The NJGOP will Continue to Fail as a Party of White Grievance
With the defeat of Donald Trump, both parties now focus on the forthcoming 2021 New Jersey gubernatorial election. The odds are overwhelming that Governor Phil Murphy will win a landslide reelection victory.
In last week’s presidential election, the polls on the average showed that Joe Biden carried 87 per cent of the African-American vote nationwide. In New Jersey, where African-Americans comprise 16 percent of the population, the perception that the Republican Party is anti-Black constitutes a certain political death warrant for the NJGOP. And that perception will continue long after Donald Trump departs the political stage.
Donald Trump will be gone as the national leader of the Republican Party, but Trumpism will continue to be the governing doctrine of the GOP. The central and essential message of Trumpism is white grievance.
This white grievance message is geared to appeal to the central base constituency of the Trumpist movement: white men without a college degree. This message has two components: 1) Anti-African-American racism; and 2) anti- science, which breaks down into disregard of the danger of climate change and the embrace of the Scott Atlas philosophy of herd immunity, the latter resulting in mass killings in the millions.
In the 2020 campaign, the white grievance Trumpist essence on the part of the NJGOP manifested itself as a despicable and repulsive racist message of opposition to the vote – by- mail (VBM) program established by Governor Murphy. This program was a triumph for democracy, enabling African-Americans, disproportionately impacted by the Coronavirus, to vote in record numbers.
There was another most salutary aspect of VBM regarding the African-American community. Blacks continue to be among the most economically disadvantaged American constituencies. They often must take jobs that limit their flexibility time-wise to vote on Election Day. The Murphy VBM program eliminated any time constraints hampering African-Americans in the exercise of their voting franchise. The increase in the African-American vote in New Jersey made a winner of democracy in the Garden State.
The objection to VBM that it slowed the count was a matter of rank political and policy stupidity. The important and essential consideration of the count is that it is both accurate and comprehensive, yet completed soon enough to give the winners sufficient time to prepare to take office. And by these considerations, VBM was a total, indisputable success.
By contrast, the unmistakable message of the opposition of the NJGOP to VBM was “we don’t want Blacks to vote.” In New Jersey, the Republican Party of Tom Kean inclusiveness has become the Republican Party of Simon Legree.
This is not to say that the Trumpist base constituency of white men without college degrees does not have a legitimate grievance. In post-industrial America, these men often have lacked the economic wherewithal to obtain the higher education necessary for their economic betterment. The solution, however, is to provide funding to finance their college education, not simply the Trump racist message of Blame the Blacks.
Because of the NJGOP opposition to VBM, I predicted in August in an InsiderNJ column (link follows) that no white Republican will be elected Governor or US Senator in New Jersey for at least a decade:
https://www.insidernj.com/no-white-republican-will-elected-governor-senator-decade/
You can bet the ranch on that one.
I saw very early on, in fact prior to the end of 2019, that the increase in the African-American vote would result in Joe Biden winning both the Democratic Party presidential nomination and the election itself:
https://www.nj.com/opinion/2019/12/2020-will-be-the-year-of-the-african-american-voter-opinion.html
My next significant prediction regarding the African-American vote was authored by me in the month before the presidential election: “2020 Election: Georgia: A Harbinger of the New South.” The title speaks for itself:
https://www.insidernj.com/2020-election-georgia-harbinger-new-south/
And now, with an NJGOP with an abjectly failing continuing Trumpist message of white grievance, I have no doubt in my next prediction: Phil Murphy will be reelected governor in November, 2021, in a landslide approaching 60 percent, and a compelling pro-environment, pro-civil rights message. The undeniable truth: Phil Murphy from Wall Street with his theme of a stronger, fairer New Jersey resembles Tom Kean far more than any of Kean’s successors from either party.
Alan Steinberg served as Regional Administrator of Region 2 EPA during the administration of former President George W. Bush and as Executive Director of the New Jersey Meadowlands Commission.
I find it inspiring and encouraging to have a New Jersey Governor who can lead
with intelligence, integrity, insight, and character. BRAVO….Governor Murphy!
Many Americans, African Americans included, have physically demanding jobs.
Therefore, the fatigue factor could keep them from standing in long lines
on Election Day. BRAVO….VBM
We, (Democrats, Republicans, etc,) have to treat white voters without
college degrees as equals and with respect. We must value them for
the contributions they make to our country.
The plumber, who comes to my home when my leaking hot water heater
is flooding my basement, is greeted with delight, appreciation, and respect.
Much more so, than a professor with a book under his arm or an attorney
who enjoys writing InsiderNJ columns.
I value the professor and the attorney for what they contribute,
just question their plumbing skills.
As for Georgia and the New South…………….
10 years from now, when I am facing my 100th birthday,
I might not remember my own name, BUT……..
……….I WILL REMEMBER STACY ABRAMS
……,,,,..GEORGIA, GET OUT THE VOTE
Again, Alan Steinberg, thank you for another thoughtful column………..
and please consider improving your plumbing skills.
Filtering in dribs and drabs from the “Media”, is the realization that Joe Biden is in fact only the “Presumed” winner of the Presidential Election, and even though he announced his creation of a transfusion team, that is a far cry from having the election results from the 50 states “Certified”, and a vote of the Electoral College designees. The “Media” has so far chosen not to make hay of the fact that the Republican Party actually gained house seats, saw a huge increase in African American and Hispanic voters by the Republican Party, and could actually see an increase in Senate seats when the dust settles. With all those pluses, you would think that in fact that alone might signify that in the count or possibly the recount of ballots not even including challengers, there is room for immediate suspicion on what might be the real vote count. We may be at least a month, if not more from seeing something like a certifiable vote tabulation and state declarations of a clear winner. So hold on to your hats, the New South may not have been Democratic, particularly not the way the Democrats of the Old South got their votes.
You and I have to stop meeting like this.
I am worried about your reputation.
At my age , my reputation is set in stone.
Not much I can do about it.
Wishing you well.
I would suggest that everyone should read the Commentary piece by Lou Manzo on the actual state of the evidence being investigated on vote fraud, and the potential for state legislatures becoming the focal point for the legal vote tally fight. Quite interesting for this former Democratic Assemblyman, who clearly is engaged with others on these crucial matters, despite the “Media” failing in its role to keep the American People informed on this and other matters. https://www.insidernj.com/prez-legal-battles-loom-trump-v-biden-portends-echoes-1876/