The challenge as I see it is to reassemble the coalition that took shape in the course of the election as well as welcome people who sat out the election and Trump voters who become quickly disaffected by the posture and policies of the incoming administration. I would add that resistance to Trump and his underlings in the early going won’t be the singular provenance of the left, even broadly understood. The field, I would guess, will be crowded.

During our moment of “fiery trial,” a new vision of a democratic and egalitarian order that leaves no one out and no one behind is imperative. In other words, the challenge isn’t simply to defend our current democratic order from the assault that is surely to come from the new Trump administration, but to make it more fair, equal, and just in the process.

In retrospect, I would argue that Kamala Harris’ political platform was too politically timid. Or said differently, too centrist. Once that became the perception of millions, her claim to be the change candidate stood on thin ground. And that is no place you want to be given the dynamics of this election in general and the popular desires of tens of millions for change in particular.

It is worth noting that Trump’s base isn’t reducible to a bunch of losers in life. Some are facing hard times for sure, but others aren’t. In fact, they’re doing well by most people’s standards. Said another way, Trump’s supporters are a motley crew ranging from billionaires and multi-millionaires on one end to people in economic distress on the other and everything in between. And if we studied them we would likely find that their reasons for liking Trump aren’t reducible to one thing or another.

My wife correctly tells me that post election analysts that have nothing to say about the negative impact of racism, misogyny, and transphobia on Harris’ vote and the election’s outcome should go back to the drawing board.

At every Trump rally the most unapologetic expressions of each made their way out of Trump’s vile mouth and his audience, no surprise, reveled in them. Nor is there any reason to think that they didn’t find their way into the election’s outcome. To believe otherwise strikes me as a form of self gaslighting. And who needs that at this moment.

Moreover,, each — racism, misogyny, and transphobia — will be part of the talking points and policies of the Trump White House and Republican controlled Congress next year.

Which brings me to a simple proposition that has historical precedent. If we don’t march together, if we don’t challenge racism, misogyny and transphobia together, we will eventually fall behind together, not at the same time, not in the same way, and not to the same degree, but make no mistake none of us will live in a world of equality, justice, fairness, and peace that each of us aspires to.