But that it was a unanimous 9-0 ruling that ranged from the most conservative to the most progressive wings of the Court, demonstrated just how wrong and dangerous these Democrat states were in trying to remove the leading candidate for President of the United States. It was always obvious to any observer not suffering from Trump Derangement Syndrome that this was a move with catastrophic consequences, but that doesn’t always matter in the era of lopsided lawfare, as we witness in the rest of the efforts to imprison and bankrupt Trump.
That the Supreme Court ruled rightly, unanimously — did I mention it was unanimous? — gifts Republicans a rare messaging bonanza they can ride all the way to November. The Democrats want to run on saving democracy and that Trump and Republicans are a threat to democracy. They’ve been building this theme for years. (With IVF, they have a second attack vector, but that is another column.)
This unanimous ruling blows up the Democrats’ strategy. Republicans can and should jump to rapid offense on the issue: Democrats are the real threat to democracy, the Supreme Court said so. Unanimously!
It was the Democrats who were removing their primary political opponent from the ballot, denying voters even the opportunity to cast a vote until the Supreme Court stepped in with a unanimous decision. If you haven’t caught on yet, I’m trying to hammer home a point. “Unanimous” or “9-0” should be used every time the issue comes up. It was not just the conservatives on the court, but every progressive, also.
So Democrats tried to remove their political rival from the ballot, Democrats are trying to imprison their political rival to keep him from running, Democrats are trying to bankrupt their political rival and his campaign, and Democrats are trying to remove their political rivals’ ability to even make money by taking his company from him and his family. It is shamefully third-worldly, but a really, really easy message to put forth, even wrong-footing the media. Of course, it is not aimed at the Rachel Maddow/The View audiences. They are lost causes. But it can be aimed at the vast independent middle that tips elections.
Every one of these steps by Democrats is prima facie anti-democracy. Every one paints the picture of a rogue, deeply anti-democratic, anti-American party.
While Trump is being prosecuted/persecuted for election interference, the Democrats are actually practicing election interference. Trump wanting recounts and claiming that highly unusual changes to elections laws in the midst of an election pales in comparison to Democrats removing their opponent from the ballot and seeking to bankrupt and imprison him. These two things are not remotely comparable.
This is an easy message to carry. And it can go a step further. This is straight up election interference. That is a phrase that resonates with the public as Democrats and their media lapdogs have harped on it incessantly, and largely fictionally, for three years. But this unanimous ruling shows that Democrats are the ones actually practicing election interference.
Even if voters aren’t fully convinced on this element, it serves at least to muddy the waters of the Democrat/media/government/social media communications machine. And that, too, is a win.
Rod Thomson is a former daily newspaper reporter and columnist, Salem radio host and ABC TV commentator, and current Founder of The Thomson Group, a Florida-based political consulting firm. He has eight children and seven grandchildren and a rapacious hunger to fight for America for them. Follow him on Twitter at @Rod_Thomson. Email him at [email protected].
