Readers Write: Wanted

The Island Now

They just don’t get it. 

The 2016 Presidential election is not between Democrats and Republicans or even liberal progressives and conservatives. It is between the American people and the elite political “Establishment” — those elected officials and party bosses who promise the sky and deliver little more than the same old thing or worse. 

Included are the wealthy donors and crony capitalists that fund them and the media that enables them. 

 Barack Obama promised, “Hope and Change”. Voters, who were disgruntled because of a collapsing economy and two seemingly endless wars, followed him. 

Things only got worse. Obama brought us a tepid economic recovery, stagnant wages, and a lower median household income. 

Add to this, unaffordable health care, abysmal work-force participation rates, skyrocketing national debt, uncontrolled illegal immigration, social unrest, a feckless foreign policy that weakened our standing internationally, and rampant terrorism at home and abroad, and you have the makings of an all out attack on the foundation of America.

 By 2010, it was clear to voters that they were losing the country they loved and, to right the ship of state, they began to give control to the Republicans of both houses of Congress, 30 governorships, and two-thirds of state legislatures, but nothing changed. Instead, these Republicans stood by, or even facilitated, continued centralization of the federal government, increased federal spending, unbalanced federal budgets and skyrocketing federal debt, exploding health-care costs, unconstitutional executive orders, and invasive federal regulations. 

Few opposed this out-of-control administration either because they feared threats of racism or, more likely, because they were only interested in maintaining control for themselves and keeping their donors and lobbyists happy. 

It is within this political environment today that Americans feel abandoned by their elected leaders.

 To hear the raw unvarnished truth of what the average American thinks about the Republican establishment’s end run around the American voter, just listen to Judge Jeanine Pirro (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8VMZSXzy7O0). Over 13 million have.

 Judge Pirro mercilessly laces into Mitt Romney for suggesting that voters block Donald Trump’s nomination and bring about a contested convention. 

Amazingly Romney suggests the voters allow the Republican elites to choose the party’s standard-bearer. 

Do we need the same man who lost in 2012 to tell us how to win in 2016? 

Romney and the party elite would rather lose the 2016 election than release their control of the GOP to a “big tent” candidate who cannot be bought.

 The elites and donor class in both parties are blind to the lack of progress made by the middle class over the last 15-plus years. 

Eight months ago we were being told that the 2016 presidential race was going to be between Jeb Bush and Hillary Clinton. 

Jeb is now a $150 million afterthought. Hillary, considered untrustworthy and corrupt by most Democrats and burdened by a potential Justice Department indictment, is struggling against a 74-year-old socialist. If not for the unelected super delegates, she too would not be “inevitable”.

 Today we are witness to two populist insurgency movements, Bernie Sanders on the left and Donald Trump on the right. 

For eight years, Republicans have been told that they cannot win without attracting more voters from minority groups, the working class, those with only high school educations, and even the evangelicals. 

Trump is doing exactly that.  

According to the primary voting statistics, voters are flooding to vote in Republican primaries, including newly registered voters and “Ditch and Switch Now” crossover voters. 

Turnout for Republican primaries has increased dramatically, up almost 300 percent in Virginia alone, while Democrat primary numbers have decreased in every state. 

Will these voters turn out to vote Republican in November? 

Yes, so long as the GOP nominee is an outsider who can garner support from “non-traditional” Republican voters— independents, Reagan Democrats, and working middle class voters. 

Patronizing condescension and arrogance will not cut it with an electorate in revolt. They want their sovereignty back!

One concern is whether the anti-establishment phenomenon will have long coat tails for local Republican candidates. It can but only if the party leadership accepts this movement as the will of their voters and not as a challenge to their power and authority. 

If those who hold the keys to the Republican kingdom were wise, they would be figuring out how to integrate the “Trump phenomenon” into their current platform.

 Imagine the effect this could have on our own congressional race in NY CD3. Steve Israel’s vacant seat sets up a perfect opportunity for the GOP to seize the anti-establishment momentum of Trump’s campaign and retake the seat for the first time in 16 years.  

Unfortunately so far, those who have thrown their hats into the race all seem to come from the political establishment. 

The Republican, Conservative, and Independent Parties of Queens, Nassau, and Suffolk counties have endorsed Jack Martins, a state senator since 2011, to run for NY CD3. 

While we have Jack Martins’ voting record in the state Senate, it is very disappointing that he has yet to come out publicly to offer his stance on the critical issues of this Congressional race. 

He did speak briefly on the John Catsimatidis radio show (https://www.catsimatidis.com/senator-jack-martins-speaks-at-the-cats-roundtable-radio-show/) on March 20, but no specifics on current issues were presented.

To be successful in 2016, a Republican candidate must risk breaking with the party elites and build an independent “insurgency” campaign. 

Voters must hear specific solutions to the problems facing the working middle class and these policies must be communicated aggressively to the rapidly growing insurgent voter base. 

Hiding behind the tired old party line and playing by the party rules will hand over the election to the Democrat candidate. 

If all we get is more of the same establishment politics, it will be an opening for a candidate with crossover appeal to give the establishment a run for their money. Government By the People is looking to encourage this kind of candidate. Join the conversation on Facebook.

 

Dr. Corinne A. Michels

Manhasset

 

Ray Ellers

Commack

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