Voters May Have Spoken But The Message Makes No Sense

[TexasTowelie]

By Carol Morgan

My 91 year old mother is always right. Always…

After every election she makes her routine pronouncement that goes something like this: Voters go to the polls not knowing why they’re voting or who will best represent their views. They don’t even know what they want, much less, who’s going to do it for them.

The number crunchers, bean counters, and data miners are frantically disaggregating the data from Tuesday and it echoes my mother’s wisdom.

Arkansas, Kentucky and West Virginia, the states that saw substantial drops in the proportion of their residents without insurance? They all elected Republican Senate candidates who oppose the Affordable Care Act.

Weird…

Reuters’ Mike Corones wrote an article on this bizarre post-election revelation mentioning all the holy crap moments in the world of America’s confused voters. The voters spoke, but we have no clue what the message was.

This observation from a Twitter political watcher: @bencasselman: “So voters want a higher minimum wage, legal pot, abortion access and GOP representation. Ok then…”

Yes, Ben, it’s confusing…I felt the same way. It does not compute.

And another: @jodyavirgan: “5/5 vote to raise the minimum wage; 3/4 to legalize weed; 6/7 to elect Republican senators. America, you’re a very interesting place”.

The issues on the ballot and the politicians who will administrate them do not match. The policies that voters embrace are the very issues that the GOP is against.

It reminds me of the cover of the UK’s Daily Mirror, the day after GWB’s reelection, which asked, "How can 59,054,087 people be so DUMB?

Why is this happening?

Just look at PoliTech’s video of Texas Tech students and how little they know and then, you’ll understand. Students couldn’t name the vice-president or who won the Civil War, but they knew everything about Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie.

Media should be educating voters and parsing issues, but they’re not. They eschew uncomfortable confrontations that would a shine a light on what matters, because it might anger one of their corporate sponsors.

A free press should be the lifeblood of a democracy, but I’m afraid it’s bled out. That lifeblood is somewhat anemic now. Afraid of losing their livelihood, many journalists are afraid to offend. It’s easier to go along to get along and make nice with people, than to lift the veil from unpleasant truths.

With very few exceptions, the majority of local reporters have willingly become Lubbock’s newest eunuchs, because journalistic courage has consequences. Much of the local post-election coverage read like an advertorial for the winners. The only thing lacking was “I approve this message”. No difficult questions asked, no specific answers offered.

Over the next few months, voters may be scratching their heads. They will claim they didn’t vote for cuts in Social Security and Medicare or tax cuts to billionaires or a blank check for energy to foul our air and deplete our water supply, but they did.

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Carol Morgan is a career/college counselor, writer, speaker, former Democratic candidate for the Texas House and the award-winning author of Of Tapestry, Time and Tears, a historical fiction about the 1947 Partition of India. Email Carol at [e-mail] , follow her on Twitter and on Facebook or visit her writer’s blog at www.carolmorgan.org

http://lubbockonline.com/interact/blog-post/carol-morgan/2014-11-06/voters-may-have-spoken-message-makes-no-sense#.VFxcwxbuPoE

Permission granted to post this blog in its entirety.

[Art_from_Ark]

1. In Arkansas, at least, minimum wage was a constitutional issue

Last edited Fri Nov 7, 2014, 02:42 AM - Edit history (1)

that was independent of politicians (perhaps a stealthy way of taking an issue away from the Democrats). Anyway, since it became part of the state's constitution, the politicians theoretically can't touch it.

[Seeking Serenity]

25. Not to quibble or be pedantic, Art

but Issue 5, the Minimum Wage law, was an initiated act, not a constitutional amendment. It will be an amendment to the Arkansas Code, not a part of the constitution. So yeah, in theory, it CAN be touched, amended, repealed, what have you, by the Legislature. I don't know what the vote threshold is for amending or repealing an initiated act, and politically it's stupid to repeal something that the voters approved by such a large majority, but it's not untouchable.

http://www.sos.arkansas.gov/elections/Documents/2014%20Issue%20No%205.pdf

[Art_from_Ark]

39. I had thought my ballot listed it as a constitutional issue

I wish I had made a copy of my ballot before I mailed it in.

[lumberjack_jeff]

2. This is where the ball lies.

We can pretend that people are smart enough to understand the nuances of stuff... but they're not.

I'm frustrated... I'm sure we all are. I appreciate that alerters (or at least juries) are being a little tolerant, so I hope they'll indulge a bit more.

If the smartest PR firms in the country working for the DNC can't reach these morons, half-wits and entitled tools to get them to pull the right lever, it's not the fault of the voters, it's the fault of the marketeers and those who hire them.

