Can the Democratic Party succeed by appealing to illegal immigrants and convicted felons?
According to some Democrats, a convicted felon who assaulted someone or maybe even murdered someone, should be entitled to vote - even from prison! But on the other hand, someone who said something offensive should be shunned from society and forced to shut up, forever. If you even utter the "N-word" once in your life (and as we all know, no one has ever said that, ever!) then you need to crawl back into the racist hole you crawled out from and never be heard from again.
Say the wrong thing or say it the wrong way, and you are damned and shamed for life. Meanwhile, we laud the accomplishments of an ex-con who "turns his life around" and should be given back his voting rights, because, well, he didn't do nothing wrong, really. I mean, he didn't say any bad words about anyone while he was shooting them in the head.
I mentioned before how this "moral crusade" on the part of the Democratic party is going to backfire. No one wants to vote for a scolding nanny or schoolmarm - and that is what the Democratic party is doing right now - putting up a roster of mostly female candidates, as some sort of apology for white male domination. And most of this new generation of candidates seem bent on scolding the rest of us for our alleged misdeeds- or misdeeds of our ancient ancestors. I am not sure that telling people they are pieces of shit is really a great campaign strategy.
Particularly when the other side tells people what they want to hear, which is that nothing is their fault, but rather some unseen others (Mexicans, Muslims, China, Elites, whatever) is causing the trouble in their lives. Externalization always sells to the masses.
It seems that the Left has more sympathy for criminals than their victims. The media loves to put up stories about the troubled backgrounds of youth who commit horrific crimes - but we never hear about the youth with the same backgrounds who graduate from school, get jobs, settle down, and raise a family.
The problem with the approach of the Democratic Party is that it has been shown, time and time again, to simply not work. There are not enough convicted felons to elect a candidate in any district, or indeed, nationwide. And by embracing and lauding criminals as unsung folk heroes, they are turning off the middle-of-the-road independent voters who are less sympathetic to the travails of criminals, as they are often the victims of such crime.
When I was young and stupid (as opposed to old and stupid today), I used to fall into that trap. Back then, as teenagers, we were always causing trouble of one sort or another. We were trying to buy beer illegally, or smoke pot, or get laid, or "hang out". And of course, some of the crowd was always spray-painting graffiti (I never understood the profit in that) or vandalizing things (ditto). So naturally, we tended to view the Police as "the enemy" as we were always worried about getting caught doing stupid teenage things. Fast-forward 40 years, and "stupid teenage things" these days include dealing drugs, prostitution, and slaughtering your classmates with machetes. Oh, and yea, they still spray-paint graffiti.
But a funny thing happens to most of us as we get older. Like I said, I never saw the profit in wrecking stuff "for fun"or painting my name on the side of a railroad car. And once I was old enough to buy beer, well, I didn't tend to look over my shoulder as much as when I was a teen. I got a job, and it was hard work. And I managed to save a few dollars to buy some nice things, like a bicycle and a stereo. And yea, it would irk me that some jackass wanted to steal what little I had. My sympathy for the criminal element started to fade quickly.
And then there was was being assaulted. A friend of mine and I were chased by four angry black youth, who wanted nothing more than to crack our heads open with a steel pipe, "for the fun of it" - or at least that is what the Policeman we talked to told us when we reported the crime. "They're just having fun," he said. Some fun. And even though he knew who the perpetrators were, he refused to file a report or investigate further. I got an inkling that something wasn't quite right with our system.
And yes, after that incident, I may have said something politically incorrect. I know for sure I didn't say, "Gosh, those underprivileged African-Americans were rightfully outraged by our ostentatious display of middle-class social values! It is perfectly understandable that they would want to inflict major brain damage on us and possibly kill us! We should feel sorry for them!"
I think I may have said something else - which may have involved some "forbidden" words.
While delivering pizzas one night to the wrong address, I ended up in an alley behind a public housing building. There were about 15 young black men there (none of them working nights delivering pizzas, while going to college and holding a full-time job) loitering - doing drugs and drinking beers. Again, I was chased, and back then, I could run fast. Today, I would be taken down like an aging gazelle by a young lion.
And again, there is little point in even reporting such things. You will be found at fault, not the perpetrators. "What were you doing in that alley, anyway?" (trying to do my job). The victim is always blamed first. You get bit by a shark, the shark is not to blame, but you for foolishly swimming in the ocean. And of course, the shark gets sympathy for being "endangered" much as criminals get sympathy as their background stories are expounded in the press, when they are eventually caught doing something horrific. The poor kid came from a broken home! He can't help but murder people, right?
Of course, the reality is, kids from unbroken homes also become criminals as well, and kids from broken homes become successful doctors and lawyers - on occasion! Who should we be lauding and supporting? Who should we be making a hero of?
