Commentary

In addition to looking forward to watching the news without those political ads, I’m hopeful the pundits will finally drop the use of the term “kitchen table” issues.

Regular readers may recall my June 7, 2022 commentary in which I expressed my disapproval in its use, informing you that research revealed that just 29 percent of families currently eat together on a regular basis.  Some homes don’t even have a kitchen table.

There’s a commercial currently running that shows family members placing their iPhones and tablets in a basket as they head for the kitchen table.  A nice idea, but I doubt it is common practice in most homes.

A CBS survey revealed that 33 percent of the respondents indicated that texting took place at their table “always,” “sometimes” and “about half the time.”  Last year, a CBS survey revealed that their television was “always,” “sometimes,” and “about half the time” 56 percent of the time.

Unanswered Questions

I try to watch the programs Fox has scheduled with candidates in key states, but am frequently disappointed when a question from the audience goes unanswered by the candidate or resurfaced by the moderator.

Such was the case in the special program with Ohio senatorial candidates.  A woman asked Democrat Rep. Tim Ryan:

“Can you look me in the face and tell me that government expenditures on green energy subsidies through the Inflation Reduction Act that increases our debt are in any way lessening my burden at the gas station and the grocery store?

I don’t know why, but Ryan was obviously caught off-guard, responding, “I could not say that right now in the present moment.” Then he went on to claim that he helped land two natural gas power plants, a chip factory, a battery plant and solar facility with thousands of union jobs in his district before going into the weeds with the need to streamline permitting.

Finally, he did say, “when it comes to inflation, we need a tax cut.  We need to put money in people’s pockets if we’re going to weather the storm here,” but made no promises.

Ryan knows the Inflation Reduction Act will not reduce inflation.

Short-Term Talking Point for Votes

President Biden boasts about the ability to negotiate drug prices within the Inflation Reduction Act.  It was included to attract votes in the midterms in the short-term, but voters won’t see results soon, in fact the Wall Street Journal reports that “it may take years before we can fully appreciate the impact of the Inflation Reduction Act on the pharmaceutical industry.”

Not only has the Act saddled the industry with a complex and ill-conceived price-setting scheme, it has forced the cancellation of drug-development programs, resulting in a predictable loss for patients nationwide.

The Mainstream Media Smearing

Sunny Hoston, one of the leftist panel members on “The View,” didn’t like what  she was hearing about white suburban women significantly shifting their support from Democrat to Republican in the closing days leading to the midterms.

“It’s almost like roaches voting for raid,” she said.

Then there was Stephen Colbert’s put down of Republican Tudor Dixon who is challenging Gov. Gretchen Whitmer in Michigan, suggesting she made up a story of a gentleman – a Democrat running for office – who found an objectionable sex education book in a school library.

“Dixon’s not the only one worried about this issue,” Colbert said sarcastically, “so is this guy she totally made up.”

Dixon’s story was true, and the father of five, told the Detroit Free Press what he thought of Colbert.

A Media Research Center study of midterm election coverage between September 1 and October 26 found that election news on ABC, CBS and NBC’s evening newscasts was 87 percent negative on Republicans.

As might be expected, coverage of Kari Lake, the Republican candidate for governor in Arizona, was 100 percent negative.  If you have seen the way she takes on the media in her appearances, you can understand why.  A former TV anchor, Lake knows how the media works.

Biden’s Anti-Republican Rant

While the president was giving his breathless threat to democracy speech, an outright attack on MAGA Republicans, according to Kimberly A. Strassel, writing in the Wall Street Journal, she said all it got was “a shrug.” “(Voters were) busy searching for spare change to cover the rising grocery bill.”

The WSJ editorial board, was critical of the speech that focused merely on the threat from one political party, suggesting – with a bit of wishful thinking – that he might have said:

“Truth be told, some in my own Democrat Party have also contributed to the climate of political mistrust and animus.  The ranks of election deniers include Georgia’s Democrat candidate for governor, Stacey Abrams, who refused to accept her defeat in 2018.  My own press secretary, Karine Jean-Pierre, tweeted in 2020 that Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp ‘stole the gubernatorial election from Georgians and Stacey Abrams.

“Worst of all, Hillary Clinton and many others claimed Donald Trump’s victory in 2016 was illegitimate and the result of Russian influence.

“Democracy is too important to have a double standard for election denial.”

And finally … in a piece published in the Catholic publication, Crisis Magazine, Jason Negri wrote a lengthy commentary on “Why I Am Voting Republican,” directed to Nancy Pelosi, critical of her statement that she wondered just how “anyone could vote for these people (Republicans).

“We’re sick of being told that every policy disagreement we have with the Left is rooted in racism, sexism, or some other mean-spirited ‘ism’ on our part.

“We’re voting Republican because Democrats control every major city in America and – let’s face it – you suck at governance.  Your cities are in shambles.  They are hotbeds of crime and are always on the verge of bankruptcy.  Your policies engender governmental dependence under the guise of compassion, encourage lawbreaking, and pit neighbors against one another in class and racial warfare.

Negri went on to comment on the Democrat position on inflation and the economy, gender mutilization, abortion, immigration, foreign policy, and free everything ideology.

“May you never win another election,” Negri appropriately concluded.

May God continue to bless the United States of America and guide the Republican cavalry to the polls.