Civil Candor

political cynicism for turbulent times

Home » Elections

Elections

Is the issue who is running, or who is voting? Election issues don’t change much from year to year. Whether candidates are focusing on education, kids' futures, jobs, climate change, immigration, or federal spending, we are used to hearing the same things from the same faces. Trendy hot buttons are good for attracting attention, but few politicians have the stomach for risking them all the way to the polling booth. Donald Trump's candidacy shows what can happen when you pound on issues that inflame the electorate. Jeb Bush proves what happens when you drop the ball and fall back on tried and true.

When it comes to who is voting, the answer is not many of us. Why don’t Americans respect one of the most fundamental aspects of our political process, a right that people in other countries are willing to risk punishment and even death to secure?

Instead of trying to get more Americans involved in the political process by making good on campaign promises and giving us a reason to show up to vote, some liberal members of Congress are trying to quash state voter ID laws, denying that vote fraud even exists and insisting that we are turning eligible voters away. With a presidential election coming soon we are hearing more of the same on the stump, but will enough Americans cast their ballots that the results will mean something?

2016 has brought an unfortunate twist to conservative election year politics. After years of fearing a Hillary Clinton candidacy Republicans are using Donald Trump as an excuse to turn their frustrations inward. In light of the party’s failure to accomplish anything of substance after Republicans retook Capitol Hill it would seem that the prospect of forward momentum and the chance to put one of their own in the Oval Office would be energizing. Not so. The knives are out and the backstabbing is underway in earnest.

Conservatives with the stomach to watch the start of the pageantry in Cleveland got an eyeful when Trump made his appearance. It almost made us forget what went before it, including the Cruz contingent’s efforts to throw a wrench into the proceedings. Drama aside, the 2016 GOP convention will be a half-hearted kickoff to what will be one of the ugliest, most divisive election seasons in memory and that’s before we even begin discussing Trump’s Democratic nemesis, Hillary Clinton.

The elections category discusses why some political issues are trendy and why some punch our buttons, the ethics of the stump, vote fraud, the never ending partisan war for our hearts and minds, and internal strife in the Republican Party as regulars and the Tea Party struggle for control while newcomers like Trump threaten to steal the show.

Abolish America? Liberal Dissidents Plan to Destroy Our Ideals

Last update June 30, 2018Leave a Comment

America is a not a place. It’s a concept based on ideals. Without the ideals we are just real estate to be given away to the highest bidder. One of those ideals is that we are a sovereign nation. That’s a tough one to sell as the voices demanding open borders and a socialist economy get louder. Extremist Democratic Party members know that they can encourage a militant left to do their dirty work while they stand back and hold themselves blameless for the inevitable confrontations and violence their rhetoric will create. That’s how liberal dissidents will abolish America, one clash and one ideal at a time.

America First Policy Is Not What Republicans are Fighting For

Last update July 1, 2018Leave a Comment

The RNC just came knocking, looking for money again. Republicans have a lot of explaining to do before they deserve a single cent, starting with their tepid support for the president and the America First policy they aren’t supporting. Are they afraid they will be accused of being nationalists or is this the timeworn tradition of separating themselves from a president who might interfere with their job prospects and control of a Congress they still can’t seem to take charge of?

You Don’t Matter, So Give Up On Voting in Illinois

Last update March 24, 2018Leave a Comment

On Tuesday Illinois decided to pit two rich white guys against each other for governor. Their values are confusing. Democrat Pritzker embodies many of the things liberals bitterly resent, but they still made an exception for this member of the 1%. Bruce Rauner’s efforts to get along with an unyielding opposition in Springfield have alienated conservatives. If you really believe in the values your party tells you to hold dear, then how can you support either candidate? Fortunately, this isn’t a problem because you don’t matter and neither does voting in this state.

Words With Meanings Only Politicians Understand

Last update March 5, 2018Leave a Comment

Do you know what simple words like budget, duty, and gun mean? You are probably wrong. These are politically-charged words with meanings that only make sense to politicians. That’s why a budget is something that should never be balanced, freedom means restricting our liberty, and fair share means paying too much.