
“Orphan Voters” once routinely supported a political party, but have since abandoned any party allegiance, thereby rendering themselves non-partisan orphan voters.
They differ from the ‘Independents’ who enjoy the flexibility of drifting with the wind to avoid alignment with any one political party. Independents often self-identify as non-ideological thinkers. They enjoy being courted, and proudly claim the moniker of a judicious and open mind.
Orphan Voters view the two-party system as the Uniparty, representing a distinction without a difference. They view voting as inconsequential to their daily lives. More than a few have never, or seldom, voted.
Historically, the organizational discipline of the Democratic Party has surpassed that of the Republican Party. That discipline is what drives Democrat fidelity to a defined political agenda. They are more inclined to aggressively defend their side of the proverbial isle than cross it.
Democrat pols Senators Joe Manchin and Kyrsten Sinema have recently cracked that mold.
Normally, (D) politicians claim the political agenda for which they stand.
Republican politicians are less united. Most notably, Republican Senators Murkowski, Collins, and Romney.
Historically, the American citizenry is clear about what Democrats stand for, but less clear concerning Republicans.
There was a memorable exception to that equation back before the 1994 midterm elections when GOP House members pushed a legislative agenda called Contract With America. It outlined promises the GOP made to keep if they gained control of the House of Representatives for the first time in forty years.
The Contract With America was introduced six weeks before the 1994 midterm elections. Only two Republican House members failed to sign it. All other Republican incumbents and all non-incumbent GOP candidates endorsed it.
In the 1994 midterm elections, Republicans gained 54 House seats and 9 U.S. Senate seats, as both chambers of Congress flipped.
There is a lesson to be learned from the Contract With America.
Success in politics is not just a consequence of pointing out the opposing party’s failures. It is more dependent on defining a means to fix those failures in order to advance the nation.
Political power does not generally accrue to those who focus on criticism, but to those who pivot from criticism to advance an agenda that reverses the opposition’s failures.
In other words, success in standing for election goes beyond criticism of the incumbent.
Unfortunately, the Republicans are articulate with criticism – it’s a rich free-fire zone these days – but less forthcoming with defining their intended actions should they take control of Congress in the midterms.
The GOP has already begun taking verbal victory laps well in advance of a single vote being cast next November. A sports team, or an army, that celebrates victory in advance of the contest weakens their chances of winning.
There’s a post-facto codicil to the importance of defining an agenda. If it facilitates victory, promises made must be kept, or the promise-makers become the clock that struck 13, never to be believed again.
Three of the top 10 Republican promises of the 1994 Contract With Americawere: (1) balance the federal budget; (2) cut taxes; and (3) reform welfare.
Oops.
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