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Washington Times - Monday, August 21, 2023 OPINION: Campaign season kicks off Wednesday as the main GOP presidential aspirants gather in Milwaukee for the first debate of the 2024 cycle. Except one. Those taking part meet the criteria set out by RNC Chairwoman Ronna McDaniel, which require at least 40,000 unique donors nationwide and 200 in each state. They must have crossed the critical 1% threshold in at least two nationwide polls and they must have signed the RNC’s “Beat Biden pledge,” committing their support to the GOP’s eventual nominee, no matter who that might be. That requirement may set the event up for failure. All reputable national polls show former President
Donald Trump sitting well atop the GOP pack. With a gap of at least 30 points to his nearest rival, his lead could be insurmountable. That means he has little to gain from participating in a debate, since he may safely assume that the other candidates will talk about him more than they will talk about themselves. He likely sees that as a win, as he tends to do whenever he’s the topic of conversation. He will be a no-show because he won’t sign the pledge — unless something changes at the last minute. That’s unfortunate. There’s much more at stake going into the next
election than there was in 2016 or 2020. The
economy has failed to recover from the lockdowns, the world is considerably less safe, and the Dobbs decision has changed the political landscape in ways that have worked against
Republicans in subsequent
elections. Mr. Trump remains popular among the party faithful for good reason. The people are tired of being at the mercy of global elites. That he’s facing criminal indictments in four separate cases ratifies their belief that he’s on their side and is being punished for it. That’s a solid reason, but it’s not necessarily the best reason to put someone in the
White House. More than ever, our country needs a leader who can articulate a positive vision for the future based on where the country can go rather than where it has been. Without Mr. Trump on the Milwaukee stage, it will be difficult to resist the temptation to engage in lengthy discussions of his foibles. The moderators are likely to steer the conversation toward having candidates distinguish themselves from Mr. Trump, which is a shame. The debate needs to be about the country’s future. A successful candidate can avoid this obvious trap by reminding the audience what President Biden and his minions have planned for us should Mr. Biden be reelected: new taxes on assets, retirement plans and unrealized capital gains, as well as prohibitively high taxes on investment returns.
abortion on demand through the end of a pregnancy. Forcing workers into unions. Stripping parents of their right to have a say in their children’s education. Court-packing. Gun-grabbing. Energy rationing. Ending the production of gasoline-powered automobiles and banning gas stoves. It’s a dystopian future wrapped in the false language of diversity, equality and inclusion. Those are the real threats the country faces, and Republicans who expect to lead the country in a different direction must articulate an effective plan for a better future — regardless of who else shows up. Copyright © 2023 The Washington Times, LLC. Click here for reprint permission . Please read our comment policy before commenting. Click to Read More and View Comments Click to Hide