The GOP is the default party for America. If left to the ebb and flow of public opinion, most of this country votes Republican without thinking. In normal times, they have a solid and consistent 51-53% coalition. Most white ppl, most men, most businessmen, most of the gatekeepers of industry, an increasing majority of Latino and Asian men, religious conservatives, most suburban voters... vote Republican as their default. The groups that vote Democratic by default are college students, Blacks, urban professionals, Latino women, and Jewish voters, and that is not enough to consistently win local and state elections in most of the country. There are not enough votes or money, and this is a numbers game. So I'm not condemning that 51% coalition. I just want young ppl to ask 'why?' because the pattern of what happens next is so repetitive and destructive to our future: Republicans get in office, cut taxes, destroy social services, and unleash massive scandals that destabilize the country, and trash our reputation abroad. The gears of civilization grind down under the weight of incompetence, income inequality, and corruption. Then, in a temporary state of panic, enough suburbanites edge over to the Democrats' side in the next election cycle. Just enough voters so that a Dem president or a razor-thin majority of Dems in Congress can take office, clean up the mess, restore some social programs that save lives and offer education, and put the US on the upswing. And once things are calm again, this 51% coalition goes right back to voting Republican. There doesn't seem to be a learning curve. There isn't a "remember last time we elected a 2-term Republican president we got Bush and corruption and economic decline and subprime mortgage collapse, and before that we got Reagan and economic decline and Iran-Contra scandals and savings and loans collapse, and before that we got Nixon and economic decline and Watergate and the creation of HMOs which began the healthcare-for-profit industry that kills tens of thousands of Americans every year" collective memory.
So now here we are again. Rather than scream, I think we have to sit and ask: why does this keep happening? Is this a 51% coalition of idiots? Well, that's not true and -more importantly- it isn't helpful to label 51% of a population dumb when you're trying to win their vote. Are they just racist? There is a racial dynamic, but that doesn't hold true, and -once again- not really helpful to be screaming 'you're a racist and sexist and a homophobe' when you need to break up this coalition. Is it really just tax cuts? Or is it a narrative problem? Because narratives not only tell the story but also influence the frame through which people see their reality. Is it a Daddy thing? Do most men and women prefer a strong Daddy to a strong mom? Is the GOP the daddy party? Is it a guy thing of the 'individual cowboy ethos' that has this country in a strong vice grip because it is a compelling narrator for innovators, business leaders, and -let's be honest- most men: the lone superhero fighting crime and saving the world? No one goes to the movies to see 'Swedish Batman' who keeps Gotham at peace through social work and community gardens. The world would probably be a better place if Swedish Batman were in charge. But ppl don't want Scandinavian socialist heroes. We go to the theatre to see Iron Man, Batman, and billionaires who strap on hardware and fly into outer space. We write 1000-page biographies about Steve Jobs and Elon Musk, the champions of industry. We have issues that prevent us from having better schools, roads, hospitals, and other things that require collective efforts. Is it a combination of Daddy party, Ironman party, cowboy, and 'DIY' culture? I'm spitballing here. I don't know, but I do think it has something to do with narrative and mythology? The Dems do not have one compelling mythology. They have a hodgepodge of ideas and a smattering of policies, and occasionally a charismatic leader. But there doesn't seem to be a center that comforts people or gets them to believe in something consistent.
We are creatures of stories. And if we want better healthcare, better schools, gun control, it isn't about statistics or policy because that's already out there. It's about the overall narrative we're trying to sell. It's about the mythological lens we are offering people to see their world. Concise, compelling, engaging mythology. We need to figure this out before the next Trump or Bush or Orange asteroid of tax cuts and death crashes into our nation.
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