How To Out-Republican Republicans
If a Republican President were to...
-Create 15 million new jobs
-Have the unemployment rate under 4% for 26 straight months
-Have over 16 million small businesses apply for new business applications
-Have nationwide crime at record-low levels
-Begin over 51,000 new infrastructure projects and counting
-Fully vaccinate over 230 million Americans to ease the suffering of a global pandemic
-Pump out a record average of nearly 13 million barrels of oil per day
-Strengthen NATO through historic and new partnerships
-Strengthen NATO through historic and new partnerships
-Repeatedly stand up to the thuggish leader of Russia
-Outpace Chinese economic growth for the first time in 45 years
-Outpace Chinese economic growth for the first time in 45 years
-Have Mexico replace China as the country's top exporter to the U.S.
-Establish the United States as South Korea's top export market
-Take out an Al-Qaeda co-conspirator of 9/11 in a drone strike
-Protect 1.5 million acres of land through new national monuments
-Provide $1.5 billion for farmers for conservation efforts
-Protect 1.5 million acres of land through new national monuments
-Provide $1.5 billion for farmers for conservation efforts
-Wipe out $1.3 billion of debt for 36,000 farmers through a farm relief program
-Invest over $770 million in rural broadband throughout the country
...how soon would Republicans order his face to be placed on Mount Rushmore?
But when Democrat Joe Biden does all of this?
Crickets.
Once upon a time, Republicans would be over the moon to have one of their own claim any of these accomplishments. After all, this is pretty much the historical Republican platform: consistent job growth, expanding oil production, protecting rural communities, strong public safety, outpacing foreign economic and political rivals. This is what the current GOP members campaign on time and time again. In their speeches. In their editorials. On their friendly Fox News and Newsmax interviews. On conservative radio. Domestically, it's all about listening to and addressing the concerns of rural America. Internationally, it's all about projecting and asserting American strength. This 1-2 combination has been the building block of modern conservatism ever since the Reagan era. Support the little guy in red states. Keep America's enemies fearful abroad. It was the recipe for success in any and all elections.
Until it wasn't.
And it wasn't when Donald Trump usurped the party in 2015. His mockery of John McCain was the final blow to any and all semblance Republicans had to Reagan-era policies. Domestically, Trump's unfulfilled promise for an infrastructure week became a running joke. He pledged to support small farmers but his farm aid disproportionately went to larger farms. On conservation issues, Trump was seen as one of the most anti-environment presidents in our history. Internationally, Trump did equally poorly. Rather than condemn Vladimir Putin, Trump embraced him, showing himself to be subservient to the Russian President time and time again. Trump even went to far as to discuss removing the United States from NATO to appease his Russian overlord. Rather than adhering to a half-century of North Korean isolation, Trump cozied up to Kim Jong-Un, saluted his top general, and provided the North Koreans with enough anti-American propaganda to last a lifetime. Trump talked tough on China but when they provided his daughter Ivanka with 41 trademarks, Trump was more than happy to let a few things slide. He even went so far as to release 5,000 Taliban soldiers in Afghanistan and desperately wanted to host a secret meeting with Taliban leaders at Camp David before being talked out of it.
The thing about Republicans is that they are consistently inconsistent. Tell them about the benefits of a new health care law and they nod in approval and say that sounds like a good thing. Tell them that the law you just described is Obamacare and they lose their shit. We see this time and time again from the weekly segment of Talking With Trump Supporters In Diners. The basis of the Affordable Care Act was the Massachusetts state-run system enacted by Republican Mitt Romney. But because the program was enacted at a national level by a Democrat it became so toxic to Republicans that Romney had to distance himself from his own program in the run-up to the 2012 election. While Obamacare was the monicker that Republicans gave the ACA in an attempt to tie it directly to Barack Obama, they have been far less successful with Joe Biden. Bidenomics is extremely successful. The Bipartisan Infrastructure Law has the word "bipartisan" directly in the title, openly acknowledging (at least some) Republican support for the law. Even the Inflation Reduction Act, which didn't receive a single Republican vote, has been so successful that the GOP has been unable to somehow "blame" its impact on the Biden-Harris Administration.
Suffice it to say, Joe Biden is a president for all Americans, whether they voted for him or not. He may have run on a moderate platform, but he has been the most progressive president in a half-century. His policies, listed at the top of this essay, will positively impact red states and Republican voters for generations to come. They still won't vote for him. Their kids won't either. But the rest of us will. The rest of us realize that a rising tide lifts all boats. The rest of us realize that rural broadband is good for everyone, not just those receiving it for the first time. The rest of us realize that all qualified farmers should have the opportunity to wipe away debt. The rest of us realize that a strong NATO is necessary for peace and prosperity. We are the ones who truly understand just how important it is to have Joe Biden as president at this very moment in time.
So while Republicans continue to try and name airports after Donald Trump for his failed administration, let's all take pride in knowing that it will never happen. Nothing of value will be named after Donald Trump because he did nothing as president other than enrich himself and his cronies. In two years, the only law he passed was a tax break for the richest 1%, a key part of how his "fiscally conservative" administration added $8.4 trillion to the national debt. He choked on the border. He choked on infrastructure. He choked on the international stage with Vladimir Putin and Kim Jong Un. He choked on responding to COVID. The cult of Trump might see him as the Almighty, but for those of us with two eyes, two ears, and a brain we know that he was a massive loser and a failure as president. The great irony of our times is that Joe Biden has out-Republicaned Republicans by enacting popular laws and policies that they would have been on board with before 2015. But they are so far down the rabbit hole in their fealty to Trump that they now feel the need to oppose what already are and will continue to be immensely popular laws benefitting red, blue, and purple state Americans for generations to come. Meanwhile, Joe Biden and Kamala Harris are racking up numerous victories, strong congressional and down-ballot Democratic candidates are emerging throughout the country, and pro-democratic statewide ballot measures are appearing in swing states, leaving Republicans will nothing but fear and anxiety as the cornerstones of their 2024 general election messaging.