Jesus. Tell 'em that the Republicans are going to pass a law to force Snooki off the air if that's what it takes to get college students into the voting booth.

[Odin2005]

4. FDR was able to "dumb things down" to a level everyone could understand...

...in his fireside chats, so I'm sure sure today's politicians could, too. They just don't care because they take the voters for granted.

[BubbaFett]

31. Yes, but . . .

Last edited Fri Nov 7, 2014, 09:30 PM - Edit history (1)

FDR was a STATESMAN, your modern politician is more than likely a slimy hack with the scruples of a payday loan shop who will bow, scrape, and lick boots to get whatever money they can get from whomever they can get it.

[Odin2005]

33. True.

[LeftInTX]

8. They don't know basic US history.

Would these kids even know how to vote? Would they even know the difference between a Republican or Democrat? Would they even know what to look for in a candidate?

[Bluenorthwest]

15. Wow. You really think that poorly of young people? College students don't know basic history and

would not even know how to vote? But you, of course, do know all of those things and did at age 10. 'Cause well, it's you.
If your generation is so swift, why does your State still permit discrimination against minority groups because of myths believed by your grown up, aged and elected adult Texans?
Arrogance while maintaining bigoted laws rankles me.

[LeftInTX]

24. I don't support any discrimination laws!!!!

I admit I was being sarcastic.

I assume these students are passing their classes and more than capable of learning these basic facts. This is at a Texas university and these students probably went to Texas public high schools.

One thing that concerned me with their answers about the Civil War was the southern bias. I'm concerned about what the Texas curriculum might be teaching them about the Civil War. In addition to US History and Govt, Texas students are required to take Texas history in elementary school, Texas government in high school and Texas government in college. (My son got lucky and got a humorous liberal professor for Texas government.) As you can see, that is a lot of Texas politics rammed down their throats!!!

There also has been some changes in the Texas public school curriculum. Are they even calling it the Civil War any more? Is the Texas curriculum pro-slavery?

The video is enlightening. It poses questions of motivation. Does this random group of college students see themselves as part of the political process?

Voting is a right, it should not be made difficult in anyway shape or form. However, you cannot force people to vote either.

I don't support any discrimination in any way shape or form!!!

[JayhawkSD]

3. I don't know why this is so hard to understand.

“So voters want a higher minimum wage, legal pot, abortion access and GOP representation." and "It does not compute."

Of course it computes. It is entirely consistent. They want higher wage, voted for it, and voted against Democrats who did not support it at the national level. Democratic legislators are supposed to support it, and if they don't then why should people who do support it, and who are voting for it at the local level, vote for them?

Sure, voting for Republicans is bad, but how else do you tell the Democrats that they have to actually be Democrats? You can't tell them that by continuing to reelect them. You say, "Okay, we'll suffer through two years of Republicans and see if next time the Democratic Party will give us an actual Democrat to vote for and not some DINO."

[LeftInTX]

5. Oh my those students, look what 13 yrs of Rick Perry has done to our youth

[Iris]

7. ah! Texas, home of the 3-yr BS degree. Who needs the humanities like history and "such as that"

N/T

[malokvale77]

28. It actually began...

at the school board level, before Bush became governor. The churches were very active in getting their members on the local boards.

[JonLP24]

6. 5 ways Americans say we're confused

<snip>
2. We're progressive ... but also conservative.

Voters in Alaska, Oregon, and Washington, D.C., used this midterm election to legalize marijuana. Alaska, Arkansas, Illinois, Nebraska, and South Dakota raised the minimum wage, and Colorado and North Dakota voted to protect women's reproductive rights.

That represents some pretty liberal thinking.

:large

But on the very same ballots, Americans voted to be represented by Republicans.

The Republican party is, as a rule, conservative, and generally against those positions. The unusual combination could put those liberal policies just chosen by voters in jeopardy as soon as the new Congress moves in.



http://gokicker.com/2014/11/06/5-ways-americans-said-confused-2014-midterm-elections/

[BarackTheVote]

9. Exactly.

"We" lost a lot of lousy Dixiecrats. Progressive issues won, progressive politicians would have done as well. The Dixiecrats lost because people couldn't find any distinguishable differences between them and their Republican opponent. Sucks for the national party, but the silver lining is we don't have to deal with trying to coral or cajole these DINOs any more. The equation makes perfect sense: people voted for progressive issues, and voted against conservative politicians. Doesn't matter if they've got an R or a D after their names, conservatives are no good. Run candidates in those areas where these progressive initiatives did well who actually AGREE with the initiatives and are willing to go to the mat for them. That's what computes.

[Bluenorthwest]

16. Not the truth. Oregon legalized, added an Equal Rights Amendment AND elected Democrats

We did not vote for legalization and then 'on the same ballot elect Republicans'. It is an insult to say that we did. A lie.

