For the last several election cycles, the national news outlets have threatened to drop coverage. Viewer ratings have declined substantially since the 1970s. With the advent of cable news channels, party conventions became an extension of partisan policy rather than unifying themes. Americans have, in general, rejected extreme partisanship. The fact that the Independent Party now has the largest registration (44%) in the U.S. is commentary that the Democratic and Republican messages are not working, even though they were the only national shows in town. (The Independent Party has no national convention.)
The first night of the first national party convention in a presidential cycle is traditionally the start of the Presidential general election. Four years from now, this initial launch will be traditionally restructured, redesigned, and re-strategized. COVID has accelerated the trend to jettison obsolete programming, entertainment, and outdated modes of interactivity. Everyone from Disney to the NFL to national political parties are now rethinking personal relationships. Doing things the old way simply because that’s the way they have always been done is no longer a starting point for consideration.
The start of the final scene is more than just political drama. It is the unraveling of a complicated national plot to its logical conclusion. The French call this particular part of the play’s development denouement. Such a scene is based on past circumstances of the plot projected through to the conclusion that reality demands.
And so, it begins. What might we expect?
The Democratic convention opened last night with an evangelical prayer. It closed in the name of Jesus Christ. This is the first time such a prayer has been rendered at a Democratic convention in many years. The managers of the production evaluate every single word proffered for impact and political intent. Why then an evangelical prayer? It was intended to soften Christians’ perspective in reference to the Democratic party platform and to ease one’s conscience that it’s okay to vote for Joe Biden.
Small business owners were emphasized and given credit for being responsible for 50% of all jobs in America. Again, this is unusual for a Democratic convention to highlight. This was done to precondition small and family-owned businesses to the forthcoming message that more government support is needed for the economic recovery.
John Kasich, former governor of Ohio, led the anti-Trump Republican choir’s message that civility and acceptance are necessary qualities for presidential character. Emphasizing respect for government officials presages the theme they will present that government action is best run by committee with the least amount of conflict as possible. Michelle Obama prioritized these points.
Tonight, the Democrats will preach to their base. The headliner will be Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez. Other liberals will echo her sentiments. The strategy is to weave continuity between the progressive base, the Bernie Sanders movement, and minority leaders of the party.
Further, the general theme of the convention tonight will be that Joe Biden is a good man who listens. He can absorb multiple opinions and determine and implement consensus policy. In other words, he is a good committee manager. He is the quintessential candidate for those who believe in more government.
Tomorrow night will be the ultimate stage for former President Barak Obama. He will return to Joe Biden the favor of stating that it’s acceptable, and in this case preferable, to support an outlying candidate who is driven by government solutions.
All messages rendered by the speakers are tethered to the basic emotional premise that Donald Trump is simply unsuited to be President of the United States. The strategy is to make the election a simple referendum on whether or not you like President Trump personally.
Thursday night will be former Vice President Biden’s opportunity to make the case that policy is less important than personality. His greatest challenge is convincing Americans to support him for what he represents in character rather than for any policy that they desire or fear.
The policy plot of denouement yet to be exposed is the complicated mixture of socialism versus free enterprise. One can debate the benefits of each. But in the era of COVID, that will not be the determinative substance of the conversation. The question, as to the result of hidden policy applied in the great unraveling caused by the coronavirus, will simply be: is more government the critical objective or is individual freedom the critical principle to be protected?
For some, Joe Biden is less than that for which they had hoped. For some, Donald Trump is more personally than they can stand. We should not ask which one can unite us. We should ask which one will protect freedom as an essential life principle.
Progressives are mistaken that people demand equal outcome. What people desire is equal opportunity to peace in destiny. By this, they seek fulfillment in their life’s purpose as each one determines it. This eternal right transcends age, race, gender, and creed.
Vice President Joe Biden will sacrifice individual freedom through more government regulation to achieve equal outcome. President Trump will sacrifice equal outcome through less government regulation to achieve individual freedom.
Regardless of personalities, one must determine for oneself what is most important in this cumulative scene of our country’s history. Determining what is more important, individual freedom or a government managed society, will clearly identify the logical outcome of a complicated plot known as the Great American Experiment.
Elysium is not possible in a mankind-managed society. Only in faith in a spiritual society ordained by God is there hope for perfection.
A universal peace of individual destiny can be realized only in freedom of choice. Individuals making decisions freely in line with their own ideal of happiness is the only possible process to achieve peace in existence.
Defining peace through personal creed imposed on others divides society. The destruction of evil is only consecrated when righteousness for all is the motive. An individual creed set against all as a tribal exclusivity simply replaces the evil perceived.
As the curtain rises on the final scene of this critical Presidential election, look beyond this system of things to the principles most important to you for peace in your personal destiny. . .
Look to your own faith in eternal values.
My name is Marc Nuttle and this is what I believe.
What do you believe?