From Walter Mondale to Obama Democrat politicians preached the same gospel: Government was the way to solve problems – the way they saw it the more money and power government held in its hands the more problems they’d solve.

The way Republicans saw it was different: Government didn’t solve problems – it made them worse. Marching down a different road they said get government out of the way.

Republicans wanted to bring back school prayer – marching down a different road Democrats shook their heads.

During the Cold War Republicans fought for military superiority – to be stronger than the Soviet Union. Democrats thought detente made more sense.

Today, Democrats are still marching down their same road – it’s a straight line from Mondale to Obama to Biden and Harris. But after Trump, Republicans started down a new road.

After the Cold War ended the global economy took off: Silicon Valley and Wall Street boomed but mills, factories, in the heartland shut down. Jobs moved offshore. Working fathers sitting at kitchen tables on Friday nights stared at stacks of unpaid bills, avoiding their wives’ eyes – watching Washington politicians trading favors with billionaires’ lobbyists saw a swamp. When Trump roared Make America Great Again that river of people struggling to make ends meet cheered. And that river elected Trump.

But, in an unexpected way, picking Trump undercut their own crusade.

All politicians spin tales. But nobody spins tales like Trump. He sows fictions almost every day: During Covid he told us, It’s under control, it will go away…after losing to Biden he said The election was stolen… after losing his debate with Harris he said The debate was rigged…he claimed Haitians eat cats.

In the old days, not so long ago, people frowned on insults – now when they hear Trump say Crooked Hillary, Sleepy Joe, Comrade Kamala, a legion of Republicans, Trumpster’s, cheer.

For years in election after election politicians hammered their opponents – but, at the same time, they treated opponents with a modicum of respect. People expected that. The night Mondale lost to Reagan he graciously conceded. From George H. W. Bush to Hillary every presidential candidate who lost did the same thing. Trump lost, said Biden stole the election, and mutual respect flew out the window.

Biden and Harris are marching down the same old Democratic road this election – while Republicans are marching down their new road again. Who comes out ahead?

Joe Biden was a weak candidate. But defeated Trump.

Harris mirrors Biden – another weak candidate. But it looks like Trump’s handed her the same road to victory he gave Biden.