HOW REPUBLICANS CAN GAIN TOTAL CONTROL ON 5NOVEMBER2024.

I regularly make fun of Republicans.  That Trump quote from People magazine, for example, was false.  As you must know, the 2022 term is gaslighting.  I'm honestly trying to do Republicans a favor today.  For my nostalgic posting, I revert to 16April2011, almost a dozen years ago:

SIMPLE SOLUTIONS FOR REPUBLICANS

Remember, this was about now, 12 years ago when then President Barack Obama's prospects for re-election did not appear bright, and as late at Labor Day in 2011 his approval rating plunged to a new low.  To quote Brookings (which is a liberal think tank):

Economic growth was mediocre, unemployment remained stubbornly high, and the public’s confidence in the future was waning. The president seemed unable to find a credible narrative to explain his plans; worse, he seemed to have lost the connection with the people that had fueled his remarkable victory in 2008. 

Democrats:

• Characterized opponent Mitt Romney as a heartless plutocrat, and his running mate was Rep. Paul Ryan.  

• 
  They easily had Senate control with 53 Democrats (plus two Independents who voted with them), and lost only 8 House seats.  
• Latino votes rose significantly for Obama and Democrats.  
• A crack was that Obama, who had 52% of the Independent votes in 2008, only got 45%.

• 
  The Tea Party, extreme Republicans, were a party problem.
• But Independents gave Democrats the margin of victory.
• Well, Obama won with 332 electoral votes, 206 for Romney.

But 5November24 can be a different story for Republicans.  For one, only 10 of 33 Senate seats up for re-election are Republican seats.  The other 23 are Democrats, or Independents voting Democratic.

About the House, get organized and do a few meaningful things.  Sure, there are only 217 Republicans and 213 Democrats, but don't look like fools on opening day.  An interesting point is that there are today 5 vacancies, which will still need to be filled through the normal election process.  The odds on all five becoming Democratic are nil.

So what did Republicans do today?  They failed to install Kevin McCarthy as their speaker on the first two ballots.  Not getting this done on Day 1 has happened before...but that was a century ago.  So what next?  Who knows.  A terrible start to what can still be a remarkable 2024.  But maybe someone not so sycophantically pro-Trump might be what the party needs today as speaker.

In the Senate, Minority Leader Mitch McConnell will join President Joe Biden in Kentucky on January 5 to together show partisan cooperation about the national economy.  Good strategy for Republicans to appear to be cooperative in the Senate, and let the House neutralize anything of import...if they can.

Other simple solutions:

• Do something about Donald Trump.  Find a way to make him a nonentity as soon as possible.  While you're at this, reject notions of unfair elections.  Urge voters to vote, even by mail.
• About the Supreme Court, make sure they don't pass another abortion-type ruling to rile Democrats.
• Go softer on immigration to gain more Hispanic votes.

• 
  On 8November2022 Republican House candidates only got 38% of independent votes.  If you win up to 50%, you will win the White House and both houses of Congress.  Don't just say Biden is bad, Democrats are bad, etc., etc.  Take control of the discussion, talk positives.
• Work for peace in Ukraine.  Any war helps the incumbent.

The scary thing is that Republicans might actually take my recommendations and enjoy a 5November2024 landslide.  The nation has had Republicans in total control before, and the USA continued to progress.  The Trump years were appalling, but potential leaders on the Republican horizon not named Donald Trump (and maybe McCarthy will join him on the sidelines) appears to be tolerable.  At least Democracy will not be threatened.

I'll end with some boogie woogie featuring Cole Lam and Dr K.  Go on, start your new year right, click on that.  Ah, one more:  Electric Light Orchestra with Don't Bring Me Down.

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