You can't help but like our chances.
...how soon would Republicans order his face to be placed on Mount Rushmore?
But when Democrat Joe Biden does all of this?
Crickets.
Once upon a time, Republicans would be over the moon to have one of their own claim any of these accomplishments. After all, this is pretty much the historical Republican platform: consistent job growth, expanding oil production, protecting rural communities, strong public safety, outpacing foreign economic and political rivals. This is what the current GOP members campaign on time and time again. In their speeches. In their editorials. On their friendly Fox News and Newsmax interviews. On conservative radio. Domestically, it's all about listening to and addressing the concerns of rural America. Internationally, it's all about projecting and asserting American strength. This 1-2 combination has been the building block of modern conservatism ever since the Reagan era. Support the little guy in red states. Keep America's enemies fearful abroad. It was the recipe for success in any and all elections.
Until it wasn't.
And it wasn't when Donald Trump usurped the party in 2015. His mockery of John McCain was the final blow to any and all semblance Republicans had to Reagan-era policies. Domestically, Trump's unfulfilled promise for an infrastructure week became a running joke. He pledged to support small farmers but his farm aid disproportionately went to larger farms. On conservation issues, Trump was seen as one of the most anti-environment presidents in our history. Internationally, Trump did equally poorly. Rather than condemn Vladimir Putin, Trump embraced him, showing himself to be subservient to the Russian President time and time again. Trump even went to far as to discuss removing the United States from NATO to appease his Russian overlord. Rather than adhering to a half-century of North Korean isolation, Trump cozied up to Kim Jong-Un, saluted his top general, and provided the North Koreans with enough anti-American propaganda to last a lifetime. Trump talked tough on China but when they provided his daughter Ivanka with 41 trademarks, Trump was more than happy to let a few things slide. He even went so far as to release 5,000 Taliban soldiers in Afghanistan and desperately wanted to host a secret meeting with Taliban leaders at Camp David before being talked out of it.
The thing about Republicans is that they are consistently inconsistent. Tell them about the benefits of a new health care law and they nod in approval and say that sounds like a good thing. Tell them that the law you just described is Obamacare and they lose their shit. We see this time and time again from the weekly segment of Talking With Trump Supporters In Diners. The basis of the Affordable Care Act was the Massachusetts state-run system enacted by Republican Mitt Romney. But because the program was enacted at a national level by a Democrat it became so toxic to Republicans that Romney had to distance himself from his own program in the run-up to the 2012 election. While Obamacare was the monicker that Republicans gave the ACA in an attempt to tie it directly to Barack Obama, they have been far less successful with Joe Biden. Bidenomics is extremely successful. The Bipartisan Infrastructure Law has the word "bipartisan" directly in the title, openly acknowledging (at least some) Republican support for the law. Even the Inflation Reduction Act, which didn't receive a single Republican vote, has been so successful that the GOP has been unable to somehow "blame" its impact on the Biden-Harris Administration.
Suffice it to say, Joe Biden is a president for all Americans, whether they voted for him or not. He may have run on a moderate platform, but he has been the most progressive president in a half-century. His policies, listed at the top of this essay, will positively impact red states and Republican voters for generations to come. They still won't vote for him. Their kids won't either. But the rest of us will. The rest of us realize that a rising tide lifts all boats. The rest of us realize that rural broadband is good for everyone, not just those receiving it for the first time. The rest of us realize that all qualified farmers should have the opportunity to wipe away debt. The rest of us realize that a strong NATO is necessary for peace and prosperity. We are the ones who truly understand just how important it is to have Joe Biden as president at this very moment in time.
So while Republicans continue to try and name airports after Donald Trump for his failed administration, let's all take pride in knowing that it will never happen. Nothing of value will be named after Donald Trump because he did nothing as president other than enrich himself and his cronies. In two years, the only law he passed was a tax break for the richest 1%, a key part of how his "fiscally conservative" administration added $8.4 trillion to the national debt. He choked on the border. He choked on infrastructure. He choked on the international stage with Vladimir Putin and Kim Jong Un. He choked on responding to COVID. The cult of Trump might see him as the Almighty, but for those of us with two eyes, two ears, and a brain we know that he was a massive loser and a failure as president. The great irony of our times is that Joe Biden has out-Republicaned Republicans by enacting popular laws and policies that they would have been on board with before 2015. But they are so far down the rabbit hole in their fealty to Trump that they now feel the need to oppose what already are and will continue to be immensely popular laws benefitting red, blue, and purple state Americans for generations to come. Meanwhile, Joe Biden and Kamala Harris are racking up numerous victories, strong congressional and down-ballot Democratic candidates are emerging throughout the country, and pro-democratic statewide ballot measures are appearing in swing states, leaving Republicans will nothing but fear and anxiety as the cornerstones of their 2024 general election messaging.
You can't help but like our chances.
***
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