I hope I am wrong but I think we may be getting a little ahead of ourselves as far as the Mid-Term elections are concerned. This “Red Wave” may never materialize and that my friends, could be worst thing to happen since the Red Sox swept four in a row from the Yankees back in 2004. You will remember that was also the year of that horrendous Tsunami in Thailand. Coincidence? I think not.
Going back to the Mid-Terms. I won’t go into each individual race, mainly because it is so confusing and the research would take me hours. What I will take a look at is the big picture in these elections.
Depending on what poll you look at, the economy and crime are the two biggest issues and let’s dissect each for a second.
As far as the economy is concerned, it really will be hard to make a legit case for either side. We are in one of those rare periods where we have solid employment and wage gains, while not totally keeping up with inflation, they have held their own. We also have a looming recession, higher interest rates and a tumbling housing market. When voters vote with their wallets, will they see their stock portfolios rallying and stability at their workplace or will they see the inflated value of their homes dropping, high inflation still and that dreaded “R” word in the headlights. The candidates in various elections have tried to make a case for either bad decisions by the Democratic leadership or the strength of the labor market. Which will give first?
Let’s be honest, people who lean to the right will continue to lean right and people that lean left will continue to lean left. The overall damage that the Democratic leadership has done locally and nationally will not persuade many to cross over and vote for candidates other their own. What may completely sway the election to that “Red Wave” is the Hispanic vote. Traditionally, Hispanics have voted Democrat but that has been changing over the last few years. As they have grown in importance and sheer numbers, the Hispanic community has started casting a more critical eye on Democratic policies and they have looked to other candidates. This, I believe, will be the turning point in this election cycle. Free spending and giveaways mean nothing to people who want to work for what they have. You will not be able to buy the Hispanic vote with freewheeling spending.
As for crime, let’s face it, Liberal policies have almost destroyed this country and again, Democrats will vote for Democrat candidates regardless of the fact of how bad the damage is. Republicans will put up the good fight for candidates who are strong on crime and then you have that rising minority of independents who will make their choices based on each candidates stance on crime. The wild card will be the black vote on this issue. Crime has adversely affected the black community way more than any other and candidates that still believe in bail reform and decarceration will have a tough go of it if the black community mobilizes.
Historically, the Mid-Terms have not been kind to the party in the White House. I think that is the thinking of some and based on how bad the White House has done in the last 20 months it may be a given that people will choose different leadership. If I were an independent voter (which I sort of am), that would be my number one reason for voting for a Republican this time around. This administration has few actual successes and multiple failures. It has bent over backwards to appease a small fraction of the electorate while forcing the majority of Americans to deal with the aftermath of very bad decisions. That should be enough to have a wholesale change in the balance of power in Washington.
It may not.
The electorate is not that smart.
For example, somewhere in this country, 34% of Americans think Joe Biden is doing a good job. Another example, states that are falling apart are controlled by Democrats. New York, California, Illinois et all, are literally imploding with crime, higher taxes, bad schools and lousy infrastructure. Yet, these states continue to elect and re-elect democratic leadership and legislators. They suck, they have sucked for years yet they continue to get re-elected. One final example, Marion Barry got re-elected in DC after having been convicted of possession of crack and in the arms of a sex worker. Case closed.
Lastly, one issue that a good friend of mine felt would be a decisive if not divisive issue in the coming elections, abortion rights, doesn’t seem to have the power it once did. Polls don’t show it being the hot button topic it was six months ago but I do think it will carry some weight going into this election. The problem with thinking that this will be a decisive issue is that while women make up 52% of the electorate, not everyone is on the same side of this issue and will those people use a woman’s right to chose as their turning point? I think to some it will be but again, there are multiple issues concerning people today and this just one of them. I am just not sure it will be enough to sway an election.
One last point that while it may be a little off base, it has some relevance to the election. I have read in conservative media that the hope is with this “Red Wave”, Republicans will have enough votes to impeach Joe Biden. First, it won’t happen. You need 2/3 of the Senate to vote for impeachment. They won’t get it. Second, His mental acuity is failing for sure, he is a puppet for the super left and he been as divisive a President as we have ever had. It could be worse. You drop him into the Nixon pile of historical volcanoes and you get Kamala Harris. Think long and hard about that one. If this “Red Wave” takes hold, what will happen is exactly nothing. The President will sign executive order after executive order and the Senate will fight him at every turn and every one of his moronic decisions will be tied up in court. i.e. The student loan forgiveness nonsense.
Two years of trying to recover or two years of continued cratering of this country, let’s hope the electorate isn’t as stupid as I think they are.
Yes, I see even if the Repubs take the senate, two years more of fighting very reminiscent of the trumpster years;(