Those Were Quite a Few Days

American Politics Has Been on Quite the Ride Lately. Tired yet?

McConnell

Mitch McConnell finally announced his retirement as Minority Leader.  At least he was physically able to make that speech. There has been a lot of talk about whoever replaces him will be even more of a MAGA wingnut. Likely true, but that will not make much difference anyway. McConnell has made it crystal clear that all he ever cared about was raw political power; he was always more than ready to sell his soul to the MAGA crowd to hang on to power.

The bad history is long indeed, proving him to be a small man with no soul, no moral compass, and no commitment to anything actually important. Just in the last couple of years, he gave us three examples worthy of disgust. First was refusing to hold confirmation hearings on a supreme court nominee on the grounds that “elections were close” (over a year away). There was no check on that abuse of power since no one had ever even thought of such an abuse.

Second, he did the exact opposite and rammed through a Supreme Court nomination after early voting was already underway. Truly the most colossal example of hypocrisy imaginable. Third, he refused to impeach, or to allow conscience votes to impeach, not once, but twice. The second time just days after he stood on the Senate floor and called out Trump for causing January 6. He chose to kiss the ring and turn his back on his country.

Then to top it all off, just last week he endorsed Trump for president, knowing how bad he would be for the country. That sums up the worst part. Sadly, there are a few Trump true believers in senior Republican ranks. But most, like McConnell know the truth. Still, they go along, and they enable. If there is a Hell, there should be a special place for this guy.

Republican Primaries

While Trump took all but two primaries through Super Tuesday, some glaring weaknesses came out that are worth noting. First, he has about a quarter million fewer donors than he did at the this point in the last election. Second, a huge number of independents voted Republican this time just to vote against Trump. They will be back with vigor in the Fall.

Third, the numbers varied from state to state, but overall, something larger than about one-third of voters in the Republican primaries did not vote for Trump. His base is large enough to get him the nomination (amazing….), but nowhere near enough to win a general election. If he looses all Democratic votes, most independents, many if not most of Haley’s voters, he is looking at a really large beating in November.

Overall Primaries Voting

Voter turnout was pretty low just about everywhere. This should not be surprising and has no real implications for the general election. Primaries traditionally draw small turn out numbers, and a lot of voters in both parties felt the presidential candidates were already locked in, so they did not turn out. Expect big turnouts in November, just about everywhere, among practically all voter groups.

Primaries Press Coverage

The press is doing no one favors with election coverage today, and that includes a lot of the mainstream media. There was much talk about Trump’s “big wins,” even though he regularly lost 30% of his own voters. Meanwhile, there seemed to be a lot of mumbling about Biden having a tough race, in spite of the fact that he routinely got better than 90% of his voters.

The noncommittal vote was notably high in Michigan and elsewhere but I fully expect most did that to send a clear message in primary season. No one who thinks Gaza and Palestine are important have any illusions about how much worse things would be with Trump back in office. Biden will work hard to earn their votes and will get most of them. People are angry, not stupid.

Same with the age issue. Have you listened to any of Trump’s speeches of late? Constant confusing prominent personalities, loosing timelines, actually speaking gibberish non-sentences. The man is unravelling and in far, far worse shape than Biden on his worst day. But not enough coverage of that plain fact.

Trump’s Court Required Payments

Trump made his first $90+ million payment on fines due to lost court cases. That is not enough. He may well find getting bond coverage not possible. He may have assets seized. We are about to see proof that he is nowhere near as wealthy as he always claims.

State of the Union Speech

Wow!

I had just finished a long day and was tempted to skip it live. Glad I did not. One of the most impressive such speeches I have ever heard (although like most, a bit long for my taste). He was angry, articulate, specific, and in your face. He called out everybody. He played the ill-mannered opposition like violins (just like last time, only more so. These dingleberries never learn, do they?).

A number of them rather blatantly violated House rules and ethics. Think they will get called on the carpet for that? Not a chance. In one good night, Biden proved his capacity and capabilities, reminded all that age also means priceless experience, fired up his base and then some, and raised a ton of money. Nice job, Joe.

Your Turn

So, the general election has effectively begun. No one knows what else the Supreme Court may do, and juries in several places may decide before the election that Trump really needs some quite time in prison – but maybe not.

Now the outcome is largely up to folks like you and me. If you have not written a campaign check of late and have not figured out some way to put somes sweat equity into this election, get off your butt and show up. We all know that evil triumphs when good people don’t stand up. This is not your normal “we disagree” election. It really does come down to democracy or not.

Don’t sit this one out. Don’t waste any more time on the sidelines. Talk to people, work on campaigns, spend your hard earned money. In short, invest in America.

238 days until the election. Use them.

Bill Clontz

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