With November 6th rapidly approaching, it is a good time to walk away from the noise and conflation and media spin and talk about what is going on in our country and how voters make a difference. Currently, unemployment has decreased and more people are working. In a normal cycle, that would bode well for the incumbents. However, with healthcare expenses, property taxes, inflation and other factors, workers are not seeing the benefits of income tax cuts. With Congress looking to change Social Security and public healthcare in ways that are not looking good for those who need them, social insecurity seems to be the mantra of the day. Add to this the ongoing struggle of immigrants and asylum seekers, a military whose actions are largely stealth operations with lack of media coverage, a leader who is arguably the most divisive of any to date, and it leaves a lot of room for improvement.
On the other hand, what does the other side offer?
According to The Hill
A reasonable question to ask is what about the things that matter to younger and poorer voters? Certainly skills training and affordable college tuition are helpful (and not on the other side's agenda). What about paid family leave, childcare supports, supports for nutrition programs and addressing the environment and climate change? What about reforming the criminal justice system, addressing sensible drug policy? These are important issues for a group of voters who may not show up, if they don't see the benefit directly to them.
People who follow politics understand that it is the down the ticket races that are super important because if the Republican agenda keeps growing at the state level, more and more people will feel the tightening of its grip on their personal choices, on their wallets, and the safety net that has served generations well since the Great Depression. But the average voter does not vote big picture.
The cult of personality is a funny thing. Despite the divisiveness of Trump, he is not running at this time and voters who support him are going to support whoever makes sense to them. If the Blue Wave turns into washout, it will likely be because the message missed a really important point: give the people what they want and, more importantly, what they need.
On the other hand, what does the other side offer?
According to The Hill
House Minority Whip Steny Hoyer (D-Md.) said recently he’d “focus like a laser on job creation, infrastructure and skills training investment.”
Rep. Joseph Crowley (N.Y.), chairman of the House Democratic Caucus, said he’d like to prioritize health-care access, affordable college tuition and oversight of the Trump administration.
Rep. Linda Sánchez (Calif.), vice chairman of the Democratic Caucus, added another item to the list: retirement security.
And Pelosi on Tuesday named four items on her wish list: infrastructure, campaign finance reform, tougher gun restrictions and help for the Dreamers — immigrants brought to the country illegally when they were children. She noted that Democrats have been urging Speaker Paul Ryan (R-Wis.) to take up all those issues before the elections.
“We’d be hard put to call on the Speaker to do it, and then when we win, not do it,” Pelosi said.
A reasonable question to ask is what about the things that matter to younger and poorer voters? Certainly skills training and affordable college tuition are helpful (and not on the other side's agenda). What about paid family leave, childcare supports, supports for nutrition programs and addressing the environment and climate change? What about reforming the criminal justice system, addressing sensible drug policy? These are important issues for a group of voters who may not show up, if they don't see the benefit directly to them.
People who follow politics understand that it is the down the ticket races that are super important because if the Republican agenda keeps growing at the state level, more and more people will feel the tightening of its grip on their personal choices, on their wallets, and the safety net that has served generations well since the Great Depression. But the average voter does not vote big picture.
The cult of personality is a funny thing. Despite the divisiveness of Trump, he is not running at this time and voters who support him are going to support whoever makes sense to them. If the Blue Wave turns into washout, it will likely be because the message missed a really important point: give the people what they want and, more importantly, what they need.
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