Identity Politics - A Revolt?

    As our presidential election approaches (and it's just one week away kids, so don't forget to vote), I read that Kamala Harris is struggling among black and Hispanic voters. Barack Obama was even dispatched to lecture black men for not dutifully backing the Democratic candidate. I pictured Tony Soprano sending Silvio and Paulie to the construction site to make sure a certain guy was elected union president. In talking to a number of my black friends, many of them seem genuinely mystified by the notion that the mere presence of a black female president in the White House will instantly lift their prospects and self-esteem. Even worse, I was told it was insulting to assume that "we should vote for someone for the simple reason that we share the same skin color." And because it seems that I have entirely too much time on my hands, the following questions entered my addled brain. And you know what? I'm even going to try and answer them for you! Kind of like having a conversation with myself like the guy sitting on the park bench with the "It's The End Of The World" poster! I know, I know...I'm a giver. So, here goes!

    First Question to Myself: Are we getting the sense that Harris’ campaign is losing ground with some of the Democrats’ traditional constituencies – particularly ethnic-minority voters? 

    Me Talking Back to Myself: This touches on what has become so annoying to me (among other things) as well as some of my minority friends. There’s a way that the media routinely discusses electoral politics in this country that I almost resent. And I'm not here to bash the press but this type of coverage is just a point of view that is as close to bigotry as you can get. And most of these papers, whether it's the New York Times, Washington Post, or Los Angeles Times, are being intellectually dishonest. You get the sense we are constantly being instructed that we have to think of voters as chunks of homogeneous races who all have to walk in lockstep when it comes to voting, or even when it comes to thinking. 

    Furthermore, the level of support for every candidate is constantly being reported in terms of being X proportion of the black vote, Y proportion of the Hispanic vote, Z proportion of the white vote. Sometimes this is cut up a little bit more to become the black female vote or the black male vote or the college-educated vote. 

    This is all bull-shit. Sorry, Rev. Mel. This is not the way that the electorate is actually subdivided. Yes, Virginia, there are black men who support Trump. Get over it. They might have their political reasons and it may not have anything to do with them being black. Maybe they just dislike Harris that much! But we’re led to believe that what completely dictates people’s vote is their membership in one of these groups. I think that’s a lie. 

    This kind of reporting tries to reinforce a certain way of thinking. It doubles down on the idea that if you’re Hispanic, then you have to vote for Kamala Harris, because Hispanics vote for Democrats. It’s a racist way of thinking about electoral politics which drives me nuts. 

    And I'm saddened the media is so attached to this way of thinking. They’re holding the actual electorate back. They are forcing people back into boxes. This way of thinking and this way of reporting the news and the polls borders on evil (and I do not use that word 'evil' lightly). It’s socially regressive. 

    Second Question to Myself: After election night, which side do you think will be the sorest loser of the two? 

    Me, Again: Of course, one instinctively wants to say Trump. This jack-ass has basically told us that he’s going to be a sore loser – especially since he was a sore loser the last time. But I think we underestimate what could happen on the Democratic side if they lose, especially if it’s close. 

    Now, the Democrats are quite practiced themselves in claiming that the results of elections are illegitimate. Hillary Clinton thought that Trump was elected in 2016 only because of Russian interference (she still doesn't understand that she may be the most despised woman in America). Stacey Abrams still claims she won the gubernatorial race in Georgia and that the result was illegitimate. There are any number of examples of Democrats claiming that they were cheated out of a victory in 2016 and that there’s some explanation other than the will of the people for the ‘wrong’ person winning. 

    The left also has an ugly track record when it comes to political violence. Remember what happened after the George Floyd killing in 2020? Those riots went on for four months. They caused billions of dollars worth of commercial and domestic damage. The arson was awful. Dozens of people were killed. When the left doesn’t get its way, it can be pretty scary. I’m not saying there’s nothing to be concerned about on the right, but I think it may be a toss-up for who could be worse. Trust me, there are idiots on both ends of the political spectrum. 

    In some ways, the big story of this election is not so much going to be who wins, but what happens afterwards. I can’t say and nobody else can, either. Because right now, it's a toss-up. Can you believe that? A toss-up? With these two morons? All one side had to do was nominate someone with a heart-beat! Someone who could speak clearly and eloquently, and knew that the presidency has limitations, and respected those limitations. Could have been me! But nooooooo! Can you believe I couldn't get enough signatures to get me on all 50 state ballots? Really??? You're a moron. I even laid out my administration's plans, right here. But it feels as if both sides are expected not to accept the result and the losing side is going to go batshit. The question is, who’s scarier and what does that psychosis constitute? What are you expected to do? How many neighborhoods are you expected to burn down? What public buildings are you expected to assault? 

    I hope we’re disappointed. The best result is that, whoever wins, the other side doesn’t rise to the violent occasion. Wouldn't it be nice if the media was poised for all this rioting and it just doesn’t happen? That all the energy was used up before the election and everyone stays home? That would be great. 

    Look, here's what I'd like to suggest. Whatever side you're on, after next Tuesday if your candidate doesn't win...MOVE ON. Go to work, read a book, have sex, and get ready for the holidays. By the way, if you haven't finished your Christmas shopping...I prefer Titleist ProVs! Trust your faithful correspondent here. The Republic will do its best Gloria Gaynor, and it will survive. We've survived worse than these two dopes. Remember that little thing called The Civil War? That was bad. We survived. Remember Richard Nixon using The Constitution like it was toilet paper? That too, was bad. We survived. Remember The Donald's first go-round? We survived. So check your holier-than-thou political attitude at the door and lighten up. We'll survive. Don't make me come to your local bar and Karaoke Gloria for you!

write to Peter: magtour@icloud.com