2008 was consequential because it was the first time that an African American was on the ballot for President of the United States.
2010 was consequential because it was the opportunity for voters to register their displeasure with the passage of Obamacare and the leftist agenda of the President who was elected in 2008.
2012 was consequential because it represented the opportunity to turn completely away from that leftist agenda.
2014 was consequential because the consequences of six years of failed liberal policies were beginning to be felt by more and more people.
2016 was consequential because it represented not only a difficult choice between what many believed were two flawed candidates but also a choice between starkly different visions for the future of America on taxes, trade, immigration, the Supreme Court and other issues.
We are once again being told that 2018 is the most consequential election of our lifetimes.
Despite the hype, that may actually be the case this year.
If we think we see chaos in Washington now, think for a second what things will look like with a Democrat Congress.
I can assure you that there will be almost nothing of value done legislatively for the next two years with the Democrats in control.
The Kavanaugh confirmation hearing should give you an idea of what to expect. It will be ugly and it will be relentless.
Things might not be much different should we see a slim Republican majority in the House or Senate. Assume that there is a one, two or three vote margin. That will mean that every special election over the next two years will take on the importance of a Supreme Court nomination like Kavanaugh to the Democrats (or Republicans). It will not be pretty and it will not be good for the country.
There is little question that we are a country that is deeply divided politically.
What I find most interesting is that the Democrats seem to believe that their political failures since 2010 have been the result of not being radical enough.
Since the election of Donald Trump we have seen the sobs of Hillary's supporters turn into mobs on the streets. We have also seen Democrat candidates go even further left in their public stances thinking that will be their ticket back to political relevancy.
Open Borders
Abolish ICE
Voting Rights for Illegals
Medicare for All
Free College for All
These used to be radical fringe ideas that any pragmatic politician would know are not realistic proposals.
Who really believes that we can have a country without ANY border controls?
Who really believes that you can provide free health care and college and not MASSIVELY increase the tax burden on the middle and lower income groups?
We are in the midst of a political war right now.
Wars only end when one side is vanquished and surrenders. They accept the results and no longer resist.
It is the exception rather than the rule to see Congress evenly split. Most of the time one party or the other has a clear majority in Congress. When one party is in control, history indicates that they tend to stay in control. This is a chart that shows the party composition of Congress going back to 1901. Look at the unchallenged control the Democrats had in Congress for 60 years (1933-1993).
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| Credit: Wikipedia |
If Democrats make inroads in November with their radical political agenda it will further embolden them. It will undoubtedly make things even worse than they are today. The political war will continue and intensify. The divide will only get larger. You can count on it.
In addition, there seem to be many Democrats who believe that the 2016 election of Donald Trump was an aberration. It was random and not real. They can't believe that the "progress" made with Obama could possibly be undone so quickly. That is why they want to double down on an agenda that is even more progressive and radical. They cannot believe the mainstream is not with them.
However, it is interesting to note in the chart above that with both the elections of Bill Clinton and Barack Obama, the country veered to the right in Congress in the midterm election immediately after in response to the liberal agendas being implemented in these Democrat administrations. In other words, voters soon found out that the modern Democrat party was far different than the Democrat party of FDR, Truman or John Kennedy that their grandparents or parents spoke fondly about.
There should be many things that Donald Trump, the Republicans and Democrats can and should be working together on in a bipartisan manner.
After all, Donald Trump was a Democrat a good part of his life. He is not an ideologue. He is a man that likes to get things done.
Infrastructure, Trade and Immigration are prime examples.
My hope is that this "consequential" election will really, really teach Democrats that "elections have consequences". My hope is that they learn they have moved so far from the mainstream that they are in danger of becoming a fringe party with fringe ideas. They need to rethink what they are and what they need to do to become assets to the process rather than the asses they have become.
The consequences of this election will also go far in shaping the list of potential 2018 Presidential contenders.
Will we get a radical or a realist as the Democrat Presidential nominee in 2020?
Will we get a Congress focused on legislation or on investigations?
Will we be a country of laws or of mobs?
Can we have intelligent discussions rather than in-your-face intimidation tactics?
Republicans, Independents, (and even smart thinking Democrats) need to think very carefully about what their vote means next week.
It is consequential and it will have consequences.
Think and act accordingly when casting your vote.
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