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Cheer Up: Liberal Majorities Rarely Last Long

Posted on Friday, January 8, 2021
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by Outside Contributor
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270 Comments
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LiberalI’m old enough to remember 2008, when Barack Obama’s election and Democratic Congressional supermajorities supposedly signaled the dawn of a new and permanent liberal governance.

Heck, I’m old enough to remember 1992, when Bill Clinton’s victory supposedly passed the proverbial torch from a more conservative Greatest Generation of World War II veterans like George H.W. Bush to a new enduring governance by “pragmatic” liberals like Clinton.

And while I’m assuredly not old enough to remember conservative Barry Goldwater’s 1964 landslide loss to Lyndon Johnson, I have it on good authority from my mother that the future looked equally grim for conservatives then.

The upshot for anyone dejected by the latest electoral cycle, confirmed with each liberal electoral victory, is that their majorities almost invariably prove fleeting.

In Obama’s case, the reversal was so profound that when his presidency ended in 2016 even The Washington Post featured the headline “Barack Obama’s Presidency Has Been a Very Good Thing for Republicans.”

Consider that less than one year into Obama’s term, he triggered such an electoral backlash that Republican Scott Brown captured the late “Liberal Lion” Ted Kennedy’s Senate seat in deep-blue Massachusetts.  Less than a year after that, Republicans captured the House of Representatives in the first midterm of Obama’s presidency.

As the 2016 Post story grudgingly acknowledged, liberal losses extended far further:

Republicans have their largest House majority since World War II, having retaken the majority in the 2010 election.  They hold a four-seat majority in the Senate, having seized control of the world’s greatest deliberative body in the 2014 midterms.  At the state level, Republicans have 31 governorships – almost two-thirds of all the governors’ mansions in the country.  Republicans are even more dominant at the state legislative level;  the GOP holds total control over 30 of the 50 states’ legislatures and has partial control in another eight states – meaning that more than three-quarters of the country’s state legislatures are controlled by the GOP.  

Additionally, a Gallup survey in 2016 found that for the first time since it began measuring party affiliation across America, “red” states outnumbered “blue” states.  Perhaps most devastatingly, Gallup noted that, “It also marks a dramatic shift since 2008, when Democratic strength nationally was at its greatest in recent decades.”  In 2008, 35 states qualified as “solidly” or “leaning” Democratic by Gallup’s measure, with just 5 either solidly or leaning Republican and 10 deemed “competitive.”  By the end of Obama’s tenure, however, 20 states were either solidly or leaning Republican, only 14 were solidly or leaning Democratic and 16 rated competitive.

Accordingly, Democrats plummeted under Obama from a 30-state lead to a 6-state deficit in terms of party affiliation.  Some “permanent” liberal governance.

For particularly humorous perspective, recall that in 2009, Democratic strategist James Carville published a book presciently entitled “40 More Years:  How the Democrats Will Rule the Next Generation.”

Well, almost.

Clinton’s 1992 victory remains similarly instructive.

Despite the puzzling myth of his deep popularity, Clinton’s performance in his first two years proved so disastrous that Republicans won both houses of Congress for the first time since Dwight Eisenhower’s first term in 1954.  It was only afterward that Clinton acknowledged that “the era of big government is over,” and conservative legislation like welfare reform halted the liberal advance to preserve a prosperous 1990s that we now recall for the final three-quarters of his tenure.

So like Obama, Clinton didn’t even enjoy a liberal stranglehold beyond his first midterm.  In contrast, it’s worth noting, the supposedly disastrous George W. Bush became the first president to gain Congressional seats in his first midterm since the 1920s, so losses of the magnitude of Clinton or Obama aren’t inevitable.

As for the Goldwater/Johnson landslide of 1964, the longshot California candidacy of actor Ronald Reagan captured California two short years later, and Republicans won 5 of the next 6 presidential elections.

In comparison, Democrats’ electoral margin this year is almost nonexistent.  The Senate will be split 50-50, meaning that Vice President Kamala Harris will be so busy breaking tie votes that the American public will be spared her ear-splitting cackle in fawning media interviews.  Meanwhile, Republicans actually gained at the state level, and Nancy Pelosi’s House margin was tightened to the narrowest level since the 1940s.

