Newsday Tuesday: The Middle American Radicals have found their leader. Where is ours?

The election season has been bizarre to say the least. In a strange way, it's actually weaned me from my obsession. I *live* for election season. It's my favorite time of the year. I can't wait for Meet the Press, I get giddy when the debates are on. Everyone talks politics. Every paper is chock full of interesting articles, surveys, statistics .... It's like I've died and gone ...back to political science classes at Converse.  But this year, I'm left disillusioned, confused, angry, frustrated and frankly detached. I've actually stopped reading. I've stopped analyzing it, making predictions (ok, so I do have one -- I think Chris Christie is going to make a come back and shock us all), and talking to anyone who will listen about my favorite candidate. I've lost hope...I couldn't even keep up my presidential candidate series on this blog. I actually felt like it didn't matter. For the first time, I'm let down by our political system. (For me, this is detached...I know, I am still way more involved than the average person. I was probably due for an intervention at some point). You see, even at our most dysfunctional, we were still America. We were still that city on a hill, a nation that stood for something. But now, now I feel like we are under attack. Our values are under attack -- ironically enough, by a group of people who are angry because they think their homophobic, racist, radical values are under attack. Apparently, there's a significant portion of America that has lost its mind. Apparently, we're angry, and this anger has completely blinded us to the very principles that make us 'American'. We've realized that we aren't where we want to be in life, and somehow that is someone else's fault, not our own. Sure, the government has gummed up the cogs of productivity, and sure, it's time to clean house. If you want real change, then elect some rando to the Senate or the House. But this is the President we're talking about. THE. PRESIDENT. The person that represents us to the WORLD. The single most important to protect us from the goons with nuclear weapons.

Today on Morning Joe (what can I say old habits die hard...I'll never give up on Joe), the new Esquire poll was discussed. White men and women are the angriest people in this country - which is probably hysterical to everyone else in this country that doesn't fall into those two categories.  (To read more about this survey click here.) I recently came upon a National Journal article, and coupled with this survey, I've learned a lot about what seems to be the key to Donald Trump's success.

The National Journal posted an article by John B Judis discussing the "Return of the Middle American Radical" ... and I found some slight comfort in realizing that perhaps this crazy year is just somehow a normal part of our political ebb and flow. It's a long article, but I highly suggest you read it here. If not you can just read my synopsis (and my opinions).

In 1971 Donald Warren conducted a survey finding that about a quarter of the electorate fell into a category he called the "Middle American Radical" that, "was neither con­ven­tion­ally lib­er­al nor con­ven­tion­ally con­ser­vat­ive, but in­stead re­volved around an in­tense con­vic­tion that the middle class was un­der siege from above and be­low" (National Journal). 

This group of people were predominantly not college educated and held blue collar or low level white collar positions.  For the most part, these people felt as though the government favored the rich and poor simultaneously, while leaving them out.  They typically supported government endeavors like medicare, price controls, and wage regulation (oddly enough they also distrusted the government). On the other hand, they also held rather conservative views on race and poverty. Over the last decades, this sector has supported candidates like George Wallace, Ross Perot, and Pat Buchannon. This summer these people, previously unorganized and (slightly) silenced, found their leader, and they have bubbled to the surface once again.

Surprisingly enough, most of their issues have stayed in tact over the decades.  Illegal immigration is the new hot button, replacing racist ideas of the 60s, albeit, it's now just another form of racism. Trump's bombastic personality attracts these 'angry' radicals, and his showmanship does feed their need for a forceful candidate to come to their aid. It seems that unlike candidates like Bernie Sanders, who is garnering support based on his [crazy stupid unsustainable] policies, Trump gains support in part by personality, part from his policy, but mostly from his overall messaging. Trump is a populist, painting himself as a knight on a white horse coming in to save the day. He's going to save America from free trade agreements, a weak economy, China, and illegal immigrants. He isn't necessarily the new wave of Republicanism, instead he's the result of the populist movement that I believe is pulling Republicans (approximately 30-35%) to the dark side. And, slowly, Democrats are coming too. If Trump's appeal only stays with this 'radical' middle America, he's looking at only about 20% of the electorate on a national scale [breathe a sigh of relief]. However, we've spent months waiting for this fire to subside and it hasn't. I have said for the last 16 years, that America is in need of a strong moderate leader (ahem, Mitt) that is able to govern from the center and cater to both sides. It was said that Clinton's move to the center in 1994 helped to eliminate the middle class radicals -- only to have them rear their heads again after 8 years of excruciating conservatism and similar years of liberalism.

