The Future of American Politics

[Danny Bateman]

Nothing too substantial to share, but I had a thought yesterday that I felt was worth sharing.

 

With the election of Trump, the Republican party has taken a substantial lurch further to the right, now more akin to the anti-immigration nativist type of far-right parties common in Europe. At least if you base their positions based on their platform and campaign rhetoric. We'll have to wait and see how Trump governs, but I've seen nothing to dissuade that opinion so far.

 

Now, the Democrats are obviously in shambles. The lowest number of governorships they've had in a long while, a decided minority in Congress that will probably get worse in 2018, and no more executive branch. For all their silly games and dereliction of duty, the GOP Senate will get their vote on their hand-picked SC Justice. Dems should probably focus on 2018 governor races, because the more Republicans are in control for the 2020 census and redistricting, the more they're going to try to undermine the Voting Rights Act and game the system in their favor.

 

As an aside, it appears that Pat McCrory, incumbent governor of North Carolina and author of the horribly idiotic HB-2 bathroom bill we all love so much, has lost to Roy Cooper. McCrory is complaining about voter irregularities, but it appears Dems will win that state if things stay as they are now. While it's the height of Pat McCrory of all people to complain about an unfair election, this brings me much personal joy.

 

Back to my point-- Dems lost in breathtaking fashion this election. Almost every person I know person would've preferred they nominate Bernie rather than Clinton, and I'm sure that feeling is amplified after the loss. Lots of folks, particularly the working class and young Americans, felt drawn to his message.

My question is... did this election simply accelerate the US political climate to more closely mirror those of our allies in Europe or Canada? Are the sides coming further apart and will the new normal be far-right nationalism vs. far-left progressivism?

[NM11046]

See now I've always thought that our political climate is far different than Europe or Canada, and that this election just steers it in the same direction. My sibling who lives in Europe says that "American is the last bastion for individual rights" and that was why he was a Trump supporter.

 

As far as far right and far left - it will be interesting to see how it shakes out. I think our younger generations are more progressive and left leaning than we are, and that alone may increase the bend in that direction. The maps showing their voting support certainly suggest the power they can hold in the future. My concern in the generation below them will be growing up in a Trump world, and who knows how they'll come out of that.

[Danny Bateman]

If Trump is a flop as a president and gets only 1 term (or less than that), hopefully that generation won't have to grow up in a world he had too great an effect on.

 

I'm a bit confused-- your sibling recognized that America is currently incredible for individual rights AND supported Trump? Or am I misinterpreting you? Very well could be the latter-- my mind doesn't feel like it's cranking at full capacity today

 

I'm as curious as you are about the future. Were people truly drawn to Bernie's policy? I've seen a few studies doubting it. It may have just been the right message for the moment, raging at the establishment. If that's the case, could a Cory Booker run in 2020 with a more moderate platform and still draw their support?

[NM11046]

If Trump is a flop as a president and gets only 1 term (or less than that), hopefully that generation won't have to grow up in a world he had too great an effect on.

 

I'm a bit confused-- your sibling recognized that America is currently incredible for individual rights AND supported Trump? Or am I misinterpreting you? Very well could be the latter-- my mind doesn't feel like it's cranking at full capacity today

 

I'm as curious as you are about the future. Were people truly drawn to Bernie's policy? I've seen a few studies doubting it. It may have just been the right message for the moment, raging at the establishment. If that's the case, could a Cory Booker run in 2020 with a more moderate platform and still draw their support?

No you got it right! It's why after several weeks of very frustrating conversations and debate we haven't spoken since spring. In his mind it's an immigration issue - and he loved the fact that we could potentially eliminate that from happening here. (Where he lives they've accepted Syrian refugees.)

 

I hate to say this, he was a very liberal, fair minded kid from NE that moved away because of the closed mindedness of our state and he married a European, who has shown some of her true colors regarding ethnicities other than white. They've become kind of isolated where they are and she's totally gotten into his head. The ironic part is they are both immigrants in the country they live in! They've benefitted from health insurance and etc there. It's been difficult to watch him become so bitter and mean. He is the exact bigot we've spent so much time talking about on this board. And he's loud about it. The positive thing, or ironic if you think about it, is I don't think he has ever voted in an election. Certainly he didn't this year, so getting an earful from him on the topic, and from his wife who isn't able to vote was ridiculous.

 

I think Bernie's policy was an exciting one, and legitimate. But his campaign reminded me a little bit (showing my age here) of Jackson's in 88. I think a lot of people hopped on because it was novel and they wanted to make a statement. The thing is I think people would have hung in there with him, more so than Hillary at least. If he would have selected Warren as VP forget about it!

 

Now Cory Booker has my attention, and has since I learned about all he did in Newark. It seems he is less progressive than I'd like, but hell at this point I'd take anything that's not red. I need to read more about the guy that's been earmarked for DNC, as well as some of the younger Dems.

[zoogs]

Immigration, change, and encountering a lot of people different from yourself in culture and language is a stressful thing. Across any political divide, it will create such reactions. It's really, really hard not to.

 

Granted, I think we need to be taking our fair share of Syrian refugees. But as the numbers ramp up, it won't go smoothly. It will be a challenge.

 

Ok, serious question though -- what's going to happen with the US policy on Syrian refugees now?

[NM11046]

I think it's likely to get stopped or slowed down dramatically Zoogs, and I'm with you - we need to do more not less.

 

I may have posted this in the past, but I think about it a lot. I was at the Holocaust Museum in DC a few months ago and was shocked to see the details on this moment of WWII history that I had no clue about. For me it rang eerily familiar to the Syria situation and the fact that people against taking them in here in the US say it's because they're muslims, and muslims are killing us. History repeating itself.

 

http://www.smithsonianmag.com/history/us-government-turned-away-thousands-jewish-refugees-fearing-they-were-nazi-spies-180957324/?no-ist

[Danny Bateman]

As is the case with healthcare, Trump's maligned our "broken" immigration system and fear-mongered about who we let in while obscuring any real plans for it beyond "ban the Muslims." That evolved into "stop immigration from areas of terrorism," whatever that means, and here we are.

 

The GOP is about to remember it is a lot harder to govern than complain.

[Danny Bateman]

FWIW, sorry about your brother NM. I missed that post earlier.

 

It's always a bummer when anyone we're close to falls in with bad influences and it changes them, particularly when it's family. That's really a bummer. But don't beat yourself up about it. Completely out of your control. I guess all you can do is love him and keep trying to nudge him to see things your way and hope that some day he can gain a new perspective. We can always hope, right?

I think if Trump's rise showed us one thing, it's that people want to feel special and be promised the world. Obviously Obama had a knack for making people feel that way when he campaigned. I think Clinton was pragmatic to the point of it being detrimental. It's no secret that she modeled her platform so as to not over-promise because she legitimately wanted to deliver on her promises. That's in stark contrast to Bernie and Trump, who both had much more bold platforms.

People probably want to feel fired up and passionate about a candidate more than they want to feel sure they'll accomplish what they say they will.