THOUGHTS ON WHERE WE STAND NOW [WITH QUESTION FROM PAUL]
The presidential election seems to be going South and a Joe Biden administration may be in the offing. It is a bitter pill to swallow and I am profoundly depressed. Nevertheless, here are a few mostly-optimistic observations on the current scene.
* My guess is that in a perfect world, where only legal voters vote, and everyone votes only once, President Trump won the election. The problem is that, while there is ample evidence of many instances of voter fraud as well as innocent mistakes, there is no time to investigate them thoroughly and “prove”–as the press keeps demanding–that fraud or error swayed the election in a particular state. This is an inherent problem that can be solved only by better electoral procedures, which the Democrats will fight to the bitter end.
* Investigative journalism no longer exists, so the press outlets demanding that President Trump prove the prevalence of voter fraud will themselves do absolutely nothing to investigate whether the election was honestly decided.
* Trump is right to play his hand to the end. Lawsuits are pending in several states, and it may or may not prove possible to overturn the result in any state. In all likelihood, it won’t. But the Democrats shouldn’t be allowed to get away, unchallenged, with what in some cases was blatant fraud and abuse of the election process. It is outrageous, to cite just one example, that in some jurisdictions, Republican election judges and ballot counters were physically barred from the premises by Democrats. Trump will do a signal service if he shines a light on such abuses.
* Liberals are again indulging their fantasy that President Trump will refuse to acknowledge Biden’s victory and have to be dragged out of the White House. This is just one more sign that progressives are crazy. Of course no such thing will happen. But the Electoral College decides the outcome of the election, the New York Times does not.
* Other than the presidential race, the election went well for Republicans, contrary to most predictions. The GOP gained quite a few seats in the House, the exact number still undetermined. But it is clear that Nancy Pelosi will begin 2021 with one of the smallest House majorities in a long time. At the State level, Republicans did well. The Democrats failed to flip a single state legislative chamber, and Republicans will be in charge of redistricting in most states, including most swing states. Which could be one of the most important long-term consequences of this year’s election.
* Which leaves the Senate. Control will depend on the outcome of two runoff races in Georgia. If Democrats win both, the Senate will be tied 50-50, with Kamala Harris wielding the deciding vote. But I am confident that won’t happen. It is true that Democrats will pour unfathomable amounts of money into Georgia to try to flip those seats, but this year’s results remind us that money, beyond a certain level, is more or less irrelevant, especially when it is spent on television advertising. Witness the fact that Mitch McConnell and Lindsey Graham won re-election easily. Republicans still represent the largest voting bloc in Georgia, which is why David Perdue and Kelly Loeffler won pluralities in their races. Beyond that is the fact that many Americans prefer divided government. If the question posed to Georgians is whether they want the Democrats to control the presidency, the House and the Senate, the answer will be No.
* For Republicans, the future is bright. 2022 shapes up as a great year. Beyond the advantage that the out-party always enjoys in a new president’s first midterms, the Democrats will have to come to grips with the fact that they nominated and elected a man who is not able, either physically or mentally, to discharge the duties of his office. What will Biden’s White House calendar look like? 8:00 breakfast, 9:00 lid? By November 2022, Biden may not even be president. Republicans should be able to take the House and expand their lead in the Senate, where the landscape will be much more favorable.
* If you feel disappointed in this month’s election, check out what the “progressives” are saying. They are in despair over their failure to do better, and as usual they blame their party’s saner wing. (The Democrats are so far gone that their sane wing consists of those who recognize that socialism, rioting, looting and arson, if not necessarily wrong, are politically inconvenient.) The Democratic Party will be in a state of civil war for the next two years, with its bitterly opposed factions vying for influence in an administration ostensibly run by a man who has little idea what is going on.
* By 2024, Biden will be out of the picture and the Republicans will field a stable of formidable presidential candidates. Marco Rubio reminded us what a terrific politician he is with his work on behalf of President Trump, and, speaking Spanish like a native, he should be able to build on Donald Trump’s success in drawing Hispanic voters into the GOP tent. Tom Cotton is one of the smartest people in Washington, respected by all and beloved by the party’s conservative wing. Kristi Noem, almost unknown outside her home state a year ago, was one of the most popular Trump surrogates on the campaign trail and has vaulted into the presidential preference polls. Mike Pence is solidly boring and acceptable to all elements of the party, and his low-maintenance style could be welcome after what promises to be four bizarre years under some combination of Biden and Harris. And others will emerge.
In short, we conservatives should be of good cheer. The battle for freedom is never won. It must always be renewed. We will dust ourselves off and get back into the fight.
PAUL ASKS: What if Trump decides to run in 2024?
