The purpose of the political process is to persuade people to entrust you with power. Once those involved in politics realize this truth, they realize that, if they want to achieve power, they have to work. Persuasion is a full time, active process. It is accomplished by actually leaving their home, their work, or the Capitol buildings, and going and talking to people. In the process of doing this, those of us who do engage in the political process have to be mindful of certain “laws” of politics.
LAW NO. 1
Republicans lose power because they break the promises they made when they asked the voters for power. Democrats lose power because they keep the promises they made when they were asking for power.
EXPLANATION
We are watching this in action in Washington right now. Republicans think people elected them because they “like” Republicans. Not true, Republicans made promises, people believed them, and now they are breaking the promises. If they keep the promises before the next election, they will win, no matter what the press says. If they break the promises, they will lose. The only good news is if the Democrats actually do obtain power because of the stupidity of Republicans, people will throw them out because Democrats will keep the promises they made. Evidence: Bush 2004 and 2006, then Obama, then 2010, 2012, and 2014. Republicans promises lots of things if they got power, and under Bush, they broke those promises. Democrats obtained power, gave us Obamacare, and then promptly lost power. Rs are in the process, on health care, on illegal immigration and on taxes, of making the Bush mistakes…again.
.
LAW NO. 2
Democrats are so partisan that when they obtain power, they use it to attack Republicans. Republicans are so desperate to prove they are nonpartisan that, when they obtain power, they use it to attack Republicans, so it doesn’t matter who obtains power, Republicans get attacked.
Explanation
How much explanation does this need? Look at Washington right now. Republicans have all the power, and they are using it to go after Trump. When Democrats had all the power in 2008-2010, they went after Republicans. Even when the election of 2016 was occurring, the Democrats used the power they had to investigate Republicans. Now Republicans are using their power to investigate Republicans, go figure…
LAW NO. 3
The media believes its duty is to expose wrongdoing in government, but when Democrats are in power, they only expose Republicans in office. When Republicans are in power, the media only exposes Republicans, so it doesn’t matter whose in power, Republicans are always investigated, attacked and exposed by the media.
Explanation
Again, the evidence of this law is so strong it almost doesn’t need explanation, but I will give a couple of examples. Trump v. Hillary and Russia. Hillary hands Russia uranium and receives millions to speak to Russian businesses, and according to the media, this isn’t worth the time in their publications. Trump says hi to Vladimir Putin at a G20 conference, and, according to the media, he sold out America in that 20 second conversation. How about the different treatment that media has addressed the issue of unmasking in the Obama administration, which is a blatant violation of federal law, versus the Trump firing of James Comey, which was well within his power, and who was obviously abusing his power as FBI director to keep his job. (By the way, Mr. Comey, you were not J. Edgar Hoover).
LAW NO. 4
Once Democrats obtain power, they work to enact their agenda, and, in a display of “bi-partisanship” Republicans help them enact it. Once Republicans obtain power, the Democrats work to enact their agenda, and, in a display of “bi-partisanship” Republicans use their power to help them enact it. So, it doesn’t matter who is in power, the Democrat agenda gets enacted.
EXPLANATION
Once again, look at the Bush Administration versus the Obama administration. Immigration reform, education reform, political finance reform, and free drugs for seniors, all of these were Bush agenda items that were on the Democrat agenda, all enacted by Bush. NO Republican items were enacted under Obama, and Republicans continually went along with Obama on some of his key issues, particularly the continuing financing of Obamacare. Here in California, Cap and Trade and the Gas Tax increase, neither of which would have occurred but for Republican complicity.
There are more, and, this series will be posted from time to time, but the fact is Republicans do not spend the time to persuade people to entrust them with power, and once they receive power from people, they do everything they can to lose that power. The great mystery is not that Republicans lose elections, it is that they do not lose more of them. It is a testament to the strength of the Republican ideas, not the ability of Republicans. We need to learn how to govern, and have confidence that people elect us because they believe in our ideas, not because they like us.