By Edwin Cooney
I've spent a considerable amount of time since last Tuesday reading what Republicans, Democrats and, especially, professional political prognosticators are predicting for the 2022 election based on the 2021 results. As usual, Republicans were determined and optimistic and Democrats both worried and wondered. Political leaders have a professional obligation and are expected to predict what's coming, but history shows that they are almost as wrong as they are right insofar as accuracy is concerned.
As a student of history and an interested observer of politics, I'm far from purely objective, but I try to always keep in mind both the hopeful and fearful possibilities on both sides of the ballot.
I'm still optimistic insofar as President Biden's prospects, but I realize full well that he has to come through with some results if he's to deserve re-election in 2024. In the meantime, his party has to demonstrate to the voter that it can unite and thereby benefit the voter between now and next November if it's to be useful to President Biden in 2023 and 2024. Even more, you can be sure that no one understands the need to bring home the “political bacon” more than President Joseph Robinette Biden. One of the basic differences between President Trump and President Biden is that Joe Biden lacks Donald Trump's sense of personal entitlement.
There were two major lessons brought home to Democrats last Tuesday, November 2nd. The first is that it's not enough to expect political success due to Donald Trump's personal worthiness or unworthiness. There are too many matters of vital concern to voters despite what you or I may think about Donald Trump or "Trumpism." After all, the fate of Donald Trump is secondary to issues such as the state of the national economy, the dangers of climate change, the most effective way to conquer Covid-19, or other priorities. The second lesson is that too often Democrats appear to indulge in "identity politics" at the expense of practical politics. Voters generally vote on issues that directly affect their lives rather than merely issues that soothe their sense of justice. The public is not ready to abandon effective and efficient law enforcement in exchange for ill-defined rules and regulations aimed toward defunding police departments. The public rightfully demands that it be protected to the maximum degree possible against the public marauder.
The fact of the matter is that at the heart of both Republican and Democratic agendas is the conviction that each possesses a monopoly on what's essential to the public interest. It's this conviction that gives ideologues permission never to compromise and work in unity for the common good. All powerful concepts and ideas need adequate regulation just as all sporting activities require umpiring and officialdom. Government also needs to be regulated. Back in the 1930s, FDR asserted: "The only sure bulwark of continuing liberty is a government strong enough to maintain the interests of the people and a people strong enough and well enough informed to maintain its sovereign control over its government."
A society without government is ultimately no society at all and a society that's all government is despotic. The government of the United States will be more highly regarded when political leaders finally face the fact that perpetual political hostility is invariably destructive to the well-being of a free, productive, and a happy people. When liberals advocate that which is unachievable through legislation, they're little more than the representatives of garden-variety troublemakers. When conservatives demonize all practical social remedies to bring about human equity, they are merely the representatives of self-important and aggrandizing opportunists.
The real value of off-year election results is that they provide the opportunity for proponents and opponents of all issues and ideals to strut their stuff thus predicting political doom for their opponents and ultimate victory for themselves.
Perhaps the most encouraging aspect of this last week's set of elections is this: no losing Democrat claimed that he or she was illegally cheated of election or re-election. Last year, too many Republicans cried over the success that elected Joe Biden at the top of the ballot while praising the legitimacy of the 2020 election results, which favored them, down the ballot.
So, let the Republicans brag about themselves and let the Democrats rag on one another. Just be sure to let both of them guess how you're going to vote in 2022 or any other year!
RESPECTFULLY SUBMITTED,
EDWIN COONEY
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