Vote Blue No Matter Who?

-by Patrick Toomey

As most here are aware, 22 House Dems joined 212 House Goopers in voting to censure Rashida Tlaib over her public comments about Israel and Palestine.

As someone who swallowed (really) hard in 2016 and who swallowed hard in 2020 while voting for the Democratic nominees, I found this censure vote to be utterly repulsive. It’s even more repulsive when considering potentially pulling the lever for Biden in 2024.

As this site (and other sources) make it clear, a second Trump term would shake the foundations of a system dating back to 1787. One can critique that system at length while recognizing the utter catastrophe of Orange Julius returning to power, especially with potential majorities in both houses of Congress. At present, re-electing Joe Biden is the only option that the donkey is offering to prevent this looming disaster.

I’ve heard the routine appeals to party loyalty since WJC’s nomination in 1992. This image (from the football team of Tlaib’s home state’s flagship university) sums them up:

I did not vote blue in ’92 (or in ’96), and I was one of the Nader 95,000 in Florida in 2000. I went back to the fold in 2004 in horror over the W/Cheney first term. I supported Obama in the 2008 primaries, and I pounded pavements for him locally that fall. I voted for him in 2012 without much enthusiasm. I already addressed the last 2 elections— I joined Bernie (who I supported in the primaries both times) in recognizing the Trump threat.

Presumably, visitors to this site are appalled by the ongoing carnage in Gaza in response to the Hamas mass murders of 10/7. Visitors are equally aware of the White House enabling Netanyahu’s de facto ethnic cleansing (while the White House claims to be powerless to even slow it down a little). Each of us has to make our own decisions as to how those events affect our moral calculus in approaching the 2024 elections. Assessing the potential political impact of this censure vote, however, is much simpler.

In 2020, Tlaib’s Detroit-area GOTV effort played a tangible role in helping Biden narrowly carry Michigan. Fellow Squad member Ilhan Omar did the same in Minnesota.

Presumably, site visitors are aware of the recent New York Times polling showing Biden trailing in 5 of 6 swing states, including Michigan (where he trails Trump 48-43).

Presumably, Tlaib’s Detroit-area GOTV efforts will be essential for Biden to carry Michigan next year. Perhaps Tlaib will shrug off getting humiliated by members of her own party for her public statements. Perhaps her supporters will shrug them off as well and vote for Biden again. Perhaps they won’t.

Perhaps Tlaib will face a well-financed primary opponent like the one who she crushed in 2020. I fear that this censure vote may make another challenge all but inevitable.

Such a challenge would cross the line from dangerous to suicidal for the donkey. There is ZERO margin for error for the Dems next year. They’re already losing Muslim/Arab voters in the key swing state of Michigan now, and such a challenge would compound this problem.

As a basic point of principle, seeing such tangible evidence of the double standard in the application of the party loyalty meme was jarring. The realization that this double standard could end up enhancing the electoral prospects of a twice impeached and four times indicted demagogue was frightening. Over the decades, I’ve seen the donkey engage in more self-destructive behavior than I could ever catalogue, but this time, the potential consequences are really grave.

I honestly wonder how far party loyalty will go in an essential election next year.