The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly
It is important to recognize that neither the Republican or Democratic parties exist today in any meaningful manner at the grassroots level. There are a few counties still holding county conventions. However, they are not growing in number of participants. The average age of the attendees is 75. The parties are not impactful in the social media environment. They stand today as collection systems for delegates to a national convention. They are anachronistic organizations and political systems that have lived well beyond their relevancy.
Without a base of ideology tied to a party platform, candidates are free and undisciplined to preach philosophy detached from the realism of the everyday citizen. Both national parties have splintered into divisions of influence that mirror each other in the nature of human political emotion.
The Republican Party is now made up of what is commonly referred to as the Trump base: largely rural, conservative, and believers of states’ rights and less government. The second division is a remnant of the Establishment Republican Party that I call the Romney Republicans. They cling to an era which they think reflects a time of civility. An attitude when big business and big government debated the fate of the middle class, yet dined and played golf together at the Congressional Country Club. The newest transitional party division untethered to any economic platform are urban, moderate Republican women. They are emerging as the new swing vote in Congressional races.
The Democratic Party is now made up of the far left. The spokesman for this movement is Congresswoman Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (AOC). They are avowed socialists who do not seek incremental change. They want to completely turn the system upside down. AOC endorsed Bernie Sanders over Elizabeth Warren because she felt he was less likely to compromise with the Establishment if elected. The next division is a remnant of the Establishment Democratic Party. I call this group the Tip O’Neill Democrats. They too believe in separating political debate from social activity. Unions were and are key components of their constituency. Speaker Tip O’Neill and President Ronald Reagan liked each other in spite of their political differences. The newest transitional party division for the Democrats is rural, moderate Democrats. They are culturally conservative on family values and still believe that religion plays a role in modern society.
These divisions of national political parties mirror the political evolution of societal ideologies when left unchecked by a foundational platform of beliefs. They have become Far Right, Far Left, Establishment and Transitional.
What does this mean in national elections? For some time now, the polling numbers have not changed. Thirty-four percent of the general public loves President Trump and loves his policies. Fifteen percent dislike the President personally, but like his policies more than they dislike his personality. His current re-elect number is 49%. Thirty-seven percent despise the President and hate his policies. Fourteen percent of the public dislikes the President personally, likes his policies, but dislikes his personality more than they like his policies. National media does not like to focus on these numbers. But the most recent NBC/Wall Street Journal poll confirmed the consistency of these responses. On the question, are you definitely or likely to vote for the President’s re-election, 34% definitely, 15% likely for a total of 49%. Those choosing the President are doing so with full knowledge of every Democrat currently in the race.
The problem for Democratic strategists is that, in the swing states of Arizona, Wisconsin, Michigan and Pennsylvania, jobs are more important than liberal policy. Healthcare, free college tuition, and open immigration are less of a priority than the creation of economic prosperity. Given today’s numbers, if the election were held tomorrow, the President would lose the popular vote and be re-elected by the Electoral College.
Which brings us to impeachment.
With all the issues facing America today, Democrats in Congress are determined to impeach the President. It is a high-stakes strategy. Actual impeachment is distasteful to a majority of the American public, particularly in the swing states. To most Americans, the issue of his misconduct does not rise to the level of “high crimes and misdemeanors.” It is less important to this electorate in an election decision than their well-being as an individual. Yet the Democrats proceed on with impeachment, recklessly and viciously. The process has become ugly.
Which brings us back to Mayor Bloomberg.
If the impeachment trial demonstrates that the swamp of Washington, DC is deep and stagnant on both sides of the aisle, then Establishment Democrats in the states may combine with Transitional Democrats to defeat the Far Left. As Vice President Biden’s support declines, Mayor Bloomberg may have a path to the nomination. This is Bernie Sanders’ worst fear.
Do not think for a moment, as this drama plays out to its logical conclusion, that the world is not concerned. How many Americans are aware of what happened in Bolivia this week when President Evo Morales resigned as a result of national protests of a tainted election? How many of us are worried about the stability of the Boliviano (the Bolivian currency)? Every Bolivian knows the worth of the U.S. Dollar. Bolivian foreign trade, particularly agriculture, is tied to the U.S. currency. We have an obligation to the world to get the process of our democracy right.
Mayor Bloomberg’s “sin” in the eyes of the Left is that he is a billionaire. It is not that he cheated, lied, or stole his way to his fortune. He is an accomplished businessman. This scares Bernie Sanders to death. For Mayor Bloomberg is not a theory yet to be proven. He is a proven performer who happens to be liberal. He is bad to the Far Left for he represents success in reality through economic free enterprise.
There is nothing wrong with private ownership or making a profit as long as the profits are not unfair or obscene. Seventy-three percent of all Americans believe in this principle.
The average American citizen is good. They go to work every day. They pay their taxes. They care about their children. They care about their country’s future. They respect America’s history. They embrace American cultural values. It is the distortion of truth against the natural elements of human nature by politicians with blind philosophical ambition that brings the public anxiety and despair.
In this season of the good, the bad, and the ugly, have confidence in your instincts for the essence of your core family values. Do not yield to what just appears to be socially acceptable or politically correct. It is okay to look past the President’s personality to the effects of his policies. All Presidents have been flawed in some manner. It is the result of government action, impacting our national character, on which we must be vigilant.
Be confident of your heritage in which you trust.
My name is Marc Nuttle and this is what I believe.
What do you believe.