Axios: Americans teach a lesson — again

Posted on November 6, 2026 by michelleclarke2015
Americans teach a lesson — again
 
Animated illustration of an American flag being photocopied by a copier in all red, all blue, and then in standard colors.
Illustration: Aïda Amer/Axios. Stock: Getty Images
 
Voters were unambiguous on Tuesday: Don’t B.S. us. Don’t say you’ll lower prices and end wars and corruption, then do the opposite. It’s really that simple, Jim VandeHei and Mike Allen write in a “Behind the Curtain” column.

This isn’t so different from when Americans told Democrats not to B.S. them about Joe Biden’s health, the words they should use, or the social behaviors they should adopt.

Why it matters: Most Americans agree broadly on most things, most of the time. They want competent politicians to focus on issues that meaningfully impact their lives. Like clockwork, every two years, Americans feel the party in power fails to deliver this — so they punish the incumbents at the polls

🏛️ Politicians and some journalists tend to treat the American people as dopes and dupes who don’t get what’s happening in front of their faces.

Tuesday’s midterms, which will live in history as a Watergate-level reset for democracy, show that voters were paying attention and hit a boiling point. They didn’t hide it. Polls consistently showed that all they really care about is rising inflation, job insecurity, ending the war, and stopping the rampant corruption.

This was a repudiation of overreach, incompetence and corruption. People will tolerate it in small doses, but eventually reject it.

In an age when people trust institutions less all the time, our institutions held. Courts restrained executive-branch excess. The press kept doing its job. Voters did theirs.

But for all the hand-wringing that America is crumbling, that democracy is fading, or elections are eroding, the system worked. Remember: most Americans are normal and resilient.

We should celebrate that. Despite it all, America works

💪 For years, we’ve been reminding you about the power of Normal America: The vast majority of people — including our siblings, who are scattered from Oshkosh to Oregon — don’t marinate in cable news, obsess about X or wake up thinking about Washington.

They volunteer, they give to good causes, they’ll help you in a pinch.

They’re good, they’re fair … and they’re smart

🍻 Between the lines: That’s Normal America. Sometimes when we’re making a tough call about journalism or business, we ask ourselves: “What would the person at the bar think?” It’s a useful, clarifying proxy for: What would seem on the level through the lens of common sense and plain fairness?

The person at the bar, and the voter in the booth, didn’t want their soccer coach deported, didn’t want their business to crumble because of a war of choice that’s dragging on and on, didn’t want the president’s family and friends to enrich themselves while Normal America was wheezing.

What we’re watching: Democrats will be tempted and pressured to overreach. If they over-interpret their mandate the way Republicans did, they’ll be punished, like clockwork

👢 Here’s what Republicans and Democrats will do if they’re smart: Watch Texas. A seemingly impenetrable red state turned all blue, from the U.S. Senate to the governor’s office to the state legislature. If Democrats can keep Texas, Republicans have no path to the presidency.

Look at what happened in those southern border counties in Texas. These were the people who demanded tighter borders and punished Democrats when they wouldn’t listen. But they’re the same people who are saying stop with the thuggery and targeting of nonviolent people. Republicans were obliterated in those areas for not listening.

Then look to the Texas suburbs, where you have many more traditional Republicans and moderate Democrats. They looked at Ken Paxton and said he’s simply not on the level, even if they might agree with him on a lot of ideas. Corruption is never a good look. Enabling it and elevating it is even worse.

The bottom line: This remains a 50-50 nation — a simple fact that every party and power instantly, constantly ignores. Once again, Normal Americans spoke: Ignore or B.S. them at your peril

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About michelleclarke2015

Life event that changes all: Horse riding accident in Zimbabwe in 1993, a fractured skull et al including bipolar anxiety, chronic fatigue …. co-morbidities (Nietzche 'He who has the reason why can deal with any how' details my health history from 1993 to date). 17th 2017 August operation for breast cancer (no indications just an appointment came from BreastCheck through the Post). Trinity College Dublin Business Economics and Social Studies (but no degree) 1997-2003; UCD 1997/1998 night classes) essays, projects, writings. Trinity Horizon Programme 1997/98 (Centre for Women Studies Trinity College Dublin/St. Patrick's Foundation (Professor McKeon) EU Horizon funded: research study of 15 women (I was one of this group and it became the cornerstone of my journey to now 2017) over 9 mth period diagnosed with depression and their reintegration into society, with special emphasis on work, arts, further education; Notes from time at Trinity Horizon Project 1997/98; Articles written for Irishhealth.com 2003/2004; St Patricks Foundation monthly lecture notes for a specific period in time; Selection of Poetry including poems written by people I know; Quotations 1998-2017; other writings mainly with theme of social justice under the heading Citizen Journalism Ireland. Letters written to friends about life in Zimbabwe; Family history including Michael Comyn KC, my grandfather, my grandmother's family, the O'Donnellan ffrench Blake-Forsters; Moral wrong: An acrimonious divorce but the real injustice was the Catholic Church granting an annulment – you can read it and make your own judgment, I have mine. Topics I have written about include annual Brain Awareness week, Mashonaland Irish Associataion in Zimbabwe, Suicide (a life sentence to those left behind); Nostalgia: Tara Hill, Co. Meath.
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