ALAN SABROSKY • NOVEMBER 5, 2022
Constitutionalists or conservatives – especially Republicans – put their hopes in a Red Wave” which will allow them to flip control of both houses of the Congress in the 2022 midterms, as well as several governorships. Polls certainly indicate that this will be the case, and although the Democrats control the balloting in the same cities in the same states as in 2020, there has been a significant movement of Hispanic voters – and a smaller but still interesting one – of black voters to the Republican party.
Personally, I have my doubts: Nancy Pelosi is an evil witch if ever there was one, but she is a ruthless, experienced and cunning harvester in the Washington vineyard. I do not believe she would have run for re-election if she had thought that she would be handing over the Speaker’s gavel to a Republican in January, and have to face retribution there for what she and the Democrats have done over the past two years.
Moreover, there is the perennial problem of “it isn’t who votes, it is who counts the votes.” The excellent documentary, “2000 Mules,” demonstrated conclusively (at least to me, and I understand the methodology very well) how the 2020 general election was stolen. But it received little national attention, and most of what it did receive was critical. So all it really accomplished was to show the Democrats where and how they had to clean up their act in 2022, to do the same thing more smoothly with less chance of detection. Watch for pre-dawn ballot dumps or prolonged counting delays, especially in states with largely Democrat-controlled black majority cities.
But let’s say the Republicans do as they believe they will do and flip both Houses of the Congress in the mid-terms. In fact, it might be wise strategically for the Democrats to let that happen, and to refrain from doing anything that might even remotely look like illegal or unethical (I know, such words!) ballot harvesting or counting in 2022. That way, they could defuse criticism of whatever they did in 2020 by pointing to Republican wins in 2022, and clear the way for them to do the same thing as in 2020 very smoothly and very well in the really important 2024 general election. What, then will victory in the mid-terms mean? Well, first of all, a lot of radical legislation pending in the Congress now (e.g. Federalizing all election practices in all states) or desired but not yet formally proposed (e.g. automatic amnesty of all illegal migrants) will be blocked. But any legislation the Republicans want and the Democrats do not want, will not become law. Biden will veto them, and the Republicans – even the most optimistic of them – know they will not have a two-thirds majority in both chambers needed to override a veto. So legislatively, a stalemate, with Biden (or whoever) governing by executive order.
Second, really nasty appointees to any Administration posts won’t be confirmed. But none will be removed by the process of impeachment. They might be impeached in the House of Representatives, but they will not be convicted by the Senate – no two-thirds vote in a densely partisan political world will be forthcoming. So any vacancies will likely be filled by temporary (“Acting”) appointees who will remain that without confirmation. It has happened before.
Third, expect the Democrats to revert in the lower chamber to the sand-in-the-wheels strategy used in 2017-2019 when they were a minority there, coupled with a resumption of public protests and harassment of Republicans in both houses. Disruption, delay, and as much disorder as possible will be their rules of the day, every day. And in parliamentary terms, there will be damn little the Republicans can do about it.
Fourth, the RINOs like McCullough and McCarthy will likely retain leadership positions of their parties in the two chambers, or – if replaced – will still have senior positions and a number of followers in them. This poses an interesting dilemma for younger Republicans: If they retain the RINOs in leadership positions, it will be business as usual on the Hill. But if they replace them, they may split the party in one or both chambers for voting purposes, and hand the Democrats some victories that simple majorities could avert. It is a neat problem.
Fifth, Biden’s current political appointees (or their “Acting” successors) will continue to execute Administration policies. If the Democrats will not be able to get new ones through, they can block – at one level or another – whatever the Republicans want to do. This includes maintaining Administration support for CRT in the schools, DEI in the armed forces, open borders, energy policy, and support for certain policies overseas (e.g. aid for Ukraine). The powers of the purse (House of Representatives) and confirmation (Senate), for example, are real. But more than one past president has found ways to go around a hostile Congress – and while I doubt Biden can sniff his way around anything substantial, there are some very smart – if wrong-headed or even outright evil – people in his Administration who can do that quite nicely.
Finally, a real problem is the entire Department of Justice and its principal enforcement arm, the FBI. I do not know if the word “corrupt” is adequate, but I know that as long as Garland, his key subordinates, and the existing array of U.S. Attorneys are in place, conservatives or opponents of any Administration policies and practices are in deep trouble – and there is little or nothing ta reworked Congress can do about them. States can do something within thir jurisdictions if they wish, but the “leadership” of states like California do not, so we will end up abandoning part of the population to the mercy of their radical leadership and trying to save what we can – at least until 2024 is upon us.
Portents
Any who doubt what the Democrats intend for us and for America need only review Biden’s appalling speech on September 1, 2022 in Philadelphia, with his blood-red background and his dire threats to those who would stand against his party’s designs. And later demurrals or walk-backs by his staffers notwithstanding, its essence was repeated in another speech a few days ago on November 2nd. Both echoed what Speaker Pelosi, AG Garland and other leading Democrats have reiterated over the past two years: conservatives generally and Republicans in particular are domestic terrorists, national security threats and enemies of the state. It was no less than a declaration of war on the Constitution and what it rep[resents. It was literally an assertion of an emerging despotism – if we the people let it happen.
There is no compromise with these people. Reasonable people can disagree, reach understandings that respect the interests of both sides, and remain at peace. The emergent radical Democrat despotism is neither reasonable nor willing to compromise except in the classic revolutionary sense: one step back, then two steps forward, then repeat the process as needed – until you win absolutely.
In these circumstances, the best we can hope for if the mid-terms go our way is two years of disruption and no new wounds, but a continuation of most – if not all – of what we have experienced since January 2021. But if we lose the mid-terms – that is, if the Democrats go for broke and do (or attempt to do) in them what they did in 2020, and win – forget about changing anything in 2024. The die will be cast in stone, insofar as politics and the country is concerned.
Neither outcome is sustainable or acceptable, at least to me – and, hopefully, to others who love this country, warts and all. It was never so bad in 1775 when Patrick Henry proclaimed “Give me liberty or give me death!” Compared to what we face now, the wrongs enumerated in the Declaration of Independence were nothing but pin-pricks, and the worst of King George III’s Royal Officers little more than irritants. It needs to be clearly understood that we cannot vote nor legislate nor adjudicate ourselves out of this sewer.
https://www.unz.com/article/crucible-of-choice/
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