The Midterm ‘Red Wave: Too Good to Be True?

 

The GOP will lose the midterm elections. No way, you say? Read on.

The so-called conventional wisdom (an oxymoron if there ever was one) in the political scene these days is illustrated by just this morning’s small selection of headlines:

Mike Bloomberg says Democrats are heading for a ‘wipeout’ in the midterms if they don’t ‘correct course’ and admit schools were closed for too long during COVID

Democrats Are Making Life Too Easy for Republicans

Bloomberg Says Dems ‘headed for a wipeout’ in Mid-term Elections

There is an old reliable truism that goes something like this: “When something looks too good to be true, it usually is.” It was definitely a standby phrase in our law practice and I could not count the times we invoked that saying when considering amazingly positive developments in our cases, almost all of which proved to be illusory or downright false.

I was prompted to set down these thoughts by a note I received from a very good friend, Mike Walker, one of the finest and most professional attorneys ever to practice in Louisiana and one whose intellect and incisive analytical skills I greatly respect. Mike, who likes to use the nom de plume “Winston Smith”, a most appropriate one considering the surreal times we are living in, wrote the following, which I am quoting verbatim:

The recent action of New York City in allowing illegals to vote should worry every conservative, moderate, Republican or anyone who depends on the rule of law in this country.  I am coming to believe that the Dems intend to place illegal aliens from the southern border in states whose electoral votes usually determine the outcome of national elections (Pa., Ariz., N.M., Mich., Ga., etc.).  Those states’ democratic legislatures will enact, as NYC did,  new laws right before the midterm elections, to allow illegal aliens or anyone else to vote without identification.  Voila’, no more GOP presidential victories ever.  While Biden’s attempt to enact legislation nationally to remove voter i.d. requirements has for the present failed, it is the states, not the national government, which currently regulate election law.  There are many states currently under the control of liberal democrat governors and legislatures which would slavishly hew to the dictates of the national democratic party.  The result is achievable in time for the midterms.  I believe this will be attempted and is likely to succeed unless moderates and conservatives wake up and enact state laws requiring that only legal citizens with legal identification be allowed to vote.   Remember, the entire 2020 election swung on 42,000 votes in 3 states.  Getting that number of illegals in the right places is probably already a done deal.  If due to last-minute changes to the states’ election laws they are allowed to vote (as happened in the last election), there’s no way a Republican ever gets elected again.

Tragically, it’s not likely that there enough Americans who are remotely aware of this or who give a damn.

Just sayin’,

Winston Smith

He added the following thought-provoking postscript:

Just coming to realize that the Dems want us to think that the elections are going to be a landslide for the GOP.  What am I missing here?

A little far-fetched for your taste? Really? Was the election outcome in 2020 just a tad far-fetched? Would you have ever in your wildest dreams expected the widespread destruction wreaked on the great and stable America left by President Trump by this group of left-wing lunatics, lead by a dementia-stricken “President” and a “Vice-President” bereft of even normal intelligence? The blatantly unconstitutional imprisonment without trial of American citizens in that jurisprudential cesspool known as the District of Columbia, some of whom committed the “crime” of walking into what they thought was their Capitol Building? One of the worst and most disgraceful retreats in American history in Afghanistan? The literal disappearance of the Southern Border by virtue of this President’s abject violation of his oath to “protect and defend the Constitution of the United States”?

Admittedly, this is a tip-of-the-iceberg list, but we are all painfully familiar with the indignities inflicted on our beloved Nation by this Socialist/Marxist cabal, and Mike’s note brought into sharp focus a concern I have been experiencing for some time and one which is being noted more and more lately as doubts begin to show about all the celebratory euphoria with regard to the coming “landslide.” Such a concern is clearly evident in a piece by the estimable Victor Davis Hanson in a piece entitled “How America Became La La Land”, here, as follows:

What explains an America that suddenly no longer works?

