Hi folks, it’s been a while since any of us Gormos have posted here. We’ve been busy, work, lives, kids, spending too much time on Twitter/X, cooking, grilling, etc. But I can across a post to an article at the Bulwark by JV Last that, in his words, lays out a “blueprint for her campaign.” As I read through it…yes, the whole article, including referenced links, I couldn’t stop shaking my head. I’m going to focus on the content and why I believe the author is wrong on many fronts. Let me be clear upfront, as I’ve told friends and family, it is a sad state of affairs that this country has reached a point where we the (current) candidates from our two major political parties are a megalomaniac narcist and a dementia-addled congenital liar^* – I’m am at a loss as to what I’ll be doing at the polling place come this November, but it’s not going to be either of these two clowns.

Let’s get into the article.

First, the author lays out that Biden is in trouble but that the Democratic party gets to decide whether or not he steps aside. The referenced link has these words, “Sure, it’s his decision” so….? The secondary article lays out the case that the Democratic Party is working with Biden to “reconcile with himself” that he needs to make this decision. That’s just spin. They know he’s a train wreck of a candidate. They know they need to change, the façade fell apart at the first debate for everyone (and well before that for many). But, according to the rules, Biden has to make the decision. Biden gets to decide. Stop with the pretense that the Democratic Party is any better than the GOP…and that’s a pretty low bar.

Last goes on to lay out why the candidate has to be Kamala Harris. Basically because of a messaging opportunity. While I agree that a change presents an opportunity, and in fact, in this case I would argue it requires one for a reason I’ll come to shortly, it doesn’t mean that Harris is the one that needs to be the face of it. What is interesting from an observational aspect is that the author puts forward the following as far as successful campaign rationales:

• Reagan 1984: It’s morning in America.
• Clinton 1992: Change versus more of the same.
• Obama 2008: Hope.
• Trump 2016: I will hurt the people you hate.

Clearly his bias is showing through. The rationale for Trump was that the Democrats, under Obama-Biden, were damaging the country and he was aiming at making it better^** But sure, “I will hurt the people you hate.” Sighs. He then continues:

Unsuccessful campaigns tend to have unintentionally revealing rationales:

• Dole 1996: I’m a war veteran and Baby Boomers are embarrassing us.
• McCain 2008: We can ride this storm out if we just put country first.
• Romney 2012: I have an amazing resumé and I’ve always wanted to be president.

This last rationale shows up over and over in losing campaigns. You could argue that it was the basic motivation for Gore 2000, Kerry 2004, and Clinton 2016.

Hmm, notice anything? Three Republican examples and he sweeps three Democrat failed presidential runs into a “could argue” scenario. Do better. It would be easy for a talented author such as this to come up with witty rationales for those three as well, rather than just footnoting them. He then argues that Whitmer and Shapiro wouldn’t have a strong rationale but Harris would with “the future is now.” The argument is weak – there is no reason why either of those candidates couldn’t embrace and embody that rationale.

He starts his defense that Harris’ campaign should “run against everything from the recent past,” which she actually did during the 2016 DNC primaries. She landed some great attacks on Biden then. But she lost all credibility when she accepted the VP position and went on with Stephen Colbert – who is no right-wing media figure – who challenged her on this very point. And she laughed it off.

He continues:

Harris is a credible messenger for this pitch because she is a black woman who is a generation younger than Trump and Biden

No she’s not….well, depends. She was born in 1964 and by many measures, that is the bottom of the Baby Boomer generation. But to drive the narrative that she’s different, she’s younger, etc. the Democrats (and this author) will cast her as a GenX candidate. Speaking as a GenXer, I don’t want any part of her. “Her candidacy does not ask voters to take a chance on a young, untested quantity.” – wrong again, she is largely untested at this level. She doesn’t have much to show for the last four years and many will argue that she’s actually failed in the roles Biden gave her, particularly the “Border Czar”.

Last then goes on to lay out a set of policies that Harris should champion:

• With Trump out of the way, pass the border security bill that Republicans and Democrats both voted for.
• Enshrine Roe in federal law and put the unpopular Dobbs decision in the past.
• Extend the 2017 tax cuts for people—but not for corporations.
• Expand on the Affordable Care Act and continue to bring coverage to more Americans while pushing down prescription drug prices.
• Stand firm against Russia and China.

The border security bill is flawed. Everyone knows it. It needs to be overhauled and the super-majority of Americans want a more curtailed immigration policy and practice. And the bill won’t magically pass because “Trump [will be] out of the way.”

SCOTUS already ruled that Congress has no ability to “enshrine Roe in federal law” – so great job trying to promote something unconstitutional and against “our democracy” in practice.

The corporate taxes that Biden-Harris have proposed are dangerous to American business. They will make America one of, if not the, highest business tax countries and will drive companies away / offshore.

Expand on the Affordable Care Act – Last’s final point further down in the article, is around the broken nature of our healthcare system. The problem is that the federal government IS INVOLVED in healthcare. It needs to get out. It is fraught with fraud, waste, and abuse when it is involved. An argument that we just need to PP-ACA harder isn’t a winning policy.

Stand firm against Russia and China – agreed. And Iran. And terrorist organizations like the Houthis and Hamas. Last is implying that the current Biden-Harris administration isn’t, by the way, whether he means to or not.

He continues with an argument that “rich people” like Trump and Trump policies. That may be true, but there’s plenty of rich people on the Democrat side as well. Biden and many other democrats – including Harris – call for “the rich to pay their fair share” – which is unbounded nonsense that really should be viewed as “we need to tax the rich more to pay for all the stuff we promise.” Look at the Bidens’ finances. He’s been in public service for decades and is worth millions. How do you think that happens? Why does he have multiple LLCs? hint: it’s to shelter his income and wealth from taxes. This argument holds no water until a Democrat leader steps up and follows it.

I’m still shaking my head. We can do better as a country for leadership and analyses like this can be done better.

—-

* of course, the left will use terms like “misspoke” and “forgot” – he lies. Get over it.

** you all know the slogan, I’m not repeating it here

GorT

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