Politico reported:

HIT Strategies has been conducting weekly focus groups to find out in real time how Americans are processing events in 2022. On Monday night we watched discussions with two different subgroups of partisan Democrats assembled by the firm: “Black Base, Always vote for Dems, Ages 25+” and “Youth Base; Always vote for Dems, Ages 25 – 39.”

Some of the major sticking points that arose during the conversations showed that Democratic voters are deeply concerned about inflation and crime, and have grown tired of COVID-19 restrictions. They expressed sympathy for Ukraine, but were not too thrilled about the amount of time and money President Biden has spent on the matter. The news outlet even noted some “ambiguity about how important Jan. 6 should be for Democrats in the midterms.” Underlying the discussions was a distinct dissatisfaction with how Democrats have performed while controlling the White House and legislature.

The focus group also further exposed the reality that the Democratic Party is out of touch with its most loyal voting base. Democrats in D.C. have contended that concerns over economic issues are the result of the media focusing on inflation and other problems, rather than emphasizing rising wages and decreased unemployment.

However, participants in the focus group told a different story. One of the group members brought up increased gas prices and food shortages at her local Whole Foods as one of her concerns. “It just seems like everything is going up and there’s no end in sight,” she complained.

A black man from Houston described struggling to make ends meet when only $12- and $13-per-hour jobs were available. “No one can live off of that, especially with inflation,” he said.

It’s quite difficult to blame the media for people’s economic worries when people are actively experiencing the negative impacts of inflation up close and personal, isn’t it? The Democrats seem to be in denial on this issue, which might explain why they have failed to address these problems effectively.

Another area of dissatisfaction is related to Democrats’ failure to pass meaningful legislation. While the party has often touted its passage of the American Rescue plan and the infrastructure bill, voters are more focused on dealing with the problems they face currently. “I think the Democrats have just been really ineffectual,” said one of the group members.

One Black female participant said she didn’t feel much urgency about the midterms “because at this moment the Democrats [are] running the House and they’re not getting much done.”

Crime was another issue on voters’ minds. A black man from New York criticized bail reform laws that had been passed in the state, complaining they led to “repeat offenders” being released shortly after being apprehended. A black Philadelphia woman stated she was also concerned about gun violence and carjackings being perpetrated by “repeat offenders.”

Participants also had some interesting takes on the Ukraine situation. Black group members, in particular, criticized the Biden administration for using resources on a foreign nation’s war. After learning about the $14 billion in aid that the U.S. has sent to Ukraine, one black male said: “They need to take that money back and give it to Black people for reparations,” according to Politico.

There has been much talk of the Democrats’ prospects for remaining in power after the upcoming congressional elections. But what we have been witnessing from the far left over the past year has ramifications even beyond November. The party, along with the entire left-wing activist media apparatus, has shown a remarkable lack of self-awareness in how it has pushed for policies America clearly does not support. But even worse, they seem unable to understand how these issues are affecting everyday people.

The fact that people like Department of Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg would respond to skyrocketing gas prices by suggesting Americans just go out and buy electric cars is but one example showing that the left has moved further from the mainstream despite controlling the country’s most influential institutions.

The Democrats, like Republicans, are embroiled in a civil war to determine the future trajectory of the party. Currently, the far-left progressive wing has not amassed enough influence to push the party further towards Marxism. But this particular situation could make one question whether it matters at this point. They are still woefully disconnected from regular folks and have more firmly embraced the type of elitism that turns off voters. Even more, they have shown a lack of concern for the problems Americans are facing. If they continue keeping their heads in the sand, the party’s troubles might get even worse after the midterms.