First, all of these problems are self-induced. They did not exist until Biden birthed them for ideological or political reasons. Apparently, his administration wanted a changing, more favorable electorate and demography at any cost.

Just like all Americans who are thoroughly disgusted and ashamed by the actions of this worst-Administration-in-American History, I am thrilled by all these wonderful polls coming out showing how we are absolutely, positively guaranteed to flip the House and that we have a fair to good chance of taking the Senate and how we really, really this time have the Loons on the run. It’s all so wonderful to hear.

But….

Is it too good to be true?

Published in General
This post was promoted to the Main Feed by a Ricochet Editor at the recommendation of Ricochet members. Like this post? Want to comment? Join Ricochet’s community of conservatives and be part of the conversation. Join Ricochet for Free.

There are 113 comments.

Become a member to join the conversation. Or sign in if you're already a member.
  1. Mark Camp Member
    Mark Camp
    @MarkCamp

    Barfly (View Comment):

    Enough of the copying. Yes, I put “we” and “DJT” together, since he was our avatar in that position. But the difference remains, that the Presidency is not much (or anything really) at all like Tom’s job. It’s ok for Tom to walk away. It would not have been acceptable for PDT to walk away. I say there’s nothing to be learned about DJT or the Presidency from Tom. That’s all.

    Who are Tom and PDT?

    • #91
  2. Django Member
    Django
    @Django

    Mark Camp (View Comment):

    Barfly (View Comment):

    Enough of the copying. Yes, I put “we” and “DJT” together, since he was our avatar in that position. But the difference remains, that the Presidency is not much (or anything really) at all like Tom’s job. It’s ok for Tom to walk away. It would not have been acceptable for PDT to walk away. I say there’s nothing to be learned about DJT or the Presidency from Tom. That’s all.

    Who are Tom and PDT?

    I attempted an analogy to illustrate what I thought it was a valid point using a person from my past working world and Donald J Trump to support my position. The point was that when someone fails, it is not necessarily a remedy to simply hire a replacement. Unless of course, one evaluates the constraints that may have contributed to the failure. Placing a new person in a situation where success is impossible doesn’t solve anything.

    • #92
  3. Barfly Member
    Barfly
    @Barfly

    Mark Camp (View Comment):

    Barfly (View Comment):

    Enough of the copying. Yes, I put “we” and “DJT” together, since he was our avatar in that position. But the difference remains, that the Presidency is not much (or anything really) at all like Tom’s job. It’s ok for Tom to walk away. It would not have been acceptable for PDT to walk away. I say there’s nothing to be learned about DJT or the Presidency from Tom. That’s all.

    Who are Tom and PDT?

    Good one.

    • #93
  4. Barfly Member
    Barfly
    @Barfly

    Django (View Comment):

    Mark Camp (View Comment):

    Barfly (View Comment):

    Enough of the copying. Yes, I put “we” and “DJT” together, since he was our avatar in that position. But the difference remains, that the Presidency is not much (or anything really) at all like Tom’s job. It’s ok for Tom to walk away. It would not have been acceptable for PDT to walk away. I say there’s nothing to be learned about DJT or the Presidency from Tom. That’s all.

    Who are Tom and PDT?

    I attempted an analogy to illustrate what I thought it was a valid point using a person from my past working world and Donald J Trump to support my position. The point was that when someone fails, it is not necessarily a remedy to simply hire a replacement. Unless of course, one evaluates the constraints that may have contributed to the failure. Placing a new person in a situation where success is impossible doesn’t solve anything.

    Let’s not say success is impossible. I don’t like that assumption, that’s despair. 

    • #94
  5. Django Member
    Django
    @Django

    Barfly (View Comment):

    Django (View Comment):

    Mark Camp (View Comment):

    Barfly (View Comment):

    Enough of the copying. Yes, I put “we” and “DJT” together, since he was our avatar in that position. But the difference remains, that the Presidency is not much (or anything really) at all like Tom’s job. It’s ok for Tom to walk away. It would not have been acceptable for PDT to walk away. I say there’s nothing to be learned about DJT or the Presidency from Tom. That’s all.

