Trump, abortion biggest issues on 2024 ballots

Seems to me that Nikki Haley is a bigger problem for Donald Trump than he’s letting on. She’s exposing a rift in Trump World, one that might just get him defeated.

I still say she’s the one who can beat Biden, but Trump appears ready to run roughshod over the Republicans’ nomination process to claim the crown. Then he’ll ride herd over another thumping at the polls, up and down the nation’s ballot.

It’s almost funny to say, but I think the two biggest issues on 2024 ballots will be Trump and abortion. And on both those issues, the Republicans just can’t catch a break — or more accurately, they can’t capture a majority.

As for Biden, he’s playing it all wrong. Instead of getting younger, which most voters would prefer, he keeps getting older! That just feeds into the perception that he’s too old for the job.

Of course, I’d wager on a reality, that at 81 years old, Biden is still in better shape than the 77-year-old obese Trump. Physically and cognitively. I mean, can you picture Trump riding a bike, as we’ve seen Biden doing? And slow down sometime and listen to each of them string a few sentences together, beyond their usual sound bites. Biden sounds like a gentle but firm grandpa; Trump like an obnoxious uncle who loves the sound of his own voice.

Of course, Haley makes both of them look like old geezers. But her party would rather bow to King Donald through another failed election cycle than win with a younger and far-brighter candidate.

• • •

Of course, that’s all just politics. It’s in government where the rubber hits the road, and right now the Republicans are “governing” pitifully. The GOP appears to have lost its ability to separate petty politics from good governing.

Take Trump’s latest effort to blow up a legislative effort to responsibly address the immigration issue so he can blame Biden for failed policies and practices at the border. Trump’s efforts are so nakedly and morally wrong, even some leading Republicans are criticizing him for it.

• • •

Meanwhile, in Santa Fe, the politics of governing is running strong, with the New Mexico Legislature about halfway through this year’s 30-day session. Unlike Congress, which struggles just to keep federal government’s doors open, the Roundhouse is still operating basically as it should.

Sure, it’s lopsided. We have an aggressive and partisan governor who’s determined to muscle through a left-leaning agenda, but what do you expect with one-party rule? It’s that way because the GOP has lost its way and most of the state’s voters noticed.

I think two strong political parties tend to produce the best governance, but New Mexico hasn’t had that in about six years — and that imbalance is likely to show in the legislation to come out of this session.

For better or worse, the Democrats will continue to own politics and government in New Mexico. The Republicans need to become more than “loyal opposition” — they need to stand for something more than fossil fuels and fabrications.

Tom McDonald is editor of the New Mexico Community News Exchange. Contact him at:

[email protected]