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Democrats Setting Up to Lose the One Issue Keeping Them Afloat
Townhall.com ^
| December 3, 2021
| Neil Patel
Posted on 12/03/2021 5:50:08 AM PST by Kaslin
The majority of Republicans in Washington are thoroughly confused about their own party and their own voters. Some have lost faith in Republican voters completely and written them off as racists or crazies. Others don't know what to think. They are essentially biding time and hoping things go back to the way they were.
They won't, of course. America is changing quickly. Voting patterns and the two-party norm that lasted for decades are under strain. Amazingly, Democrats are on the verge of handing back power to a Republican Party that's in a state of total chaos. All Republicans need to do is not screw it up.
For reasons that are hard to even comprehend, Democrats who should know better are allowing themselves to be defined by their most radical members. Defunding the police and opening the borders were followed by an effort to radicalize curriculums for school-age children. The far left wants to teach American children to judge people by race. Shocker. The vast majority of Americans aren't into this insanity. Now Democrats seem poised to give up the one issue that has kept them alive politically: COVID-19.
resident Joe Biden outpolled former President Donald Trump dramatically on the COVID-19 issue. It's not surprising. Trump had the misfortune to be in office when COVID-19 hit. It was easy for Biden to pin the whole thing on him. He did a good job of it, too. Biden hit the issue repeatedly in the debates and did so effectively. Once in office, Biden imposed harsh COVID-19 restrictions that turned off many conservatives. The problem for the right has been that the majority of Americans have been on Biden's side on the issue. In the wake of the Omicron variant, Democrats seem poised to overstep. CARTOONS | Tom Stiglich View Cartoon
Omicron poses two conflicting challenges for Democrats. First, in his last race, when Biden had no COVID-19 record to defend, he was able to hammer Trump on the issue. Biden ridiculed Trump's policies, laid all the deaths at Trump's feet and promised to come in and "shut down" the virus. It worked. It was his most effective political argument during the campaign. Now his own words will be one of the best weapons against him.
Second, if the news reports are accurate, Biden and Democratic governors are preparing to impose unprecedented restrictions on Americans. Democrats may have held majority support for their COVID-19 restrictions to date, but it's clear that the American people are tiring of the lockdowns and the mandates.
We don't yet know a ton about the Omicron variant, but based on the early data, it seems to be extremely contagious yet likely not extremely lethal. The African countries where it originated have seen spikes in COVID-19 cases, and some have seen increases in hospitalizations, but to date, they have not experienced spikes in deaths. Doctors in these countries have also described the vast majority of cases as "extremely mild."
It's too early to tell, but if this all holds true, it could honestly be good news. If many people, especially the unvaccinated, get hit with a more contagious but milder form of COVID-19, the natural immunity that results could end up being a good thing. The Biden administration's reaction, though, if the news reports are accurate, seems to be almost hysterical.
Biden has already imposed travel bans from eight African countries in response to the Omicron variant. Interestingly, he has not to date banned travel from the many non-African countries with the new variant. This is all the more interesting given the attacks many Democrats levelled against Trump's travel bans. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi's statement at the time summarized the party's posture: "The Trump Administration's expansion of its outrageous, un-American travel ban threatens our security, our values and the rule of law. The sweeping rule, barring more than 350 million individuals from predominantly African nations from traveling to the United States, is discrimination disguised as policy." No comment to date from Pelosi on Biden's analogous ban. Sure makes all this seem very political.
The Washington Post reported this week that Biden is also considering mandatory COVID-19 tests for those returning to the U.S. from overseas, including American citizens, regardless of vaccination status. What's more, the Biden administration is considering requiring every arriving traveler, regardless of test results or vaccination status, to self-quarantine for one week after landing. It's hard to conceive of a justification for quarantining returning travelers who test negative. It's not hard to imagine this being extremely unpopular.
Democratically controlled states also seem to be gearing up for new restrictions. New York Gov. Kathy Hochul has already declared a state of emergency in response to the new variant.
The public takes COVID-19 seriously. Democrats have succeeded at framing themselves as the party that does the same. If their early actions are any indication, it sure seems like Democrats now think further restrictions, even nonsensical overkill like the self-quarantine requirement, may continue to be popular with regular Americans. I would not bet on it. People can live with targeted restrictions, but nearly two years into the pandemic, there's a growing sense that life needs to go on. Lori Tremmel Freeman, chief executive of the National Association of County and City Health Officials, told The Washington Post that "patience of our communities is wearing thin. People are tired. People are just exhausted, having to cope with this time after time after time." If the early reporting on the "extremely mild" nature of the new COVID-19 variant holds up, the new restrictions are even more likely to be deeply unpopular.
