A Marriage Made In Hell
Horseshoe theory, a political science theory, postulates extremes of far left and right are not on opposites sides of a linear spectrum but rather bent closer together resembling a horseshoe. While having opposite goals, they will employ similar tactics to achieve their own goals.
Republicans have long been strong proponents for deregulation, while the left stand strong on regulations for safety of the public, as an example. Far right circles castigate Biden for the use of regulations as a sign of governmental control through corporate greed. Far left circles castigate Biden for not providing enough regulation being controlled by corporate greed. Ladies and gentleman, a horseshoe.
In a healthy society, the ends of the horseshoes traditionally scream into the void while the middle of the horseshoe governs. Healthy societies reject conspiracy theories labored with misinformation through the use of critical thinking. Our society is not healthy as extremists have tainted the pool of truth to the point of the near impossibility of accurate reflection.
We are witnessing the horseshoe in all of its destructive magnificence now due to the train wreck in Palestine, Ohio. Before analyzing the horseshoe, facts need to be stated.
- A Norfolk Southern train derailed by what appears to be a broken axel. (Final NTSB report has not been released)
- NTSB has stated electronic brakes repealed by Trump would not have applied to these trains.
- GOP Governor Dewine authorized the burn of the released chemicals to mitigate and explosion.
- NTSB, EPA, and USDOT were on the scene within hours of the crash. (NTSB and EPA are the proper response teams to this incident)
- Biden reaches out to Dewine who refused federal assistance by not declaring a national emergency.
- Enter the political horseshoe of the far left extremists and far right to politicize the tragedy for political capitol targeting Pete Buttigieg.
Buttigieg is a favorite target of the horseshoe people inhabiting homophobic tropes combined with unrealistic expectations counting on public knowledge deficits of actual duties of the USDOT. None inhabit this trend on the left like David Sirota and Nina Turner. Far right liar Tucker Carlson leads the charge followed by the usual punditry.
Nina Turner, failed congressional candidate from Ohio, has praised Sirota and his far left publication, The Lever, even though The Lever reporting falls apart with the simplest of fact checking.
When confronted with facts from the National Transportation Safety Board about the “reporting” from The Lever as being false, neither The Lever nor Turner have retracted their comments.
Turner, Sirota, and JD Vance, to name a few, have used videos of rainbow colored water as a sign of the toxic chemicals in the water. Once again, horseshoe politicians are not interested in facts, nor have they decided to retract their comments.
Even more troubling is the unholy alliance between horseshoe Congress people who have conveniently forgotten the USDOT can only apply laws that they write. Rail regulations were overturned by the Trump administration and were not reintroduced by the same people slamming the USDOT and Buttigieg.
Interestingly, the far right appears to be holding Buttigieg responsible for regulations and have the appearance of now being for more regulation. In typical Buttigieg fashion, he has offered to bring all to the table to discuss the needs that only law makers can address.
Research for this article uncovered zero attempts at providing for the families that were affected by the horseshow politicians. Instead, they all decided to take advantage of political capital and fund raising off of the people of Palestine, Ohio. This new found interest in transportation is welcome, but alarming for the reasons why. The horseshoe politicians don’t care about the actual work, but the man doing the actual work.
Tyler Davis
Author of New America Awakenings.