And this is not a "racial" thing, either. Well, it is, but in a way that Democrats unintentionally make offensive. The Democratic Party seems to think that appealing to convicted felons and criminals will bring out the black vote, because, well, that's what black people do, you know, steal stuff. It is kind of a racist theory - that going soft on crime is something that will appeal to black voters. It also is sort of totally wrong. Blacks are far more likely to be victims of crime than any other social demographic. They are the most fed up with crime of any group - but many in the inner cities have largely given up on the Police as enforcing any laws or convicting any criminals. You cooperate with the Police in Chicago, you end up on a slab. It is not difficult math to do. And yet, the Democratic Party there seems more interested in reaching out to the criminal element than to the law-abiding citizens. It just makes no sense.
Sadly, it seems that our culture itself rewards criminality. An entire generation has been raised - perhaps two generations - on the idea that being a "gangsta" or some other sort of criminal, is a laudable thing. We have embraced the culture of belligerence, with a duly elected belligerent-in-chief, who coincidentally enough, views the law as something only chumps have to obey.
And we are all to blame to some extent. Think about it. In the "news" on your phone, do you click on the story about the noble achiever who overcomes adversity to succeed in life? Of course not. Do you click on the story about the victim of a mass-shooting and how they were going to do missionary work in Africa? Of course not! Do you click on the story that expounds on the background of the shooter, his mental health history, his "motives", how he bought his guns, what guns he had, and of course his "manifesto"and social media postings? You bet. We all are fascinated by the criminal element, which is why almost all television shows today are, in one form or another, about crime.
But that doesn't excuse the Democratic Party for embracing criminality.
50 years ago, the Democratic convention in Chicago devolved into a riot. And while the Democratic party wrung its hands about what to do, most of America watched what was going on and voted for Richard Nixon, who promised a return to "Law and Order". People were tired of violence and protest, and also dirty unwashed hippies stealing all their shit.
Since then, crimes rates have indeed dropped - and incarceration rates have risen to record levels. No one seems to know why crimes rates have dropped, but it can't be because we are putting more people in prison, can it? Nah. Must be a demographic thing. Or maybe people are just too mellowed out on legal pot to commit crimes anymore. That sounds plausible.
Funny thing, but in California, penalties for a "property crimes" were reduced, and not soon thereafter, the rate of such "petty" crimes rose. Hey, that's just correlation, not causation, right? And besides, it's your fault for not locking your stuff up! I mean, it wouldn't make any sense that if you reduced or eliminated the penalties for crime that crime would go up, or vice-versa. I mean, that's just crazy talk, right?
The mantra that the Democrats are using is "compassion" - compassion for criminals and compassion for illegal aliens - neither of which vote, either because it is illegal, or because criminals don't tend to vote anyway. It just seems like an idiotic demographic to pursue in order to win elections. Why not go after the mainstream of America - who does turn the electoral tide?
The problem is, going down this rabbit hole, the Democrats will keep losing elections at both the local and national level. Oh, sure, they will win a few seats in the House in the coming Democratic Blue Puddle, but the Senate and the Presidency are safe (for Republicans) for now, and the Supreme Court safe for the Republicans for decades to come. You can only win so many seats by stoking hatred of the other side. Eventually, you have to come up with a platform that people will positively support. And "free money for everyone" only sells to people who are already on welfare, who are in the minority and largely don't vote anyway.
If the Democrats keep this up, we may see Trump re-elected. Or even if they can impeach Trump or force him to resign, a re-elected President Pence in 2020.
It seems that the Left has more sympathy for criminals than their victims. The media loves to put up stories about the troubled backgrounds of youth who commit horrific crimes - but we never hear about the youth with the same backgrounds who graduate from school, get jobs, settle down, and raise a family.
The problem with the approach of the Democratic Party is that it has been shown, time and time again, to simply not work. There are not enough convicted felons to elect a candidate in any district, or indeed, nationwide. And by embracing and lauding criminals as unsung folk heroes, they are turning off the middle-of-the-road independent voters who are less sympathetic to the travails of criminals, as they are often the victims of such crime.
When I was young and stupid (as opposed to old and stupid today), I used to fall into that trap. Back then, as teenagers, we were always causing trouble of one sort or another. We were trying to buy beer illegally, or smoke pot, or get laid, or "hang out". And of course, some of the crowd was always spray-painting graffiti (I never understood the profit in that) or vandalizing things (ditto). So naturally, we tended to view the Police as "the enemy" as we were always worried about getting caught doing stupid teenage things. Fast-forward 40 years, and "stupid teenage things" these days include dealing drugs, prostitution, and slaughtering your classmates with machetes. Oh, and yea, they still spray-paint graffiti.
But a funny thing happens to most of us as we get older. Like I said, I never saw the profit in wrecking stuff "for fun"or painting my name on the side of a railroad car. And once I was old enough to buy beer, well, I didn't tend to look over my shoulder as much as when I was a teen. I got a job, and it was hard work. And I managed to save a few dollars to buy some nice things, like a bicycle and a stereo. And yea, it would irk me that some jackass wanted to steal what little I had. My sympathy for the criminal element started to fade quickly.