So let’s keep this election cycle in proper perspective.  Even comfortable majorities for Presidents Johnson, Clinton and Obama proved evanescent in 1964, 1992 and 2008, respectively.  By that measure, liberals’ comparatively microscopic margins today don’t look promising at all.

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Susabella
Susabella
3 years ago

I have one thing I wish to say to the Democrats: You won. Sit down, be quiet and wait your turn.

Fred
Fred
3 years ago

The one difference now vs. then is that the Dem’s are controlling the technology to stay in power. With Dominion voting machines and a couple of rounds of national voter fraud, they are getting more experienced at cheating. Each time they succeed, they will get better at hiding it. They will only increase and consolidate their power. Conservatives will never win again in America. Republicans will only be allowed to elect a few token RINO’s.

Stephen Russell
Stephen Russell
3 years ago

Really the prior Admins didnt have to contend with Antifa, BLM & radicals day 1, we do & then Big Tech vs Big Tech in 2008.
Big change, & then to update election process for 2022 or rerun 2020 again. See GA race.
Dble check History again.
& also Media didnt harrass GW GH Bush like they did Pres Trump for 4 years.
Constant daily harrassing by Media Axis machines on assulting Pres Trump day 1

Shoe
Shoe
3 years ago

The things stated in this article no longer apply‼️. The liberals and corrupt government employees have perfected the art of stealing elections. They can remain in power just like the Venezuelan socialists. Until we have voter ID requirements they will continue to steal elections.

P H
P H
3 years ago

Yes, but this election the leftists have proof that they can cheat on a massive, organized, multi-state way and WIN, and there has been no consequences for them, as proved by the fact that Biden/Harris are about to disgrace the Presidency

Larry Gibson
Larry Gibson
3 years ago

While you think this may be encouraging, don’t forget that in that period of time they, the Dems have managed to secure an election through fraud, intimidate the US Supreme Ct and take control of the House and Senate.

Jacqueline Swett
Jacqueline Swett
3 years ago

I do not support the president elect. I will not support Joseph R. Biden. I am disappointed in the Republican party. I am all for forming a new party, by the people, for the people, the People’s party. I will not watch the inauguration, even on conservative media. I have long since stopped watching the liberal media. I feel betrayed.

Rick J.
Rick J.
3 years ago

Another LaLa land article, after seeing what happened with the just concluded election,
I doubt that the next election will be free or fair. The democrats who just took power by
dubious means are not going to give it up without a fight… and I talking about a civil war.
Hoping I’m wrong, but only time will tell.

Bchris
Bchris
3 years ago

You are right on the money! The Dems will make sure no “election” is lost from now on. It will be 3rd world voting from now on – just for show to the people gullible enough and ignorant of history to believe the lies

KEK
KEK
3 years ago

Another useless article and I understand trying to hope for the best but as pointed out by others here, this is totally different with the demorats changing the playing field where we will never se another republican president or control on either houses nor the supreme court again with physically taking back what they stole this time!

Michael Mazur
Michael Mazur
3 years ago

There were a large number of people in positions of authority like Secretary of States, judges, etc,. That lied, cheated, and were ok with the steal. The next time, they will be much more comfortable with rigging elections. The Democrats are already talking about passing laws that will allow 100% mail in voting. This will facilitate more dishonesty. The GOP is done.
Michael

Steve
Steve
3 years ago

Thank you for the wonderful upbeat article. The only problem is that this was not a fair election. I believe we have more conservative voters than ever before. But now we have Dominion voting machines in all of the so called swing states and you can bet more states will have them also. Hello Communism! Very sad indeed.

Susabella
Susabella
3 years ago

It’s the media, led by the far left “elite” who control the minds of a large majority of the population.

MrLucky
MrLucky
3 years ago

I just hope the Democrats will do something for this country that doesn’t involve Trump or Conservative bashing. They’ve done nothing but divide us and group us by our ethnicity for the last eight years, postured and grandstanded, wasted our tax money on fake investigations and hoax impeachments.I want to keep an open mind (we all should), but so far they haven’t shown a bit of decency or honesty. And they have learned how to corrupt and cheat our election process, they’ve got our news media behaving as a Chinese state owned media, so although I can hope, we need to keep our eyes and minds open. We need to get back (before the Obama and Holder reign) to being “people” and “citizens”, not the black or white racists they portray us as being.