    Who are Tom and PDT?

    I attempted an analogy to illustrate what I thought it was a valid point using a person from my past working world and Donald J Trump to support my position. The point was that when someone fails, it is not necessarily a remedy to simply hire a replacement. Unless of course, one evaluates the constraints that may have contributed to the failure. Placing a new person in a situation where success is impossible doesn’t solve anything.

    Let’s not say success is impossible. I don’t like that assumption, that’s despair.

    I don’t want to go back to a perhaps inappropriate analogy, so let me say that success is not always possible given the constraints of a situation. In my engineering background I saw this where a certain level of performance was demanded at a certain cost, and it was impossible. Politics has been said to be “the Art of the possible” and it is not despair to say that the desired goals cannot be achieved but only approximated. I called that realism. Peace.

    • #95
  6. Barfly Member
    Barfly
    @Barfly

    Django (View Comment):

    Barfly (View Comment):

    Django (View Comment):

    Mark Camp (View Comment):

    Barfly (View Comment):

    Enough of the copying. Yes, I put “we” and “DJT” together, since he was our avatar in that position. But the difference remains, that the Presidency is not much (or anything really) at all like Tom’s job. It’s ok for Tom to walk away. It would not have been acceptable for PDT to walk away. I say there’s nothing to be learned about DJT or the Presidency from Tom. That’s all.

    Who are Tom and PDT?

    I attempted an analogy to illustrate what I thought it was a valid point using a person from my past working world and Donald J Trump to support my position. The point was that when someone fails, it is not necessarily a remedy to simply hire a replacement. Unless of course, one evaluates the constraints that may have contributed to the failure. Placing a new person in a situation where success is impossible doesn’t solve anything.

    Let’s not say success is impossible. I don’t like that assumption, that’s despair.

    I don’t want to go back to a perhaps inappropriate analogy, so let me say that success is not always possible given the constraints of a situation. In my engineering background I saw this where a certain level of performance was demanded at a certain cost, and it was impossible. Politics has been said to be “the Art of the possible” and it is not despair to say that the desired goals cannot be achieved but only approximated. I called that realism. Peace.

    I’ll agree that from the POV of an objective observer, success is not always possible. From that POV, I can see that we might fail instead of succeeding (but I will not be going to the camps.) 

    I’m not sure how our discussion shook out, just so I get to vote for DeSantis this year. Or maybe even Cruz. If it’s DJT, I’ll have to switch back to quiet support for the person.

    • #96
  7. Django Member
    Django
    @Django

    Barfly (View Comment):

    Django (View Comment):

    Barfly (View Comment):

    Django (View Comment):

    Mark Camp (View Comment):

    Barfly (View Comment):

    Enough of the copying. Yes, I put “we” and “DJT” together, since he was our avatar in that position. But the difference remains, that the Presidency is not much (or anything really) at all like Tom’s job. It’s ok for Tom to walk away. It would not have been acceptable for PDT to walk away. I say there’s nothing to be learned about DJT or the Presidency from Tom. That’s all.

    Who are Tom and PDT?

    I attempted an analogy to illustrate what I thought it was a valid point using a person from my past working world and Donald J Trump to support my position. The point was that when someone fails, it is not necessarily a remedy to simply hire a replacement. Unless of course, one evaluates the constraints that may have contributed to the failure. Placing a new person in a situation where success is impossible doesn’t solve anything.

    Let’s not say success is impossible. I don’t like that assumption, that’s despair.

    I don’t want to go back to a perhaps inappropriate analogy, so let me say that success is not always possible given the constraints of a situation. In my engineering background I saw this where a certain level of performance was demanded at a certain cost, and it was impossible. Politics has been said to be “the Art of the possible” and it is not despair to say that the desired goals cannot be achieved but only approximated. I called that realism. Peace.

