Former Representative and presidential candidate “Mo” Udall (D-AZ) said – at the 1976 Democratic Convention – Democrats form firing squads “in a circle.” Of course, he would be “canceled” for that joke today – guns, death penalty, trivializing “squads”? – and he was white. His point endures. Democrats are in chaos today.
As their pro-socialism, pro-spending, pro-taxes, anti-white, anti-police, anti-Israel wing gains the upper hand – putting Nancy Pelosi on defense for 2022 – media call it a “civil war.” Moderate Democrats – like Joe Manchin – are under fire, while radicals are on the rise. See, e.g., Get ready for a full-scale Democratic civil war; The looming Democrat Civil War; Is Wokeness ‘Kryptonite for Democrats’?.
On the one hand, it sure looks that way. If old Democrat patriots were alive – like Presidents Harry Truman or John F. Kennedy, Senators Scoop Jackson (D-WA) or John Glenn (D-OH) – they would likely be quietly voting Republican. Democrats have never been so far off or so far away from patriotic roots.
At every level of government, and on a dozen top issues – illegal immigration to higher taxes, fiscal responsibility to law enforcement, foreign policy to national security, race relations to genders, local control to education – elected Democrats are being outflanked by their own constituents. Polling shows the Democrats’ radical turn is not popular, even in Democrat strongholds.
Thus, only 18 percent of Americans support “defunding police,” despite ballyhoos to keep doing so. See, e.g., Fewer than 1 in 5 support ‘defund the police’ movement, USA TODAY/Ipsos Poll finds. Even in radicalized cities, like Portland, Oregon, citizens – as opposed to activists – want the police up-funded, not defunded. See, e.g., Amid calls to ‘defund the police,’ most Portland residents want police presence maintained or increased, poll finds.
Likewise, more than half of Americans think taxes are too high. Many are circumspect when reminded higher taxes translate to fewer jobs, lower growth, more insecurity, spending that drives inflation. Reminded of “stagflation” and Carter’s “misery index” – high inflation, unemployment, and interest rates, an energy crisis, a declining dollar, uncontrolled government spending, and listless leadership – opinions shift. See Half of Americans say their tax payments are too high, poll shows; Jimmy Carter and the “Malaise” Speech; What Was Old Is Now New – The Misery Index.
While some see politics as cyclic and just overreaching, others see a profound problem. The Democratic Party is losing traction with its base and a growing number of moderates, as well as minorities, city and suburban families, parents with kids in public schools, small businesses, veterans, and single-issue voters concerned about everything from gun rights to speech rights, pro-life to patriotism, and especially faith.
In that last category, Democrats – from governors and mayors to Congress and media – seem to misunderstand the temperament, tendencies, and demographics of our nation.
More than 240 million Americans are Christians. Ten million Americans are Jewish, and – while Democrat members of Congress demean America and Israel, 80 percent of all the world’s Jews live in America or Israel.
The overarching point is that Democrats are increasingly “out of sync” with America. Democrat leaders in Washington, States, and cities seem to underestimate how much the public cares about civil order, stopping crime, educational integrity, fidelity to the rule of law, American history, tradition, and faith.
This disconnect – Democrat leaders giddy with power and self-consumed – is a sign that 2022 elections may tip hard for Republicans. The nagging question – in a larger sense – is why the division persists?
The answer may be that power is blinding. Democrats control the White House, Senate, and House, creating political blindness, disinterest in the Heartland – not happy with where Democrats are leading.
A parallel question – one at least worth asking – is why Democrats are allowing the Biden-Harris White House to continue blundering on? Why are leading Congressional Democrats happy to watch Biden’s fragility on display? Why do they allow Harris to go unchecked, her transparent inexperience and immaturity – giggling at the most serious issues of our time – without comment?
This may be the tip of another spear, another division – this one between congressional and administration Democrats. We are not yet in 2022 and have three and a half years before 2024.
Many believe Biden will not last to 2024, which elevates Harris – if Biden resigns. Others disdain Harris, the last candidate in the field until selected by Biden. Some see a feint within the feint, media taking Harris down for failures. They think she is in retrograde, being “set up” to fail – although she is doing a fine job of failing without help. See, e.g., Kamala Harris Is Being Set Up – RedState.
As the Democrats devolve into chaos, a final intriguing question: Why would Nancy Pelosi – current Speaker – be letting media and the left take bites out of Biden and Harris if she wished them well?
As the tide turns against Democrats for 2022, Pelosi is oddly quiet – if accusatory toward Republicans. She is not being particularly supportive of either Biden or Harris. Why? One answer is that she does not care, another sees no need, and a third calculating.
This House Speaker orchestrated two anti-constitutional impeachments, devoid of due process. She is third in line to the presidency.
As the Democratic Party lives up to Senator Udall’s “circular firing squad,” – it makes one wonder.
Udall’s phrase is apt. So is “no honor among thieves.” Democrats have surprises coming in 2022 – which is not keeping them from mutual recrimination, eating their own, fanning the chaos.