A Democratic wave is coming, but…
All signs show a big Democratic year coming. Unless Putin hijacks it. Or Democrats blow it. Which we could do.
Politics today is volatile. And unpredictable. And subject to last-minute breaks. (See Jim Comey and Hillary’s emails.)
But we know the basic shape of the 2018 elections. Democrats are fired up and ready to vote. African-Americans are motivated, women are motivated, young people are motivated.
Republicans, not so much. Yes, Republicans love Trump. But he’s not on the ballot. And Trump-loving Republicans have little love for congressional Republicans who are on the ballot.
Independents are turned off by Trump. A lot of them voted for him because they didn’t like Clinton. Now, they’re disappointed in Trump. Or even scared by him.
In North Carolina, there’s no statewide race for Governor or Senator to motivate Republicans – or build a wall between Trump and legislative races.
That’s why North Carolina Republicans stacked the ballot with deceptive (and deeply damaging) constitutional amendments. A plot that may work for them or against them.
What’s to stop the blue wave? Well, there’s Putin and his social media trolls. They’re pretty adept at turning us against each other. (Is this what Khrushchev meant when he said they’d bury us?)
Then there’s the biggest threat to Democrats: Democrats themselves. A wise old soul reminded me: “In 1998, when Republicans began impeachment proceedings against Clinton, it gave a real boost to Democratic turnout in NC and elsewhere. The result was that Democrats lost many fewer seats than would have been expected in the President’s second mid-term. All this loose talk about Democrats impeaching Trump can have the same effect if we’re not careful.”
He’s right. That Republican impeachment drive 20 years ago, led by soon-to-be-ousted Speaker Newt Gingrich, backfired. In North Carolina, it helped John Edwards unseat Senator Lauch Faircloth.
Let’s not repeat that history in reverse. Democrats win by attacking real problems that Trump, the Republican Congress and the Republican legislature are ignoring – or making worse. We don’t win by falling prey to Trump Derangement Syndrome.
Besides, we may be glad he’s on the ballot in 2020.
A Democratic wave is coming, but…
All signs show a big Democratic year coming. Unless Putin hijacks it. Or Democrats blow it. Which we could do.
Politics today is volatile. And unpredictable. And subject to last-minute breaks. (See Jim Comey and Hillary’s emails.)
But we know the basic shape of the 2018 elections. Democrats are fired up and ready to vote. African-Americans are motivated, women are motivated, young people are motivated.
Republicans, not so much. Yes, Republicans love Trump. But he’s not on the ballot. And Trump-loving Republicans have little love for congressional Republicans who are on the ballot.
Independents are turned off by Trump. A lot of them voted for him because they didn’t like Clinton. Now, they’re disappointed in Trump. Or even scared by him.
In North Carolina, there’s no statewide race for Governor or Senator to motivate Republicans – or build a wall between Trump and legislative races.
That’s why North Carolina Republicans stacked the ballot with deceptive (and deeply damaging) constitutional amendments. A plot that may work for them or against them.
What’s to stop the blue wave? Well, there’s Putin and his social media trolls. They’re pretty adept at turning us against each other. (Is this what Khrushchev meant when he said they’d bury us?)
Then there’s the biggest threat to Democrats: Democrats themselves. A wise old soul reminded me: “In 1998, when Republicans began impeachment proceedings against Clinton, it gave a real boost to Democratic turnout in NC and elsewhere. The result was that Democrats lost many fewer seats than would have been expected in the President’s second mid-term. All this loose talk about Democrats impeaching Trump can have the same effect if we’re not careful.”
He’s right. That Republican impeachment drive 20 years ago, led by soon-to-be-ousted Speaker Newt Gingrich, backfired. In North Carolina, it helped John Edwards unseat Senator Lauch Faircloth.
Let’s not repeat that history in reverse. Democrats win by attacking real problems that Trump, the Republican Congress and the Republican legislature are ignoring – or making worse. We don’t win by falling prey to Trump Derangement Syndrome.
Besides, we may be glad he’s on the ballot in 2020.