    I’ll agree that from the POV of an objective observer, success is not always possible. From that POV, I can see that we might fail instead of succeeding (but I will not be going to the camps.)

    I’m not sure how our discussion shook out, just so I get to vote for DeSantis this year. Or maybe even Cruz. If it’s DJT, I’ll have to switch back to quiet support for the person.

    At least we agree on who we will be voting for ;-)

    • #97
  8. Randy Weivoda Moderator
    Randy Weivoda
    @RandyWeivoda

    Django (View Comment):
    At least we agree on who we will be voting for ;-)

    Yeah, that’s settled.  We’re all voting for Tom, once we find out his last name.

    • #98
  9. Django Member
    Django
    @Django

    Randy Weivoda (View Comment):

    Django (View Comment):
    At least we agree on who we will be voting for ;-)

    Yeah, that’s settled. We’re all voting for Tom, once we find out his last name.

    Since he is a real person and the description was accurate, I won’t be revealing that. Still, I can say he was a damn good engineer and a slick salesman. I worked for him for two years. You should have seen him in action. Probably in his mid-80s now and enjoying retirement. 

    • #99
  10. Miffed White Male Member
    Miffed White Male
    @MiffedWhiteMale

    Django (View Comment):

    Randy Weivoda (View Comment):

    Django (View Comment):
    At least we agree on who we will be voting for ;-)

    Yeah, that’s settled. We’re all voting for Tom, once we find out his last name.

    Since he is a real person and the description was accurate, I won’t be revealing that. Still, I can say he was a damn good engineer and a slick salesman. I worked for him for two years. You should have seen him in action. Probably in his mid-80s now and enjoying retirement.

    Or dead.

    Just sayin’.

    • #100
  11. HeavyWater Inactive
    HeavyWater
    @HeavyWater

    Of course we should reform our election laws and procedures to make them more fraud-proof.  But while we engage in this effort, we shouldn’t continue to nominate loser candidates when superior candidates are available.  

    • #101
  12. Stina Inactive
    Stina
    @CM

    HeavyWater (View Comment):

    Of course we should reform our election laws and procedures to make them more fraud-proof. But while we engage in this effort, we shouldn’t continue to nominate loser candidates when superior candidates are available.

    I agree. It’s good to see you are finally on board with Trump.

    • #102
  13. Django Member
    Django
    @Django

    HeavyWater (View Comment):

    Of course we should reform our election laws and procedures to make them more fraud-proof. But while we engage in this effort, we shouldn’t continue to nominate loser candidates when superior candidates are available.

    From what I can see, the GOP has only two candidates one could rate as superior. They are DeSantis and Trump, IMNSHO.

    • #103
  14. HeavyWater Inactive
    HeavyWater
    @HeavyWater

    Django (View Comment):

    HeavyWater (View Comment):

    Of course we should reform our election laws and procedures to make them more fraud-proof. But while we engage in this effort, we shouldn’t continue to nominate loser candidates when superior candidates are available.

    From what I can see, the GOP has only two candidates one could rate as superior. They are DeSantis and Trump, IMNSHO.

    Senator Tom Cotton has made some commonsense points about how “We don’t have an over-incarceration problem in America.  We have an under-incarceration problem.”

    Cotton said about the First Step Act, called Jailbreak legislation by it critics and signed into law by President Trump: “It was the worst mistake of the Trump administration.”  

    Given the concerns that Republican primary voters have regarding crime, Tom Cotton might get a lot of support. 

    • #104
  15. Barfly Member
    Barfly
    @Barfly

    HeavyWater (View Comment):

    Django (View Comment):

    HeavyWater (View Comment):

    Of course we should reform our election laws and procedures to make them more fraud-proof. But while we engage in this effort, we shouldn’t continue to nominate loser candidates when superior candidates are available.

    From what I can see, the GOP has only two candidates one could rate as superior. They are DeSantis and Trump, IMNSHO.

