As a political conservative, I see American lives demonstrably improved after Obama. Why would anyone still be a liberal? I have pondered that question every time I have a conversation with a liberal friend touching on politics and governance before I came to realize that we view politics through the same lens we use to follow sports. The Philadelphia Eagles won the Super Bowl so why don’t all football fans become Eagles rooters?
We are fans of some political position or another and root for our side to win. It could be Democrat vs. Republican, liberal vs conservative, or any other publicly contended question whose merits are irrelevant to us. Pointing out the flaws of a contending position usually evokes a You do it too! kind of response.
Recently, I left a comment on someone’s Facebook post regarding politics and the response was, “You are either stupid or senile or both. I vote stupid.” While some might dismiss that as shallow and rude not worthy of a second thought, it is a direct reflection of what passes for political debate among the folks we elect to bring us governance. Personal insult has become the “point and counter-point” of the day.
New Extremes
Two things have brought about what we are discussing: the kind of people who populate our ballots when we do take the time to vote, and President Trump occupying the entire middle-of-the-road position by virtue of his success, squeezing everyone else to the extreme left and right of the political stage.
In the first instance, the explosion of communication channels (Facebook, Twitter etc.) over the last two decades provide a variety of ways to broadcast a range of opinions no matter how fringe, and there seems to be no lack of funds dedicated to flexing those muscles. Moderate, middle-of-the-road positions get run over.
As far as the Democratic Party is concerned, Trump has not left much political space available to construct a counterpoint to his success. Their major concern cannot be discussed in public which is where they get the votes to compete in the electoral process. They are left with relaxed border restrictions allowing the free flow of immigrants to stuff their ballot boxes. But they can’t vote because they are not citizens. Really?
Voting Early and Often
According to International Business Times, “Voting machines in over one-third of Detroit precincts registered more ballots cast in the Nov. 8 presidential election than the number of voters tallied by poll workers, the Detroit News reported [on 12/14/16].”
Previous administration policy of relocating illegal immigrants around the country while awaiting court dates, for which they rarely showed up, is the funnel to fuel the necessary numbers needed to carry these precincts and, ultimately, the states whose electoral votes are desperately needed.
A campaign ad which begins with “give me your tired, your poor, your illegals so that we can regain power” seems an unlikely approach. Instead, they nibble around the edges with incessant references to child/parent separations, and demonstration chants and signs focused on getting rid of ICE, which seem petty to irrelevant until you understand their quandary.
Compromise is a Four-Letter Word
During Republican President Reagan’s term, he reached an accommodation with Democrat House Speaker Tip O’Neill that allowed the country’s business to move forward. The same thing occurred between Democrat President Clinton and Republican House Speaker Newt Gingrich.
Now, any elected politician who is tempted to compromise is under continuous threat to get primaried in the next election, a threat made real by elite money. It has become: be radical or die politically! Winning has replaced compromise as the vote de jure in legislative activity.
Some observers see the current state of political affairs a realignment in progress. D vs R, Conservative vs Liberal has left some people without a team. For example, the Never-Trumpers includes some Republicans who were quite comfy with rules of the game no matter who was in power.
Which brings us to the Trump effect. Here is a business man who, when he sets out to build a 50-story building, does not settle for 25. He has planned every step before the first shovel is turned; when he encounters problems, he chooses the best alternative for a solution. When politicians consider alternatives, they choose the one with the most votes in it for them.
Realignment is approaching establishment vs non-establishment, or you could call it populist vs elite. So how does that compute? It stands to reason that there are many more populists in the population than elites who could never get enough votes to win a popular election.
Promises for the Gullible
Simple. The elites who have name recognition, power and money promise everybody free stuff paid for by some other guy’s money. Now, who would fall for that and cast a vote for the elite party?
The late Jack Germond, one-time Washington Post columnist wrote, “Unsurprisingly, the poll-takers don’t talk a lot in public about the ignorance of the electorate on political and public policy matters. And the politicians are not going to disclose the, let’s say, limited body of knowledge in their constituencies. You don’t get elected by calling your voters airheads.”
I recently accompanied an immigrant friend to a hearing in preparation for his swearing-in ceremony as a citizen. They quizzed him with questions similar to those listed below as one of the conditions for the granting of citizenship.
- How many members comprise the U.S. House of Representatives?
- How many are elected from your district each cycle?
- Name one.
- How many senators make up the U.S. Senate?
- How many senators represent your state?
- Name one.
- What does SCOTUS stand for?
- Who did the current president succeed in office?
- How many members make up the Supreme Court?
- In what year was the U.S. Constitution ratified?
Could you qualify for citizenship?
Thomas Jefferson said, “If a nation expects to be ignorant and free, it expects to be what never was and never will be.”
