So, many of you may be wondering what life without Democracy looks like (in the USA). As it happens, there are already several states where that is already and has been a reality for some time. Rather than go through a list of which states may have slipped down that rabbit hole, I’ll focus on mine — Ohio.
Ever since the election of 2010, Ohio has essentially become a state gripped by one-party rule. The legislature is stuck in a permanent Republican Super-Majority and most of the rest of the state’s offices have also gone ruby red — that movement completed its shift all the way to the edge of the Right portion of the political spectrum this year. Even in places like Montgomery County, the few Democratic offices that we once carried easily were swept away.
The odd part though is that for most people, the disappearance of Democracy in Ohio hasn’t made that much of a difference in their daily lives — and that’s primarily because the folks at the very top come from what is now considered to be the moderate wing of the GOP (Gov DeWine). Interestingly, Govs DeWine and Husted used to be firebrands (I’m not kidding), but now they absolutely are the moderate or liberal wing of the party as it’s now evolved.
The difference then between one party rule and one party MAGA rule is probably the more relevant question facing us. Ohio is becoming more MAGA all the time. Ohio has always been filled with enthusiastic Trump supporters (across the past 3 elections) precisely I believe because so many Ohioans feel as though they’ve been left out of the country’s success over the past three decades.
The irony of course is that the more extreme the state becomes, the less likely it is going to be in attracting new businesses and young professionals and the investment dollars needed to pull people out of the relative backwater status we now find ourselves in. Ohio will never compete with Texas or Georgia in this regard (we’ve already gotten rid of most of our taxes, but the companies have already left). Our big bright spots lately were almost entirely connected to various stimulus measures — such as the Chips Act. Those monies are going to dry up soon though and some of the work associated with it may now not even happen.
Recognizing that Ohio has completed its journey towards permanent one-party rule and that the national trend will take it to further extremes without any checks or balances, those of us living here are faced with a choice — we know now that it will likely never change or improve here in this state during our lifetimes; what do we do? For me, my original plan was to continue building my business here and then retire (where my family and friends have left their mark and are buried). That was the plan, but I’m afraid that I for one am no longer content with living in a place where my vote will never count.
I am certain now that I’m going to join a trend that will begin in earnest next year; something we might refer to as “Blu-gration,” and find a state that’s willing to allow its citizens to participate in the government. I’m more sad than angry about this because I love the place where I was born and spent the majority of my life, but am now resigned to it.
Blu-Gration - The diaspora of Democrats, women, young professionals, Latinos and Liberals of all ages from hopelessly gerrymandered and increasingly draconian Red States to Blue States after the Election of 2024. This had the unintended consequence of boosting Blue State economies at the expense of many Red States and involved a significant Blu-Drain as well.
