Dakota Beacon

A physics professor once told me, “If you don’t ask the right questions, you won’t get the right answers.”

November 2 approaches and many political questions hang in the balance. So do the answers. The collective choice of the American voters on election day will sort out those answers.

At the risk of seeming presumptuous, I’ll pose some questions. Let the reader judge if they are the right questions.

First, I must set the scene. In 2008 the Democrat Party secured the White House together with a super majority in both houses of congress. Many longtime loyal Democrats believe Obama stole the nomination from Hillary Clinton. Intrigue in Denver confirmed that.

After two years in office and with the help of congress, Obama’s policies govern against the will of the American people. Many old-line Democrats believe he has squandered a potent opportunity afforded by his majority in the House and Senate.

Disappointment abounds. Extremists like George Soros and his ilk criticize Obama for not moving far enough to the left. Old-line Democrats from the John F. Kennedy and Tip O’Neil school believe Obama has moved too far left.

the Democrat Party, of course, typically coalesces into a less-than-homogenous amalgamation of widely disparate groups. Ethnic, gender, homosexual, environmental, economic, social and political divisions abound.

 Assuming Republicans make major gains in November, will Obama modify his agenda to co-operate with a Republican majority in order to position himself for re-election? Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell believes as much and is willing to meet Obama Democrats halfway.

 A majority of American voters seem to think otherwise as does Republican Senator Jim DeMint. DeMint wants no part of reaching across the aisle to befriend Democrats and risk advancing Obama’s agenda and his re-election while Republicans hold an anticipated majority in either, or both, Houses of congress.

Obama’s approval rating has dropped 18 points to an historic all-time low of 44.7% since he took office according to a recent Gallup poll. Why would Republican leaders potentially holding a majority reflecting the people’s will to stop the Obama agenda want to co-operate with Obama Democrats?

Which view will the voters validate: McConnell‘s or Demint‘s? Or, do the voters even care whether the politicians rule against the will of the people?

Then there are the RINOs (Republicans in Name Only). Proclaiming the “Big Tent,” the RINOs typify the “good ‘ol boy network.” Espousing the Big Tent, RINOs quietly distain anyone who champions conservative or Christian values and the pro-life cause. This struggle has gone on for years. More recently, they abhor the Tea Party activists.

Can the RINO Country Club set win the election without reinforcements?

If the RINO Blue Bloods control a substantial majority of the House and Senate with the help of these outsiders, will the outsiders be listened to? And, if the RINOs win big with outside help but continue to reject the outsiders, might this split the Republican Party?

Finally, in the wildest imaginings, if the Republican Party is split, will the RINOs become a minor third party capable of attracting moderate old-line Democrats?

Are these questions presumptuous? Maybe. But, they are pertinent.

Collectively, these questions comprise a subset of the larger question: Will the Democrat and Republican Parties, as we know them, endure or will the American voters impose true change that most people can believe in?

November 3 will tell.