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In individuals, insanity is rare; but in groups, parties, nations and epochs, it is the rule. Friedrich Nietzsche

Politics

13 Things Democrats should be Happy About

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As the inauguration of President-Elect Donald J. Trump becomes a reality we keep hearing from legions of unhappy Democrats. In particular we’re hearing a lot of whining from wealthy self-proclaimed progressives such as Meryl Streep.

I am starting to wonder why these people are so upset. If they take a close look at the situation both Democrats and progressives will see that they have a lot to be happy about.

Here are a Few Things that Progressives Should be Very Happy about

  1. Hillary Clinton is gone from presidential politics. Hillary is still around but she’s a discredited has been. She will not be in a position to block other, younger more effective Democrats; or drag down the party with her elitism and corruption.

  1. Bill and Hillary’s brand of elitist identity-obsessed, Wall Street friendly, small-government, Democratic politics has been completely discredited. The way has been cleared for aggressive progressives such as U.S. Senators Bernie Sanders (I-Vermont) and Liz Warren (D-Massachusetts) to push a very different agenda. Just as Trump revitalized the Republicans; by overturning the elitist intellectuals of movement conservatism, the stage is set for a similar constructive shakeup in the Democratic Party.

 

  1. The path for new and effective leadership in the Democratic Party has been cleared. Whether anybody steps up and takes that path remains to be seen. Remember this is America – new leaders sometimes appear out of nowhere as Trump did in the Republican Party.

  1. The Republicans now own this economy. Beyond a booming stock market (something we have had for years) there is little evidence of job creation or economic growth on Main Street. Republicans will be blamed if the economic growth and jobs Trump; and his publicists at CBS News, are promising do not appear.

 

  1. Several Nobel-Prize winning economists believe that Trump’s economic policies will not work, Bloomberg Markets reported. One of them; Columbia University Professor Edmund Phelps, went farther and predicted that Trump’s policies would create a deep recession.

 

  1. Global conditions might limit economic growth in the U.S. In particular a strong US dollar and weak economies overseas will dampen demand for US trade goods. Economic troubles in China; and popular disgust with Trump in other nations, might limit the market for U.S. government securities needed to finance Donald’s stimulus by infrastructure plans, University of Chicago Professor Roger Myerson pointed out.

  1. In less than two years every House Republican; and many GOP U.S. Senators, governors and state legislators, will have to face voters angry at the dysfunctional economy. Those Republicans will have to answer the big question: where are the jobs? This will make their Democratic opponents’ task far easier.

 

  1. In just three years Donald will have to answer the same question – if he wants to be reelected. If Trump cannot deliver the jobs; and the economic growth, the enthusiastic crowds we saw last year won’t be there to greet him.

 

  1. Trump has made; and is making, a lot of promises he cannot keep – such as his claims about millions of new jobs. When it becomes apparent that those promises are nothing but hollow lies, voters will turn on Trump.

  1. The power of the presidency is far more limited than Donald’s groupies think. Much of what Trump has promised is beyond the President’s powers. When this becomes apparent Trump will be exposed for the charlatan he really is.

 

  1. There will be no producers to edit out or cover up Trump’s misdeeds once he’s at the White House. The media will broadcast every mistake, stupid statement, insult, lie, racist remark, sexist comment and obnoxious tweet to the world. Anything he says or does will instantly go out to every TV screen and smartphone on the planet.

 

  1. Trump will end up spending all of his time doing damage control rather than implementing his policies. Working families struggling to pay the bills in a no-jobs economy will be the most disgusted of all; as they see their President Tweeting about sexting or the n-word, rather than trying to help them.

  1. Other Republicans will find themselves in the awkward position of having to defend Trump or end up at war with him. A particularly destructive scenario would be Trump resuming his ugly habit of viciously insulting and attacking other Republicans. This might destroy their effectiveness as a party and doom their legislative agenda.

 

So the future looks very bright for Democrats. The circumstances favor them if they cannot see it. The big question we need to ask: is will Democrats have the brains and courage to capitalize on the opportunity history has presented them?