This is an opinion column

If you need a safe space to process the election results, you’re the reason Democrats got lit up like a Christmas tree in November’s election. For most Americans, reality doesn’t afford time or space to melt down over politics and record it for social media. Liberals blame their electoral failure on racism, misogyny, or climate change. The truth is a bitter pill: Americans prefer offensive Republicans to condescending Democrats.

For the last four years, the American middle class has told politicians they’re concerned about the economy, rampant illegal immigration, and violent crime. Put positively, Americans want stable jobs that put bread on the table in safe communities. That’s not just a MAGA dream; it’s an American one.

Trump’s exaggerations and untruths weren’t the lies that shaped the elections. Democrats said inflation was transitory. It wasn’t. They claimed that the flood of undocumented immigration was part of normal fluctuations. That wasn’t correct. Biological sex is meaningless. Joe Biden’s capacity isn’t diminished. This will be the last American election if Trump wins.

I could go on.

Leftist politicians including Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris begged voters to ignore their own eyes and ears in service to a partisan narrative that didn’t ring true. Then they had the audacity to tell voters that the real problem was the average voters lack of understanding.

Let’s just stipulate that all the horrible things Democrats said about President-elect Donald Trump are accurate, so we don’t have to argue about them. The presidential candidate Democrats called “Hitler” is more preferable to a majority of American voters than having Democrats explain away one critical issue after another.

Over the last several years, I’ve been consistent about my concerns with Trump’s policies and character. I’m a boring Reagan conservative who generally tries to treat people with respect. That led to numerous public and private clashes with my Republican brethren. I’ve taken my lumps and delivered a few as well. Nevertheless, I haven’t lost my seat at the table or been canceled in spite of my conservative perspectives and personal character being occasionally at odds with Trump’s populist majority within the GOP.

Since Trump’s rise in 2016, Democrats have been willing to welcome people like me with open arms. Anyone willing to criticize Trump is a praiseworthy novelty. To many liberal’s, I’m a “reasonable” conservative who doesn’t particularly enjoy performance politics regardless of party. There’s just one problem: I won’t check my conservatism at the door. I actually support life, love Jesus, and refuse to believe that the winners of a popularity contest should dictate my life and opportunities.

When confronted by my political and policy perspectives, one Democrat after another has determined our disagreement is actually due to my lack of information. Rather than fight with me like my Republican friends, they speak slowly and politely explain their point of view to me again and again. It simply doesn’t occur to them that we could possibly disagree given access to the same information.

As it turns out, many Democrats can stomach just about every kind of diversity that isn’t ideological. You can be a man dressed as a woman identifying as the ghost of Harambe the gorilla, and Democrats will applaud you finding your truth. Argue that diversity, equity, and inclusion programs in the workplace harm merit-based professional advancement, and Democrats will cast you out like yesterday’s garbage.

Against the backdrop of the Democratic echo-chamber, those of us who disagree are indeed unwashed deplorables in need of perpetual education. If we resist, we’re a threat to democracy itself. Those are the only options.

The problem for Democrats isn’t that America needs more or better partisan explanations; it’s that voters don’t like what they’re hearing. Even in the face of electoral defeat, Democrats remain stubbornly focused on protecting the institutions, bureaucrats, and democratic norms just rejected by voters who really only want a fair shake at the American dream.

Americans will take an offensive punch to the nose much easier than a condescending civil lecture from partisans who aren’t paying attention. Democrats must confront that reality before they’ll understand why they lost.

Smith is a recovering political attorney with four boys, two dogs, a bearded dragon, and an extremely patient wife. He’s a partner in a media company, a business strategy wonk, and a regular on talk radio. Please direct outrage or agreement to [email protected] or @DCameronSmith on X or @davidcameronsmith on Threads.