The past few years have largely been a time of gloom and doom. Bad news is followed by worse news. Fake news, conspiracy theories, half-truths, and outright lies rule the internet. It’s easy to get lost in a deep, anxious funk.
But this week, I saw a glimmer of hope come from primary election outcomes, particularly in Michigan and Wisconsin.
Just a few days ago, I wrote about the threat of radicalism from within the Democratic Party that threatens to split the opposition to MAGA. In one of the most closely watched races of the week, Democratic Socialist Francesca Hong was narrowly defeated by David Crowley in the Democratic Wisconsin gubernatorial primary. Crowley had previously withdrawn from the race amid the initially crowded field, but reentered after other candidates dropped out. The victory over Hong, a radical who even opposed Thanksgiving, is a good thing for both the future of the Democratic Party and moderates everywhere.
Hong’s loss is all the more amusing because right-wing conspiracy theorists had already rolled out posts about late-night ballot drops to explain her victory. In the light of day, these posts, some of which are still up, take on a “Dewey Defeats Truman” vibe.
There were even signs of sanity from the Republican Party. In Michigan, MyPillow magnate Mike Lindell went down to defeat in the Republican gubernatorial primary. The conspiracy-pushing CEO remained true to form in defeat, claiming election irregularities and refusing to concede. Whether Republicans ultimately win the governorship of Michigan or not, and Lisa Demuth likely has an uphill fight in the general election, the Republican Party, Michigan, and the country in general are better off without Lindell having access to the bully pulpit of a nomination.
Donald Trump had a somewhat bad night as well. In addition to Lindell, another Trump-endorsed candidate, Darline Graham Nordone in South Carolina, advanced to a runoff but only received about a third of the vote. Both Michigan and South Carolina represented rare examples of Republican voters not blindly following Donald Trump. That’s encouraging.
These days, hope is where you find it. I’m encouraged to see small signs of both sides embracing sanity, even though I’m sure that we haven’t seen the last of the insanity. Maybe we’re taking baby steps back towards normalcy, and maybe Democrats are realizing that full leftist radical isn’t the way to go.
Never go full leftist radical.
I’ll say again that Republicans are about to get a comeuppance for their corruption, abuses of power, and downright incompetent administration of the government. It’s going to be a shellacking for the ages that will include loss of the Senate. Bookmark this and write it down.
What comes after the election is impossible to predict at this point. I wouldn’t be surprised if Trump and MAGA go full Lindell and refuse to accept the choices of the voters. They’ve done this time and again in the MAGA era. Before Trump leaves office, I also wouldn’t be surprised if political violence increases as MAGA violently tries to hold onto power.
Never go full Lindell or full Trump either.
But those are concerns for another day. As the old saying goes, the way to eat an elephant is one bite at a time. That saying predates the Republican Party, and I am not endorsing political cannibalism, by the way.
For the time being, let’s take our victories where we can find them and our hope where we can get it. One day at a time, and one step at a time.
Maybe, just maybe, we’ll come out of this okay.
MASS ABORTION Viral claims say that Massachusetts expanded abortion “until birth.” As Snopes explains, Massachusetts law already allowed abortion in certain extreme medical situations beyond 24 weeks. The new law still requires a doctor to justify the procedure. Late-term abortions are extremely rare and represent only about one percent of abortions.
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Glimmer of hope is the start ingredient for progress. The political math trend for much of the last 14 years has been polarization.
I did notice a drop off, and more importantly I’ve noticed both you and Steve are still here kicking. Pretty cool when you consider all the years you guys have been doing it and the fact the product is still free.
That tells me it is a labor of love. Sharing your thoughts with us is still something I look forward to in my inbox, so when they are there, I grab another cup of coffee and dig in.
So, thanks for staying around and doing what you do when you can do it. It is appreciated.