The Bigger Story Behind this Election of 2016
Introduction
I know everyone is focused on the election of President Trump at the moment. The bigger story of the election is not being addressed. Let me share it with you. It may put some perspective on everything else.
- Nov. 2016
What is the Bigger Story?
A GOP sweep of all levels of government. Yes, is that a surprise to you all?
I had predicted this months ago. As a Conservative and a Cruz supporter, I rejected both candidates of Trump and Clinton and decided early to sit out this election. I voted but did not choose the top of the ticket.
As predicted, the GOP had a sweep of the House, the Senate and even the Presidency. Even more, local and State elections as well. I will go into some detail later.
Why is this happening? The country is ripe for change of a different order. The last 8 years under President Obama have not succeeded and the American people instinctively and collectively knew it.
This movement did not happen overnight. It started with the 2010 election, where the House was taken over by the GOP after the passing of the ACA. In 2014 the Senate majority went to the GOP and now in 2016, the GOP has won control of all 3 parts of government.
Those of us who has been following politics very closely are not surprised. That is why even before the primaries were over, I predicted a Republican landslide regardless of who is the nominee.
2016 Election Map by Counties
The Local Election Results
Governors - Of the 50 States, there are now 32 GOP governors vs. 17 Democrats and 1 Independent.
State Legislatures - Check this summary of the 2017 results.
Most shocking - there are only 4 States with a majority of Democrats of both Governor and State legislatures. (Rhode Island, Hawaii, California and Colorado).
The Big Question is WHY?
Most people are not political. They live their lives and keep to themselves and avoid controversy such as politics and religion. Come election time, most people vote based on two parts, emotions and pocketbook. If they have an emotional connection to a candidate, that is a huge plus. The other is the economy. If the people feel that the economy is good and jobs are secure, opportunity abounds and their personal prospect for making more money is good, they will more than likely vote to keep the same government in power. If the opposite is true, they will vote for change.
Ultimately, the person most responsible for the results of this election is not Trump but President Obama. It is the progressive policies that he implemented via laws and executive orders that created the condition for a sweep by the GOP. This is my personal opinion.
As it turned out, the best thing that happened to the GOP was the election of Barack Obama in 2008.
The Insiders...vs. Conservatives
Ever since the Reagan presidency (1980-1988), we have not had a Conservative in either party. This election was positioned as a competition between two parties (Democrats and Republicans) but it was really a competition between the insiders of Washington DC and the outsiders of government. The insiders being Clinton, and outsider Sanders on the Democratic side. On the GOP side, the insiders of Jeb Bush and Kasich and Christie and Rubio... and outsiders of Trump, Carson, Fiorina and Cruz.
It was also about the donor class the likes of Soros, Kochs, Goldman Sachs... Some have donated huge amount to both parties to win favors. I heard estimate of $2 billion dollars for the Clinton machine.
The other false narrative is that it was an election between the moderates on the Democratic side and the Conservatives on the Republican side. That is too simplistic and here is why. Most Republican insiders(Ryan and McConnell) are not Conservative. In fact, they actually attack the conservative candidates of Cruz and Carson. And in fact, Donald Trump is not and was not a Conservative. He was a Democrat and an independent before becoming a moderate Republican recently.
Lessons...
One important lesson for all of us is not to rely on hearsay for facts. That advice goes for both side of the political spectrum. In this modern environment of social media and the internet, anything goes. Just because you find it with google does not make it true. And as we've learned from this election, some of the largest tech companies are playing game with information. Facebook, Google, Twitter, Amazon and a few others are trying to influence public opinion.
Healing
I realize this election was especially emotional for many people. Many are truly affected in a deep and real way. Some people have expressed that their faith was shaken to the core. Some have experienced true depression and have trouble getting out of bed.
How do we begin to heal as a nation divided?
- Take some time alone to reflect
- Don't demonize the other side
- Start a dialog and debate issues on their merits
- Agree to disagree and move on
- Work for and support candidates you believe in going forward
Moving Forward
The election is over but the hard work is just beginning. I have written in the past that regardless who is elected in 2016, our country will be faced with many dire problems. The major one being our national debt of over $20 trillion.
The following is a two page contract that Donald Trump made with the American Voter. I, for one, will be watching and seeing what is actually accomplished before holding judgement.
Trump's Contract with America
Future of the Democratic Party
The Democratic party is in disarray right now. It is in the same position as the GOP after the election of Barack Obama in 2008. It will recover and come back. It will take time and some introspection. We need both parties to keep our elected officials on their toes. A one party dominate government is never good. “Power tends to corrupt,” said Lord Acton, the 19th-century British historian. “Absolute power corrupts absolutely.”
Winners and Losers
The winners in this election cycle for the most part of the people outside of government. Wikileaks played an important role.
The big losers were the Media, the pollsters, the political pundits, Hollywood celebrities that supported Hillary, Academics in Universities and career government bureaucrats.
The revelations of Wikileaks cannot be under estimated. It exposes corruption at all levels. They did the job of the Media which was their mandate from our Constitution. I am hoping that the media will make a comeback. I won't hold my breath.
The 10 Commandments was Right
Thou shalt not bear false witness against thy neighbor - 8th Commandment.
Lying is one of the most damaging aspects of life. That is why we teach our children from very young to tell the truth. That is why our court system rely on truth testimony to exonerate the innocent and punish the guilty. That is why it is on the top 10 list of God.
So who lied?
The media including the New York Times. They recently had to issue an apology to their readers. Their biased coverage and moreover, their arrogance in their support of Hillary actually hurt the process. How? They gave their readers a false sense of confidence that Hillary was going to win. So much so that many voters did not come out in the same numbers for Obama in 2012. There were over 5 million fewer votes on the Democratic side.
Summary
A week after the election, I hope cool heads will prevail. Our Democratic process is not perfect but it is the only game in town. People who were disappointed in the results should reflect and work towards the next election. What did they do wrong and how can they improve next time around?
For the people who were voted in, I for one will hold them to their words. They are expected to deliver on their promise or risk getting voted out next time. That is how it should work. Not what one say but what one does is the ultimate measure.
Some Related Info
- Ron Paul Reveals Hit List Of Alleged ‘Fake News’ Journalists: Ther's a war on for your mind!
- Republicans Now Control Record Number of State Legislative Chambers
Republicans added to their historic 2014 gains in the nation’s state legislatures with the addition of five state House and two state Senate seats in last week’s election, while Democratic control was reduced to levels not seen since the Civil War. - BREAKING : The Failing New York Times Issues an Apology to it's Readers for Biased Reporti