Evidence is emerging that the field of 2020 Democratic presidential candidates is scaring away swing voters with its hard lunge to the left on issues such as immigration and identity politics. But Americans may be more than just mortified by the heated progressive rhetoric they are hearing from the 20+ Dem contenders. It appears they are becoming rather bored, as well.
An August Economist/YouGov poll found that 59% of Americans surveyed replied with a "no" when asked, "Are you looking forward to future Democratic primary debates?" Word that would-be voters are already tuning out prime time candidate clashes is a disheartening sign for Dems. This is especially the case as they struggle to unearth a quality nominee who will be able to challenge to President Trump in a general election. And it's not even September yet.
Forging Mediocrity
They have no one but themselves to blame. After all, you can't expect a pouncing lion to emerge when you are conducting a lemming run. The various candidates on the Democrat debate stage need to have individual ideas seriously challenged in a way that will lead to dynamic human response. This step is necessary if the process truly hopes to reveal a top-shelf standard-bearer who personifies a genuine commitment to work on behalf of the American people.
Instead, a motley collection of schoolroom apple polishers is forced to regurgitate pat answers to politically correct questions in strict accord with a progressive purity test. In place of presidential timbre, viewers are left to witness cowed submission to a rigid party orthodoxy. And when there are "skirmishes" between rival contenders, it is hardly a battle of elevated thought. Rather than bold ideas, Americans are regaled with an unruly clamoring to establish who is most slavishly in step with the reigning Blue groupthink.
This certainly does not make for compelling television, and it will hardly inspire those not already committed to the progressive cause to support whichever Stepford Dem finally materializes as the party nominee.
Unheeded Reason
According to a July NPR/PBS NewsHour/Marist poll, only 27% of Americans surveyed favored decriminalizing illegal border crossings while 66% were opposed. Yet Dem presidential candidates trip over themselves to outdo one another on virtue signaling their devotion to illegal aliens. Sen. Cory Booker (D-NJ) even went so far as to play the role of coyote and personally escort migrants over the US border.
There exist Democrats who understand the foolishness of this fealty to a radical agenda that is rejected by many Americans. Their voices, however, are muffled by the howling bands of high-profile party progressives and the establishment media. “What President Trump would like to do is for us to talk about the rights of Central Americans instead of the rights of American citizens,” Rep. Scott Peters (D-CA), aptly told McClatchy News Service in late July. "And we can't fall into that trap."
Oh, yes, you can. Leading Democratic political operatives staunchly reject such an inherently sane strategy. Veteran Dem pollster Stan Greenberg told Politico that tacking shrill and to the left is the surest way to capture the White House in 2020. "Candidates who look like they are cautious, modulating, have their foot on the brake are missing the moment,” Greenberg stated, all but openly encouraging the harsh stridency that has led to the politically inept vilification of Trump supporters as forces of evil. But Greenberg doesn't stop there. This experienced political professional believes stressing identity politics is a key path to victory.
Tear your hair out, Congressman Peters. They are just not going to listen to you. But what comes around goes around. As Dem presidential aspirants continue to flail away from an increasingly remote perch on the angry left, they are going to find that they are the ones being ignored. Mainstream Americans will simply block out their dull and repetitive wall of empty noise.
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Read more from Joe Schaeffer or comment on this article at Liberty Nation.com.
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