No Biden and No Trump?

Michigan Primary Results Show Hope

The Michigan primary is behind us. Feeding the news cycle are conclusions and prognostications from the same triad that is force-feeding weary Americans the awful binary of Trump versus Biden. May as well be Joseph Trump and Donald Biden if the conclusions of recent Quinnipiac polls showing voter’s thirst for alternatives are to be believed.

Today an invitation to look at the data behind the conclusions.

Nearly a half million Michigan voters took time to show up, vote, and send a message to the two major parties that they desire better choices. With a combined 1,869,735 votes cast for Republicans and Democratic party candidates, some 26% of Michigan voters chose neither Joe Biden nor Donald Trump. Trump came away with 40% of the combined votes cast and Biden 33%.

Since there was no place on the ballot for “not Trump” or “not Biden,” how many votes were cast for the lesser-of-evils candidate? Suppose that half of Biden’s voters were simply anti-Trump voters. That would be a generous-to-the-DNC interpretation of repeated polls showing half to three-quarters of registered Democratic voters wanting someone other than Mr. Biden. In Michigan’s primary, that means 300,000 Biden “anti-Trump” votes could better reflect voters’ preferences with a reasonable third party. Add those defections to the 26% who have already rejected both major party candidates and a third candidate would win Michigan’s 15 electoral votes with 42%.

Those aren’t the only votes available should a viable third-party ticket make the ballot. Suppose that just 10% of Trump’s primary voters abandon the lesser-of-evils duopoly for a third party. That 47% tally for the third party is already a landslide even before turnout enthusiasm for a candidate other than Trump or Biden is factored in. A message that voters are itching to convey. If only given the chance.

Based on voter’s expressed preferences, there has not been any time in recent history where a viable alternative to the Republican-Democratic duopoly has such a clear path to victory. When the roadblocks to ballot access, debate stages, and the like are coupled with the narrative bleating from the legacy media, the challenge is not so much as being what voters want but in getting in position to give voters the choice. Today’s narrative in the established media ecosystem, aka, echo chamber, is speculation of where Nikki Haley’s voters go and who might capture those who voted uncommitted in the primary, in November’s general election. The underlying assumption is that the duopoly reigns – but it doesn’t have to be the case. The better question is what alternative can be offered in November to voters who reject both Trump and Biden?

If one were to listen to the two major parties and the unthinking media, one might conclude that giving voters a choice they truly desire is a “threat to our democracy” or won’t “make America great again.” When the choice is a divisive slogan or a functioning executive branch, voters will choose the sane path. The duopoly wants to beat down both hope and sanity.

It makes my head hurt when legacy media advances the circular logic of providing low, no, or negative coverage to viable candidates because they begin pursuit of office with low name recognition. Joe Biden making his case for a second term on a debate stage with Dean Phillips would be far better for a real democracy, as would Donald Trump face-to-face with Nikki Haley. And this demand to show up and ask for votes should have been the relentless lead story. Instead, the legacy media falls in line and helps squash hope that there is a choice beyond Trump and Biden.

It is apparent that Biden’s campaign is lifting a winning formula from another famous Pennsylvanian. Of course, I am talking about Punxsutawney Phil. Phil’s handlers keep him underground most of the time, interpret what he says ala priests of old, and keep the prognosticating rodent underground the rest of the time. The chief difference between Punxsutawney Phil and Joe Biden is that the furrier of the two is prone to bite his handlers, while the other only alarms his minions when going off-script. And Phil enjoys higher approval ratings, particularly when he doesn’t see his shadow.

Meanwhile Trump shows he is a weakling loudmouth, yelling insults while surrounded by his gang. I’d like to say what that makes him in a vulgar, middle school way, but Trump himself already made that word famous.

A Detroit pastor, speaking about his congregation, was quoted in another publication, “They don’t see no hope in Donald Trump, they don’t see no hope in Joe Biden.”

Super Tuesday voters, where do you see hope? There are many ways to express “No Biden, No Trump” and give our beautiful nation some hope.

Onward and ever hopeful.