#Walkaway

Have you ever heard the old saying, "Moderation in all things?"

Yeah, I know, some would think that it leads to a boring existence. After all, almost everyone professes their desire for an exciting life, filled with cool adventures that somehow energize their own psyche.

But I'll stick with moderation.

In politics, moderation used to be the meme followed by both major political parties. Sure, they differed in their approach to governance, but in the main, they wanted the same things—a strong economy, respect around the world, safety for the country's citizens, and a better life for those who have struggled. One of those moderate parties believed that big government could achieve those things. The other believed that they could be achieved with a more limited government, but again, the approach on both sides of the aisle was relatively moderate.

Today, based on media coverage, you'd think that one party was "extreme" and the other was calm and concerned. According to the Democrats and their trained hamsters in the media, Donald Trump and his supporters have an "extreme agenda," institute "extreme policies" have an "extreme" view on race and immigration. Now that SCOTUS appointment is in play, they tell us that Trump et al want "extreme" justices for the Supreme Court (e.g., the chicken little strategy). "Extreme" is a word that is supposed to conjure images of positions that are way outside the mainstream, causing fear and loathing among the populace—all to the advantage of the Democrats.

Yet in the aftermath of the 2016 election, the Dems have become the party of "extreme." They have lurched to the hard-Left, embracing socialist positions that are, well, considerably outside the mainstream. They have adopted positions on immigration that do not resonate with recent public polling (Harvard-Harris poll). They refuse to acknowledge that the economy is doing very well and that African American and Latinos are experiencing record low unemployment—people who want a job can get a job. They insist on telling those same communities that they are "victims" of a racist society. These positions certainly resonate among the #Resistance and within the echo chamber of the Left, but something odd is happening.

Karen McQuillan comments:

Democrat hate speech targeting deplorables has always worked -- on their own voters. Libeling Republicans as racist, homophobic morons has kept Democrat voters in line. President Trump laughs at their insults, and just gets stronger. Suddenly, one more Trump success. The Democrat line is breaking. Our minorities are breaking free.

President Trump’s off the charts achievements on jobs and security are improving the lives of every single Democrat identity voting bloc. A small, but increasingly significant number are noticing. With his MAGA gains on the economy and foreign affairs, President Trump is slowly chipping away at the Democrat Party’s foundations. The white working class already belongs to Trump. Fed up blacks, Hispanics, millennials and gays are starting to follow.

Ordinary people, including our minorities, are focused on the reality of their lives. Most Americans actually care about exactly the two big issues Trump cares about: jobs and personal safety. They notice more money in their paychecks. They notice when they get off food stamps and the unemployment line. They notice when they move from flipping hamburgers to a high-paying construction or assembly-line jobs. Securing our border, supporting cops, defeating ISIS in Syria, pressuring North Korea to “denuke” -- ordinary people get that we are safer than we were under Obama. Democrats can scream as loud as they want, but they cannot drown out reality.

And those Democrats who are still anchored in reality have begun to push back. They are uneasy with the rhetoric of the #Resistance which demonizes half of the country by arguing that those who support another path are "racists, misogynists, bigots, Nazis and white supremacists." Democrats who are still anchored in reality think those are pretty "extreme" allegations. They reject the notion that mob intimidation (proposed by Congresswoman Maxine Waters and supported by far too many Dems) is an American value.

A small minority of Dems and African American and Latinos have had enough. They are disgusted by the viciousness of #Resistance and have decided to #Walkaway. African Americans and Latinos, recognizing the benefits of a strong economy and seeing historically high levels of employment and economic opportunity, have begun to realize that they're not victims and instead, have control over their own destiny. They have decided to #Walkaway.

As this is going on, a troubling percentage of Democrats have decided to double down on "extreme." They seem incapable of recognizing that their flirtation with socialism will not win elections. But at the same time, those Dems with extreme views appear to be taking over the party. More Dems who don't want to walk that path may very well decide to walk away. That's a good thing.

But ... but ... but ... what about millennials and people of color, propagandized over their entire lives to hate the GOP and love the Dems. After all, polling indicates that millennials think socialism is okay.* Right?

Not so fast.

McQuillan comments:

Millennials are growing up, getting jobs and paying taxes. They are still turned off by the Republican Party (as are Trump supporters). They are stubbornly unwilling to give President Trump personal credit. But they recognize his pro-growth agenda is a good thing, and they don’t want Pelosi to wreck the economy.

Millennials are telling Reuter/Ipsos pollsters that they are going to vote Republican in the mid-terms. In 2016, white millennials supported Democrats for Congress by a whopping 47 to 33 percent. No more. Millennial support for Democrats has fallen by almost 10 percent. If sustained, this is seriously bad news for Democrats.

For the first time, millennials will be the largest eligible voting bloc surpassing baby boomers come November. Historically Democrats have relied on the youth vote to carry them over the finish line. This new polling suggests a blue wave may be less likely than previously thought.

Racial appeals are at long last getting old. Race-baiting is less effective delivered by Maxine Waters than by the nation’s first black president. A redpill video by a young black woman named Candace Owens, praised by Kanye West, is credited with creating a fateful first chink in the black voting bloc. Following Kanye’s tweet, President Trump’s approval among black men doubled, to 22 percent, and among all blacks, to over 16 percent.

It may very well be that the Dem's "extreme" positions and behavior over the past 18 months will obliterate any possibility of a blue wave in this year's mid-term election. One thing is certain—if they fail to retake the House, they'll never blame themselves.

FOOTNOTE:
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* It is true that millennials don't have as many qualms about socialism as those of us who have observed its serial (and often catastrophic) failures over much longer lifetimes.

I can't resist quote a comment made by Glen Reynolds on the subject:

Socialism is the Axe Body Spray of political ideologies: It never does what it claims to do, but people too young to know better keep buying it anyway.

I can forgive young people for their position, after all, it all seems so socially just, so utopian, so good for the common people. In reality (oops, that word again), it's anything but.