by Brian McKay
The recent election night victory was small in scope but indicative of the true majority reasserting itself after the travesty that has been the last year. Conservative pundits have tried to downplay the wins based on what states they were in and by vilifying a candidate they say didn’t accept the Trump doctrine fully. Delusions are necessary for those that are self-sabotaging.
Policy failures that are tone deaf to the American people, internal divides, a coming debt showdown, science denial, blatant evangelism and the daily aberration that now passes for Presidential behavior, have a party in crises. That said party seems so oblivious, has all the makings of a doomsday cult content to blow up the world. This might make perfect sense with a political base that eagerly awaits the rapture while prosperity doctrine evangelical leaders lay their hands on and pray for the man they think has brought God back to America. The amount of delusional thinking is nothing short of astounding.
While the ardent Trump base constantly blames Hilary Clinton for every conspiracy imaginable, they are merely using it to ignore the travesty that is right in front of their faces and doing nothing for them. It is that ignorance of reality that will destroy them.
A House Divided Cannot Stand
While the title of this section was used by America’s greatest president to describe the country pre-Civil War, a quiet civil war also exists within the Republican Party that now believes the Civil War was fought over state’s rights. The Freedom Caucus is so extreme that legislation the Republicans create that is horrifically detrimental to the people of this country is pronounced by them as not going far enough. Every piece of legislation also has to appease them due to their power and moves the bills further away from the majority of this country. Even if the Republicans were smart enough for common sense legislation, it would be seen as too liberal and unable to pass. Future legislation attempts will continue to be in vain. The delay of their tax plan is not unexpected and the 11th hour of debt ceiling negotiations to come could further threaten the U.S. credit rating.
Steve Bannon is laying siege with a promise of floating Trumpism purists (read radical) against Republican candidates to solidify his intent of destroying the Mitch McConnell’s of the world. There is no doubt that Bannon is a political and strategic idiot trying to masquerade as a king maker of sorts. Pitting far right against only semi far right will have the impact of splitting off from moderates while catering to the radical, evangelical base that turn out heavily in primaries. Faced with radicalized Republican candidates against Democrats, will be an easy choice for moderates and independents. Right now, the issues with Bannon are already evident as child abusing Roy Moore is in a close race in deep, deep red Alabama. All Breitbart can say is that the 16 and 18-year-old accusers were of the legal age of consent. A realist knows that sick is still sick.
Low Approval Ratings Can’t Be Ignored
Let’s face it. With a Trump approval rating average of all polls of 37.7 percent and disapproval rating of 56.5 percent, according to Nate Silver’s FiveThirtyEight, a disaster is at hand. The standard bearer of the party sets the tone for its future. It seems that the question isn’t whether that approval rating goes up but how low it can actually go. That it remains at the level it is, is nothing short of astounding.
A poll that put a generic Democrat against Trump in 2020, showed the Democrat winning 46 percent to 36 percent. That’s brutal. Other polls have shown an 11 percent advantage to Democrats in the 2018 elections, only 21 percent of American’s see the country going in the right direction and 65 percent of Americans believe that Trump has accomplished little, if anything, during his term. A positive economy with a low approval President is an anomaly in modern U.S. politics.
The Republican base can believe the polls to be fake news all they want. They justify this belief on a misunderstanding that the polls before the election were wrong but refuse to acknowledge they were within the margin of error and the narrowest of wins in three states (just 11,000 votes in Wisconsin) tilted an archaic election system to Trump’s favor. The polls matter.
When the disaster that is the National Democratic Party can make such polling gains just based on how many clowns the Republicans keep pushing into the car, that shows the true train wreck the Republican Party has become.
Detachment from the People is the Worst Way to Govern
While the Republican base is a group that votes with far higher frequency and veracity, the disaster that has been the last year is bringing out the opposing votes in record numbers. The crowd that watches four hours of Fox News daily is finally being outvoted by a group that can no longer ignore the daily aberration and national embarrassment. In their dysfunction and ignorance of what the American people want, the Republicans have been motivating the vote like never before. They have created the unintended consequence of pushing the country to vote heavily against them.
There is no better way to really motivate people to perform their civic duty than denying reality and what the populous wants.
From science denial to foreign policy disasters, most Americans are not being represented. 69 percent of us believe that climate change is real. Over 50 percent of American’s support stricter gun laws and background checks on private and gun show sales, yet the Republicans maintain a position best described as oblivious in order to kowtow to the NRA. They have been against most of the people on Obamacare repeal efforts, the current tax plan and a list that goes on and on. Dismissing the constituents yelling at them in their now rare town hall meetings with the conspiracy theory of paid Soros protestors, will only deepen the chasm.
It’s Soon Over
Moderate Republicans are retiring and speaking their minds. Former presidents are speaking out against nativism and the lack of Presidential behavior. The party is espousing conspiracy theories, promoting evangelism and living in overall denial while their media pundits say ever more ridiculous things. Fake news is real and real news is fake. Our President regularly threatens the 1st Amendment.
The American people see it. They see the lack of connection to their beliefs and needs and are mobilizing. The action is now causing the equal and opposite reaction.
And so there is this:
Dear Republicans;
You may have set the country back 20 years by reversing laws meant to protect the citizenry. Certainly, you have made us the world’s laughing stock and unreliable partner to other nations in your exit of treaties and obligations. The nativism and fear you have given into are having a backlash. The vast majority of American’s do not accept the bigotry, the ignorance and the white evangelical martyrdom that has been soundly exposed.
At the end of the day, LGBTQ individuals are not going back in the closet. Creationism is not going to be taught in the schools. The U.S. will end up moving forward to combat climate change. Young people are rejecting the silliness of evangelical crazy. All the gerrymandering you have done will be reversed. Valuable programs and ethical assistance for our poor will one day move forward again.
Simply put, your denial and disconnect has laid the path to your own self destruction. Psychosis never ends well.
Regards,
The Majority of Us
Brian McKay is a co-founder of zenruption, the President of Extra Pro Services and the President and creator of PETiO DOOR INC. He has a B.A. in Political Science from Gonzaga University and an M.B.A. from Boise State University (yes that blue field). His goal in life is to look out for the regular guy and bring as much knowledge and change to this world as he can. His purpose in founding zenruption was to do just that and help craft the world he wants his daughter to inherit. Please feel free to email him any feedback or article ideas at [email protected], Twitter or Facebook.
Avoiding politics to stay sane isn't easy for him lately.