And then there was was being assaulted. A friend of mine and I were chased by four angry black youth, who wanted nothing more than to crack our heads open with a steel pipe, "for the fun of it" - or at least that is what the Policeman we talked to told us when we reported the crime. "They're just having fun," he said. Some fun. And even though he knew who the perpetrators were, he refused to file a report or investigate further. I got an inkling that something wasn't quite right with our system.
And yes, after that incident, I may have said something politically incorrect. I know for sure I didn't say, "Gosh, those underprivileged African-Americans were rightfully outraged by our ostentatious display of middle-class social values! It is perfectly understandable that they would want to inflict major brain damage on us and possibly kill us! We should feel sorry for them!"
I think I may have said something else - which may have involved some "forbidden" words.
While delivering pizzas one night to the wrong address, I ended up in an alley behind a public housing building. There were about 15 young black men there (none of them working nights delivering pizzas, while going to college and holding a full-time job) loitering - doing drugs and drinking beers. Again, I was chased, and back then, I could run fast. Today, I would be taken down like an aging gazelle by a young lion.
And again, there is little point in even reporting such things. You will be found at fault, not the perpetrators. "What were you doing in that alley, anyway?" (trying to do my job). The victim is always blamed first. You get bit by a shark, the shark is not to blame, but you for foolishly swimming in the ocean. And of course, the shark gets sympathy for being "endangered" much as criminals get sympathy as their background stories are expounded in the press, when they are eventually caught doing something horrific. The poor kid came from a broken home! He can't help but murder people, right?
Of course, the reality is, kids from unbroken homes also become criminals as well, and kids from broken homes become successful doctors and lawyers - on occasion! Who should we be lauding and supporting? Who should we be making a hero of?
And this is not a "racial" thing, either. Well, it is, but in a way that Democrats unintentionally make offensive. The Democratic Party seems to think that appealing to convicted felons and criminals will bring out the black vote, because, well, that's what black people do, you know, steal stuff. It is kind of a racist theory - that going soft on crime is something that will appeal to black voters. It also is sort of totally wrong. Blacks are far more likely to be victims of crime than any other social demographic. They are the most fed up with crime of any group - but many in the inner cities have largely given up on the Police as enforcing any laws or convicting any criminals. You cooperate with the Police in Chicago, you end up on a slab. It is not difficult math to do. And yet, the Democratic Party there seems more interested in reaching out to the criminal element than to the law-abiding citizens. It just makes no sense.
Sadly, it seems that our culture itself rewards criminality. An entire generation has been raised - perhaps two generations - on the idea that being a "gangsta" or some other sort of criminal, is a laudable thing. We have embraced the culture of belligerence, with a duly elected belligerent-in-chief, who coincidentally enough, views the law as something only chumps have to obey.
And we are all to blame to some extent. Think about it. In the "news" on your phone, do you click on the story about the noble achiever who overcomes adversity to succeed in life? Of course not. Do you click on the story about the victim of a mass-shooting and how they were going to do missionary work in Africa? Of course not! Do you click on the story that expounds on the background of the shooter, his mental health history, his "motives", how he bought his guns, what guns he had, and of course his "manifesto"and social media postings? You bet. We all are fascinated by the criminal element, which is why almost all television shows today are, in one form or another, about crime.
But that doesn't excuse the Democratic Party for embracing criminality.
50 years ago, the Democratic convention in Chicago devolved into a riot. And while the Democratic party wrung its hands about what to do, most of America watched what was going on and voted for Richard Nixon, who promised a return to "Law and Order". People were tired of violence and protest, and also dirty unwashed hippies stealing all their shit.
Since then, crimes rates have indeed dropped - and incarceration rates have risen to record levels. No one seems to know why crimes rates have dropped, but it can't be because we are putting more people in prison, can it? Nah. Must be a demographic thing. Or maybe people are just too mellowed out on legal pot to commit crimes anymore. That sounds plausible.
Funny thing, but in California, penalties for a "property crimes" were reduced, and not soon thereafter, the rate of such "petty" crimes rose. Hey, that's just correlation, not causation, right? And besides, it's your fault for not locking your stuff up! I mean, it wouldn't make any sense that if you reduced or eliminated the penalties for crime that crime would go up, or vice-versa. I mean, that's just crazy talk, right?
The mantra that the Democrats are using is "compassion" - compassion for criminals and compassion for illegal aliens - neither of which vote, either because it is illegal, or because criminals don't tend to vote anyway. It just seems like an idiotic demographic to pursue in order to win elections. Why not go after the mainstream of America - who does turn the electoral tide?
The problem is, going down this rabbit hole, the Democrats will keep losing elections at both the local and national level. Oh, sure, they will win a few seats in the House in the coming Democratic Blue Puddle, but the Senate and the Presidency are safe (for Republicans) for now, and the Supreme Court safe for the Republicans for decades to come. You can only win so many seats by stoking hatred of the other side. Eventually, you have to come up with a platform that people will positively support. And "free money for everyone" only sells to people who are already on welfare, who are in the minority and largely don't vote anyway.
If the Democrats keep this up, we may see Trump re-elected. Or even if they can impeach Trump or force him to resign, a re-elected President Pence in 2020.