    Senator Tom Cotton has made some commonsense points about how “We don’t have an over-incarceration problem in America. We have an under-incarceration problem.”

    Cotton said about the First Step Act, called Jailbreak legislation by it critics and signed into law by President Trump: “It was the worst mistake of the Trump administration.”

    Given the concerns that Republican primary voters have regarding crime, Tom Cotton might get a lot of support.

    Actually, the worst mistake of PDT’s administration was giving the podium and the rest of the Covid response to Fauci and the CDC.

    • #105
  16. Django Member
    Django
    @Django

    HeavyWater (View Comment):

    Django (View Comment):

    HeavyWater (View Comment):

    Of course we should reform our election laws and procedures to make them more fraud-proof. But while we engage in this effort, we shouldn’t continue to nominate loser candidates when superior candidates are available.

    From what I can see, the GOP has only two candidates one could rate as superior. They are DeSantis and Trump, IMNSHO.

    Senator Tom Cotton has made some commonsense points about how “We don’t have an over-incarceration problem in America. We have an under-incarceration problem.”

    Cotton said about the First Step Act, called Jailbreak legislation by it critics and signed into law by President Trump: “It was the worst mistake of the Trump administration.”

    Given the concerns that Republican primary voters have regarding crime, Tom Cotton might get a lot of support.

    He would be acceptable to me, but I don’t know about the rest of the party. I doubt he would get strong support from The Turtle.

    • #106
  17. HeavyWater Inactive
    HeavyWater
    @HeavyWater

    Django (View Comment):

    HeavyWater (View Comment):

    Django (View Comment):

    HeavyWater (View Comment):

    Of course we should reform our election laws and procedures to make them more fraud-proof. But while we engage in this effort, we shouldn’t continue to nominate loser candidates when superior candidates are available.

    From what I can see, the GOP has only two candidates one could rate as superior. They are DeSantis and Trump, IMNSHO.

    Senator Tom Cotton has made some commonsense points about how “We don’t have an over-incarceration problem in America. We have an under-incarceration problem.”

    Cotton said about the First Step Act, called Jailbreak legislation by it critics and signed into law by President Trump: “It was the worst mistake of the Trump administration.”

    Given the concerns that Republican primary voters have regarding crime, Tom Cotton might get a lot of support.

    He would be acceptable to me, but I don’t know about the rest of the party. I doubt he would get strong support from The Turtle.

    My sense is that The Turtle doesn’t actually want Trump to be the nominee either.  But the nomination will be decided by millions of GOP primary voters, not The Turtle.  

    • #107
  18. Django Member
    Django
    @Django

    HeavyWater (View Comment):

    Django (View Comment):

    HeavyWater (View Comment):

    Django (View Comment):

    HeavyWater (View Comment):

    Of course we should reform our election laws and procedures to make them more fraud-proof. But while we engage in this effort, we shouldn’t continue to nominate loser candidates when superior candidates are available.

    From what I can see, the GOP has only two candidates one could rate as superior. They are DeSantis and Trump, IMNSHO.

    Senator Tom Cotton has made some commonsense points about how “We don’t have an over-incarceration problem in America. We have an under-incarceration problem.”

    Cotton said about the First Step Act, called Jailbreak legislation by it critics and signed into law by President Trump: “It was the worst mistake of the Trump administration.”

    Given the concerns that Republican primary voters have regarding crime, Tom Cotton might get a lot of support.

    He would be acceptable to me, but I don’t know about the rest of the party. I doubt he would get strong support from The Turtle.

    My sense is that The Turtle doesn’t actually want Trump to be the nominee either. But the nomination will be decided by millions of GOP primary voters, not The Turtle.

    It has been reported that McConnell is funding the primary opponents of every “MAGA” candidate whenever he can. He would likely be happier with a traditional Democrat than with Trump. 

