Vigliotti: Nothing moderate about Democratic candidates

The second round of the Democrat debates has underscored a number of very important points, of which Republicans should take careful notice as they step into 2020.

First, some Democrats know they have a problem with their extreme Left. Certain candidates have attempted to be voices of moderation and compromise, exercising concern over mainstream appeal and electability. This has led some thinkers to conclude that perhaps the party’s shift Left is exaggerated.

But they’re wrong. Elizabeth Warren demanded to know why anyone would run for president if they weren’t willing to fight for anything. Bernie Sanders continued to throw around the word “revolution” carelessly. The second night of debates was striking for its relative absence of moderation. It is the avowed extreme liberals, socialists, and Justice Democrats who have the most vocal supporters, accordingly.

Whether these supporters are in the majority or not is irrelevant because they have not only derailed their party in Congress, but they also have the power to compel even powerful Democrats like Joe Biden to apologize and equivocate for the past. They interrupted Biden at the debate, screaming at him. (In fact, Biden was so unpopular among the Democratic candidates, an unknowing listener might well think he was Trump’s vice president.) As I’ve argued before, such extremism won’t end at party boundaries.

Second, political debates matter. They bring disparate voices to a single place to articulate and challenge ideas. And there was some dissent in the second round of Democrat debates. Those Democrats positioning themselves as moderates aren’t only looking to run against President Trump, but they’re concerned about the future of their own party. That could be seen clearly. They’re pushing back as they’re finally realizing they’re being pushed out amid declining support.

As Ronald Reagan once explained, he didn’t leave the Democratic Party, but the Democratic Party left him. That was in 1962. Americans are witnessing the latest reincarnation of that party in 2019 through these debates. Some candidates called out fellow Democrats for wanting to take away the healthcare insurance of Americans who already have it. Some candidates dismissed dissenting opinions as “Republican talking points.” And other Democrats have accused their fellow candidates of being “afraid” of Republicans. Marianne Williamson questioned whether her fellow Democrats were real Democrats.

Third, clearly, conservatism is alive and well. President Trump, no matter how much the Democrats dislike it, is determining the conversation. Why? Because he’s bringing attention and results to issues and concerns of everyday Americans who have been long ignored and long-neglected. It’s why he was elected. A viewing of the Democratic debates will reveal the Democrats have learned nothing from this. “Stop Trump” was the overarching theme of the night.

There was little on job creation or the economy, little on foreign policy or national security, and little on Mueller or the Russian investigation. Topics like health care and the war on terror were prominent. One could well imagine Barack Obama saying 2008 wants its political issues back. (Remember that in 2012, Obama and the Democrats mocked Republican candidate Mitt Romney for arguing Russia was America’s biggest geopolitical threat, saying the 1980s called and wanted their foreign policy back.)

So why not speak specifically to issues in the debates? Because the country is doing well. Unemployment is down across the board. Economic growth is strong. Exports are increasing. The military is being revamped. The border is being secured. Even on moral issues, such as banning the use of federal funds for overseas abortions and allowing terminally-ill patients the right to try experimental medicines and treatments, the Trump administration is delivering.

And visionary ideas, such as putting Americans on Mars and creating the Space Force, are giving Americans a glimpse into a future in their own time. Many Democrats once mocked Reagan’s missile defense plan as fantasy. What was visionary then is critically orthodox, now.

Are things perfect? No. They can never be perfect. But the truth is the President and the Republican Party are working hard to do something about the nation’s problems, and through conservative policies, they’ve managed some remarkable successes. But it isn’t because Trump, the Republican Party, and conservatives have forced these things.

In the United States, choosing is a matter of being persuaded or convinced. You can’t force something on someone that means serious change and expect either happiness or success of the change itself. Just look at Obamacare. Rather, an argument and evidence have to be provided, and Americans have to be convinced — such as with the economy.

Conservative policies mean a strong economy, and the evidence is clear. Average family income under Democrat Jimmy Carter fell by 9 percent. Under his successor, Reagan, family income rose by 11 percent. Americans had long wanted to pay less in taxes, keeping more of the money they earned. Reagan listened, then. Trump is listening, now. (Even the very liberal won’t admit they want to raise taxes, with Warren going so far as to call herself a capitalist.)

There is an old story, perhaps fictional, of a philosopher who visited a young artist just getting his career going. They talked of abstractions — form, lines, colors, and ideals. But with reference to the bigger picture, the philosopher reminded the artist his work could not lose touch with humanity.

Let the Democrats focus on Trump. Trump can focus on results for the American people.

Joe Vigliotti, a contributor to The Flip Side and a Taneytown city councilman, writes from Taneytown. His column appears every other Friday. Email him through his website at www.jvigliotti.com.