[JonLP24]

19. I caught that

not my lie, posted in addition to the information I wanted to get out.

[Douglas Carpenter]

22. are you bipolar?

Sorry, that is a personal question. I just thought you might be. I have diagnosis more significant than that. So, it is not judgmental in any way, shape or form. Just curious. Sorry, if I got too personal.

[Douglas Carpenter]

18. you're exacty right! At least in lots of the country. People support progressive legislation and

then turn around and vote for reactionary representatives

[jeff47]

21. No, they turn around and fail to vote for representatives

that give weasel answers about their support of progressive legislation.

Or to quote Truman: If it's a choice between a genuine Republican, and a Republican in Democratic clothing, the people will choose the genuine article, every time.

[Recursion]

30. Right. We need to stop being surprised by that. It happens regularly

Which is why there are plenty of us who support finding conservative candidates to run, because we support liberal policies.

[Douglas Carpenter]

36. I think progressive candidates can win in socially conservative areas when they can make bread and

butter economic populist issues the center of attention. But a candidate who is most known for - for example being pro-choice - in a very religious conservative/evangelical stronghold is not going to win. If they happen to be pro-choice - but that is not the issue that is focused on - their focus is their reputation as a fighter for ordinary people and working families - they will have a good shot at it.

The advantage of the so-called "Blue Dog" candidates running in socially conservative areas is that they will have an easier time raising lots of money to run expensive campaigns that de-emphasizes issues. The disadvantages are that they have no natural constituency and never will. Thus they cannot really claim the moral authority to speak for anyone.

[JonLP24]

37. Exactly

Which is why they love the wedge issues during campaign season. If they focused on their own message on those issues most people support such as expanding social security, would help.

[Rex]

10. Wow. Seriously?

Dam we are in trouble.

[joshdawg]

11. I don't know about you, but,

that video scared the hell out of me. (shudder)

[Rex]

12. This is what happens when college is all about getting a 'good paycheck'

and not about getting a well rounded education. Yeah that video scared the shit out of me. How do you not know about the Civil War or the Revolutionary War in college?

Kinda late by then imo.

[NaturalHigh]

13. One big flaw in those tweets...

“So voters want a higher minimum wage, legal pot, abortion access and GOP representation. Ok then…”

A lot of people don't want abortion access, and they always come out to vote. A candidate like Wendy Davis, who is pretty much known only for her stance on abortion, never stood a chance in a state like Texas.

[malokvale77]

29. Wendy Davis campaigned on education and...

raising the minimum wage.

You would not know that by the MSM.

[NaturalHigh]

38. "You would not know that by the MSM."

Fair enough. No I didn't know that. I didn't personally do a lot of research on the race, and no, I never read that on the news.

I still think the abortion issue doomed her from the start, even though one would think that education and raising the minimum wage would be winning issues with the voters.

[The2ndWheel]

14. 300+ million people in this country

One person can't represent hundreds of thousands, millions, or 300+ million people at the same time.

[titaniumsalute]

17. Howard Stern's show had street reporters on election day

Asking people if they were going to vote for or against President Obama in the election. At least 5 people had answers why they were voting today for or against Obama. Fucking clueless.

[libtodeath]

20. It makes sense when one accepts all they were doing was voting against the black man as president.

[kiranon]

23. So sad to say nothing else makes sense.

The people voted to put into office those who would deny them what they wanted. The Democrats need to shout out all the things they do and what they stand for. I imagine impeachment and undoing the affordable care act will be the first things the Republicans try to do.

[HockeyMom]

26. These things run in Cycles

I am about 20 years younger than Mom. American just cannot learn. They don't know what they have until it is gone, as that old Joni Mitchelle song said. The Republican Congress will slash what the people really want, and then they will elect a Democrat President as a backlash. Happened many times in the past.

Americans don't learn from their mistakes, and are doomed to repeat it over and over.

[davishenderson265]

27. Loss was due to VERY low voter turn out.

Just look at Virginia.

[malokvale77]

32. VERY low voter turn out...

was due to piss poor campaigns.

[SomethingFishy]

34. Exactly.. Did Dems talk about the minimum wage?

Income inequality? Legalization? Immigration? Health Care?

Fuck no they ran from every liberal position except abortion and women.

But it's all the fault of the voter for not seeing that even though Democrats had ads with them shooting fucking shotguns and saying "I'm not Obama" in them, that there is a huge difference between the two parties.

[malokvale77]

35. I know

I'm old enough to remember when Democrats stood for something, and were ready to fight for those beliefs.

I'm definitely showing my age.