Forgive me for being a dinosaur, but I remember a time when Congressman and I believed we were on the edge of a great philosophical divide in America.
It was a dizzying time. The 1994 graduates, dubbed “majority makers,” became the first Republican majority in 40 years. So it was easy to assume that our policy struggles would shape American politics for generations to come.
Led by Speaker Newt Gingrich, we engaged the political left that the majority expected to last forever. Thus, each camp has its own set of questions, such as the “fair” capital gains tax rate or the controversial federal death tax, the likely impact of multilateral trade agreements and the merits of union organizing rights, whether extended Medicaid benefits are reasonable, and so on. fiercely contested over the important issue of Is it discouraging work motivation? Are community activists exercising undue influence over mortgage originations within local banks? (Related: Bob Ehrlich: White Collar Radicals Take Over ‘Workers’ Party’)
In football parlance, it was the politics that took place “during the 20s,” the gun-versus-butter paradigm familiar to American voters. There was no reason to believe that a crucial issue would make a significant change. we were wrong
Fast-forward to today, and it looks like there’s an argument going on between the 20-somethings. so Outdated.We are currently operating in a progressive manner red zone. In fact, the all-consuming awakened culture has redefined the methods, means, and goals of political warfare, and American culture itself. Even more confusing is that each party has changed positions on a number of key issues. Newly appointed executives have undermined the once-strong ties between the Republican Party and the Chamber of Commerce. The dissenters and free-speech liberals of the ’60s now operate behind milk cartons, while progressives happy to cancel them dominate social media. Blue-collar unionists in the private sector are now a credible new part of the Republican base. And, believe it or not, the once-very anti-war left … aggressively pro-war … while the once-hawkish Republicans hate the “endless war” of America’s I signed up for a new faction of nationalism.
All this confusion leads to an interesting false equivalence, which is becoming more and more common in public debate.
My context is a political discussion with moderate/liberal friends about our political dire situation (there are many). Here I see how progressives are tackling America’s political landscape (and its red zone) through on-campus speech repression, elementary school sexual curricula, teacher union-stealing custody and the promotion of biological men. Note that we have fundamentally changed the Women’s sports, and … at that point I was interrupted and told:both The party is really insane. ” (Related: Betsy McCawgy: The Democrats Ditched the Working Class for the Party of Nomads)
My immediate diagnosis: a false equivalence narrative that compares an entire (Trump-inspired) social and cultural agenda to one man’s polarizing personality on the one hand) here’s why: 1.) It is much easier to deny the reality of awakened people. than dealing with culture. (2.) Many center-left voters can’t seem to associate “normal” or “normal” with rude threats from Queens.
There is one more thing that is equally disturbing. Progressives see Trump as the evil candidate of today, but it will be just a few years before Governor DeSantis, Senator Scott, Ambassador Haley, Vice President Pence, or any other right wing think so. deaf. mantle. (Hey, it’s already started. Just this week, a Tony Award presenter called Governor DeSantis Florida’s “current archmagic.”) Look, it’s the left. needs Republicans demonized to participate in this “plague on both families” game. If not, acknowledge what we, the 1994 class, couldn’t have imagined: the progressive policies, culture, and language that Governor Sarah Huckabee not long ago characterized simply as “crazy.” will be required.
It’s hard to argue with that.
Bob Erlich is a former Maryland governor, congressman, and state legislator. He is the author of his five books on American politics, as well as opinion articles that have appeared in major American newspapers and periodicals. He and his wife Kendell can be heard on the weekly podcast Bottom Line with Bob & Kendel Ehrlich.
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