TomT
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Unfortunately, we are well past all historical references to liberal or conservative. We now have radicalized conservative voters that love Republicanism above life itself. They see it as some kind of savior but are not too clear from exactly what.
The Texas Republican Party for instance demands the abolition of most of the government agencies including the IRS, DOJ, HUD, DOE, ICC, EPA etc. and have declared that Texans don't have to abide by Supreme Court decisions that they don't agree with and have set up a committee to explore succession from the USA, so we are definitely in the radicalized Republican Party category.
What is actually happening is this; the Republicans may be in a death spiral.
Here's why. Democrats dominate urban America - even in Texas - There are no Republican mayors in the 10 largest US cities and only 4 out of the next 20 most populated cities. Republicans are the party of rural America, big corporations and the suburbs. However rural America is continuing the decades long decline in population. More and more corporations are migrating away from the Republican party who now often see corporate America as an "enemy." That leaves only the suburbs to the Republicans.
Republicans are aging out. Fox News estimates that 75% of their viewers are over 65. In the 2020 National election and 2022 midterm election the Edison Research National Election Pool exit poll found 63 percent of young voters opted for democrats, while 35 percent voted for republicans. In the closely watched midterm Pennsylvania race, 70 percent of voters between the ages 18 and 29 cast their ballots for Democratic Senate nominee John Fetterman, while Fetterman won support from 55 percent of those between the ages 30 and 44.
Responding to this existential fear, the Republican party is increasingly the party of grievance, animosity and revenge. By default, they have chosen to refocus on the culture wars where fear is the name of the game. Their focus, if not their agenda, is fear of crime, fear of schools, fear of immigrants, fear of law enforcement, fear of the courts, fear of the LGBTQRSTUV etc. and fear of the Deep State formerly known as the Federal Government. This does not appear to be a long-term winning plan. Republican existential fears may be justified.
The Texas Republican Party for instance demands the abolition of most of the government agencies including the IRS, DOJ, HUD, DOE, ICC, EPA etc. and have declared that Texans don't have to abide by Supreme Court decisions that they don't agree with and have set up a committee to explore succession from the USA, so we are definitely in the radicalized Republican Party category.
What is actually happening is this; the Republicans may be in a death spiral.
Here's why. Democrats dominate urban America - even in Texas - There are no Republican mayors in the 10 largest US cities and only 4 out of the next 20 most populated cities. Republicans are the party of rural America, big corporations and the suburbs. However rural America is continuing the decades long decline in population. More and more corporations are migrating away from the Republican party who now often see corporate America as an "enemy." That leaves only the suburbs to the Republicans.
Republicans are aging out. Fox News estimates that 75% of their viewers are over 65. In the 2020 National election and 2022 midterm election the Edison Research National Election Pool exit poll found 63 percent of young voters opted for democrats, while 35 percent voted for republicans. In the closely watched midterm Pennsylvania race, 70 percent of voters between the ages 18 and 29 cast their ballots for Democratic Senate nominee John Fetterman, while Fetterman won support from 55 percent of those between the ages 30 and 44.
Responding to this existential fear, the Republican party is increasingly the party of grievance, animosity and revenge. By default, they have chosen to refocus on the culture wars where fear is the name of the game. Their focus, if not their agenda, is fear of crime, fear of schools, fear of immigrants, fear of law enforcement, fear of the courts, fear of the LGBTQRSTUV etc. and fear of the Deep State formerly known as the Federal Government. This does not appear to be a long-term winning plan. Republican existential fears may be justified.
