The Bulwark: What About Joe?

This would be a wonderful development.

Bill Kristol agrees with my idea that the neocons and neoliberal voters who used to be Republicans before Trump should all become Democrats and poison the party from within.

The Bulwark:

“There’s an interesting piece in Politico today which raises interesting questions. Its headline: “Anti-Trumpers are done with the GOP. Where do they go now?” The subhed: “Scores of Republicans are bolting the party in the wake of the Jan. 6 Capitol riot. But they’re discovering there’s really no place to go.” The piece tracks with a bunch of private and not-so-private conversations I’ve been involved in, and reveals a real set of questions and conundrums facing anti-Trumpers.

But the piece is also revealing in another way: Joe Biden is barely mentioned—his name appears twice, in passing. Similarly, Biden’s name is absent from lots of the “Whither Never Trump” conversations I’ve been privy to. …

So why not Biden? Why not Bidenism? That may not turn out to be the end solution. But surely it’s too real a possibility to be ignored. Why shouldn’t anti-Trump Republicans at least consider becoming a kind-of-Old-Republican wing of Joe Biden’s Democratic party? …

Maybe it’s time they get attention and respect. Perhaps anti-Trump can morph into work-with-Biden.

Or perhaps not. But it’s worth a look, and even a try.”

The Bulwark:

“They couldn’t do it. By caving to the fear of temporary anger from their voters, many of whom continue to support Donald Trump, they will now live in fear for the rest of their political careers.

Hence the immediate next step: The Trump mobs are working to take over the Republican Party at the state organization level. …”

Wall Street and the U.S. Chamber of Commerce have realigned to the Democrats.

American Consequences:

“Historically, white-collar business professionals were usually Republican, and the blue-collar working classes were Democrats. But this has been gradually changing… Working folks who used to be the staunchest Democrats voted for Trump in 2016 and 2020. And many Republicans have been voting blue.

So is the Democratic Party becoming the party of Big Business, while the GOP will now be a workers’ party? Republican Senators like Josh Hawley, Marco Rubio, and even Ted Cruz have used the phrase “working class” to describe their party’s future base.

The idea of a party realignment might not be arising out of anything the GOP is accomplishing (even their own constituents are unhappy with them), but out of what the Democrats are in large part no longer doing – namely, looking out for workers. What is certain is that the Democratic Party is becoming the party of corporate, tech, and financial power. 

In January 2020, when the Democratic primary elections were about to begin, President-elect Joe Biden’s campaign chairman Steve Ricchetti met with 90 Wall Street donors to tell them it was time to fund Biden’s efforts against the other candidates. After Biden finished off his opposition, Obama’s former defense secretary urged Goldman Sachs staffers to place a big bet on Biden against Trump.

This seems to have worked… According to the Center for Responsive Politics, Wall Street contributed more than $74 million directly to Biden’s campaign. Conversely, they only gave Trump $18 million, even less than the $20 million he received in 2016. Their reason for preferring Biden? Trump’s lack of “predictability,” said one unnamed GOP adviser. In other words, with Biden, the system will become easy to control again.

And it’s not just Trump who is getting shorted by the financiers… It’s the rest of the GOP as well. Of Wall Street’s total 2020 contributions, not only to campaigns but to all political organizations, including “dark money” groups, 62% went to Democrats and 38% went to Republicans. Comparatively, in 2016, they gave 50% to Republicans and 49% to Democrats. In 2012, they gave 69% to Republicans and 31% to Democrats. The Chamber of Commerce, which has long been the top-spending lobbying client, endorsed 30 Democratic House candidates in the 2020 election. …

Meanwhile, America’s 651 billionaires collectively gained more than $1 trillion since March. That makes their total wealth standing at $4 trillion, not far from doubling the $2.1 trillion held by the bottom 50% of the U.S. population. …”

Why not Joe?

Joe voted for the Iraq War. He considers it a mistake though. He wants to get back into the Iran Deal and get out of the Middle East. Trump was the most Zionist president in history, but he didn’t start a war with Iran. Both parties are restrained by public opinion on that issue.

Note: Bill Kristol is one of the good guys now. He is woke.