JimmyB
JimmyB
3 years ago

This article is nauseatingly naïve. The election was a massive theft and it appears they will get away with it. If that happens, the only Republicans that will be elected in the future will be RINOs that have the support of the democrat party, but it will have the appearance of a “fair” election. The RINOs will play the part of the loyal minority dissenters to make fools feel all warm and fluffy inside. Unless something else happens, or patriots rise up, this is the end of America as we know it. The elections are corrupt. The judicial system is corrupt. Congress is corrupt. The media is corrupt and thinking has gone out of style. BOHICA!

jim robinett
jim robinett
3 years ago

I am afraid this will NOT be one of those times as it appears the new very corrupt government and the major corporations are in with each other to establish and keep this new world order permanently. I believe that anyone who disagrees with them will find hard times for themselves and their families as retribution from this corrupt and very controlling organization!

Derby
Derby
3 years ago

I remember all of those elections mentioned in the article.
I don’t remember groups like Antifa and BLM destroying many cities.
I don’t remember MSM presenting editorials like they were actual news.
I don’t remember MSM spreading any and all bad news about the non-democrats, whether true or not.
I don’t remember MSM ignoring anything bad about the democrats.
I don’t remember the elections being stolen so openly and the courts tossing out any cases without any hearing.
I don’t remember any scamdemic being used to control the election process and destroy the economy.
I don’t remember the young generation having been indoctrinated by the schools to believe socialism and/or communism being the ideal lifestyle they should strive for.
No, it is not quite the same.

John A. Fallon
John A. Fallon
3 years ago

QUIT TRYING TO PLACATE US, VOTER FRAUD HAS BEEN ALLOWED, WE WILL NEVER HAVE A VOICE IN ANYTHING POLITICAL AGAIN WITHOUT CIVIL WAR, THE SAME ANIMALS THAT DESTROYED PORTLAND ATTACKED OUR HOUSE IN D.C. AND WHAT HAPPENED? THEY BLAMED TRUMP, LIKE THEY ALWAYS DO AND IT GAVE THEM THE EXCUSE THEY NEEDED, THE POLITICIANS KNOW DAMN WELL IT WAS ANTIFA AND BLM THAT DID THIS, THEY HAVE FINALLY SHOWED THIER TRUE COLORS, AND THEY AIN’T RED WHITE AND BLUE.

pete kennedy
pete kennedy
3 years ago

However, this time the “little people” meaning the middle class is being attacked by members of both congressional parties.
The country is now divide into two factions 1. the Liberal – progressive- communist- elite i.e. the Deep State composed of politicians from both parties, the bureaucrats within the government system, even the FBI, CIA. They consider us as Anderson Cooper stated the Holiday Inn class.
The represent the Ivy League and Berkley supposedly educated class that feels they are the impowered and we should accept their philosophy of
governance. Their goal is to establish 2 tires of society the elite and those on government hand outs.
Power corrupts. And their almighty greed for Chinese dollars completes the corruption. The people have reached a breaking point. There is a two forms of Justice at this point in American history – BLM and Antifa have proven that.

Charlie
Charlie
3 years ago

I wish I could agree with this article, but as much as it saddens me to admit it, it’s over, everyone. There will never be an honest election again, now that the Liberal Communists have successfully stolen this one. There’s no way they will ever concede power again. Every empire throughout history ends, and this is the end of the U.S.A. as we know it. Call me a conspiracy theorist (I really don’t care), but anyone who has been half-awake during the past 12 years could see this coming. It’s like a Hollywood movie. Actually, there have been many movies depicting how China would take over the U.S. Check out “The Last Ship,” for one. This has all been planned by the Deep State or whatever you want to call them. Greed has caused most of our “leaders” (Republican as well as Democrat) to sell out. I’m just surprised they didn’t go the route of “Designated Survivor” rather than just having a few paid terrorists “storm” the Capitol. Most of our “leaders” are just following the script they were given so that they can take away more, if not all, of our freedoms under the guise of “security.” I wish President Trump had declared martial law, because I won’t be a bit surprised to see something else happen that will cause “President” Biden/Harris to declare it. Of course it will be for our “safety,” so we will have to give up more freedom. Any type of armed revolution by American citizens will be quickly ended. Let’s face it…the colonists won independence from England because, for all intents and purposes, both sides were equally armed. I don’t know of any citizen now that has anywhere near the fire power that the government has. So, it’s over. What’s next? I’m thinking either Hunger Games or The Purge. I’m thinking Hunger Games, considering most of Hollywood already considers itself elitist. Just look at how they present themselves in outrageous outfits and make fun of average Americans trying to earn a living. Certainly reminds me of the Hunger Games.

