Spoiler Alert
By Stephen Macaulay
There is something that we seem to like about binaries. For example, Coke/Pepsi. McDonalds/Burger King. Republicans/Democrats. Take your pick.
But reality isn’t like that. Or at least reality is no longer like that.
Take Coke/Pepsi. While they are admittedly number-one and number-two in the carbonated beverage market, realize that Coca-Cola, which has plenty more than Classic Coke in its portfolio, has about 44% of that market and Pepsi (ditto, number of beverages-wise) is back at about 24%. Keurig Dr. Pepper is third, at 18%, so the delta between it and Pepsi is far closer than Pepsi and Coke, and arguably all three have viability in the carbonated beverage space.
Then there’s McDonald’s and Burger King. In 2019 McDonald’s had sales of some $40.4-billion. Burger King was back at $10.3-billion. And leaving out Starbucks, which is actually number two in the fast-food market, it turns out that Chick-fil-A outsold Burger King, with sales of $11-billion.
And there are plenty more examples. Remember when in mass market audio it was Sony vs. Panasonic? Not only did the Apple iPod put the Walkman out of existence, but now the iPod is nearly extinct.
Or “American” luxury cars were either Cadillac or Lincoln. In that case one could argue that Acura is actually a U.S. brand, as that is where its models are sold and most of them made. In 2020 Lincoln sold 105,410 vehicles, Cadillac 129,495 and Acura 136,983.
The whole notion that there could be a third political party seems to be one thought of only in the context of being a spoiler. Well, Acura is certainly spoiling the sales of Cadillac and Lincoln and seems like the cow on billboards that encourage people to “Eat Mor Chikin” has done its job.
It is fairly clear that there is no longer the “brand loyalty” that once seemed to exist. So the notion that there are just two parties that matter* is a vestige that could be going away—sooner, rather than later.
And arguably, should be.
*Yes, there are more, like Libertarian, Green and Natural Law, but they lack the visibility and voice of the Republicans and Democrats. For now.
__________
Republicans Should Tell Us Who They Really Are
By Jim McCraw
The United States of America has a history littered with the remains of short-term, single-issue and reform political parties. It is part of who we are and what we do politically. War. Segregation. Income tax. Prohibition. Whigs. Bull Moose. Know-Nothings. Greens. Peace. Ross Perot.
Now we are faced with more new opportunities, and I think that is a very good thing. If there are enough real honest-to-God Republicans out there who, after sober reflection, have decided that Donald John Trump was a very bad idea for America and for the future of their party, then it is perhaps time to unite or reunite behind the image and the philosophy of Abraham Lincoln, the sixteenth President of the United States. This would be the new party of the real Republicans.
I think it is high time that the real Republicans come out of the dark and murky shadows created by the self-aggrandizing, power-crazy Trumplicans like Mitch McConnell, Ted Cruz, Lindsay Graham, Josh Hawley and the new kid on the block, Marjorie Taylor Greene. Even McConnell despises her.
They should tell us who they are and what they believe as 21st Century Republicans, so the Democratic Party can fight them fair and square on real issues, not nonsense like stolen elections and Jewish space lasers. It’s time the old people, the crazies, and the Nazis were shown the door in favor of younger, saner, true Republicans. Democrats will beat them either way, but new blood would be a lot more fun to beat than these old, tired, wacky powermongers.