2022 Midterms - Consistency of Message Matters Most
Many are about to say the things you've been longing to hear, but where they have been and why are they flip-flopping now?
If you are susceptible to the narratives being floated all around us, you will already believe that 2022 is a done deal and Republicans are about to sweep the numerous November races and take back our government in epic fashion due to the bumbling Biden administration and their dangerous policies.
You may also believe that voting Republican - ANY Republican - is going to rectify our current tragic trajectory and right the wrongs of the last few years.
Some of you will believe that Democrats that change party affiliation in the months before November or Republicans that suddenly denounce the dangerous directives of Anthony Fauci or the CDC have finally seen the light and therefore should receive your vote.
Lastly, there will be those among you convinced the elections are so hopelessly rigged that there is no point in showing up to vote because you cannot change things at the ballot box.
If any of the preceding points resonated, you are at risk of being dangerously led to intellectual slaughter by the mass media and need to pause and reflect immediately.
Consistency is key in politics. Most people have strong core beliefs and values by the time they become adults. Radical swings in behavior or talking points, an erratic voting record and sudden back-pedaling on controversial issues are all causes for concern and tell you a person cannot be trusted to receive your vote.
Recently, I watched an old George Carlin HBO special from the 1990s and was struck by how the issues he was railing against then - overreach of government, censorship, war-mongering, and destructive media fear porn, were the same issues facing us now. However, and most worrisome, the “villains” from that era were the ideological opposites of those we encounter today.
While Carlin abhorred authority in general terms, he was speaking out against the prominent Republicans of the day. In 2022, however, we know it is likely to be Democrats on the side of censorship and tyrannical policy. How can this be? Aren’t political parties tightly bound to core beliefs and a firm platform? Apparently, not so much. We have short memory spans that the powers that be capitalize on. Establishment Democrats and Republicans have been merely a ruse to make us believe we had a choice. It kept us fighting on sides rather than against issues. When all energy is directed at fighting the other, we fail to notice our proverbial ship moving away from our navigational star, aka the values that matter most to us. We have been trained to vote a party rather than for people on their unique merits and stance on important matters. That MUST stop now or we risk being fooled by a whole crop of people intent on saving their seats and themselves come November.
Knowledge is power and tuning back into your gut is key. We Are New Jersey is prepared to help. In the tee-up to the 2022 midterms, we will continue to share news about the candidates and issues that impact our State most. We aren’t your source for the sensationalized clickbait many have become addicted to but if you put in the effort to read and digest what we present, we know you will be more prepared and informed to vote than ever before. There is perhaps no greater measure of your patriotism than putting in the intellectual work to scrutinize individuals that seek to represent us in government and casting a meaningful, informed vote on Election Day.
While it’s necessary in the current firehose of information to rely on trusted sources to guide you, we must stop substituting other people’s judgment for our own. We cannot outsource our future liberty and prosperity to our favorite independent news influencers, our politically-active, outspoken Uncle or God forbid the nightly news, just to save ourselves time. What does this mean specifically? Resist the urge to only read headlines and think you know what happened. When something goes viral quickly, pause before you share it and question the source and motives. Much like daily exercise, engage and do the work to understand current events and policy issues yourself because you know it’s what’s best for your health and the future of your family. After reading an article that interests you, get out that “shovel” and dig a little deeper via the many tools available to you.
The People have the power in 2022. Will you be a follower led mindlessly or a leader showing the way of truth and knowledge to others? As always, you decide. Choose wisely because your State and Country depend on it.