Bob, Bob, Bob. I think you've been getting a bit too much of that lovely Southern California sun. Conversely, what is in that Kool-Aid that you're drinking? You are certainly a loyal Democrat, and one of that tiny majority who believes that Joe Biden is redeemable, and that Democrts in 2022 will buck the mid-term trend of historic losses. Even FiveThirtyEight--no conservative outlet--thinks that it's not looking good for the Dems. https://fivethirtyeight.com/features/why-the-presidents-party-almost-always-has-a-bad-midterm/
So here I am to rain on your parade as well. I really want to address some of the points you raised in your--as usual--well-written piece. You mention several areas where I guess you think Democrats can mount some kind of argument against conventional wisdom. What's glaringly missing are other cultural touchstones on American minds in which Democrats have basically screwed themselves.
In no particular order, my "answer" to your discussion on inflation, that it is a supply/demand issue, is that yours is simplistic and does not address our current inflationary cycle. We are in a recession (yes, we are) thanks in large part to crazy spending: the American "Rescue" Plan, passed without a single Republican vote, was probably the single largest driver of inflation over the past year. The American economy was recovering--we did not need trillions of free, unearned dollars flooding the marketplace. Governor Abbott only recently started slowing truck traffic at the border, so that's a non-factor for nationwide supply chain issues. Your gas prices are higher than mine, and at $4.19/gallon, that's still $1.50 more than I was paying when Trump was president. You didn't use the phrase "putin price hike", but it was in there with your reference to Ukraine. Sure, that has an impact, but I was paying $4.19 before Putin invaded.
Covid. Are you one of those people who drives around in your car with a mask on? Masks--cloth or paper--do nothing to stop the spread of Covid. Mask mandates are harmful, especailly to children, who are now the only ones in NYS to have to wear them. It's cruel and unnecessary. You want to wear a mask? Go right ahead. I wouldn't stop anyone--immunocompromised or otherwise--who feels comfortable wearing a mask. Thanks to Operation Warp Speed (vaccine development under Trump) we now have a fighting chance against Covid. I didn't see that mentioned in your list.
Regarding your complaint about the Trump-appointed judge who rolled back the mandate nationwide, where was your complaining when one judge rolled back Trump's Covid travel restrictions when the pandemic started? I guess that was fine and dandy. Restrictions which Joe Biden implemented when a new variant came to town.
Regarding CRT, I'm surprised to see you so inaccurately spouting off about that. Take a look: https://areomagazine.com/2022/01/18/yes-children-are-being-taught-critical-race-theory-in-k-12-schools-in-the-us/
Actually, it isn't only CRT that's an issue in public education. As retired public school teachers, I think we both have pride in the work we did and our interactions with children. In my local school district, an English teacher (with whom I worked for many years) gave an assignment to her 10th graders to write an essay describing someone they admire. The father of one of her students, a friend of my husband's, told him that when his son wrote about Donald Trump, she failed him. Lest you think this is a kid who is some kind of idiot, let me tell you that as a Junior, he was given a full-ride scholarship to Purdue. Her response was political. She hates Donald Trump, so he can't have an independent thought. This is what incenses parents. This is what gives educators a bad reputation.
No one is saying that our history, with all it's warts and flaws, shouldn't be taught. It's the more subtle points of racism and oppression and 1619 Project-speak that are dangerous.
I have zero problem with the Parental Right Bill that has become law in Florida. My grandson is a sweet little 4 year old, going to Kindergarten this fall. There is no earthly reason he needs to hear about gender identity. He needs to learn about how to play with others, write his name, and all that other wonderful stuff. He is an innocent little boy. I trust my daughter and son-in-law to field any questions he might have about sexuality. It is not the place of a classroom teacher, under any circumstances.
Liz Cheney and Adam Kinzinger are "patriots"? Not in my Republican Party. Don't you think it's interesting that Nancy Pelosi choose only those two for her committee? Why not make it truly biparatisan? She couldn't handle real independent thinking. It's this type of manuever that makes average Americans shake their heads in disgust.
Glaringly, you did not discuss our porous Southern border. That alone will cause Mark Kelly to lose his seat, and probably Maggie Hassan as well. That was a laugh--her posing in front of the wall, saying we need to build it. I smell a whiff of desperation.
Just to be clear: I am a Republican, but I believe that Joe Biden is our duly elected president. January 6 was stupid and wrong, but we have recovered. Donald Trump should stay in Mar-a Lago, but he probably won't. Doesn't matter about 2024, though--in the meantime, in 197 days, there will be some new leadership in the House and Senate. Can't come fast enough.
