Jailhouse Joe and Mitt 3.0

The morning text from my dear friend, Jack Mitchell of the Murfreesboro Mitchells, began “So, let me get this straight…he (does the wah wah) his 17-year-old secretary and he’s a good guy?”

The “He” my good friend, fraternity brother, boon traveling companion, Jack Mitchell of the Murfreesboro Mitchells, himself a defense attorney, is referring to is my former colleague and now Delegate-elect Joe Morrissey who was re-elected last night to the Virginia House of Delegate in an undiagnosed special election.

One of Jack’s roles in our relationship is to cross-examine the American political system with largely rhetorical, unanswerable, and excellent questions like “What the *blank* is up with that?” or “How in the *blank* does THAT happen?” or my favorite theme “Who the *blanking blank* votes for these people?”

Trying to explain human psychology and political behavior in a text, tweet, or other social media platform is nearly impossible. Like most men of our age, Jack and I communicate through movie quotes. The best way to describe how Fighting Joe Morrissey was re-elected to the Virginia House from jail, thus becoming Jailhouse Joe last night, is found in the lyrics of the Doors’ Robby Kreiger and Jim Morrison – “People are strange when you’re a stranger.”

Joe Morrissey was no stranger to the people of the 74th having won four previous elections with over 70% of the vote. Last night he got 42%.

The Doors continue on later in the song – “When you’re strange, no one remembers your name.”

The Democrats nominated their candidate in one the most highly closed off to the public votes I can ever recall. So closed off was the method, that Morrissey chose to not participate choosing instead to run as an independent. So, the Democratic nominee was “strange” to many voters in the 74th. Well, more of a “stranger” than Morrissey anyway.

Politics ain’t rocket science folks – it’s math. The more people you know, the more you can get to the polls.

Joe got more to the polls. It’s that simple.

What is it that all the Really Smart Pundits say every election cycle? It’s all about turnout.

Name ID + fundraising + being able to ask for the vote + asking for the vote = turnout.

I got a text from a political operative in a battleground state wanting to know how Jeb Bush could be leading the polls for the Republican nomination so soon after his very public moves but before he actually announces his candidacy.

“Name ID”

“That’s it? Name ID”

“Yup. All those media impression are free and earned advertising. It drives Name ID. People react to that when the are polled. Jeb is top of mind right now.”

Why is Mitt Romney the likely Republican nominee in 2016? Name ID + ability to raise a LOT of money + a national network of people asking for the vote will equal turnout. But..but..but..

Just stop.

That’s politics.

People complain that both parties have been hijacked by their respective conservative and liberal wings.

In a democracy, those who show up and participate win. Period.

That’s it. If you want to change political output you need to change political input.

Woody Allen says that “showing up is 80% of life”. In politics, showing up is 100%.

Politics is basically bringing more people to the meeting than the other team.

Want to change political outcomes?

Don’t be such a stranger.

Cross posted from Chris Saxman.com

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