Politicians and certain journalists tend to treat the American people like idiots and dupes who don’t understand what is happening before their eyes.
- Tuesday’s midterm elections, which will go down in history as a Watergate-level reset of democracy, show that voters were paying attention and reached a boiling point. They didn’t hide it. Polls have consistently shown that all they really care about is rising inflation, job insecurity, an end to war and an end to endemic corruption.
- It was a rejection of excess, incompetence and corruption. People tolerate it in small doses, but eventually reject it.
At a time when people trust institutions less and less, our institutions have held up. The courts have limited the excesses of executive power. The press continued to do its job. The voters did theirs.
- But despite all the worries about America falling apart, democracy waning, or elections eroding, the system worked. Remember: Most Americans are normal and resilient.
- We should celebrate this. Despite everything, America works.
For years, we reminded you of the power of normal America: the vast majority of people — including our brothers and sisters, who are scattered from Oshkosh to Oregon — don’t marinate in cable news, don’t obsess about X, and don’t wake up thinking about Washington.
- They volunteer, they give to good causes, they will help you in times of need.
- They are good, they are fair… and they are intelligent.
Between the lines: This is normal America. Sometimes when we make a difficult decision about journalism or business, we ask ourselves, “What would the person at the bar think?” This is a useful and clarifying indicator for: What would appear to be the case through the lens of common sense and fairness?
- The person at the bar and the voter in the booth didn’t want their football coach kicked out, didn’t want their businesses to collapse because of a dragging war of choice, didn’t want the president’s family and friends to get rich while normal America was breathing.
What we’re looking at: Democrats will be tempted and pushed to go too far. If they overinterpret their mandate as the Republicans did, they will be punished like clockwork.
Here’s what Republicans and Democrats will do the trick if they’re smart: watch Texas. A seemingly impenetrable red state has gone all blue, from the U.S. Senate to the governor’s office to the state legislature. If Democrats manage to hold on to Texas, Republicans will have no path to the presidency.
- Look at what happened in these South Texas border counties. These are the people who demanded stricter borders and punished Democrats when they wouldn’t listen. But these are the same people who say we must end the brutality and targeting of non-violent people. Republicans were wiped out in these areas for not listening.
- Then look at the Texas suburbs, where you’ll find many more mainstream Republicans and moderate Democrats. They looked at Ken Paxton and said he just wasn’t up to the task, even though they might have agreed with him on a lot of ideas. Corruption is never a good thing. Activating and raising it is even worse.
The bottom line: It remains a 50-50 nation – a simple fact that every party and power instantly and constantly ignores. Once again, normal Americans have spoken: ignore or demean them at your peril.
Gn usa
