Bush showed the country how respect for federalism is supposed to work after Katrina, thereby losing both chambers of Congress in 2006. If Trump loses this year, the riots, arson and looting he allowed to go on unencumbered will be the primary reason he went down to defeat. Maybe in the wake of electoral disaster for Trump, the GOP will finally realize that the choice isn’t between federalism and governing from DC - it’s between GOP rule from DC and Democratic rule from DC. The average voter doesn’t care whether a president treats a governor as a minion or accords him the theoretical respect the constitution grants him - he just wants his life to get better. For the typical non-libertarian voter, “better” doesn’t include riots, arson or looting and a president who stands by fiddling (i.e. issuing catcalls aka tweets) in the midst of it all.
From the Civil War to the New Deal right down to Obamacare, the centralizing tendency in the Federal government has continued unabated. The only question left is whether the GOP will seize these powers or continue getting blamed by voters when things go sideways. The average voter doesn’t know federalism from a hole in the ground. As long as the GOP leadership continues talking about states’ rights instead of grabbing the reins in disaster situations, it will continue being served election drubbings.
The average voter isn’t a libertarian. When he sees Trump sneering at local governments that won’t enforce the law, he’s not laughing with Trump. He’s thinking of Trump as a modern day Nero, fiddling while Rome burns.
I tend to agree. I have been disappointed that the "right side" did not take action against the "wrong side" during the riots. Lots of FReepers think it is funny when blue cities go up in flames. However, almost all major cities are blue cities, even those in red states. If the only difference between "us" and "them" is that we don't condone rioting while allowing it to continue, then that's not much to go on.
Trump told one blue state mayor or governor that f they didn't shut it down, he would. That seemed about as empty a boast as Obama's red line against Syria.
Good point; I hadn't thought about that aspect.
The average voter isn’t a libertarian. When he sees Trump sneering at local governments that won’t enforce the law, he’s not laughing with Trump. He’s thinking of Trump as a modern day Nero, fiddling while Rome burns.
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I’m afraid this could be an issue. Not only POTUS but no Republican is showing strength against this violence.