    • #108
  19. kedavis Coolidge
    kedavis
    @kedavis

    Django (View Comment):

    HeavyWater (View Comment):

    Django (View Comment):

    HeavyWater (View Comment):

    Django (View Comment):

    HeavyWater (View Comment):

    Of course we should reform our election laws and procedures to make them more fraud-proof. But while we engage in this effort, we shouldn’t continue to nominate loser candidates when superior candidates are available.

    From what I can see, the GOP has only two candidates one could rate as superior. They are DeSantis and Trump, IMNSHO.

    Senator Tom Cotton has made some commonsense points about how “We don’t have an over-incarceration problem in America. We have an under-incarceration problem.”

    Cotton said about the First Step Act, called Jailbreak legislation by it critics and signed into law by President Trump: “It was the worst mistake of the Trump administration.”

    Given the concerns that Republican primary voters have regarding crime, Tom Cotton might get a lot of support.

    He would be acceptable to me, but I don’t know about the rest of the party. I doubt he would get strong support from The Turtle.

    My sense is that The Turtle doesn’t actually want Trump to be the nominee either. But the nomination will be decided by millions of GOP primary voters, not The Turtle.

    It has been reported that McConnell is funding the primary opponents of every “MAGA” candidate whenever he can. He would likely be happier with a traditional Democrat than with Trump.

    Depending how far you go back for “traditional,” I would be happier with even a Bill Clinton rather than Biden.

    • #109
  20. HeavyWater Inactive
    HeavyWater
    @HeavyWater

    Django (View Comment):

    HeavyWater (View Comment):

    Django (View Comment):

    HeavyWater (View Comment):

    Django (View Comment):

    HeavyWater (View Comment):

    Of course we should reform our election laws and procedures to make them more fraud-proof. But while we engage in this effort, we shouldn’t continue to nominate loser candidates when superior candidates are available.

    From what I can see, the GOP has only two candidates one could rate as superior. They are DeSantis and Trump, IMNSHO.

    Senator Tom Cotton has made some commonsense points about how “We don’t have an over-incarceration problem in America. We have an under-incarceration problem.”

    Cotton said about the First Step Act, called Jailbreak legislation by it critics and signed into law by President Trump: “It was the worst mistake of the Trump administration.”

    Given the concerns that Republican primary voters have regarding crime, Tom Cotton might get a lot of support.

    He would be acceptable to me, but I don’t know about the rest of the party. I doubt he would get strong support from The Turtle.

    My sense is that The Turtle doesn’t actually want Trump to be the nominee either. But the nomination will be decided by millions of GOP primary voters, not The Turtle.

    It has been reported that McConnell is funding the primary opponents of every “MAGA” candidate whenever he can. He would likely be happier with a traditional Democrat than with Trump.

    The obvious question is whether Tom Cotton or Ron DeSantis would be considered “MAGA” candidates or GOPe candidates.  But regardless, the Republican primary voters will get the final say as to who the nominee is in 2024.  The Turtle will have influence over the outcome, but The Turtle’s opinion will not definitively decide the matter. 

    • #110
  21. DrewInWisconsin, Oik! Member
    DrewInWisconsin, Oik!
    @DrewInWisconsin

    Here I come with the black pill!

    • #111
  22. DrewInWisconsin, Oik! Member
    DrewInWisconsin, Oik!
    @DrewInWisconsin

    HeavyWater (View Comment):
    But regardless, the Republican primary voters will get the final say as to who the nominee is in 2024. 

    Unless the GOPe kicks candidates off the ballots, like they did in Tennessee to Morgan Ortagus and Robby Starbuck. Can’t give the proles a choice! 

     

    • #112
  23. Django Member
    Django
    @Django

    DrewInWisconsin, Oik! (View Comment):

    Here I come with the black pill!

    The guy in the comments who mentioned “kayfabe” nailed it. It’s all scripted, with a little freedom to improvise for the suckers. Can’t change the outcome though. 

    • #113
Become a member to join the conversation. Or sign in if you're already a member.