Let the Blame Games Begin? Victor Davis Hanson

[mystery-ak]

Let the Blame Games Begin?

Victor Davis Hanson
 |  Nov 17, 2022

Who or what was responsible for the Republican nationwide collapse in the midterms? After all, pundits, politicos, and pollsters all predicted a "red tsunami."

Moreover, the average loss of any president in his first midterm is 25 House seats. And when his approval sinks to or below 43% -- in the fashion of President Joe Biden -- the loss, on average, expands to over 40 seats.

Former President Barack Obama in 2010 lost 63 seats. Is Biden, therefore, more charismatic or more energetic than Obama? Was his agenda more successful and popular?

Given such high Republican expectations, the blame game for the loss is as strident and confusing as was the election itself.

Here are some of the most common targets of criticism.

Former President Donald Trump is being blamed on various counts. Before the midterms, he strangely attacked Florida Governor Ron DeSantis. And he loudly hinted that he would run again.

Those histrionics supposedly took attention away from Republican candidates. Trump turned off some DeSantis fans from Trump-endorsed candidates, and energized Trump-hating left-wingers to go out and vote to stop the momentum for a second Trump presidency.

Yet the idea that Trump was erratic or reckless was not really new and surprised no one on either side of the political divide.

more
https://townhall.com/columnists/victordavishanson/2022/11/17/let-the-blame-games-begin-n2616064

[catfish1957]

Local Briefers Trump Fans sliming VDH in  4..3...2...1

[goatprairie]

From what I've read and heard the abortion issue was a much bigger loser for Republicans than the big thinkers on the right thought it would be.
To win in the future Republicans are going to have to moderate their all or nothing stance on the issue in many purple or mostly blue states.

[EdinVA]

Well, in my view, the GOP has burned up the airwaves with talk but have never, ever delivered.  They have not earned the right to govern and motivate folks to vote red.
It is the entire GOP, not one person, but the entire corrupt structure.

[jmyrlefuller]

From what I've read and heard the abortion issue was a much bigger loser for Republicans than the big thinkers on the right thought it would be.
To win in the future Republicans are going to have to moderate their all or nothing stance on the issue in many purple or mostly blue states.

I'm sorry, but granting legitimacy to killing a child in the womb, for convenience, in an era when more people are dying than being born is not a position that can be "moderated" and still maintain one's integrity. It's evil.

And when the women of childbearing age have embraced that evil, we're done as a civil society.

[aligncare]

I'm sorry, but granting legitimacy to killing a child in the womb, for convenience, in an era when more people are dying than being born is not a position that can be "moderated" and still maintain one's integrity. It's evil.

And when the women of childbearing age have embraced that evil, we're done as a civil society.

That’s the sober truth of the matter.

[Hoodat]

Well, in my view, the GOP has burned up the airwaves with talk but have never, ever delivered.  They have not earned the right to govern and motivate folks to vote red.
It is the entire GOP, not one person, but the entire corrupt structure.

Yep.  And the fact that the Republicans really didn't even offer anything except that they weren't Biden.  A solution for stopping inflation or fixing the border would have been nice.

[Right_in_Virginia]

Local Briefers Trump Fans sliming VDH in  4..3...2...1

So now every different opinion is a "sliming" @catfish1957 ?

[goatprairie]

I'm sorry, but granting legitimacy to killing a child in the womb, for convenience, in an era when more people are dying than being born is not a position that can be "moderated" and still maintain one's integrity. It's evil.

And when the women of childbearing age have embraced that evil, we're done as a civil society.

The plain facts are most adults will not support a zero abortion policy....especially in the situation of saving a mother's life and to a great extent rape and  incest.
The current policy in most states is no limit on abortions up to partial birth abortion. Having a policy of at least stopping partial birth abortions would be an improvement over the present situation.
Attempting to ban absolutely all abortions will be a huge loser for Republicans in future elections. Half a loaf is better than none.

[Hoodat]

The plain facts are most adults will not support a zero abortion policy....especially in the situation of saving a mother's life and to a great extent rape and  incest.

What does any of that have to do with Congressional races?  It is a State issue.

[catfish1957]

So now every different opinion is a "sliming" @catfish1957 ?

No...  but there seems to be an ongoing and consistent trend, that when anyone says anything ill of DJT, they become the object of anger and scorn of Trump rabid supporters. 

[Free Vulcan]

I don't think the abortion issue or Biden's 'booga-booga scary mega MAGA election denier Trump Republicans!' schtick made much difference in the outcome.

Lack of funding and Rats gaming of the system did.

[jmyrlefuller]

The plain facts are most adults will not support a zero abortion policy....especially in the situation of saving a mother's life and to a great extent rape and  incest.
The current policy in most states is no limit on abortions up to partial birth abortion. Having a policy of at least stopping partial birth abortions would be an improvement over the present situation.
Attempting to ban absolutely all abortions will be a huge loser for Republicans in future elections. Half a loaf is better than none.

it doesn't matter. The Democrats won on a platform of promoting all abortion at any time. Which millennials and Gen Z have embraced. We're literally headed for a death spiral.

[Sighlass]

The plain facts are most adults will not support a zero abortion policy....especially in the situation of saving a mother's life and to a great extent rape and  incest.
The current policy in most states is no limit on abortions up to partial birth abortion. Having a policy of at least stopping partial birth abortions would be an improvement over the present situation.
Attempting to ban absolutely all abortions will be a huge loser for Republicans in future elections. Half a loaf is better than none.

Who do you answer to? It's murder is all I need to know. Do we poll every opinion now, or stand on firm ground instead of sinking sand? If most people supported allowing Trans in girl's bathrooms, do we follow a party into following the crowd? When you stand for nothing, it becomes a rollercoaster of following the left wherever they pull your nose ring to the left.

[goatprairie]

Who do you answer to? It's murder is all I need to know. Do we poll every opinion now, or stand on firm ground instead of sinking sand? If most people supported allowing Trans in girl's bathrooms, do we follow a party into following the crowd? When you stand for nothing, it becomes a rollercoaster of following the left wherever they pull your nose ring to the left.

Great. Then get ready to get handed not even a slice of bread much less half a loaf.
 Getting rid of partial birth abortion would be a huge step forward. But we won't get it by demanding zero abortions for any reason whatsoever.

[jmyrlefuller]

Great. Then get ready to get handed not even a slice of bread much less half a loaf.
 Getting rid of partial birth abortion would be a huge step forward. But we won't get it by demanding zero abortions for any reason whatsoever.

Give the left an inch, they'll take a mile

Give the right an inch, they'll take half an inch, and in the wrong direction.

We're going to get nothing either way.