Be inspired to vote in mid-terms

Excited yet about the elections, both mid-term and beyond?

Seems like everyone ought to be.

It’s been a political maelstrom at times, that’s for sure.

Those who wanted to see what President Trump would do have certainly had much to chew on.

If you wanted a president who lowered your taxes, unhinged restrictive government regulations, targeted illegal immigration and put control of the Supreme Court into conservative hands, than you’re a happy voter.

If you feared a president who may have worsened the deficit, damaged race relations, put profit ahead of regulatory caution, still wants to build a wall to keep out the huddled masses, and returned the high court to a strict adherence to the Constitution, then you’re likely an unhappy voter.

The key word in both cases is “voter.”

In the wake of the presidential election, Democrats scrambled to overcome their shock at Hilary Clinton’s inability to inspire enough voters against a candidate they deemed a self-defeating lightweight, prompting much hand-wringing with vows and promises of rebuilding the party.

There was rah-rah talk about activism among the young Dems becoming a powerful political force that would rejuvenate that tired old donkey.

How much of that immediate post-presidential election enthusiasm has carried over to the Democratic grassroots remains to be seen.

And the Democrats haven’t finished enough construction of their platform — progressive? moderate? liberal? — to tip off the electorate.

Ultimately, who will be their standard-bearer against Trump? Will it be another tired, old candidate with more baggage than ideas?

If ever there was a period of elections that should invigorate the electorate, Democrat and Republican, this is it.

Local Democrats have already begun plotting strategy with a kitchen cabinet meeting of Westmoreland County labor leaders, more than a month from the normal start of political activism in the run-up to the November election.

Republicans should not take their incumbent advantages for granted, however.

We expect they’ll be doing their own campaignbuilding with the same level of enthusiasm as the Democrats. What we really hope to see are riled-up voters, regardless of their party, inspired to participate in the process.

How you feel, for example, about Roe v. Wade is a singular example of the potential state impact of Trump’s appointment of Brett Kavanaugh to the Supreme Court.

He’s presumed to bolster the conservative view on any possible challenge to Roe v. Wade, the case that grants women a federal right to access abortions.

Currently, Pennsylvania is considered to be among the states with strong restrictions on abortion access.

On the other hand, Democratic Gov. Tom Wolf is a staunch supporter of a woman’s right to an abortion.

If Roe is overturned, the battleground — where abortion could be outright banned — shifts to state legislatures.

And into the hands of the lawmakers you vote for — or don’t vote for.

That’s if you register — and if you vote.

— The Pittsburgh TribuneReview, The Associated Press

What we really hope to see are riledup voters, regardless of their party, inspired to participate in the process.