This election isn't about inflation or abortion. It's about whether democracy can survive

[marmar]

This election isn't about inflation or abortion. It's about whether democracy can survive
Of course the economy and reproductive rights are important. But in the shadow of fascism, they almost don't matter

By HEATHER DIGBY PARTON
Columnist
PUBLISHED OCTOBER 17, 2022 9:28AM (EDT)


(Salon) We are three weeks out from the midterm elections and by all accounts many races are within the margin of error. It's pretty clear that the "red tsunami" everyone was expecting has not materialized. Republicans are still favored to win (at least in the House) but it's looking more and more as if it will be a very narrow victory if they do — and there's a decent chance they won't.

So, of course, Democrats are going on television arguing that everyone is doing it wrong. It's just how they roll. The latest disagreements come from those who think candidates should focus on the old saw, "It's the economy, stupid," because inflation has people so spooked. Sen. Bernie Sanders appeared on "Meet the Press" over the weekend and gave his familiar spiel about income inequality and big corporations, suggesting that some Trump voters would be open to that argument. He begged Democrats to focus more intently on the economy and attack the Republican threats to Social Security and Medicare.

Others believe that the best issue for Democrats this fall is the Supreme Court's decision overturning Roe v. Wade, which has already been shown to motivate women of all demographics in the primaries and special elections. And some believe the fascist turn of the GOP and its assault on democracy is the most important issue and must be addressed head-on.

....(snip)....

So yes, Republicans have gone back to the deep well of racism once again, obviously believing that's what motivates their base. They aren't wrong.

When you see all of that laid out, you might think we were dealing with a standard issues-based election, more or less, however critical those issues are and however extreme the Republicans have become. Certainly, the media is trying to treat it that way. But this is an election like no other and it's got nothing to do with "issues" in the normal sense. The Republicans are intent upon electing hundreds of election deniers to office, and are bent on destroying our election system as we've known it for the last half-century or more. ........................(more)

https://www.salon.com/2022/10/17/this-isnt-about-inflation-or-abortion-its-about-whether-democracy-can-survive/

[Scrivener7]

1. My autonomy over my own body is more important to me even than

whether our system, as we know it, survives. I have become a single issue voter and that issue is abortion. There is no other for me. And that will remain until my autonomy over my body is safeguarded by my government.

For me, this election is most definitely about abortion.

Luckily, the candidates you would vote for given your priority and the ones I would vote for given mine are the same.

[Walleye]

2. Republicans never really participate in actual governing

That way they can blame everything on us. The fact that they are totally shirking their part of solving the problem is never discussed in the media

[spooky3]

4. +1

[spooky3]

3. Why do media present this as either-or? Voting for Dems is good on ALL of

these issues. Why don’t they ask Repubs exactly what they would do to affect inflation, and what evidence they have that crime is higher and what exactly they would do to reduce it?

[gab13by13]

6. Democrats are always behind the 8 ball when it comes to the MSM.

The MSM is owned and managed by right wing domestic oligarchs. I don't punish myself, I only watch Nicolle Wallace and an occasional Chris Hayes and Mehdi Hasan.

[Funtatlaguy]

9. Yep. The corporations would prefer an Oligarchy to "higher tax rates".

[gab13by13]

5. There is no reason

it can't be about saving our democracy and abortion, and saving Social Security and Medicare, and lowering drug costs.

Some of John Fetterman's most powerful campaign ads have been attacking Oz for wanting to gut Social Security and Medicare and about Oz bringing abortion bans to Pa.

[Ferrets are Cool]

7. But it is NOT what elector will be voting on.

Democracy will be the LAST thing on their minds when they vote in Nov.
If Democrats campaign on that, we are doomed. JMO

[gab13by13]

8. I could not disagree more,

If saving our democracy is not one of the top 2 then we are doomed. That tells me that the right wing MSM propaganda has won out.

[Ferrets are Cool]

12. I did NOT say it wasn't the most important. I said that voter don't have it on their list

of important issues. It is too difficult to grasp for most. You can disagree all you want...there are at least 10 things Americans put more importance on in November.

[Iwasthere]

10. Actually it's about what they can get away with

Nice guys finish last. We still continue our attempts at fighting fair. THEY DO NOT! They love to fight dirty, knowing that we won't. We need to think outside the box.

[Chainfire]

11. We have a better than 50/50 shot of voting ourselves into Banana Republic status.

When a major political party supports the likes of Trump, Walker, Greene, Boebert and the rest of the Nazi wannabes, and it stands a chance of being successful, we have already failed. The voters may send a team of representatives to the House, and Senate, that believe that chaos is a successful governing strategy; believers that hate and fear trump compassion and security.

Hate sells....

[lees1975]

13. I'd like to see any evidence that the Republicans will do anything about inflation or crime.

Their record on both issues is not great and all I hear is that there's inflation and crime. Well, this bout of inflation began before the orange headed psychopath was kicked out of office, and so did the upward movement in crime.

For me the big issue is education. We have failed miserably in education, especially in history. And this is the result.

It will take decades to repair the damage, even if Democrats do wind up staying in control this time around, which I think they will do, but not by much.

Do we really want to save our democracy? I hope so.

[lees1975]

14. Democracy requires tolerance, understanding and realizing that someone else's life

doesn't take anything away from your own.

Education is one of the keys, and we have a huge problem there, because the effectiveness of our educational system in this county is nearly nothing.