Schultz takes on Trump’s America

Howard Schultz alluded to the fact he would look at a potential run as an Independent. The insanity that followed was a bit baffling. Elected officials and liberal commentators offered some half-baked comments about needing fewer billionaires and how we should tax the rich to the point of extinction. The far left can make absurd comments and face no repercussions from the Democrats, but Schultz gets ridiculed, blasted, and basically cast out on his own just for saying he wants to run. 

If you think about Schultz being criticized from the left and from the right and also from Trump, this may not be such a bad position to be in. In all my years as a political operative and national fundraiser, for the first time I truly see a path for an Independent like Schultz.

When I consider most of the “off the record” statements I have heard from political fundraisers like myself, conversations at dinner parties, folks on the subways, my own conversations with friends and family, the basic message is: We need to cut the lunatic fringe from BOTH parties.{mosads}

Consider all the things Schultz has going for him. He’s a self-made billionaire with a well-known solid brand. Half the battle of running for public office is getting your name out and recognized, and he definitely has that going for him. Also, keep in mind the fact that his brand is associated with actual customers that are loyal patrons who have often been attracted to his messaging on kindness, loving, and giving back.

Trump’s brand was well-known as well, but not everyone was fortunate enough to have the funds to stay at his luxurious properties, whereas many people have had something from Starbucks and can identify with it.  Even though it’s a pricey product, Americans still favor the brand and its atmosphere for meeting friends and a casual place to hang out or get some work done. He will pull votes and support from both parties, and this will force Democrats and Republicans to be on their best game. 

I mentioned to a friend that I was writing a piece about Shultz’s chances. She said, “That’s funny! I just had lunch with a friend who is a registered Democrat who brought up Shultz and said, ‘He is someone I could get behind. I am sick of all the politicians and their fighting. The liberals are going too far left for me and are pushing a socialist agenda and the conservatives have gone too far to the right!’”

Schultz may have found the new gap or political opening. As a self-made billionaire, he knows how to look for business opportunities and he sees America as that opportunity. Just as Obama saw a pathway from Bush’s unpopularity and Trump saw a pathway from Obama’s unpopular policies, Schultz now sees a clear path with not only Trump’s inability to mend the country but also the Democrats’ message being too extreme.

This is not to say Trump’s policies are all bad. Some of his policies are good, it’s just his delivery and lack of humility that bothers people — with the exception, of course, of his faithful base.

This is Schultz’s entry, and a sane and rational agenda could hit a common thread with most of Americans. If he offers the public fair and sound policies with clear and feasible solutions, stays away from boxing himself in the corner and stays away from Twitter, he will be in good shape.

He needs to take the good from both parties and he will have a clear path to victory.

With his honest and authentic styled interviews and a desire to mend America, he could play a part in one of the most interesting presidential races we’ve seen yet. Every person who is curious about a serious three-way race and which political party it might hurt will be fully engaged in 2020 if Schultz runs as an Independent.

Both Democrats and Republicans will be forced to temper their divisive rhetoric because the American “need” may be a little less division and more mending.

We simply cannot keep traveling down the road so divided or we will be a nation of heathens with no moral compass and no intention of working together for the common good. America is better than that. 

Noelle Nikpour is a GOP strategist and fundraiser, television commentator, and author of Branding America.