Somehow in the midst of our anger, we have forgotten that our nation was not created on foundation of consensus, but one of compromise. Political parties have become hell bent on forcing its own will without any consideration for the other side. The last 16 years of our history have been wrought with bitter fights and numerous gridlocked shutdowns.  The very quality that distinguishes America from the rest of the world is its ability to provide refuge for all, despite conflicting cultural, political, and religous viewpoints.  That in spite of all of the very things that tear nations apart around the world, Americans are able to join together to create a national government of and by the people. The Middle American Radicals seem to have their knight in shining armor, but for the rest of us -- where is ours? (ahem, Mitt.)

Five on Friday

It's Mallory, here...your long lost blogger friend. I'm hoping one of these days I will learn to balance baby and blogging but for now...well, you can see how well its going.

{ONE}

Two Videos EVERYONE should watch. Chris Christie is stepping out - away from the pack - and speaking out on how America treats drug addiction.

{TWO}

The t-shirt you need to purchase.

I have bought 2 of these tops (black and white stripe and blue and white stripe) - both for $10 at Nordstrom (usually $18). If you need a workhorse-everyday t-shirt (but you still want to look cute) get this top.

The Nordstrom Clearance sale has the solid red on sale for $10...so yeah, I got a third. I've found that it's a great top for fall AND great for a nursing mother who doesn't want to wear ugly ill fitting nursing tanks every day. I might stay at home, but I can't be one of those moms that just wears yoga pants all day. Of course there are days when I do wear workout attire all day, but after a day or two of that, I can't handle it anymore. I just feel like a little piece of me dies when I don't wear real clothes.

So, as I find comfy mommy friendly and cute stuff, I'll be sure to share!

{THREE}

Pottery Barn Hack

My husband and I want to create a gallery wall in our family room. I found a box of frames on Pottery Barn - but they were over $200. So, I took a risk and ordered a set for about $43 off of Amazon. They may be total crap. Or, they might  be perfect. Stay tuned...if this works, I will probably be buying another set!

{FOUR}

Christmas Candle round up

Last year I posted about this AMAZING Christmas candle, and a few weeks back about this one. Now, I have a third. So I thought I'd put them all here for those of you who want you entire house to smell like a Christmas tree (me). 

I bought mine locally at Savvy in Greenville. If you're local, I'd encourage you to buy there! If not, you can find it online (link below).

Thymes Frasier Fir Candle $29

{FIVE}

Club Chairs for the family room. 

Now that we have a rug and a couch, we are looking for some swivel club chairs. We've narrowed it down to this chair  by Rowe. (The sample online is not so cute, but I promise its cute!) I'm trying to decide between 2 fabrics below. I love love love the plaid (prettier in person, the room was dark) but it could be busy on 2 chairs. Maybe it should be an accent? Which do you like?

Rug

Fabric options...

Presidential Series - Chris Christie

Slowly moving up in the pack, Chris Christie has proven that he is one candidate (in a field of many) that should not be forgotten so quickly. Once deemed a GOP front runner, Christie suffered massive political blows during "Bridge Gate" and never quite rebounded to previous favorability ratings.  Despite this, Christie forged ahead and has actively been pursuing his bid to become the nation's next president. Known for his gregarious, and sometimes brusque temperament, Christie touts his ability to be a Republican government in a highly Democratic state with a intensely liberal media.  Poised as the polar opposite of current President Obama, he might be exactly what voters are looking for. (Clearly, Americans are favoring loud and obnoxious these days...)

So, here's a little about Chris Christie.

Personal Life: Born in Newark in 1962, attended University of Delaware, obtained a J.D. from Seton Hall University.  He is married and has 4 children.

Work Experience: An attorney from 1987 to 2002. In 2002 he was appointed as a US Attorney for New Jersey by President George W. Bush. In 1995 he was elected to the County legislature, and held that position until 1998. He remained a US Attorney until 2008 when he ran for Governor of New Jersey. in 2009 he announced his run - and defeated an incumbent governor (HUGE! This rarely happens.). In 2013, he ran again, and won.

