Overwhelmed. Taken beyond our capacity. What about Noah Lyles who won the 100m sprint by 0.005 seconds? This differential is the Olympics. The world’s best are at times less than a blink away.
This was also a pivotal week in politics where measurement is different. The Republican nominee is one-of-one and is most often measured against his prior conduct. Is a given act better or worse than some bizarre episode a few days ago?
Millions are stirred by Olympic standards informed by almost incomprehensible feats. But politics are ever present, and if polls are to be believed, about 35% make excuses for Donald J. Trump, who tests new lows almost weekly. There is a lot of room between his base’s standards and what it takes to be included in an Olympic trial in a small Caribbean nation.
I certainly believed that President Biden had to stand down. It became clearly evident that his health was not the equal of four more years. Approaching 70% of the public agreed. His performance and the polls caused the Democratic Party bigwigs to say, “it’s over, Mr. President.”
So what about Trump and the Republican Party bigwigs?
Well, let me begin by saying the Republican Party doesn’t have any bigwigs. I can’t think of one currently active elected Republican who could make an Olympic team of politicians. Their distance from a bronze medal seems infinite. And of course Trump does not listen. Trump gets by with his antics because much of his base is so cynical about politics and politicians that traditional standards have no purchase. Where is the bar located?
So here we are with an important set of principles and values that Republicans have previously represented, not on the soon-to-be printed ballots. Perhaps the merger of economic populism and Christian nationalism with a “weird” candidate will result in a new political party. One that begins to form after the inauguration and that represents traditional values, sound economics and a willingness to actually measure outcomes. While the Olympics raises measurement to almost incomprehensible levels, politics today just spends, spends and spends and the catapulting deficit—well the US doesn’t have any competitors in that event since we enjoy a reserve currency. I wonder, how much longer?
I am sure that this column will infuriate many. Although, since I am an obscure voice in a sea of noise, my opinion will be easily dismissed. But, I will limp on measuring an event that will not be formally measured until November.
Closing thoughts. Every Olympic follower is interested in the past. We are thrilled when the present edges out the past. We are thrilled when a competitor comes out of nowhere and measurably exceeds, on the clock, our expectations. So for those who are prepared to overlook Trump’s bizarre behavior because you prefer his policies, just think, you are prepared to invest four more years in a politician whose base is expected to genuflect regardless of his changing policies. And do.
Governor Tim Walz
The handicappers lost. At least at the beginning of Kamala Harris’ search for a running mate Governor Walz of Minnesota was running third or so in the betting. Well, he won, and over the next 48 hours, his presumed script and electoral help will be analyzed. He and presumptive nominee Vice-President Harris will not enjoy the colonoscopy, polyps will be found.
I am patient. If he defends his home state’s actions but does not try to make them federal programs, he will be reassuring. Everything I have read indicates his social background and skills will be popular. His counterpart on the Republican side, JD Vance, runs hot with a lot of edge. Walz is said to be comfortable and ingratiating. And don’t bet against a ticket that cannot brag about their Ivy League credentials.
Al Sikes is the former Chair of the Federal Communications Commission under George H.W. Bush. Al writes on themes from his book, Culture Leads Leaders Follow published by Koehler Books.
William Dalton says
I keep thinking I am missing something. Are we ever going to get over personalities and talk about party platforms or is that too painful. Is 2025 the party platform for the Republicans now or is that just a wish list for the future? Ignoring it will not make it go away. We have learned the Democratic platform is to just spend more money and incur more debt, maybe as much as Trump did during his four years. Where do we go from here?
trudy wonder says
Re: Project 2025… I find it interesting that its chief architect, Heritage president Kevin Roberts, has now said he will delay the publication of his book, “Dawn’s Early Light” — widely associated with the organization’s conservative policy agenda known as Project 2025.
Originally scheduled for release September 24th, according to publisher HarperCollins, it will now be released “after this year’s presidential election”.
Senator JD Vance, a friend of Roberts, wrote the foreword.
“The topics criticized include in vitro fertilization (IVF), abortion, contraceptives, childless adults, and even dog parks.”
Al DiCenso says
As I’ve said before, Trump’s credo is that of the line in Marx Brothers’ “Duck Soup”: Do you wanna believe what you see with your own eyes, or what I tell ya?”
You can apply that to January 6th, election denial, his felonies, his business dealings, etc.
Barbara Denton says
Well I wrote a comment about how ridiculous this article is but for some reason the Spy chose not to publish it. So be it. TDS is overwhelming the author. Harris and Walz are card carrying communists who are so far out in left field you cannot even find them.
Good luck to both of them.
Mickey Terrone says
Hi again, Al. Nice analogies between the Olympics and Republican Party. Bigwigs, I agree, no longer exist in what remnants of the GOP still exist. Trump rants on and on, yet literally, no one speaks out in opposition or protest. What Trump says, goes. Or else. That’s the Republican Party platform. It can change from day to day. Republicans with differing opinions are fearful for their safety or fearful of the ire of Trump. Things have devolved into this thug environment for 8 years now and until Trump finally proves conclusively that his brand is terminally toxic, and the Republican Party is officially toxic.
His 2024 brand includes massive increases in national debt, threats of massive deportations, military tribunals, generalized retribution, the 2025 Project (which they are trying to sweep under the rug), massive tax cuts (again) for the wealthiest 1%, unqualified abortion ban, repressive voting limitations and so many other objectives that reek of economic and social misantrophy.
The worst measure of the Republican Party’s collapse is the complete absence of criticism or protestation of this ugly array of Trumpism. No minority voice is present in the Republican Party. Is it even a political party anymore? The enterprise more closely resembles Germany’s 1930’s National Socialist Party in terms of its internal discipline and one man control.
That Americans can look forward to a militant, revolutionary post election expression of frustration and futility after another Trump drubbing in November will be Trump’s final political funeral pyre, leading the millions of deluded rank and file into a political abyss of their own self-destructive making. If the Republican Party (or some conservative entity) reemerges from the ashes, I hope its members will have learned the lesson ignored in their Trump era. The American democratic republic came close to being lost to a bigoted, racist demagogue with the help of a misguided, angry minority attempting to impose its will over the majority to allow for the authoritarian political takeover by the small oligarchy of the wealthiest 1%.
Ironically, the Democratic Party platform and apparatus will take far better economic and social care of the poor, bypassed white Republican base than Trump would have done. So, its no loss to most Americans if the Republican Party remains in organizational limbo for 4 or 8 years before it can regain a semblance of national respect and relevance after Trump.
My optimism allows me to believe that enough Republican conservatives will, in the privacy of the voting booth, vote against Trump, Trumpism, bigotry, racism, authoritarianism, autocracy and fascism in America. My prayer is for patriotic Americans to come together and elect the first female US President as a symbol of American egalitarianism and equal justice in the face of this stern challenge to our way of life.
Thank you, Al, for your moving article.