The 2022 midterm elections are a little over a year away, and both Republicans and Democrats are engaged in their own messaging campaigns to ensure victory. On the one hand, the Democrats are struggling to form a viable strategy due to the absence of any solid victories and a White House that has proven woefully inept. But in lieu of achievements to boast about, the left is relying on the riot at the U.S. Capitol to smear Republicans and conservatives, hoping this will dissuade voters from supporting them.
Conversely, the Republicans seem to have more weapons in their arsenal and fewer targets to attack since they are not in power. At the moment, they are focused on President Joe Biden’s incompetent handling of the withdrawal from Afghanistan, which has resulted in Americans and Afghan allies being left behind. But the question is: Which narrative will play the most critical role in determining the outcome of the 2022 midterm elections?
Are the Riots Still Useful?
The Democrats have doubled down on weaponizing the Jan. 6 riot, even going so far as to form a House select committee ostensibly designed to get to the bottom of the cause of the incident. However, given the fact that the F.B.I. has already investigated the matter and even found scant evidence the assault was planned beforehand, it does not appear likely the Democrats’ committee will find anything the nation does not already know.
Still, even before the F.B.I. announced they had found bupkis when it comes to a plot to storm the U.S. Capitol, it was apparent that yet another congressional investigation was not going to turn up anything compelling. It seemed evident that the House select committee was formed for only one reason: to further exploit the events of Jan. 6 for political purposes. Indeed, the actual motivation behind the supposed investigation is more likely to push the “it’s all Trump’s fault” narrative than to find anything instructive.
It was recently revealed that the committee plans to target former President Donald Trump and his allies. House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy (R-CA) lashed out at the group because it is planning to obtain the phone and social media records of several Republican lawmakers. He warned that an eventual GOP majority in Congress would “not forget” it if these companies comply with the Democrats’ requests. Still, it seems obvious that the riot is not much more than a political ploy being used by the left. However, that does not mean it won’t have a level of efficacy when it comes to influencing the outcome of the upcoming elections.
Afghanistan Kerfuffle
The situation in Afghanistan quickly turned into a disaster after a resurgent Taliban seized control of the country amid the American withdrawal of troops. Now that the August 31 deadline for removing all troops has passed and the U.S. seems finished with its botched evacuation, hundreds of American civilians remain stranded in the country along with an unknown number of Afghan allies.
The Biden administration and congressional Democrats have been trying to make the inept withdrawal into a thing of the past, deflecting from the ongoing situation as much as possible. However, it seems clear the Republicans have no intention of allowing Afghanistan to fall out of the spotlight. The Hill reported:
“Democrats are aiming to turn the page and focus on advancing President Biden’s domestic agenda this month — but Republicans will be doing everything they can to keep the chaotic U.S. withdrawal from Afghanistan in the spotlight.
Republicans are planning to offer amendments related to Afghanistan as Democratic-led committees work to mark up the components of the $3.5 trillion reconciliation bill to expand social safety net programs over the next few weeks.”
The Democrats seem to realize that Afghanistan presents an enormous problem for them as the midterms draw closer. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) went so far as to prevent GOP lawmakers from reading the names of the service members who were killed by suicide bombings in Kabul on the floor.
Kevin McCarthy
(Photo by Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images)
McCarthy wrote a memo to House Republicans, explaining they “must exert maximum pressure on the Democrat majority with our amendments and debate during these committee sessions.”
As Democrats try to close out the Afghanistan chapter, Republicans are doggedly ensuring that the nation does not move on from the situation on the ground, which is still worsening. They offered “a series of amendments to try to bring the debate back to Afghanistan,” according to The Hill. Some of these amendments include requiring the Government Accountability Office (G.A.O.) to report the number of Americans extricated from Afghanistan and how many are still trapped in the country.
Rep. Nancy Mace (R-SC) said: “This conversation about Afghanistan – this is not a distraction. This problem is real.”
Of course, it is also worth mentioning that while it was previously believed that the Taliban was preventing flights of over 100 Americans from leaving the country, it appears it is actually the Biden administration delaying the process.
Which Is Worse?
The narratives each side is using could have an impact on how 2022 will turn out. But at this point, it is difficult to believe the riot at the Capitol will have much currency over the next 14 months. The incident took place at the beginning of the year, and it is now clear there was no elaborate plot to take over the federal government, despite what the left-wing activist media wants people to think. Additionally, the Democrats have already exhausted every means by which they could exaggerate the impact of the riot. Their claims that this event was worse than 9/11 aren’t being taken quite as seriously as they would like.
On the other hand, Afghanistan is also a historical disaster, one that will likely be more prominently featured in the history books than the Jan. 6 riots. So far, it has resulted in the deaths of 13 troops, and it is possible that others will suffer now that the Biden administration has left so many behind. At this point, it has fallen to private organizations to rescue those still in the country.
However, it is worth asking whether this issue will be at the top of voters’ minds come election day. Afghanistan is still prevalent in the news today, but over 2022, other issues seem likely to take the forefront. Still, if the GOP manages to keep this particular disaster in the media to some extent, it could have an effect when people go to the polls.
The post A Tale of Two Narratives: Which Side Spins the Best Yarn? was first published by Liberty Nation, and is republished here with permission. Please support their efforts.