katsview
katsview
3 years ago

The new Democrats are more vicious and are the cancel culture. They use meaner tactics than the old guard of Democrats, so I do not believe they will go quietly into the night this time around.

Fox
Fox
3 years ago

A most useless article! We are not dealing with Liberals; we are confronted by Communists! Communism is by its very nature totalitarian, completely incompatible with the American Declaration of Independence, Constitution, and the Bill of Rights. As such, anyone that embraces the Communist Ideology is a Subversive dedicated to the destruction of the United States of American and its Citizens. The so-called Democrat Party is today, the Communist Party, and it needs to be prosecuted for Treason! Democrat-Communists, using Dominion technology stole this Election (and most likely previous Elections) and they will continue to do so! America is in a very real War for its Survival where Pacifism has no place or purpose! Tyranny and its Tyrants never stop unless they are severely disabled or they are eliminated permanently! Trump 2021

Nancy Schneider
Nancy Schneider
3 years ago

I am extremely disappointed in the Republican party. Mike Pence could have turned everything around. He chose to go the route of Romney and McCain. The republicans are spineless politically and I doubt they will stand up for the American people. It is up to the people to take charge and not follow either party.

Chuck
Chuck
3 years ago

Where’s my BIDEN IS NOT MY PRESIDENT sign?

J R
J R
3 years ago

A few things to keep in mind:
We are now dealing with 3-4 generations of brain washed idiots thanks to our wonderfull liberal led education system, also all the main stream media is totaly communist controlled, all the social media is communist controlled. The result of all of these things is a totally uneven playing field. Its like an army of soldiers armed with only knifes trying to fight an army with automatic weapons, granade launchers, landmines, rockets, etc, etc,. Talk about an underdog.

Mandy
Mandy
3 years ago

Conservatives need to start a campaign to just divide the country in half. I don’t want to live with these hateful people anymore. I don’t want my tax dollars going to support them and their nutjob schools, denigrating people that believe in God and worship, etc

So let’s put out the option to just divide the country, they go to their side and we go to our side (even if it requires half of us moving) and be done with these Commies. Then they won’t have to worry about “cleansing” us as the ABC political director mentioned today. . I’ve had enough. And they refer to us as Nazis???? I no longer can trust to even vote with these cheaters so why live with people that would do this?

Michael Ruppert
Michael Ruppert
3 years ago

If the rapture comes this year it won’t matter a hill of beans who’s in the stupid gov’t.

Victoria
Victoria
3 years ago

If you think this is the same, then maybe I need to rethink my membership with AMAC….it is not grasshopper.

Charlie
Charlie
3 years ago

Paul E. – I read your comment and completely agree with what you wrote. I hope AMAC did not intentionally remove it, but it wouldn’t surprise me because I believe most companies are going to be in “survival mode” by trying to not offend the powers that be. If they DID remove your comment, I’m guessing they’ll remove mine as well.

Larry W
Larry W
3 years ago

3 REASONS There may not be a “traditional turn around” in the future elections. UNLESS we can stop the vote rigging, and the brainwashing in our schools and coverups by the media !

Leslie roberts
Leslie roberts
3 years ago

I agree on feeling betrayed and not watching the general media. If I do watch it’s Newsmax. We have kicked God out of everything so now we will reap the whirlwind. I’ll be looking up!!!

Margaret
Margaret
3 years ago

Sorry, but you have your head in the clouds. Besides the fact that voter fraud is now the norm, Republicans will have an impossible chance of winning any level of election once all the illegal immigrants that are already here are given their “dream.” Plus, there is already a huge wave of illegals making their way here…millions more to drain our non-existing Treasury and to vote for the liberals who are letting them in.

