Democrats had high hopes. Their come-back after the 2016 defeats seemed near at hand. After all, Trump is proving increasingly erratic and incompetent, and the Republican mis-handling of the ObamaCare repeal appears to be a disaster of ginormous proportions.
How could they not start taking seats in Congress back?
There were four open seats requiring new votes this late Spring. “Democrats tried an inoffensive moderate message in Georgia,” CNN’s Eric Bradner informs us. “They ran a banjo-strumming populist in Montana. They called in the cavalry in South Carolina and tried to catch their foe sleeping through a long-shot in Kansas.”
Democrats failed, 0 – 4.
Why? Well, the congressional vacancies were made by the new president’s appointments, and he may have targeted those districts that were especially safe. Nevertheless, CNN notes, “[t]he party got closer than it has in decades to winning some of the four seats — a sign they’ve closed their gaps with Republicans in both suburban and rural areas.…”
But there is a lesson here that CNN did not draw from the debacle. The much-lamented Georgia race, in which Jon Ossoff lost to Republican Karen Handel, was a race in which Ossoff out-spent Handel six to one in what is called “the most expensive House race in history.” And yet, somewhat oddly and perhaps hypocritically, Ossoff, the bigger spender, went on air complaining about money in politics.
All that moolah did not push him over the top. Ossoff and the Democrats — as well as the feckless Republican majority — might look for fewer excuses and stand for something voters actually want.
This is Common Sense. I’m Paul Jacob.
8 replies on “Monied Hopes Dashed”
Paul,
I am concerned with your recommendation that the Democrats define and start campaigning on something the electorate “wants”, which, to them, is an invitation to promise new and expanded entitlements and market manipulations to the long term detriment of all. I do not believe that is the pathway to real improvement or rational debate as the Republicans, but perhaps not Trump, always counter with a step less and a less radical substitute program. (No longer does Republican leadership, or the President, propose a free market solution for medical services. They are going to “replace” the ACA with a substitute which will have the same effect, the destruction of that sector as a free market.)
This is the time to point out the dysfunction of “representatives” and Washington as a whole. It is a time to emphasize what has been a take over by the unaccountable and uncontrollable administrative “branch”. It is the time to demand less Washington, to demand a return to core functions only and abandon the dream of a utopia created not by an improvement of the human spirit but governmental compulsion.
That should be the rallying cry and will not come from either of the two present major parties.
Helpful hints to the progressives (regardless of party label) are unwise. I would personally prefer thier present tactics and self-destruction continue.
When all you have to put all your hopes and dreams in the hands of a carpetbagging pajama boy, it really doesn’t matter how much money you pour into the race, you’re unlikely to prevail.
All the money in the world can’t overcome a safe district that has been in the hands of the GOP for more than a generation. It’s no surprise to me.
I’m sure many Democrats were equally confident on the eve of the 1994 elections. After all, the House had been in Democratic hands for fifty years. In addition, the census had been taken and districts redrawn before 1992 elections. It wasn’t unreasonable to expect them to remain that way until after 2000. It didn’t work out that way.
You’re right about one thing, however. Money spent on ads and annoying phone calls wasn’t going to win voters. The Democrats still can’t their hands around WHY they lost last year. Until they figure it out (or GOPe does something so outrageous it sends these voters into Democrat arms), little will change. Money alone isn’t the answer. You need to give people a reason to change their vote. Ossoff didn’t.
Regardless of the Dems inability to articulate positions that people care about, the sad fact is that this election, like so many others, was blatantly manipulated. Investigative journalist Greg Palast has been documenting our electoral shenanigans for years:
https://www.facebook.com/GregPalastInvestigates/videos/10155399359667128/
Doug, as long as the US Government is not constitutionally controlled, as long it remains the most powerful economic entity in human history, any and all forms of influence, legal and illegal, will be used to seek to influence both the elections and the elected.
Make the Federal Government economically irrelevant, as it would be if strictly limited to its core functions, and you will inadvertently clean up the federal electoral process as well. If you do not you have no chance to substantially reform either the electoral process or the government itself.
While I am still disgusted with Congress & find them to be an ineffective bunch of fat cat, back door dealers on both sides of the aisle… the fact remains that most of the USA do not want wealth redistribution. They do not want more subsidies. They want to be able to keep a roof over their heads, put their kids through college & be able to retire. Increased subsidies threaten the disappearing middle class. & we know that the Progressives are all about wealth distribution, as long as you don’t reach into their wallets or health care.
This election continues to bear out that the media is truly clueless about the American people & what they want & how they think. The media elitists don’t get it right.
It’s simple enough if you think about it. For the last 25 years or so the Democrats have looked at every race that they have lost and thought “Our problem is that we aren’t running as far to the left as we should have.” Which is total nonsense. And then they go more and more to the left. Look at the crazy people that have been brought out of the woodwork since Trump’s win. And the more that the “Social Justice Warriors” attack normal people that disagree with them for just simply disagreeing. The average person sees this and thinks to themselves “No way in hell do I want to have anything to do with that ongoing freak show!”