Readers: this blog is set in the future (sometime after the year 2020).  Each entry assumes there has been a 5th revolution in the US — the Revenge Revolution.  More about the Revenge Revolution and author, Entry #1.  List and general description of entries to date.

Note: most entries are formatted as conversations.  Characters appear in a number of entries, with many entries building on previous conversations.  Profile of characters (see link at top of page).  You’ll catch on quickly.  Thanks for your time and interest…and comments.

Scene: Coffee shop near Jordan’s office Washington, DC.  JC, Greenie and Jordan continuing conversation from previous day.  Series starts Entry #262.

Greenie and JC in unison: “Good morning, Jordan.”

Jordan:  “Morning guys.  Have a fun evening?”

JC:  “Fun not being around you.”

Greenie:  “JC, let’s not start so early.  Give Little Jordan a break.  Can’t hurt his feelings at this hour.”

Jordan:  “You guys never let up.”

JC:  “But you love it.”

Greenie:  “Yes, we did have a good time last night.  Ordered in and had some wine.”

JC:  “We also had an idea we’d like to discuss.  First, did you talk to Rock Man after we left the office?”

Jordan:  “No.  I’ll poke him later today.”

JC:  “OK, then we’d like to discuss another aspect of how much a culture or ethnic group should melt in the US melting pot.  That’s a mouthful.”

Greenie:  “Here’s the question.  As cultures or ethnic groups assimilate and lose identity as a tribe, do the members seek to identify with another tribe?”

Jordan:  “Give me an example, please.”

JC:  “Take what was at one time a strong ethnic group, or a tribe.  Let’s say Italian Americans.  We can pick most any group but stick with Italian Americans for the moment.”

Greenie:  “So as the Italian-Americans began to lose identity as a group, did they seek another tribe for identity?”

Jordan:  “Well, if they sought another tribe we know Italian-Americans can’t become Polish or Chinese or Koreans.  So what tribe do you think they joined?  What are you thinking about?”

JC:  “Thinking like, ah, a political party.”

Greenie:  “People like to belong to a group or groups because it helps them with their identity.  By joining you can be ‘this’ or ‘that’ rather than just some individual.  Plus, belonging to a group and just talking to other group members can make life easier to understand…at least some of the members think it can.  Group think can take away much of the pressure to think as an individual.”

Jordan:  “Mmm, your idea or question is whether political parties have become defacto tribes?”

JC:  “Yes, and have the political parties replaced the cultural heritage tribe for many people?”

Greenie:  “The conclusion seems logical but this idea was birthed last night after a couple of glasses of wine.  We’ve done no research.”

Jordan:  “On the surface, the conclusion seems logical.  Did you guys try at all to test the hypothesis?”

JC:  “We asked ourselves why in the last 20-30 years many Democrats and Republicans seem so loyal to an idea…even if the idea is contrary to their own best interests.”

Greenie:  “Go Back to Trump’s proposals.  His hard-core supporters were going to get screwed if the Affordable Care Act was cancelled.  They were going to get screwed even more under the proposed so-called plan to reform taxes.”

JC:  “Did they rebel?  No, they stuck with the Donald, then complained about senators who frankly saved their ass…pardon my French.”

Jordan:  “What about people who have been hard-core Republicans or Democrats forever?  Think about the yellow-dog Democrats.”

Greenie:  “True, but we think…and we think the data will support us…that a greater percentage of the population puts a higher priority on party affiliation than any time since WWII and probably longer.”

JC:  “One issue we have to address…and it shouldn’t be that difficult to determine…is whether the rank-order of affiliations has changed over time.”

Greenie:  “For example, 100 years ago Italian-Americans might have placed being of Italian decent higher on the list, and therefore more important, than say being a Democrat or Republican.  Now Italian-Americans might place a political party higher on the affiliation list than their cultural identity.”

Jordan:  “The phenomenon might apply to more than just ethnic groups.  People seem to crave some type of affiliation.  I still shake my head over a college fraternity brother.  At some point in life he pledged another fraternity…the Trump-is-king fraternity.  Once he joined, he supported his fraternity brother no matter how bizarre King Trump’s behavior or decision.  He stuck with Trump when Trump denied campaign cooperation with the Russians; when he denied any hanky-panky with beauty contestants; and when he denied illegal financial transactions.  Whatever King Donald claimed or did he supported.”

Greenie:  “Even after Mueller’s report?  Really?”

Jordan:  “Stuck with King Trump to the bitter end.  Even after Trump was taken out, he was a supporter.”

JC:  “Jordan, what about your buddy…I think he was a former high-school history teacher…who called you a liar for asking for data to support some outlandish claim he made.  At some point he pledged the Trump fraternity.  Some friend.”

Jordan:  “Former friend, please.  The incident of calling me a liar when I asked for data was the last time we ever met.  Those are two good examples of party loyalty no matter the circumstance.  But let’s be real — two data points don’t make a trend or prove a hypothesis…”

JC:  “…except in Washington.”

Jordan:  “True.  Really, you two might be on to something.  Let’s explore this idea more…after I get a refill.”