New Hampshire Lessons?

The cavalcade of political campaigns goes on and on! What it means is not always what is seems. At least the media makes something out of everything but time will allow us the wisdom to discern what it all really means.  In time, you know. All in good time.

So, the early selection process for the US Presidency has swept through New Hampshire as it does every four years. It is a different process than Iowa’s, and it makes more sense to us. Still the meaning of the results do not always come easily. There are nuances to consider. Later in the season the rest of us will choose among one or two candidates who remain on the ballot. The long list of candidates will be pared down by the time we vote, and for my money, it’s a good thing. Too many candidates who are not serious or of serious quality to perform the job. Those will hopefully be weeded out before Illinois’ primary polls open for business. At least we can hope!

For now, let’s take a look at what New Hampshire voters did on Tuesday night last.

First, the Republicans.

They chose Trump with 34.4% of the vote. He earned the first of his delegates to the national convention – 10. John Kasich, Governor of Ohio, came in second with 16.4% of the vote earning him 3 convention delegates. In third place a close race between Cruz with 11.4% and Jeb Bush with 11.2%, each earning their first 2 delegates for the convention. Rubio came in a distant fourth with 10.5% and no delegates earned, with everyone else falling well behind him and also without delegates. 

These results mean the following candidates will fall by the wayside and withdraw from the race: Rand Paul, Mike Huckabee and Rick Santorum have already formally suspended their campaigns; Jim Gilmore, will likely do so very soon; and Carly Fiorina withdrew Wednesday, and so did Chris Christie. Ben Carson will likely withdraw before or just after the South Carolina primary. 

Second, the Democrats.

They chose Bernie Sanders with 59.5% of the vote and 13 delegates awarded. Hillary Clinton came in second with 38.8% and 7 delegates. This result was expected. Bernie has had New Hampshire sewn up for several weeks after months of long, hard work by his campaigners. The rest of the nation is yet to be heard from and New Hampshire’s results will get their fair hearing.

What it all means.

Well, that’s not for me to say with clarity at this early stage. And that’s precisely the point that needs to be made. Throughout the media and internet opinion sites writers are claiming clear portents of the future from the early campaigning and Iowa caucuses and New Hampshire primary. But I think they do all of us a disservice. It is way too early to divine any lasting meaning from most of what’s happened so far. 

Oh, a few things are clear:

• The electorate is angry and the indecision of current elected officials both at federal and state levels of government
• Young voters are anxious to get involved and help the nation make key decisions
• Women voters are jumping at the reins to get involved as well
• No one wants to be yelled at or demeaned
• Absolutely no one on the republican side of things is talking solutions to any problem they raise as an issue
• Democrat candidates do talk issues and definitively so
• Democrats even talk solutions and support long term vision
• Democrats are for things; republicans are anti everything

That is about the sum and substance of it all. Oh, and one more thing: the enemy is Obama and the mess he has left us with. Let’s remind ourselves of the mess Obama fell heir to following Bush’s tenure in the White House, and that Bush had the full support of Congress while that same Congress has been a major blocking force to Obama’s every move. Obama has proficiently defined the problems and offered solutions and requested collaboration from all parties. None has come forth; he was left alone to make good things happen without any help. A leader does not always have followers within the bureaucracy, but the voters are different. 

Unless voters do something about the cooperation and collaboration problem in government, nothing is going to get done as a result of the 2016 elections. Is that what voters want?

I think not. I think they truly want government to work. The major problem is this: Republicans do not believe government is good and must be tamed and reduced in size and effectiveness. Democrats believe government is good as long as the people participate in it.

This is the fundamental difference between the parties. It is ideological. Republicans claim only individuals ought to have the right to govern themselves without interference from government. Democrats claim the opposite, that government provides the leadership and resources to tame the truly big problems and to govern against the ill effects of greed and power some people wield through economic and brute forces.

That is the issue to be addressed in this election season. Not the personalities that poor thinkers and non governing types project on the electorate at times such as these.

At least the Democrats are discussing real issues while the republicans fiddle as Rome burns to the ground.

Now, let’s get serious about serious matters and dismiss the chaff with noisy voices.

February 11, 2016