It’s the Policies, Stupid (No, I’m Not Calling You Stupid)

Conservative columnist George Will recently had a piece in the Washington Post about Virginia Gov. Glenn Youngkin. The gist of it was that Youngkin has a non-abrasive personality which would be a contrast to some other Republican candidates if he decided to run for president.

Will wrote that Youngkin “lacks a knack for sustained grumpiness fueled by ever-multiplying grievances. Affability can ruin a Republican’s reputation with the party’s surly base.”

Okay, whatever you say, George.

Actually, Will’s column — while a legitimate topic — could be a precursor to what we’ll experience as the media ramps up coverage of the 2024 presidential race, culminating with our voting almost two years from now.

That’s right, we’re facing almost two more years of presidential election coverage before we decide the winner. If you’re experiencing a sinking feeling about that you’re not alone. How much of this can we take?

Back to Will’s writing. Certainly, a candidate’s personality will be part of the equation for a lot of voters. My concern is the media will lean too much on that and not enough on what really matters when we look at someone running for office: his character and his policies.

You could argue character and policies are related. That a person who has compassion and empathy for people in need will push for plans that will help them. That an honest person won’t put up with lies and corruption in his administration.

Conversely, a corrupt, morally bankrupt candidate will likely do the opposite, favoring his rich donors over the poor and middle class. The grift becomes the driving force, not the greater good. For example: the administration of former president/unindicted criminal Donald Trump, the most corrupt president in history who still leads a corrupt Republican Party like a gang boss.

We all saw what happens when too many in the media gives a candidate a free pass and plenty of airtime, as they did for Trump when he won the presidency in 2016. Would we be surprised if they did the same for someone less abrasive but just as flawed — someone like Florida Gov./wannabe dictator Ron DeSantis?

The fact is if you look at DeSantis’s policies and what he’s done, you can only see he’s a vindictive, hateful person, more than willing to use the power of his office to punish his enemies, delighted to stoke culture wars to divide the voters, uncaring of who he hurts or how many lives he destroys to get what he wants.

But hey, he’s not Trump, right?

I don’t know much about Youngkin. We’ll see if he even runs, but if he does don’t be snowed by the “he’s a nice guy” commentary. Maybe he is — I’m not saying that’s not important — but the true test will be what he’s done with the power his position has given him.

Famed political strategist James Carville coined the phrase “It’s the economy, stupid” during the successful 1992 presidential campaign of Bill Clinton. When it comes to sorting out hopefuls for the 2024 election, “It’s the policies, stupid.” Start listening now, because once the GOP elects its standard-bearer, he or she will probably swing to the center for the general election in the hope we won’t know who he really is.

We need the media to make that clear, but we also have a responsibility to find out for ourselves by paying attention. The cost of their failure and our disinterest make any alternative unacceptable.

The Miss America Pageant discontinued its swimsuit competition several years ago. We don’t need that superficial bullshit in our politics, either.

Thank you for reading my post. You can see more of my writing on my blog: Musings of a Nobody.