MARCELLA M COVAULT
MARCELLA M COVAULT
3 years ago

While this may be accurate for the past, it is NAIVE about the future! it does NOT really consider the FACT that now the DemSocs know they can STEAL ELECTIONS without consequences, and that’s what they’ll do from now on. It’s a different world, and the globalists (elite, tech companies and corporations) are calling the shots of their Dem sock puppets and are now within smelling distance of globalism and the New World Order—split between the globalists and China!

Jim
Jim
3 years ago

Nice cheerful thought. I do agree with Fred. The democrats had an agenda and they worked it in every facet possible. Our schools, our media, big money and foolish greedy talk show hosts, a dumb down of our voting class, whom for the most part is unaware of their government’s involvement in everything, taking us down a path of destruction. I am praying for a miracle of wisdom from our populace and a desire to really get involved. Remember the government works for us, let’s demand more control over a money fueled and elite “experts”!

Deb
Deb
3 years ago

If the continue to cheat how will the gop gain anything. The dems cheated and so we should not even be having Biden in office

John Karkalis
John Karkalis
3 years ago

I’m old enough to remember Barry Goldwater’s defeat in 1964. I voted for him. The Dems said electing Barry would be tantamount to assuring nuclear war.
The Dems won. We had Vietnam. Again, I was there.
The Republican party is not going to tank. It has too many sensible ideas.
My screaming concern is that Joe Biden will give away the entire store when dealing with Russia, China, North Korea, Iran.
I will miss Mike Pompeo.
Don’t tell anyone, but I’m old enough to remember the wacky election of 1876 between Hayes and Tilden. It was nasty, but the Republicans won.
Order your flags now for 2024.

John A. Fallon
John A. Fallon
3 years ago

I just posted a comment a few minutes ago and it “flagged” WAITING FOR APPROVAL? SERIOUSLY? YOUARE STARTING TO EDIT COMMENTS? HAS AMAC GONE OVER “TO THE DARK SIDE”?

Linda K
Linda K
3 years ago

Nice try, but everyone knows, as many have said, these people have infiltrated not only the government, but control the courts and the media. We all know, also, that it wasn’t Trump supporters that attacked the capital Wednesday. Far from it. But it did give the congress an excuse to ignore the will of the people.

Maybe this article will play better in Venezuela.

David B.
David B.
3 years ago

“Cheer up”? There is no possible direct comparison to what happened in the past. Today we have “Tweeter, Fake-book, Snap-chump, and ALL the other MSM solidly united against the Conservatives- Big Tech is entrenched with China, who has OUR domination in their cross-hairs, Globalists like evil Soros intent on bringing us down. Our kids are being indoctrinated as we speak. Are we on the cusp? Oh, what to do…?

Henrietta M. Foy
Henrietta M. Foy
3 years ago

I no longer view any news media sites. They are all bought and paid to shout-out biased information. It has gotten to the point that ‘Trust’ in government and their released news is non-existent. I wonder if it will ever change now.

Charlene Troutman
Charlene Troutman
3 years ago

Time will tell the truth.

Vilas Gamble
Vilas Gamble
3 years ago

The problem is that whatever liberal/socialist programs they enact are never repealed…like Obamacare.

Bob Berning
Bob Berning
3 years ago

I concur with with all the previous voices. Our democracy is now in ruins, much like the old Soviet Union, Cuba, or Venezuela.

Abbie
Abbie
3 years ago

Except that now that they know how to rig an election and get away with it, they will keep doing it. That’s what bothers me. It’s corruption on a massive scale.

Carol
Carol
3 years ago

“Charlie”‘s comments say it all. I couldn’t agree more or change one thing in his observations. Horribly sad.

Carol Crozman
Carol Crozman
3 years ago

It is wonderful to be upbeat, but what the writer refused to talk about is that each time a democrat is elected…our country moves a little more to the left. And now we have an election that was so completely corrupt, that we will now never have an honest election ever again in this country. The election in 2016 was the first attempted coup on our country, but they did not see Donald J. Trump coming in their rear view mirror. They were unprepared. This time they knew where they stood with the country and knew how to completely take control of the government, our election and with the chinese owned media at its finest. The swamp is so deep on both sides…I am afraid there is no turning back from the evil that has taken over. And there is some horrible and unspeakable evil happening. The ONLY way we can go about defeating this evilness, is to turn our sights upward and know that God has control of the situation and everything happening is for His glory! This is the “cheerful” part!

