Which party will emerge from its gathering storm?

[Valin]

Washington Examiner:

Michael Barone

11/22/15

 

Each of our two (by world standards) ancient political parties seems to be facing a gathering storm.

 

Part of the gathering storm for Republicans is the candidacy of, and the persistent lead in most primary polls for, Donald Trump. He is given to outlandish proposals and lacks the temperamental ballast and government experience general election voters usually seek in a president.

 

As a confident (overconfident?) autodidact, he gains no benefit from the serious policy thinking of many congressional Republicans and conservative think tanks. Candidates who take them seriously are, for the moment anyway, overshadowed.

 

 

(Snip)

 

The gathering storm for the Democrats may be less visible to mainstream media, but it looms nevertheless. It was apparent in last week's House vote on pausing the entry of 10,000 Syrian refugees, when 47 Democrats joined 242 Republicans to form a veto-proof majority against the president's position.

 

In his press conference in Antalya, Turkey, President Obama intimated that those who oppose his policy of welcoming 10,000 Syrian refugees, in disregard of his perfunctory assurances that they could be adequately screened, were un-American bigots. But a briefing of House Democrats on those procedures by administration officials was reportedly what moved many members to switch and oppose the administration position.

 

(Snip)