Happy New Year Blog for Arizona Readers.
It is an even year so that means there will be major national, statewide, and local races across the country. The major headline of course will be the probable 2020 Presidential rematch between Joe ‘I Saved the Country’ Biden and Donald ‘I Killed Roe v Wade’ Trump.
In the political mystery of the decade, some polls show the twice impeached, twice popular vote loser, twice David Duke endorsed, found liable for sexual assault, the person responsible for taking away a woman’s reproductive freedom, and four-time indicted Liar in Chief and January 6 Domestic Insurrectionist Instigator, competitive and leading in some instances.
Other polls show the MAGA party is more trusted to handle vital issues like the economy, crime, foreign policy, and the border.
One recent poll shows Mr. Trump leading among Latinos or Young voters.
These polls are living proof of why there should be more history and civic education in K-12 education and college in order to make better informed citizens.
It is mystifying that polls (no matter how far away from the election and how unreliable) give the Trumpists, Republicans, and MAGA fanatics such advantages considering their track record including:
- Which party was in power when 9/11 occurred?
- Which party was in power when this nation went into an ill-advised war and occupation in Iraq?
- Which party enacted debt-busting tax cuts for the rich in 2001, 2003, and 2017 that did not pay for themselves?
- Which party aggravated the situation on the Southern Border by not supporting a Comprehensive Immigration Reform Plan that some of their own leaders helped write?
- Which party approved Supreme Court Justices that have taken away a woman’s reproductive freedom and health care options?
- Which party was guilty of publicly mishandling the spread of the Coronavirus Pandemic?
- Which party did not support combatting climate change, fighting rising global temperatures, and reducing the costs of prescription drugs?
- Which party is the one who has shown a repeated willingness to shut down the economy with a government shutdown and create chaos and financial friction? Look for a big confrontation in the first weeks of 2024.
- Which party is aiding Vladimir Putin by holding up aid to Ukraine?
- Which party has Presidential Candidates that say they will pardon the currently four-time indicted and found liable for sexual assault of former White House occupant? Remember how well that decision worked for President Gerald Ford in the 1976 elections. So much for being for Law and Order.
With that track record and the poor quality of Republican Presidential candidates, President Biden and Vice President Harris should be leading in the polls in all 50 states.
This year, the election will be decided over four general issues: The economy, law and order (that includes public safety and border security,) freedom (that includes reproduction, civil rights, and protecting Democracy,) and a vision for tomorrow.
On the four major issues that should decide this election, there is really no contest.
The Economy
Look at the economic performance of the country in 2023. Job Growth is steady including in the Green Collar sector of clean energy. The unemployment rate is under four percent. Inflation is down. Incomes for all socioeconomic groups are up with the working class getting the highest raise of all.
Bideonomics: The Biden/Harris philosophy of building the economy from the Bottom Up and the Middle Out and the programs it has signed into law like the Infrastructure Law, CHIPS Act, American Rescue Plan, and Inflation Reduction Act seems to be contributing some positive results going into 2024.
Law and Order?
Let us discuss the border surge in the South? Which party is holding up funding to beef up border security so it could formalize draconian MAGA immigration goals? Also, remember that it was the Republicans who have made this situation worse by not embracing Comprehensive Immigration Reform.
The crime rate. Despite an unhealthy dose of misinformation, it is actually falling with homicides “plummeting.”
Freedom.
Look at what these Republicans are campaigning for? Limiting access to the ballot box. Taking away reproductive freedom and women’s health care options. Restricting what you can read in school. Letting businesses decide whether they can discriminate against LGBTQ individuals and couples. Banning Muslims from entering the country (those people not thrilled with the Biden reaction to the war in Gaza should consider the alternative if they chose to sit out, support a third-party candidate, or actually vote for Trump.)
Not exactly a freedom agenda a major political party should be promoting in the Twenty-First Century. This is more an American Nazi Party Agenda which sadly the former Party of Lincoln, after decades of embracing Dixicrat positions, has become.
A Vision for Tomorrow.
Which party is offering an agenda that promotes Democracy, an inclusive society where everyone is equal, social justice policies that protect civil liberties and lift people up, reproductive freedom, common sense law and order initiatives, comprehensive immigration reform, and investments in clean energy and the future industries of tomorrow?
Not the party whose lead Presidential contender says immigrants from the nonwhite parts of the world are poisoning the blood.
On issue after issue that should decide this 2024 election, Republicans are failing miserably.
Voters need to recognize that and elect the public servants who will work to grow the economy, lift people up, promote law and order, protect freedom, and lay out a vision for tomorrow.
You seriously need to add the climate and protecting our fragile environment
Barbara Warren, MD, MPH
PC, LD 20
I mention combatting climate change and promoting clean energy a couple of times in the article.