June 26, 2024
A TALE OF 1888, 1892, 1896: IS TRUMP A CLEVELAND OR BRYAN?
History repeats itself and those who do not learn from lessons it teaches are doomed to repeat them. With the U.S. presidential election just over 4 months away the best precursor of the Nov. 5 Trump-Biden outcome can be found in 1892, with lead-ins of 1884 and 1888 and lead-outs of 1896, 1900 and 1908 as corollaries. The 2024 election and the election of 1892 has striking similarities: An ex-president who won a plurality of the 1888 vote but lost re-election was running for re-election in 1892 against an incumbent president whose incompetence was glaring, his popularity minuscule and whose stewardship of the economy was abysmal. Is there not a lesson here? Sort of like 2016, when Hillary Clinton beat Donald Trump 65,853,614-62,989,828 but lost the EV 304-227. Harrison’s presidency was disastrous. In 1896 a Republican comeback seemed inevitable until populist William Jennings Bryan burst onto the scene. Bryan’s “not crucify on a cross-of-gold” speech exhilarated farmers and workers and terrified the elites and power brokers. So is Trump in 2024 more like Cleveland or Bryan? His 2016/2020 vote rose from 62,989,828 to 74,223,975, his percent inched-up from 46.1 to 46.8, but the anti-Trump vote exploded from 65,859,614 to 81,293,501. That’s 16 million voters. So the better question is whether Biden is more like Harrison? If 2024 is a referendum, like in 1892, Biden loses. If 2024 is a choice, like in 1896, Trump loses. Either way, they are both too old for this … well, you know how that saying goes. Full Article...
June 19, 2024
NO ARTICLE THIS WEEK
June 12, 2024
NO ARTICLE THIS WEEK
June 5, 2024
2023-24 FUNDRAISING NUGGETS BOTH ENLIGHTENING, DISGUSTING
It is said that there are five stages of grief: Anger, Denial, Bargaining, Depression, Acceptance. In politics there is only one stage of grief, and that is losing. And the certain way to avoid that plight is to raise and stockpile loads of campaign cash. As detailed in the chart, those who have the bucks are those who win, and in Illinois they’re all Democrats. What really sticks out is the March 19 county state’s attorney Democratic primary, in which Eileen O’Neill Burke, the ex-Appellate Court justice, raised $3,768,857 and defeated slated Clayton Harris II by 1,571 votes. She outspent Harris by 2.4 million, and saturated the airwaves and social media. Although Harris has plenty of in-kind party support. Money matters. Another glare-spot was the 20th District state senate primary (D), where Senate president Don Harmon spent $1,947,454 to nominate appointed incumbent Natalie Toro in a near Northwest Side Latino-majority district – and she LOST. Look at the cash numbers for Ram Villivalam, Sam Nugent and Debra Silverstein. They are on a tear. Commissioners Degnen and Gainer are also raking it in. Attached is a CHART detailing over 30 officeholders, their current cash-on-hand, and their fundraising over the past 3 quarters. Full Article...
These columns are published in Nadig Newspapers. If you, a friend or a colleague wish to be added
to Russ's BUDDY LIST, and be emailed his column every Wednesday morning,
email webmaster Joe Czech at Joe@Nadignewspapers.com
Previous Articles