Americans want to be safe and healthy, but many Democratic politicians seem oblivious to the hardship caused by COVID-19 restrictions. So far, this has worked for them politically. I wouldn't count on that continuing.
TOPICS: Culture/Society; Editorial; Politics/Elections
KEYWORDS: bidenadmin; covid19; democrats; demonrat; omicron; residentbiden; restrictions; tyranny
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1
posted on
12/03/2021 5:50:08 AM PST
by
Kaslin
To: Kaslin
“All Republicans need to do is not screw it up.”
Now that’s funny.
2
posted on
12/03/2021 5:53:16 AM PST
by
brownsfan
(It's going to take real, serious, hard times to wake the American public.)
To: Kaslin
You can count on the Republicants to snatch defeat from the jaws of victory.
3
posted on
12/03/2021 5:55:26 AM PST
by
HighSierra5
(The only way you know a commie is lying is when they open their pieholes.p)
To: Kaslin
Americans want to be safe and healthy, but many Democratic politicians seem oblivious to the hardship caused by COVID-19 restrictions. So far, this has worked for them politically. I wouldn't count on that continuing.Covid will be a distant memory next October, it will run its 2 year course like most pandemics. However what will not be gone next October is inflation, deteriorating economic and market conditions, and rampant crime.
4
posted on
12/03/2021 5:58:42 AM PST
by
1Old Pro
(Let's make crime illegal again!)
To: 1Old Pro
GOP....GOD Awful political party...if you keep the awful leaders for years you get the same result....useless at the federal level
5
posted on
12/03/2021 6:05:32 AM PST
by
Hojczyk
To: brownsfan
My concern is the GOP will take congress in 2022 only to remind voters once again there’s very little difference between the two parties and suck the life out of the base just in time for 2024.
6
posted on
12/03/2021 6:11:19 AM PST
by
skeeter
To: Kaslin
a Republican Party that's in a state of total chaos. **********
That's what happens when you have no principles or convictions to guide you. Its hard to stay on course when you don't know where you're going.
7
posted on
12/03/2021 6:11:40 AM PST
by
Starboard
To: skeeter
That’s what will happen. Its a spineless party.
8
posted on
12/03/2021 6:13:02 AM PST
by
Starboard
To: skeeter
“My concern is the GOP will take congress in 2022 only to remind voters once again there’s very little difference between the two parties and suck the life out of the base just in time for 2024.”
I think it’s a given.
9
posted on
12/03/2021 6:13:25 AM PST
by
brownsfan
(It's going to take real, serious, hard times to wake the American public.)
To: skeeter
History says that’a reasonable concern.
10
posted on
12/03/2021 6:13:47 AM PST
by
paulcissa
(Politicians want you unarmed so they can kill you.)
To: skeeter
your concern is noted ...
11
posted on
12/03/2021 6:14:18 AM PST
by
bankwalker
(Repeal the 19th ...)
To: brownsfan
As PJ O’Rourke said, “The Republicans are the party that says ‘Government doesn’t work’. Then they get elected and prove it.”
12
posted on
12/03/2021 6:14:46 AM PST
by
dfwgator
(Endut! Hoch Hech!)
To: skeeter
My concern is the GOP will take congress in 2022 only to remind voters once again there’s very little difference between the two parties and suck the life out of the base just in time for 2024.It could happen. If they don't have a 10 point promise plan they execute on jan 1st I believe nobody will show up in 2024. Ryan and McCarthy aren't leaders we need. I'd also force the DOJ to quickly (give them 1 month) investigate Hunter and if there is a scintilla of involvement from Brandon then start impeachment on Feb 1st.
13
posted on
12/03/2021 6:15:23 AM PST
by
1Old Pro
(Let's make crime illegal again!)
To: 1Old Pro
Roger that. There is ample evidence available showing what voters want from the republicans, what would guarantee victory for them in perpetuity.
Their steadfast refusal to act on it says it all.
14
posted on
12/03/2021 6:23:14 AM PST
by
skeeter
To: 1Old Pro
Next October is the start of the next flu season, which has been an annual event in the Northern Hemisphere for a long time. How many letters are left in the Greek alphabet for new variants?
15
posted on
12/03/2021 6:31:01 AM PST
by
Bernard
(If a school can offer varsity sports, it should also offer varsity (honors) academics.)
