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Some smart aleck wag at the Daily Caller has decided this midterm was the “McRib” election, saying “Democracy is like the McRib: It comes and goes mysteriously every two years or so and it is confusing. And, like politicians, once the McRib is reintroduced with a big ad campaign, you remember months later why you didn’t like it in the first place.”
Needless to say, with lingering threats by McDonald’s to terminate the McRib, John Yoo can’t take this lying down, so he takes the chair in this week’s 3WHH episode as we deconstruct how the GOP’s high election expectations got deconstructed, while Steve introduces the gang to a peaty, single-malt Austrian whisky (yes you read that right) he discovered over in Vienna.
One problem is obvious: the election isn’t over, though you’d think “early voting” (which appears increasingly to be vote-rigging) would mean we could get results faster, not slower.
We have a spirited discussion about candidate quality, whether Dr. Oz would have won Pennsylvania if there hadn’t already been 600,000 early votes cast before the Oz-Fetterman debate, whether the Republican silence about the Democrats’ attacks on abortion after Dobbs was a major failing, and what changes ought to be made to our election system. Oh, and what’s up with Trump? He appears to be having a meltdown.
Finally, we review with John the sudden federal district court ruling out Thursday that struck down Biden’s student loan forgiveness program, and whether it will hold up on appeal.
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I feel exactly the same way as Lucretia regarding candidate quality. I think it’s straight up snobbery to suggest that the problem is the people themselves rather than their stand on certain issues. But I believe that one issue in particular motivated a very large turnout for Dem voters: abortion. And the noted lack of a steadying approach to the issue by Republican candidates—none of whom will ever win a primary without being pro-life—no doubt made sway-able voters and independents vulnerable to Dark Brandon’s constant pitting of Democrats against MAGA Republicans and spreading of phantom fears. That was definitely the issue in Michigan. And, yes, I believe Fetterman is OK with Dems because he’s their guy—identity politics being their mindset regardless of competency. And the media clears the way for it all the while screeching that democracy is under siege.
Excellent podcast – this team is just great. Thanks to you all.
To answer Lucrecia’s question on should the GOP do vote reform or play by the New Rules, I offer up what the kids call “Porque no los dos?” Or Why not both?
In states that you can (i.e. control Gov. & Leg. or can pass Initiatives/Propositions) you change the rules to make mail in ballots have restrictions on who can get and how, limit early voting, and make harvesting not only illegal, but punishable. Go full RDS and deploy a task force to go after and enforce this.
In states that allow New Rules (Massive Mail in Balloting, Harvesting, Extended Early Voting) GOP must play by them – aggressively, like Nunez did – because these favor dense, urban population centers; but the family and social networking of the more rural/red areas can make a big difference, and that’s all you need to win a number of races – possibly statewide considering only tens of thousands of votes determined winners in the past. If you ever win, change the rules as previously mentioned.
@johnyoo brings up a “Tres” or third option – Lawfare. Sue to change/limit laws in states where they exist, likewise at the federal level, pass legislation, play the sue-and-settle game if you have the BOE or AG office in your control (NC and other states had this happen during Covid2020 rules change), and various other legal gymnastics.
Play hardball, and even if you don’t win you get to pound your opponent for propping up rules that, “Europe and most of the 3rd world recognize as highly vulnerable to fraud,” and relentlessly point at states who take days to count and call them, “unnecessary outliers in our modern world – embarrassing!”
Breitbart Radio had an interview with an Armenian anti-Oz group. They had an unbelievable amount of dirt on him outside of anything he ever said about public policy. Somebody should have stopped him. He was just a ridiculously entitled celebrity.
Reportedly, Walker took a lot of media training and he was a good student.
I always liked Rep. Steve King, but he was too dumb to take advantage of it.
Government institutionalized ballot harvesting is a menace to civilization.