If You Hold a Rally and No One Comes …

What has happened to Trump Derangement Syndrome? Has there been some new cure discovered or are we just developing herd immunity? Saturday, Aug. 2, was supposed to be the 50x50x1 organization’s ninth day of action in protest of the Trump administration policies. They called it “Rage Against the Regime,” borrowing from the metal band’s name and a word the Left used to revile when it was applied to President Barack Obama’s administration. The event was so poorly attended that posts on the group’s own Facebook page complained about it.

“Hey Folks, we’re [sic] your numbers in attendance for the street rally down today? I’m asking because I’m seeing in our CA Dist 20 there was a low turnout. In more than one place,” wrote a Facebook user calling themselves ‘Anita O Pinion.’ A respondent to their post reported: “Low turnout in Ellensburg WA. I think we need to ask 50501 and Indivisible to coordinate with each other for protests. Don’t need to merge, just coordinate with the protests.” Is that the issue?

It was the same sparse story throughout Virginia.

In Staunton, the News Leader only published a series of photographs showing one person writing slogans on the paths of Gypsy Hill Park. In Harrisonburg, despite live music being performed, about 100 people were seen milling about and the same was seen in Charlottesville near the new Tesla dealership.

What happened?

Was it the annual Virginia “tax free weekend?” Was it the last Saturday before many families had their kids heading back to school?

Or, had they forgotten two of Saul Alinsky’s key “Rules for Radicals”? RULE 6: “A good tactic is one your people enjoy.” They’ll keep doing it without urging and come back to do more. RULE 7: “A tactic that drags on too long becomes a drag.” Don’t become old news.

As President Donald Trump and his administration continue to govern without pause, it may be occurring to the 50x50x1 membership that protesting isn’t having the desired effect of miring the president in the quicksand of responding to each of their accusations as he seemed to fall prey to in his first term.

More important for Virginia, does this challenge the insistence by pollsters that Democrats are far more enthusiastic heading into the gubernatorial and House races? That is the pollsters’ rationale for oversampling Democrat-identified respondents, leading to polls that show Democrat Abigail Spanberger with a double-digit lead over Republican Winsome Earle-Sears. Is that enthusiasm a myth? Is this race more likely within the margin of error?

Polls either ask registered voters or likely voters, and if you check the last few polls, the Virginia Commonwealth University poll of registered voters had the former CIA case officer ahead of the sitting lieutenant governor by 12 points. The last poll of likely voters (conducted by Harris in May) had Spanberger only ahead by 4.

The Daily Signal asked Republican Party of Virginia chair Mark Peake about the “enthusiasm gap,” and he told us: “The Democratic ticket has a serious lack of enthusiasm. They have three extreme candidates who are afraid to debate their Republican opponents. Who could be enthusiastic about candidates afraid to discuss their voting records or what they stand for?”

Early voting for the General Election that culminates on Nov. 4 begins on Sept. 19.

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