Rant or Rave: Two Party Politics

A Break from the medical posts:

 Imagine a political landscape such as this:

-        Double digit inflation and unemployment with negative economic growth

-        Unpopular war with high casualties

-        Civil unrest at home with rising crime rates and epidemic of drug abuse and food shortages.

-      Rampant Corruption and Scandal in your administration

Yet, in spite of everything, the incumbent President is a slam dunk for re-election because more than 50 percent of the electorate will vote for their party’s nominee no matter what happens.  Yes, it is still a democracy but there are no consequences for failed policies.  You can bet that the incumbent party will double down and push harder even if things get worse.  Regardless of your party affiliation, that is a pretty scary proposition. California is basically a one party state now and most people agree that it is NOT on the right track. 

Back in the early 2000s, I was told that 40 percent will vote Republican no matter what and 40 percent will vote Democrat no matter what happens.  Maybe 5 percent are single issue voters, which leaves only 15 percent up for grabs.  I’m sure that 15 percent number has since shrunk.  I’m betting that today; Democrats hold a 3-5 percent advantage in the “no matter what” voters.   I have no doubt that the Left wants to bring the Democrat number above 50 so that way, even in the scenario described above, they will continue to win elections.  Call me a conspiracy theorist if you want but I believe that is a big reason why they want open borders and amnesty for illegals. 

While I cannot see myself ever voting for today’s Democrats at the national level, Republicans still have to earn my vote.  Nixon was such a disaster that I'm sure that I would have voted for Carter in 1976.  Perot would have gotten serious consideration in 1992.   In this years Alabama gubernatorial election, I plan on voting Libertarian due to Ivey’s COVID policy even though I agree with her on most of the issues.  Suppose that Bush-43 was running for his 2^nd term in 2008 in the midst of the Great Recession and Iraq.  No, I would not have voted for him even against Obama.  I would have either stayed home or voted 3^rd party. 

Yes, I did hold my nose and vote for both McCain and Romney, but I regret it today and would not do it again even against a Socialist.  As President, an Establishment Republican would do just enough to keep the base quiet but not enough to make a significant difference.  The media is willing to tolerate token opposition from the likes of McCain and his ilk so long as they are not a threat to win at the national level.  If that happens, the media will turn on them at the drop of a hat. 

While I am a pretty staunch Republican, I actually see a healthy opposition party as a good thing.  Of course, I would prefer it if the Democrats took more reasonable positions on key issues.  A blatantly dishonest media is one of our nation's greatest problems IMO.  If their policies fail as was the case with Bush-43, Republicans deserve to lose.  Unless things improve dramatically in the next 2 years, Democrats should get blown out in 2024 but I expect it to be close as it stands now.  In a healthy 2 party system, the losing party will then make corrections and come back stronger within 4-8 more years.  Ironically, if the Bush/Cheney administration was not such as disaster, GOP voters probably never embrace Trumpism.      

There is talk of a moderate 3^rd party.  How would a McCain/Lieberman ticket do against Trump and Bernie Sanders in a 3 way race if all 3 are alive and well?  That’s an interesting question, and I’ll bet that for at least one or two cycles, it will be a viable party.  However, as time goes on, it will drift further Left and eventually die out because it hurts the Democrats more than the Republicans.    

There is also increasing talk of splitting the country into Red and Blue.  While I can certainly say that if the Red States were an independent nation, the laws would be more to my liking, I oppose secession.  It will not be an amicable split because almost all states have some red and some blue areas.  Blue states will fully embrace socialism and go totally off the deep end.  I would hope that in Red America, there would be a Centrist and/or Libertarian opposition party in case the Conservatives lose their way.