The GOP Lives on a Different Planet
If we needed proof that Republicans live in a different world than most of the voters, the most recent elections provided it.
Republicans in New Jersey talked long and loudly about capturing at least one house of our legislature. They were confident and then the votes were counted. The Democratic state senate stayed in place by a 25 to 15 margin and the assembly majority gained at least five seats. Campaigning against transgender kids, health education in schools and a winking nod to the book banners was not a formula for success. The GOP in New Jersey and other states worked themselves into a lather pushing these views. They were convinced by talking to each other.
Virginia’s Republican Governor Youngkin had ambitious plans for new abortion restrictions when his party took control of both houses of the state’s legislature. The Republicans hoped not only to curb abortions but also to cut tax rates, weaken environmental protections and make it more difficult to vote. The voters thought and acted differently. Youngkin thought a ban on abortions after 15 weeks was the key to winning and he aggressively campaigned on that premise. The voters said, no, the decision on abortion is not the government’s.
Ohio’s anti-choice crowd worked hard at stopping a referendum enshrining abortion rights in the state constitution. First, Ohio Republicans held a costly special election in an attempt to make it more difficult for voters to amend the state constitution. In a resounding failure for the Ohio GOP, voters overwhelmingly rejected the proposal, opting to keep the current method of passing citizen-led amendments. Now, the Ohio Republican legislators are showing their true colors by saying they will ignore the will of the voters and prevent state courts from considering the changes in the state constitution. Ignore the votes? What a novel concept.
In Kentucky Democratic Gov. Andy Beshear won a second term as Kentucky’s governor after Republican PACs targeted “transgender rights” and in an example of their extreme insensitivity, told voters that Beshear would bring “the $ billion Transgender Industry” to their state. Voters didn’t buy it.
An expensive race for a state supreme court seat in Pennsylvania went to Democrat Dan McCaffery who voiced strong support for abortion rights.
Why is this happening? Republicans seem to be talking to each other and not the voters and that echo chamber causes a distortion in reality. Witness Tom Kean Jr. of NJ 7 who ducks both the press and his constituents at every chance. He then votes for a budget bill which not only would have cut basic safety net services favored by a large majority of voters, but also cuts $750 million and 80,000 slots from the Head Start Program, an anti-poverty program widely viewed as successful.
The new speaker of the house, Mike Johnson, wants to cut social security and food programs. Who told him this was a popular idea? His fellow hard-right colleagues and his well-heeled donors, that’s who. Apparently, he doesn’t talk to real people.
Lyndon B. Johnson, 36th President and hard ball senator from Texas, once said the one skill a politician has to have is the ability to count. Republicans seem to be able to do that, but only in limited groups of those who agree with them.
In Virginia and Ohio, MILLIONS were spent to distort the truth about the abortion issue! Do people in Ohio and Virginia really believe that a baby should be aborted up till birth? NO WAY! In almost all of the races where Republicans lost, they cowardly let the Democrats define them on abortion, spending BIG money in doing so. Repeat a lie often enough and the people believe it to be true when it’s NOT! The dastardly Democrats have this down to a science!
Kentucky’s legislature is still SOLID Republican and Republicans ran against the graphic LGBT curriculum being taught in the public schools. Those Republicans WON!!!
Beshear’s family is an institution in Kentucky, and he’s one of the few right-leaning Democrats in Kentucky and governs like a Republican. Notice, NO blue wave in Kentucky! And there won’t be in the near future!
The distortions on Speaker Mike Johnson are so inaccurate and would only be brought out by one who couldn’t pass a 101 Journalism class!
Nice try!
Get a grip Henry. Democrats won big this election, that’s an undeniable fact. Stop regurgitating extremist talking points! Do you know what a 9 month abortion is called? Giving birth! Voters overwhelmingly support pro-choice candidates and policies, and it isn’t because they’re being tricked, it’s because rep*blican extremists are just that, Extreme!
LOL! Spoken like a true delirious leftist! Read my post again. I know they won, however, the demagogic fear-mongering abortion issue will only go so far. If the pusillanimous Republicans ever learn how to handle it, that issue will actually go against the Democrats!
A 9-month abortion is called giving birth?! That’s a new one. If it wasn’t so SICK, it might be funny.
Tom Kean, Jr. is not Tom Kean, Sr. Tepid, indecisive and weak. Contrast his demeanor in the age of Trump with his former running mate, Jon Bramnick. While Tommy Junior cows from expressing his views, Jon Bramnick represents the New Jersey Republican Party of Tom Senior . He represents the party’s return to sanity and prudent public policy rather than hate filled, partisanship and divisive rhetoric.
I now worry about Kean Sr. since he stated Trump is unfit to serve as president, again. https://www.newsweek.com/former-gop-governor-jan-6-testimony-makes-trump-look-unhinged-1721227
Kean Sr is now among the ‘vermin’ to be rooted out according to Trump, in comments this past weekend. Will Jr be the one to march his dad to the gulag?
Concerning House Speaker Mike Johnson in the initial comment, a 2019 FDIC survey finds that nearly 49% of individuals do not have enough money to meet a bank account’s minimum balance requirement, nearly 36% do not trust banks, nearly 36% try to avoid banks for more privacy, nearly 34% think that bank fees are too high, and nearly 31% think that bank fees are too unpredictable. Maybe Speaker Mike Johnson is paid by the federal government with checks that he takes to a check-cashing service, a payroll debt card, an online money app, bills and coins, or the equivalent in cheese that he resells.
Democrats and Republicans politicians in NJ need to address the 800 lb. gorilla in the room. In 2030 three million New Jerseyans will hit retirement age of 62 or older. That’s 1/3 of the population of the entire state. How many of those seniors are going to stay in NJ with the current highest property taxes in the nation, and top 3 in cost-of-living in the nation??? I daresay that the Democrats are going to lose a majority of their tax base to other states. And, the only fault lies at the Democrats’ feet for not de-coupling education taxes from property taxes, and reducing the income, sales and gasoline taxes.