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US Political Dynasties Are in Decline. That’s Something to Celebrate
washingtonpost.com ^ | 9/6/22 | Jonathan Bernstein

Posted on 09/06/2022 8:44:35 AM PDT by cotton1706

The slow fade-out of dynastic politics in the US is continuing in 2022. Just in the last few weeks, Nick Begich III was defeated for the Alaska House seat his grandfather once held; his uncle was also a senator from Alaska. And in New York, State Senator Alessandra Biaggi, whose grandfather served in the US House, failed to win a House seat.

Yet the most high-profile development this year is the apparent political demise of the Bush family, with Texas Land Commissioner George P. attempting to move up to state attorney general and getting squashed by a better than 2-to-1 margin in the Republican primary. It’s possible that George P. or another 4th-generation Bush will have a robust political future, but given the family’s opposition to former President Donald Trump, that isn’t so likely (George P. Bush himself supported Trump and tried to get his endorsement, but few were surprised when that didn’t happen.)

This follows the 2020 defeat of Joe Kennedy III, the grandson of former Senator Robert F. Kennedy, in a Massachusetts Senate primary, potentially ending the storied family’s reign in politics. Two years ago, there was a Cuomo as governor of New York and a Cheney in the House leadership. Not anymore. Nancy Pelsoi, whose father was mayor of Baltimore, is still speaker of the House and remains the most prominent legacy politician in the US, but she probably won’t hold that position for too much longer.

Using a loose definition of dynasty, I counted 14 dynastic politicians in the current Senate — down from 22 a decade ago. The decline is set to continue. Missouri’s Roy Blunt, whose father served in the state legislature (and whose son was governor of Missouri) is retiring.

(Excerpt) Read more at washingtonpost.com ...


TOPICS: Constitution/Conservatism; Politics/Elections
KEYWORDS: dynasty; elections
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Surprising article from the Washington Post.
1 posted on 09/06/2022 8:44:35 AM PDT by cotton1706
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To: cotton1706

I agree. The USA does not need and has never needed a ruling class.


2 posted on 09/06/2022 8:45:28 AM PDT by MercyFlush (☭☭☭ Soviet Russia must be destroyed. ☭☭☭)
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To: cotton1706

if chelsea clinton ran for office, this same guy would be swooning......


3 posted on 09/06/2022 8:48:33 AM PDT by wny
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To: cotton1706
Surprising article from the Washington Post.

Maybe not.

It's more than the losers being part of dynasties. These dynasties serve the Liberal World Order.

4 posted on 09/06/2022 8:48:42 AM PDT by FreeReign
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To: cotton1706

The real power in our nation is those who select the candidates that we “elect”.


5 posted on 09/06/2022 8:57:14 AM PDT by volunbeer (Find the truth and accept it - anything else is delusional)
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To: cotton1706

It’s time to leave the past behind and move into the future as successfully as we can.


6 posted on 09/06/2022 8:58:46 AM PDT by Theophilous Meatyard III
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To: cotton1706

I disagree. Children of key players throughout the fed guv and global elitists are entrenched. Just read the deep dives of Whitney Webb.


7 posted on 09/06/2022 9:00:17 AM PDT by jobim
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To: cotton1706

Can’t say anything has improved so, it sounds like BS.


8 posted on 09/06/2022 9:00:39 AM PDT by ImJustAnotherOkie (Let's go Brandon)
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To: MercyFlush
I agree. The USA does not need and has never needed a ruling class.

But we have an increasingly concentrated and very powerful central government, running an expensive globalist empire. It is 100% guaranteed from history, we will have a ruling elite/oligarchy/praetorian guard/patrician class (whatever it will be called) in control of such a top-down system.

9 posted on 09/06/2022 9:04:07 AM PDT by PGR88
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To: MercyFlush
I agree. The USA does not need and has never needed a ruling class.

While I agree with that sentiment, I would also say that it increasingly has a government ruling class, anyway.

Funds unavailable due to debt ceiling fight? Government workers get furloughed and paid, not laid off.

Medical issues? Congress-people have easier access than you or I.

Enforcement "accidents?" Sovereign immunity, or failing that, we pay the fines. I could go on.

10 posted on 09/06/2022 9:05:18 AM PDT by Pearls Before Swine
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To: cotton1706

At this rate, Hunter will run next, so don’t be too sure about this.


11 posted on 09/06/2022 9:06:51 AM PDT by ConservativeMind (Trump: Befuddling Democrats, Republicans, and the Media for the benefit of the US and all mankind.)
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To: wny

I believe the lack of action from Chelsea Hubbell-Mezvinsky indicates that the Clinton political “brand” is rather diminished these days.


12 posted on 09/06/2022 9:09:32 AM PDT by nascarnation (Let's go Brandon!)
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To: cotton1706

Begich’s last act of defiance is getting the Alaska seat permanently for the RAT running against Palin by staying in the race. What a friggin’ GOP vote splitting idiot.


13 posted on 09/06/2022 9:11:22 AM PDT by FlingWingFlyer (I always thought a Merry Garland was a Christmas tree decoration.)
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To: cotton1706
It's not a surprise coming from the corrupt butt kissing elite Washington Post. Jonathan Bernstein's concern is the NEXT group of people forming political dynasties MIGHT BE REPUBLICANS. And yeah, he sited the Bush example but that was the exception that proved the Democrat rule. Thanks for your great concern for 'fairness' Jonathan Bernstein... now that YOUR OX is being gored. Oh and Jonathan - any relation to Carl?
14 posted on 09/06/2022 9:11:56 AM PDT by GOPJ (Biden's 'WAR ON THE AMERICAN PEOPLE' speech is history's Jimmah Carter's BIG RABBIT blunder..)
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To: FlingWingFlyer

“Begich’s last act of defiance is getting the Alaska seat permanently for the RAT running against Palin by staying in the race. What a friggin’ GOP vote splitting idiot.”

Intentional. His voters either didn’t pick a second choice or picked the Democrat as their second choice.

So like EVERY OTHER Establishment Republican, they would prefer the Democrat over the conservative Republican.

We’ll see if the same thing happens in November.


15 posted on 09/06/2022 9:14:15 AM PDT by cotton1706
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To: GOPJ
And yeah, he cited the Bush example but that was the exception that proved the Democrat rule.
16 posted on 09/06/2022 9:14:16 AM PDT by GOPJ (Biden's 'WAR ON THE AMERICAN PEOPLE' speech is history's Jimmah Carter's BIG RABBIT blunder..)
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To: GOPJ

Begich or Palin will have to drop out to keep the seat in November. Should be Begich but he stuck around in the primary and accomplished what Mullin couldn’t in Utah. It may mean that Sarah may have to be the one since she’d quit ‘for the team’.
Begich would then turn Rino.

Sarah stays and risks the seat? I say go for it. Lose and we’ll still win the house.


17 posted on 09/06/2022 9:17:12 AM PDT by DIRTYSECRET
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To: cotton1706

They may not be winning elections but they still wield a lot of influence. The McRomBush cabal is still doing damage.


18 posted on 09/06/2022 9:38:41 AM PDT by 100%FEDUP (I'm seeing RED!)
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To: MercyFlush
The USA does not need and has never needed a ruling class.

We may not need one, but we've pretty much always had one, more or less.

I agree that dynasties have been bad news for us, but the history/genealogy geek in me has always been interested in them

19 posted on 09/06/2022 9:49:11 AM PDT by x
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To: x

You wouldn’t have to worry about Sarah’s kids carrying the torch.


20 posted on 09/06/2022 9:55:47 AM PDT by DIRTYSECRET
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