A Labor Day Political Hodge Podge – “The Sunday Political Brunch” - September 4, 2022

Sunday, September 04, 2022

Mark Curtis, MINDSETTER™

 

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President Joe Biden, PHOTO: White House

In even-numbered years, Labor Day marks the unofficial kick-off to the November election. In truth, anymore, the political season starts at least a year earlier and is a whole lot more intense before Labor Day. Quite honestly, if you wait until the September holiday to launch your final push, you may just be too late. That is why this past week, we saw politicians clearly lobbing salvos from both sides of the aisle. Let’s “brunch” on that this weekend.

 

“’The Malaise Speech’ Volume Two” – In my opinion, the address to the nation Thursday night by President Biden, may be one of the worst in my lifetime. It was similar to the infamous “Malaise Speech” from President Jimmy Carter in 1979, that helped sink his chances for a second term. No matter your politics, no one wants to hear the negative notion that your country is going in the toilet. Optimism and fixing shared problems are part of the American spirit. Ronald Reagan and Barack Obama both had the gift of inspiring people. What we got this week was “Debbie Downer,” with little evidence. Biden said, “Donald Trump and the MAGA Republicans represent an extremism that threatens the very foundations of our republic.” Knowing it would be a political, and not a policy speech, the broadcast networks chose not to air it. That’s telling.

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“Words Have Meaning” – Among the things President Carter said in his 1979 speech about the oil crisis was, “I began to ask myself the same question that I now know has been troubling many of you: ‘Why have we not been able to get together as a nation to resolve our serious energy problem?’” It did not engender confidence. People wanted to hear hope, not despair. They wanted to hear U.S. strength, not perceived weakness.  Carter lost, and policies changed. The U.S. in now the world’s largest oil-producing nation.

 

“Fuel on the Fire” -- In Biden’s defense, I believe he was responding to Sen. Lindsey Graham (R) South Carolina who said on a Sunday talk show there "will be riots in the street" if Trump faces legal charges after the search of his Mar-a-Lago home, where top secret documents were found. Though I think that was more irresponsible hyperbole on Graham’s part and not a real call to arms. (As a longtime military lawyer, Graham should know better). Still, after the attack on January 6, 2021, you have to take such talk seriously. But if I were Biden, I would have responded to Graham’s statement at the law enforcement level, and not in a nationwide address. The speech was akin to pouring more gas on the fire. I wonder if it might drive more Republican to the polls in November, hurting Democrats chances of holding control of the House and Senate.

 

“Battle for the Soul of the Nation” – The president is a savvy politician. He’s been around and in the game for a long, long time. That said, sometimes, so many years in power can create the feeling of arrogance and inevitability, and that can be a fatal flaw. Among those who did not appreciate the speech was Sen. Joe Manchin (D-WV) who likes to tout himself as the most bipartisan lawmaker, and an uniter not a divider in the Senate. Manchin told me Friday, “I don’t like partisan speeches when it comes from either side, Democrat or Republican. When they get up and just say, ‘Our side‘s the best, the other side’s not.’ It takes us all. This is the United States, not the divided states.”  Of Biden’s speech, Manchin, who is no Donald Trump fan, added, “I didn’t think it was appropriate to do that.”

 

“Lost in Space” – I’m not saying Biden was wrong, but his timing was badly misplaced. Had he given this speech on January 10, 2021, after the Capitol riots, he would likely have been right on point. But 19 months later, he seems to be telegraphing another attack might be coming, without presenting any evidence. Now if he has access to intelligence that another domestic election attack is coming, that’s one thing. But law enforcement would find such a high-level public leak troubling. So far in 2022, more than thirty states have run successful primaries and run-offs with not a hint of violence, or electoral impropriety, or the disruption that Biden has suggested by MAGA forces.

 

“Rank Choice Voting is Rank in My Opinion” – Saying something is “rank” means it smells bad. Call me old school, as I am a big supporter of “one person-one vote” and whoever gets the majority of votes wins. As you’ve in this column for more than a decade, I love the concept of bipartisanship and forging shared agreement on key issues, when possible. But I’m not a Pollyanna, as I know the bipartisan dream is more the exception than the rule. With that in mind, I hate this new system of ranked-choice voting that is underway in Alaska for the first time this year. Former Governor Sarah Palin (R) is trying to launch a political comeback by running for the state’s lone seat in the U.S. House of Representatives. In the primary, the top-four vote-getters advance to the November election. Then voters get to rank their choices from one-thru-four. Under this system, you can theoretically get the most “first place” votes, but lose the race, if most other voters rank you in last place, and your opponent gets the lion’s share of second and third place votes. This is happening elsewhere, too. Why? Let voters vote, and the top vote-getter, regardless of party, wins. It’s worked for two-and-a-half centuries. Why change? Palin or the other finalists could win the seat outright, only to lose in the rank choice math. Let the winner, win!

 

“Abortion Commotion” – Speaking of majority rule, what about voters deciding the abortion issue in their own states? Abortion rights supporters in Michigan are trying to get a ballot referendum for November. But a state ballot committee tied along party lines, so now the Michigan Supreme Court must rule and time is running out. Unless ballots are printed by September 9th, the issue is dead for this year. Democrats in West Virginia tried a similar move but missed the 90-day pre-election deadline date. Still, the issue will remain hot in 2022 and 2024.

Mark Curtis, Ed.D., is Chief Political Reporter for the seven Nexstar Media TV stations serving West Virginia, its five neighboring states and the entire Washington, DC media market. He is also a MINDSETTER™ contributing political writer and analyst for www.GoLocalProv.com and its affiliates.


 

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