To: Kaslin
They’ll still have women who like killing their babies.
16
posted on
12/03/2021 6:34:58 AM PST
by
Jeff Chandler
(THE ISSUE IS NEVER THE ISSUE. THE REVOLUTION IS THE ISSUE.)
To: brownsfan
nope, with the cover of certain Biden veto’s a Republican congress will actually pass TONS of conservative legislation. They only do what you are saying with a Republican president is in office and what they pass might be signed!
To: Kaslin
If you were still on the fence about Omicron being created/used specifically because the people behind Biden were worried about gas prices {Go Deep}, you can quit the straddle.
Energy inflation overall, and gasoline inflation specifically, is the Build Back Better communists’ Achilles heel. The Biden administration is ideologically committed to climate change policy and as a result they have no supply-side tools to stop gasoline prices from necessarily skyrocketing. They desperately need the fear of Omicron to shut down the demand side.
Ten days ago the communists said they were releasing 55 million barrels of oil from the strategic petroleum reserve {Go Deep}, approximately a three day supply of oil given the current level of demand. Today the Democrat Congressional Campaign Committee (DCCC) laughably claim victory over a two cent drop in gasoline price. Worse still is the gaslighting graph they use to show a downward trajectory on price:

The Y-axis is in increments of half a cent. The X-axis is showing six days of impact.
Yes, gasoline fell from $3.39/gal to $3.38/gal in the six days after the strategic petroleum reserve release. We are spared a single penny per gallon in gas price.
Even the leftist media recognize this type of propaganda only makes Democrats look more stupid. A longer review of the Joe Biden price for Gasoline puts that six day Democrat graph into perspective:

Knuckleheads….
All communists are knuckleheads.
That said, what this insufferable effort highlights is how much emphasis the Democrats are putting toward trying desperately to get away from the problem of inflation.

All of Biden energy policy, and all of Biden’s spending around the Build Back Better agenda, is designed to take us from where we are now into some distant place where fossil fuels are not the energy mechanism; that’s the Green New Deal component of this. However, there is no policy for their transition – they stopped all current energy policy around oil and coal.
Biden halted pipelines, cancelled oil and gas leases, blocked expanded refinery capacity and regulated the entire U.S. oil industry into a place of diminished capacity. That is why energy prices have, as Obama promised, “necessarily skyrocketed.” And, we ain’t seen nothing yet. Depending on how cold it is this winter, you can expect natural gas and home heating oil to double in the next few months.
The near horizon looks pretty clear. Gasoline will keep rising fast and will cost $6 to $7/gal before next spring. There is no way under current Joe Biden policy to avoid this, unless he was to completely abandon his energy policy; that’s not likely. The climate change ideologues, academics and far-left communists behind the Biden policy are not likely to see the catastrophic economic damage as a bad thing, instead they will likely say it’s the new normal.
With that level of supply side economic chaos seemingly unavoidable, the only way for Biden to try and mitigate political damage is an attempt to halt the demand side. That’s why the administration needs Omicron.
It is more important for our government to use Omicron than all other governments because we are the spending and ideological center. That is why we are seeing a much bigger emphasis upon the fear of Omicron by our government; and that is why the descending levels of variant emphasis/fear fall in line depending on how closely other nations are aligned as allies.
Meanwhile… China, Iran and Russia (adversaries on an ideological level) know what is happening, and to the extent they can drive U.S. inflation even higher, they will. Our adversaries know how to use Biden’s policy to make massive inflation hurt the U.S. disproportionately. This is why OPEC is giving Biden the middle finger on his ‘request’ to increase oil production, and this is why China is now triggering shipping quarantines. (more)
Again, as repeated previously, our window to prepare for a massive jump in inflation is slowly closing. We are down to around 60 days, and then things will get really ugly. The people behind Joe Biden know this. Omicron is a tool they are attempting to use to moderate the speed of impact within the inflation window.
18
posted on
12/03/2021 6:45:26 AM PST
by
Bratch
To: Bratch
They can pretend nothing is wrong, but there are a lot of people who fill their cars with gas and see it first hand.
19
posted on
12/03/2021 6:48:14 AM PST
by
1Old Pro
(Let's make crime illegal again!)
To: TexasFreeper2009
“They only do what you are saying with a Republican president is in office and what they pass might be signed!”
Good point. It’s the Graham model. Sound conservative to score political points with the base, vote like a Dem.
20
posted on
12/03/2021 6:49:28 AM PST
by
brownsfan
(It's going to take real, serious, hard times to wake the American public.)
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