We love it when the national Democratic Party sends its yearly survey to pert near every address in 'Merica, and the mail carrier brings this fundraiser/plea/push-poll to our door. Or at least to our in-box. That is, a real in-box, not the email kind.
And don't you know that this one was signed by Chuck Schumer himself! We'd feel flattered if we didn't know that this was sent to so many people that an inky wretch on the opposite side of Most Things Schumer got one, too. The DNC really needs to update its Rolodex.
Sen. Schumer, D-Apoplectic, didn't disappoint in his latest correspondence. Before he allowed the underlings at the DNC's press room to get to the "survey," he opened with a friendly reminder of all that's wrong with the world. That is, the current president of the United States.
"Can your party count upon your critically needed support at this key moment?" his lede paragraph asks, quickly followed by the nut graph: "You know what is at stake. President Donald Trump's agenda is dangerous to the American way of life, to our democracy, to our civil rights, to world peace, to our environment, and to everything else we hold dear." Goodness. What, Donald Trump's election isn't responsible for the late spring, too?
Everything we hold dear. We don't know about Chuck Schumer, but there's a lot in our lives to hold dear that has nothing to do with this president, or even politics. Try this, Sen. Schumer: Sit on an Arkansas back porch on a sunny 70-degree May afternoon, watch the tomatoes grow, listen to the kids giggle inside, and breathe deep. Then make a light cocktail and plan an even lighter supper. Life is, or can be, good.
Our democracy will be just fine, even if the current president and tweeter-in-chief can't seem to grow up and act presidential--even if it's just to act that way. The checks and balances our founders put in place are working fine. And worked when several dozen other flawed men were in charge of the executive branch, some more flawed than others.
With Chuck Schumer's kind of introduction to the survey, how could we answer any question in it with anything but anti-Trump sentiment? But then, that had to be the point. We can honestly say our respect for Chuck Schumer has never been higher.
The survey started with question 1, which may seem like common sense, but after reviewing the survey we wonder why the DNC couldn't have made the simple phrase "QUESTION #1" sound more anti-Trump.
Make up your own mind, Gentle Reader:
QUESTION #1: Which campaign priority are you most focused on as the critical 2018 election year gets underway? [Check one]
Defending Democrats who have helped to lead the resistance from special-interest attack ads
Holding Trump-supporting Republicans accountable for their extreme agenda
Expanding the map to go on offense in states where Democrats have traditionally been underdogs
Registering new voters and supporting new leaders in my community so Democrats can win in 2018 and beyond
Of course you know that Democrats don't have special interests or use attack ads. And the GOP's agenda is extreme. (For best examples of these fire-breathers take Susan Collins, Jeff Flake, John McCain, Lindsey Graham, John Boozman . . . .)
And the survey only went downhill from there. There were no questions about tax reductions or tax breaks. Only "tax cuts for the wealthy at the expense of working families." Any Republicans mentioned by name are "Trump-supporting" or "far-right." And gifts to Democrats aren't just gifts, but grass-roots gifts. As if the money gave itself up at a rally in Texarkana.
We have no proof of this next allegation, but in the spirit of the survey . . . We do wonder if the national Democratic Party is tailoring its survey-and-push-poll to the several states. For in this mailer we noticed not one word about abortion. Not even euphemisms like choice or pregnancy-related services. Not one.
Nor anything about gun control. Not even "common-sense" gun control legislation, whatever that means.
Instead, one of the questions asked about the issues most important to voters, or at least Democratic voters in Arkansas. And the choices were jobs, health care, equality, diplomacy and some feel-good phrases like "communities are stronger when united." As if anybody could be against such a statement.
We suppose folks taking the survey could write in abortion-on-demand, gun control, public-sector unions, charter school opposition and more regulations on businesses. But that probably wouldn't do for a push-poll in Arkansas.
Ah, well. Another year, another national Democratic Party semi-survey in the mail. We'd ask the printers at DNC HQ not to put so much stuff in boldface next time. The letter fairly shouted. We'd have shouted back, but we don't know how to do so in boldface or italics.
This wasn't exactly Gallup, but it was interesting reading all the same. Especially since our political parties on the national level can do so much advertising while asking for your opinion. It's almost as if they have an . . . agenda.
Strength. November will be here, and gone, before you know it.
Editorial on 05/03/2018