Strengths: No nonsense attitude. He is quick to dismiss politics and talk about 'what the people care about'. (Just look up the last debate...) Recently he was quoted as saying he didn't care who ran for Speaker of the House, because Americans don't. (True, they probably care more about jobs.)
He tells it like it is. When reporters ask dumb questions, he lets them have it. Personally - I like that about him. He's a strong personality, but he knows when to dial it down (unlike Donald Trump). He has experience, he understands the law, and is an administrator.
Administration Experience. This is one attribute that is often overlooked. Experience in the Senate or House gives one experience in making deals. Administration of a state is completely different - and provides a more well rounded experience. It is also more closely related to the Presidency.
He can work with those who belong to different party/think differently. Barack Obama's greatest downfall has been his inability to work with anyone conservative. Chris Christie has successfully done this for 2 terms as governor. He knows that ideas and principles are important, but that truly governing requires compromise. (Washington isn't currently aware of this concept.)

Weaknesses: He tells it like it is. Sometimes, he can be rude. and dismissive. This can really turn some people off...but hey, he's from New Jersey. It works there.
Bridgegate. A lot of people still think his hands are dirty from that, and that he threw staff to the wolves. No charges were ever filed and no wrongdoing on his part was ever found. Does that mean he had nothing to do with it? We may never know. You just have to decide if its worth nailing him to the wall for it.



Top Headlines/Videos:

Christie: "Obama a Weakling with Putin"

Washington Post:
Not the Race Christie Envisioned

CNN:
Chris Christie on Ben Carson's Budget
Christie confronted by teacher in N.H., and he agrees with him
So, there's Chris Christie in a nutshell! If you'd like to see his policy positions in detail visit: https://www.chrischristie.com/.

Presidential Series

To start off my Presidential series, I opted to first highlight the one and only woman in the GOP field. Carly Fiorina has rocketed toward the front of the very large pack after a rather successful performance in the Republican Debate 2 weeks ago on CNN. This is rather impressive considering the stage was full 12 hard hitting and loud men -- and that it lasted 3 hours.  Despite the drama ridden line of questioning that the CNN moderator spewed at the candidates, Fiorina managed to get her voice heard in a clear and impressive manner. Despite whether or not you might agree with what she had to say, she said it rather well. So, who is Carly Fiorina? Here's some info:

Education: She has an BA in Philosophy from Stanford, MBA from University of MD, and an MS in Management from MIT.

Home State: Born in Austin, TX although has lived abroad. She attended high school in NC.

Age: 61

Previous Work Experience:

AT&T : At 25 she started off in sales, selling services to federal agencies.  She quickly rose through the ranks, and by age 35 she was a Vice President for the company. In another 5 years, she was overseeing North American operations.

Lucent Technologies:  Lucent technologies was a spin off company of AT&T, and Fiorina was placed in charge of Corporate operations. Fortune Magazine listed Fiorina as the Most Powerful Woman in Business in 1998.


Her claim to fame is her 'Secretary to CEO' status and her role as the only woman in the GOP race has many thinking she might be able to help the party in a demographic it has failed to reach in past elections...women. However, recent statements made about doctored/false tapes made to incriminate Planned Parenthood have many women wincing.

To read her platforms on issues, here is here Campaign website.

Here are a few of her top recent headlines:
Inside Carly Fiorina's California Meltdown
Liberal Feminists Ponder Friends, Foes and Carly Fiorina
Jeb Bush Opposes Shutdown over Planned Parenthood, Fiorina doesn't

Despite a strong debate performance a few weeks ago, Carly's momentum seems to be waning some on a national level - albeit her conservative base is most likely still in tact. While this might not seem like an issue to most -- candidates (especially GOP) have to realize that during the general election the ability to woo the center moderates and those on the party fringes is the key to winning the Presidency.  If Fiorina continues down her current path, she will struggle to garner support from women or those who don't believe Planned Parenthood is a worthy reason to shut down the government.

Lobbying for Seersucker

“If I could give my friends in the Senate one piece of advice, it would be to start Seersucker Thursday again." - Trent Lott via Washington Post 

I found a fun little tidbit in the Washington Post that was the perfect blend of trivia, fashion, and of course, politics.

Trent Lott sporting his seersucker. And a pink tie. God Bless America.

