Playing to the base
One of Nevada’s treasured political maxims is “I vote for the person, not the party.” We are proud of our shared value of independence in all things, mostly joining a political party to vote in primaries and to express a general political preference. We tend to be libertarian in nature, believing government needs to stay out of our personal lives, but we aren’t all that interested in becoming an official Libertarian.
In recent years, Nevadans have increasingly defected from the major parties, dissatisfied with partisan gridlock and harsh rhetoric. In an only-in-Nevada twist, many who want to register non-partisan end up selecting Independent on their registration form, and mistakenly join the far-right Independent American Party, recoiling in horror when that fact is explained to them.
Setting aside the issue of whether the Democratic Party is becoming far too dependent on corporate largesse, bending principle to try and satisfy endless greed, it is clear that many more Nevadans will abandon the Republican brand as it continues to tilt rightward, despite all the evidence that the majority of Americans are repelled by this new wave of senseless policies.
Take a look at the latest developments, just in the last few weeks. Republicans in the House pushed through a farm bill full of subsidies for corporate “farmers” in a program known for its fraud and waste, while simultaneously eliminating funding for food stamps, (now called SNAP, the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program), a 50-year-old program that feeds hungry children and low-income families. Despite the myth of “welfare moms” having more and more children to get more and more food stamps to trade for liquor and cigarettes, the fraud rate for this program is exceedingly low.
Meanwhile, at the state level, Texas, Ohio and South Carolina passed anti-abortion bills that supposedly “protect” women through increased rules and regulations but are really about putting abortion providers out of business. When the bill was passed earlier this month in the Texas Senate, and hundreds of ordinary Texans streamed into the capital wearing orange shirts in protest, security searched every bag coming into the building, removing “potential projectiles” including maxi-pads and tampons.
Really, they did.
In North Carolina, thousands of citizens have been protesting in “Moral Monday” demonstrations for the past 11 weeks to show their revulsion at the actions of Republican leaders as they demolish their social safety net and dismantle their educational system.
How bad is it now that the Republicans control North Carolina’s governor’s office and both branches of the Legislature? Since January, lawmakers have terminated or reduced federal unemployment benefits for several hundred thousand people because the Chamber of Commerce argued that was better than paying back the unemployment fund through increased taxes. The legislature also eliminated 10,000 prekindergarten slots, reduced teacher pay and cut services to disabled children.
They repealed the Racial Justice Act and have plans to close most of the state’s abortion clinics. They refused to expand Medicaid under the Affordable Care Act. They are busy imposing new voter registration requirements. And they seem determined to cut income taxes for the rich and raise the sales tax instead so the middle class pays more. Sound familiar?
Adding insult to injury, Republicans in North Carolina refer to “Moral Mondays” as “Moron Mondays,” trying to diminish the hundreds of people who have been arrested for acts of civil disobedience.
This is the party trying to reconnect with voters and convince women, Latinos, and youth they are looking after their interests? Back home in Nevada, the Republican party continues to fracture despite their leaders’ public insistence that everyone has agreed to unite in a quest for one-party control of the governor’s office and our own state Legislature.
If that thought doesn’t scare you, nothing will.