What About Us?

I listen or read almost everything JD Vance writes or says because Vance is a smart Republican running for Senate in Ohio. Vance, like me, grew up poor in a small midwestern town and like me, he left that small down, joined the military, went to college and then made a great living. I had always hoped that my generation of Republicans would save the party and bring balance to America’s two party system. Unfortunately, JD has devolved from thought provoking to internet troll. His heel turn is as much illustrative of the Republican party as it is depressing.

Until Trump won the Republican nomination, I was a registered Republican. JD’s devolution however, indicates to me I might never be coming back to the party. In other words, it’s only going to get worse. JD is not alone either in being more 40 something troll than problem solver. Other young Republican Senators are equally detestable. Josh Hawley, Ted Cruz, Tom Cotton and useless Marco Rubio are examples of young Republicans with old ideas and a penchant for calling everything they oppose Communist or Socialist while also not showing an inkling of interest in actually fixing the country and bridging the divide. These guys, like pretty much everyone in Washington, is simply stuck in a perpetual loop of owning the other side.

So what about us? The people in the middle that are just trying to raise a family at a time when these freaks are trying to start a Civil War. As each new piece of evidence comes out that demonstrates how hard Trump tried and how close he came to over turning the election, we’re provided with a peak into the future that includes another attempt. What am I supposed to do? I don’t even care who wins. It doesn’t even impact my family. I know that’s a luxury few have but it’s true. In fact, I don’t know of anyone in my social sphere who cares as much about who wins an election as 95% of the people on cable news or on Twitter.

Most of my friends do want to prevent the Republicans from rolling back social gains that the left has won over the years. My friends don’t want to see LGBTQ discrimination, they condemn police violence and their the first to ensure our speech doesn’t offend anyone. Other than that, they love their children, work hard and do their best to provide for their families. That’s it. That’s all that matters.

This talk of Civil War, stealing elections, the Communist left, the Coastal Elites . . . . what the fuck are we doing wrong JD? What did I do wrong? I left Minnesota at 18 to join the Marines. I paid my own way through college and then law school. I then started my own law firm and worked really hard to get here. Where did I go wrong?

Perhaps a more important question – Why are you and I not more aligned? I know we are. But JD chose the low ground like so many politicians. JD’s transformation is one of numerous examples of idealist young people being changed by the idea of a little power. It’s the same transformation that Elise Stefanik went through. It’s the same transformation Nancy Mace experienced. It’s the same sort of system that prevents Tim Scott from calling out the racism in his party, instead choosing not to run for the Senate instead of speaking out.

So what about us? The Americans who don’t want anything to do with your games? The Americans who thrive on stability. Who write their own story and choose their own paths? Who represents us?