Can Democrats Quit Trump, Or Is He All They’ve Got? – OpEd
By Jeff Charles*
Have the Democrats finally learned their lesson? After being beaten like one of Keith Moon’s drums in November’s Virginia elections, it seems they are doing more than just licking their wounds. A recent report suggests Dems realize that focusing every issue on former President Donald Trump is a losing strategy and see the benefit of altering tactics for the 2022 midterm elections. But do they have the willpower to change course and quit their Trump habit?
Breaking The Trump Addiction
Breitbart News reported, “Gov. Roy Cooper (D) of North Carolina, who will take the helm of the Democratic Governors Association (DGA) on Saturday [Dec. 11], warned that Democrats must not embody what is known as ‘Trump derangement syndrome.’” During the annual meeting, Cooper said, “I just don’t think [Trump] needs to be the central focus.”
The governor suggested his compatriots should “continue to focus on your issues and [decide] if it’s worth reminding people how this candidate got elected, and what’s coming.” He also warned that these elections will be important “because our democracy is really at stake now.”
Breitbart explained:
“As the chairman of the DGA, Cooper is in charge of defeating Republicans in 36 gubernatorial races across the nation. And with Trump endorsing ten candidates in 20 of the seats Republicans are defending, it is important Democrats strike the right tone to avoid another November drubbing.
“Democrats changing their focus to issues impacting Americans remains to be seen. But polling indicates inflation, the coronavirus, crime, and immigration are voters’ top concerns.”
If those are the issues chief among voters’ concerns, the Democrats stand to lose big next year. In 2021, the nation has seen more COVID deaths than last year – and this is with access to the vaccine. Crime is skyrocketing across the country in large part due to the “Defund the Police” movement and states like California and New York enacting measures designed to protect “smash and grab” shoplifters and make bail easy for violent offenders. Lastly, the ongoing migrant crisis created by the Biden administration continues to be a problem with no end in sight.
Of course, one cannot forget America’s current economic woes. On Friday, the Labor Department announced that inflation had reached a 40-year-high. However, the Biden administration has often downplayed the severity of the problem, suggesting that it was merely “transitory” and that things would be back to normal soon.
The Drug Of Choice?
If the Democratic politicians seeking office follow Cooper’s advice, it would certainly improve their performance in the upcoming elections. American voters are not as amenable to the “we’re not Trump” arguments that seem to have worked for the party in 2020. With Biden’s approval ratings in the toilet, it is clear that the left needs to adopt a new strategy – and fast.
However, one cannot underestimate the impact of Trump Derangement Syndrome. Democrats, along with the activist media, have relied on that strategy for so long, they seem to have forgotten how to campaign without invoking the 45th president. He has become their drug of choice and it is not clear whether they are ready for Trump rehab yet.
It is important to note that the Democrats do not have much to run on. They have essentially screwed the pooch on each issue about which Americans are concerned. The left is in dire need of a victory that does not appear to be forthcoming, barring some wild miracle. For this reason, they might have to focus on Trump and continue milking the Jan. 6 riot at the U.S. Capitol Building for all they are worth.
But when the time for voting rolls around next November, it is doubtful voters will have Trump on their minds. They will be thinking about that famous question Ronald Reagan asked the electorate in 1980: “Are you better off today than you were four years ago?” Only, this time, Americans will be thinking about whether their lives have improved over the previous two years that Biden has been in the White House.
There’s a fairly good chance the answer to that question would terrify the Democratic Party.
*About the author: Socio-political Correspondent at LibertyNation.com. A self-confessed news and political junkie, Jeff’s writing has been featured in Small Business Trends, Business2Community, and The Huffington Post. Born in Southern California and having experienced the 1992 L.A. Riots up close and personal, Jeff’s insights are informed by his experiences as a black man and a conservative.Race Relations & Media Affairs Correspondent
Source: This article was published by Liberty Nation