Jesse Tiede
Jesse Tiede
3 years ago

Yeah, what you say is all well and good, and we need to stay positive. BUT… I can only imagine the damage the Dems are going to do in the next two years! Gun Control, Freedom of Speech and Religion, not to mention more control over the Courts! As for the next election, looking back in History remember that the Democrats INVENTED “Over Voting”, where the same person went to numerous polling stations to vote repeatedly. After that was exposed, they decided that the DEAD could vote, and they are STILL USING THAT one! When that was exposed, they welcomed Illegal Aliens by the droves! After all, Illegals are just “Unregistered Democrats”! When we demanded Voter Identification, something required to get Welfare, Housing Assistance and a Bank Account, for Government assistance, all manner of “Social Program” help, all of a sudden it was egregiously invasive to require the sometimes FREE Identification! Now, they know that all they have to do is foster some “Global Health Pandemic”, be it Wuhan, or Plague, whatever, even the common cold or flu, and the “People” demand “Mail In Ballots”, because they “DON’T WANT” to stand in some long line, and be EXPOSED to that UGLY Disease, yet have no compunction about getting together in large groups and partying, while ignoring the established LAWS and procedures already in place! That goes for Election Laws and Procedures, too! And, when called on it, they just say, “THAT didn’t happen! EEEEE! Wrong answer! Thank you for playing! Next question… and steal the election when it doesn’t go the way they want! This is evidenced by documented cases of Hundreds of Thousands of votes with ONLY ONE VOTE CAST, as well as more “Votes” than there are Registered Voters! Yeah, remain calm, but also understand that they hold the keys to the Kingdom, and I sincerely doubt that we will ever see a free and unbiased election, ever again! Good Bye, America! You were truly great in your day…

Scott Christy
Scott Christy
3 years ago

I don’t believe a Fair Election will ever happen again. Fake News destroyed America. God is in Control. Amen !

Yogi
Yogi
3 years ago

I wonder if their isn’t a bit of true for patriots in the Disney movie entitled “WALLE?” Have We The People become so fat, comfortable and lazy that we are unwilling to defend our nation from this obvious Socialist attack on American core values, ideals, faith and responsibilities. We are the keepers of the flame of Liberty and Freedom; shall this precious gift, purchased with blood, go out on our watch? Shall we spit on the graves of all those who have gone before who willingly pledged their fortunes, property and lives to secure our freedoms? What is it to be an American? Does the word American mean nothing to us?

Yogi
Yogi
3 years ago

No justice no peace! Not my President! May Biden/Harris receive the same treatment President Trump received the past four and half years. After 42 years of being a Republic I left the Party and have registered Independent simply because I realized the “SWAMP” is in both parties. Long live the Republic! We, as a people, must destroy the Socialist movement in this country. We must destroy Hollywood, the CEO’s of the internet, social media and liberal news media. We must be resolved to remove ALL Socialist/Communist from our government. We must purge this evil from our country before we have no country left to defend. We must prosecute ALL involved in this election fraud for high crimes and treason against The People of the United States starting with Pelosi! We, the People need to start a new, powerful patriotic party which will defend our Constitution, rule of law and our liberties. What the President could not do We The People must do.

Defund The Police Sign in Toronto, Ontario. A sign calling to defund the police is attached to a tree during a `Not Another Black Life` protest in Toronto, Ontario, on June 19, 2020.
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Rep. Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) speaks at a news conference about the findings of a recent Government Accountability Office (GAO) report pertaining to disciplinary treatment of young black and brown girls in schools across the United States at the U.S. Capitol on September 19, 2024 in Washington, DC. House Democrats held the news conference to discuss different anecdotes of the report including the different circumstances faced by young black and brown girls compared to their white peers in schools and how at times they face exacerbated punishment due to their appearance. (Photo by Anna Moneymaker/Getty Images)

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