Tube [sic] are saying!” That has to be a mouthful. He continued: “Honestly, this isn’t the first time Democrats have put Atlanta in a tough spot. Remember back in 2021 when they pushed Major League Baseball to move the All-Star game out of Atlanta? That’s a city that’s nearly half Black, and they sent it to Denver, where only about 4% of the population is Black, all because of a new election law they called – yep, you guessed it – racist. MLB caved, and the draft got moved too. Tons of Black-owned businesses missed out thanks to all that virtue signaling. And as far as I know, that election law is still on the books.” MacDonald wasn't quite right about Denver's black population, which sits around 9% according to Census data - but his point still stands.

Henry Louis Eaddy in South Carolina weighed in: “The Democrat party [sic] is going along with who that can get out the votes to keep them in power and jobs. Throwing the black race under the bus to get things done is nothing personal, it's all about party business. No matter what party the black race runs to, the facts still remain, black race must unite, organize, and come together to save themselves.”  

It’s 11 PM. Do You Know Where Your Kids Are?

Zohran Mamdani hosted a “Parents’ Night Out” just this past week, offering city-funded (Read: NYC taxpayers) babysitters to watch children so parents could go out on the town. Okay, well that isn’t scary at all. The big hug of conformity Mayor Mamdani and NYC Parks Commissioner Tricia Shimamura want you to drop off your child with someone you will not know and go tripping around restaurants, theaters, and bars and swing back around hoping to pick up the same kids you dropped off. It was rumored that a sumptuous snack of bananas and rice was served.

David Matthis in Harrington, TN, had just one thing to say about it: “The downfall of America.”

~

Editor's Note: From the Back Forty is Liberty Nation's longest running and most popular weekly column.