Party on

To the editor: 

On the campaign trail in Iowa, GOP hopeful Ron DeSantis said, “I’m sick of Republicans losing.”

As a lifelong Democrat, I wasn’t aware we were winning. During my 51 voting years going back to 1972, there have been 13 presidential elections; Democrats have won six, Republicans seven.  Twelve men have served as Senate majority leader, seven of them Democrats, five of them Republicans.  

The House has changed hands 11 times, with Democratic holding a majority six times and Republicans in control five times. And, there hasn’t been a liberal majority on the Supreme Court since 1969.

On the state level, the GOP has had full control in more states than Democrats for three decades.  Currently, there are 23 states in full GOP control (governor and legislature) and only 14 by Democrats. 

GOP leaders in 32 states have banned books and dictated school curriculum. 

Additionally, GOP policy has held sway nationally for the past 42 years. Union membership, progressive taxation and protective government regulations have never returned to pre-Reagan cut levels. Supreme Court rulings have rolled back laws governing civil rights and voting rights, environmental protection, gun safety, workplace safety, campaign finance, church and state separation, affirmative action and reproductive rights. The court has even chipped away at Miranda and due process protections. Liberals should be losing this well.

What DeSantis means by “losing” is that the GOP isn’t able to rule by fiat. Even something as necessary as compromising on a continuing resolution to keep the government open is an affront to GOP hardliners. What really galls DeSantis is that voters, “We the People” as empowered by the U.S. Constitution, have been rejecting MAGA candidates at the polling booth since 2018.  Hopefully, 2024 brings more of the same.

Joseph Cannisi

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