Friends, the biggest news today by far, although as usual most of the MSM won't mention it, is that a new political party is forming, "the Forward Party", partly the brainchild of iconoclast Andrew Yang. The party is supposed to be practical and centrist and is meant to challenge the dominance of the ossified Democratic and Republican parties. True, many Americans are looking for political alternatives and there's probably never been a time when confidence in existing institutions was lower. On the other hand, third parties have an almost-perfect track record in this country of failing to enjoy genuine electoral success, although they do sometimes play the role of spoilers. Ross Perot comes to mind, and Ralph Nader in 2000, who as the Green Party candidate probably sunk Al Gore. Democrats are especially nervous about the Forward Party, and they should be, because Democratic voters tend to be less disciplined and less motivated. Can Trump win a head-to-head matchup with Joe Biden, or Gavin Newsom, or Pete Buttigieg, or Hillary Clinton? You betcha, but it's far from a sure thing, given Trump's high negatives. Can Trump win a three-way race, on the other hand? Without a doubt. He can get to 45, 46, or 47% all day long. He could therefore "pull a Boris" in 2024 and win handily, despite earning less than 50% of the popular vote. So, in a nutshell, the Forward Party has my full and unqualified support! I hope the Greens make a comeback too. The more, the merrier!
If you haven't heard yet, we've now had two consecutive quarters of economic contraction. Normally, that's called a "recession", but, since a Democrat is in office, we're going to use less offensive terminology, naturally. It's a "slowdown" perhaps -- maybe even a "bump in the road" -- but not a recession. Heaven forbid! The funny thing is that the Dems think they can escape the political consequences of a slumping economy with their self-serving word games. They're adorable, aren't they???
https://www.cnbc.com/2022/07/28/gdp-q2-.html
Higher mortgage rates are proving problematic for the housing market, unsurprisingly. It will be fascinating to see how low housing prices go. I've long believed they've been defying gravity. In a sense, a correction was inevitable.
https://www.axios.com/2022/07/28/housing-slowdown-mortgage-rates-jump
Finally, what is "heroism" these days? Why, it's doing whatever the Western elite tells you to, while flexing your biceps for Vogue! I hope Zelensky enjoys the plaudits, because he and his countrymen may have very little else to celebrate by year's end, if Russia gets its act together, which Russia has a nasty habit of doing.
Dr. Waddy from Jack: It may well be that the presumptuous American left has its only chance to persuade credulous Americans of its nontotalitarian intent in its present ag
ReplyDeleteplease disregard the above "comment" of mine. Jack
ReplyDeleteDr.Waddy from from Jack: Why them dems are just the bee's knees, by jinko! But gee, wasn't it them who sneered (their customary mien) " its the economy stupid" , when it was favorable for them to do so? Right on dums!!
ReplyDeleteRAY TO NICK AND JACK
ReplyDeleteFWD Stands for Front Wheel Drive, which is not worth a damn or a shit!
Dr.Waddy from Jack: Well good luck to Mr. Yang but I do not think a viable number of voters on either side wish to cooperate with the other side. We despise each other and are determined to politically destroy our opposites in what we both regard as an existential conflict. Sure , there are many who declare themselves "Independents" but more often than not they go conservative in the voting booth. To actually direct your vote to the American left requires of common sense people a departure from reality in support of unproven, demonstrated potentially catastrophic dreams!
ReplyDeleteDr.Waddy from Jack: But that said, I think your reasoning on the possibilities accruing to the GOP and the political danger presented to the dems, from such 3d party efforts, is solid. The dems' woes continue to mount! Let us hope it will drive them to despair and marginalization, from which they may bleat with deserved impotence!
ReplyDeleteRay, I politely beg to differ: front wheel drive is widely heralded to provide better road handling in slippery conditions. Having said that, I've never driven a rear wheel drive car myself, so maybe it's all an old wive's tale? I defer to our senior statesmen...
ReplyDeleteJack, you're right that the vast majority of voters will stick to their partisan guns, but in our system a tiny minority of voters actually get to determine the outcome, which means that Yang's party, even if it flops, could be a game-changer!