Whether or not you're a fan of Trent Lott (or even know who he is) I feel confident that we can all agree that his initiation of Seersucker Thursday in the late 1990s was pure political genius. Each year on or around the third Thursday of June, members of Senate gathered together to take a photograph on the Capitol donning their best seersucker suits.  Perhaps the best part of Seersucker Thursday is that it transcended across party, geographic, and gender lines. Though Lott, a Mississippi Republican, was the initiator of the tradition, he joined forces with the likes of California Democrat Diane Feinstein stressing the importance of building relationships despite political differences. (What a concept?!) Both Feinstein and Lott appeared on Fox News Sunday explaining the value of creating opportunities for members of Congress to socialize, relax, and enjoy each other's company. In 2004, Feinstein actually went so far as to foot the bill to purchase seersucker suits for each female Senator.The tradition became so ingrained into the fabric of the Senate, it even appeared in the new members guide for all of incoming Senators.

 This tradition was continued for nearly a decade and a half when it was suspended in 2012 -- a time when this annual salute to classic Southern frocks seemed in apropos in the face of the political & economic meltdown. . If you ask me, perhaps taking some time to celebrate the greatness of breathable preppy cotton attire might have promoted some camaraderie, cooled election tensions, or if nothing else, distract from debates on "legitimate rape".

After these last two years, I'm pretty sure the only thing being celebrated in the Senate is recess...or perhaps the ending of a Ted Cruz filibuster (I know, wrong house, but even I almost threw a party when he stopped talking). Is it because they no longer celebrate Seersucker Thursday? (And we thought it was the Tea Party causing all the trouble in Washington...).  My graduate statistics professors would tell me this is merely a case of correlation, not causation -- but I happen to know for a fact that a good outfit can completely change my attitude. Just sayin'. Despite what his motivations might me, Rep. Tom Cassidy (R- LA) is making a move to bring back this Seersucker tradition - however this time for the members of the House. (apparently Senators are free to join in - although I'd be wary, the House can be a rowdy bunch) Cassidy has officially declared June 11th as National Seersucker Day -- although I'm not sure he has the authority to declare such things. Perhaps its an attempt at creating good will. Or perhaps he's throwing a bone to a Louisiana based company, Haspel, the originator of the seersucker suit. Welcome to politics folks, where even 'fun' has an angle.

I am bringing this story to light in the face of what I believe has become one of the most hostile environments facing Washington in recent history. Sure, the Republicans took Clinton to task back in the 90s, and we've always enjoyed political drama now and again. As a South Carolina native, I have many friends whose biggest complaints about the long standing illustrious (and all around amazing) Sen. Lindsey Graham is that he [gasp] works across the aisle. I'm really not sure how he's managed to evade a good tar and feathering for so long now.  Indeed, it has become almost a faux pas to be known as a Congressman that cavorts with the 'enemy'. Some believe the divisiveness is directly related to the President's general unwillingness to socialize or build relationships with members of Congress (Republican and Democrat alike have made this argument - Obama has been long since tagged as a leader that puts his will 'out there' and then expects others to follow. Read more here,  , here, and here.) Perhaps the issue is deeper - and points to changes that are happening in the fabric of American society as a whole. Whatever the reason, we need to do our part to encourage our leaders to govern in our interests, but not to miss the forest for the trees. The only way any to pass meaningful and effective policy is to work together, and sometimes that means compromise. While I'm sure Texas appreciates Ted Cruz's efforts to make their points of view heard, I'm pretty sure shutting the government down was not on his list of campaign promises. #yougottaknowwhentofoldem

So, regardless of your political inclinations or personal style, I invite you to join in on the fun and sport your Seersucker tomorrow!

xo
M

Sources:
 http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/the-fix/wp/2013/04/26/breaking-down-president-obamas-relationship-with-congress-an-email-dialogue-between-the-fix-and-paul-kane/

http://www.newyorker.com/online/blogs/comment/2014/01/the-state-of-the-union-or-obama-breaks-up-with-congress.html

http://www.nytimes.com/2013/04/21/opinion/sunday/dowd-president-obama-is-no-bully-in-the-pulpit.html?ref=maureendowd

http://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/seersucker-suits-are-in-the-house/2014/06/09/94cdd5d6-f007-11e3-bf76-447a5df6411f_story.html