There is a common perception that, following the events of the past few weeks, the Republicans are more united than the Democrats.  After all, the Republicans are coalescing around Donald Trump after witnessing Joe Biden’s shocking mental decline in the debate (and now leaving the presidential race).  Further strengthening Trump’s hand is his surviving an assassination attempt, reacting heroically and creating iconic imagery.  And finally, the Republicans just pulled off a powerful and entertaining convention.

There is also a common perception that the Democrats are in disarray, even chaos, with the now successful mutiny against a doddering Joe Biden.

But taking a step back, it is actually Democrats who are united.  Sure, Joe Biden is going away, but in terms of ideology, the Democrats are in near lockstep.  Think of this issue set:

• The Democrats don’t like this country.  They think its founding and early years were an abomination and that America still today largely embodies these sins.
• They want to transform the country to move left toward collectivism, one-world government, and worse.
• They support open borders to either weaken the country or bring in new Democrat voters.
• They support higher taxes and regulation.
• They champion grossly inefficient green scam policies, either because of soft-headed idealism or as a means of further controlling the population.
• They are just fine using the power of the state and its enforcement agencies to oppress their enemies.
• They are anti-human, supporting abortion up until (or after) birth, euthanasia, weakening traditional families, and transing the kids.

There is very little deviation among serious Democrats from this orthodoxy.  It doesn’t really matter to them who the Democrat president is as long as he is in line with the agenda or is easily controlled to get with the program.

Now consider the Republicans:

• We are split on foreign policy, especially between the interventionist neocon wing and the more isolationist types.
• There are significant gaps between the populists who think capitalism is part of the problem of a hollowed out middle America and the more free-market advocates who don’t like tariffs or limits on corporations.
• Although we are generally pro-life, there are wide variances, from the hardcore “life begins at conception” belief to the “responsible limits” stance.
• And even when it comes to our current presidential candidate, there are wide differences of opinions, from the fervent, die-hard Trump-supporters to the never/reluctant-Trumpers.

As J.D. Vance mentioned in his recent V.P. acceptance speech, it’s great that we are a diverse party that can sort out ideas and policies through spirited debate.  But we shouldn’t kid ourselves.  The Democrats have great power in their unity of ideology, and they care about politics far more than most Republicans and conservatives.  (We have lives, families, jobs, church to find meaning.)

So this is a call to avoid complacency.  We need to fight as if our lives depend on it (they might).  We especially need to support and vote for Donald Trump, even if some find him distasteful.  Our political foes will not go quietly.  By hook or by crook, this will be a very close election.  Get busy.

Jeffrey Wright is a Minneapolis-based investment banker, entrepreneur, and concerned citizen.

Flickr, CC BY-SA 2.0.

Image: Gage Skidmore via Flickr, CC BY-SA 2.0.