Biden and bad law hurt Democrats

Nov 06, 2021 Editorial

Kaieteur News – Blinders were not necessary to see what came on November 2nd in America. In the early November races, the Democratic party and some of its candidates got trounced fair and square. This time, there can be no blaming of the bogeyman who occupied the White House last. For, the scarecrows are themselves, with the ghosts of past opponent(s) who profaned the democratic process slowly fading, noticeably limping.
The biggest bogeyman is the man in the White House, Joseph Biden, which is the savage plight of the Democratic party. It won and didn’t know what to do with electoral triumph in November last, but to squabble and wrestle with each other, in one faction after another that lost touch with their foremost responsibility to be about the law, and to make laws that mean something to the people.
President Joe Biden, at times, couldn’t seem to make up his mind about what he stood for, what are his priorities to deliver. The king of compromise found strength in being the king of confrontation, though, in a more subtle way, and not the tough guy manner of his predecessor. It didn’t help, because he wanted to spend too much, roiled moderates in his own party, and ignored pleas for a more restrained approach.
He picked the wrong side in some of the political and social fights that raged across America. In Long Island’s Nassau and Suffolk counties, his people were booted in resounding fashion. The people in some communities did not want to hear about defunding the police, bail reform laxity, and the soaring crime rates that accompanied such political thoughtlessness and indecisiveness. The message from voters was of safety first for our families and communities, safety every time. It should be a message not wasted on the socialists and anarchists within both of America’s political parties, as they prepare for next year’s suddenly razor-wired midterm elections.
History has been unfavourable to incumbent presidents and their parties in those elections, with Democrats feeling the brunt of voters’ wrath. When President Biden’s unsteadiness is weighed against that, the prospects don’t appear too inviting for his party. When that is coupled with the appalling ignorance of newcomers to the House of Representatives, the Democrats as good as dug their political graves. The day of reckoning was this first Tuesday in November, which is an indicator of what could be in store come next year.
Virginia, which was solidly Democratic for the last 10 years, has now been surrendered to the Republicans, and in almost every tier. The surprising aspect of Republican candidates’ victories was they made sure to keep a safe distance from their former president, now appearing to be increasingly irrelevant. In New York City, Eric Adams won, as expected, because he dared to be brave and spoke about what mattered to minorities and centrists, and not special interests that ruled the roost for too long, and those so far out that they put the old lunatic fringe to shame.
One of the confirmations that came out of Tuesday’s races and results is that in America there is still a meaningful middle that matters (New York Times, November 3). For sure, America is a deeply polarised society relative to both reciprocal race rage and deep class distinctions. But it does have that tangible middle that makes its voice and vote count, when the ship must be steadied, and politicians and their parties have to be reminded: what was done and where was gone are too far, so there is this price.
It means losing and getting out, and from those there had better be understanding of what is missing, and what must be done to fill the voids. It would be something worth shouting about, really celebrating, if Guyanese possessed a mindset that was national and not tribal, and so politically criminal. We permit leaders, groups, and their goons to wreak havoc without letup, and then resort to the only solution we know, which is to brawl with and batter political foes. We like things America; perhaps, we can learn something from it, on our responsibilities as citizens. Get rid of the political failures, losers, schemers, and pretenders. They are universal in Guyana.

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