Hendrix's Eccentric Commentary

9/15/25

Many Democrats and Liberals are comforting (fooling?) themselves with the argument that Democrats are almost certain to, at least, regain the House of Representatives in the 2026 election, given that the party in power tends to loose seats in midterm elections; and that more broadly the natural tendency of American politics is for one party to gain power and then for the American electorate to swing back in the other direction.  To use the common metaphors the pendulum swings to one side (right) then the other side (left), or alternatively the thermostat turns up, then is turned back down.

This is the way things have happened before, so the thinking goes, and thus will happen again.  But because it happened that way in the past is not a guarantee that this will happen again in the future.

It seems at least equally plausible to argue that MAGAland is working to ensure that the pendulum is stuck pointing to the right.  Republicans are working hard to gerrymander enough new congressional districts in red states to blunt any gains that Democrats might gain in a tightly fought midterm.  Most red states are finding various methods to, in some fashion or another, restrict or deter Democratic leaning demographic groups from voting.  More ominously still that are suggestions that the federal government might take various actions to ensure election “security,” and this does not even consider the possibility of a National Guard presence or ICE hanging around to grab “illegal” immigrants from voting.  Combine this with the electoral advantage that red states already have, and changing population patterns, and you can easily see an emerging red wave even when a majority might not really be there.

Immediately after the election, when I suggested that there might not be any more elections, or at least free and fair elections, I was accused of hyperbole.  Does the still seem a valid criticism?  Or, are we seeing an attempt to rig the system in such a way that, there will still be two parties, and there will still be elections, it is just the case that it will be impossible for Democrats to win in red states, or at the national level?

In short, are we seeing a slow-moving, approximately legal, MAGA coup that will lock in MAGA dominance of many states governments, and all of the federal government, with an authoritarian presidency which has accumulated unprecedented powers?