First of all, he is not my friend. He has me blocked on Twitter and vice versa. Second of all, I described in the post some of the patently insane stuff he has been saying lately. I realize it may not persuade you, but I leave it to the unbiased reader as to whether those comments (e.g. "insurrectionists thought they were on an authorized tour!!1!" or "Twitter hates Orwell because they won't let #1984 [or literally any other number] be a hashtag!!!1!") represent Serious Reconsideration or a guy pandering for clicks.
I think this is an excellent analysis. Have you put much thought into why people so intensely defend politicians and parties as cult figures instead of as vehicles to achieve worthy goals?
I'm not talking about someone like Ted Cruz who went from being a strong deficit hawk to silent on the budget when Trump took over. His incentives are clear.
I'm talking about the more numerous supporters who evaluate each new event based on how it reflects on Trump.
I've come up with a theory of tribalism. People take base their identity on affiliation to a larger group; a political party, a college, a sports team, etc. Once they've done that anything that reflects badly on the group makes them feel bad about themselves. Which leads us to a place where people who spent a lifetime supporting the free market want government control as soon as that market produces media companies that they feel disrespect them.
Anyway, your piece is a good one and I just wanted to add that thought.
I absolutely intend to hold the incoming administration to the same standard to which I have held every administration since I began blogging.
I do not believe China or Russia or Iran has our best interests at heart.
I absolutely believe the Second Amendment is an individual right and you can look at my history to see this is so.
Of course "Hang Pence" is a crazy slogan -- and, I might add, it is what many of the insurrectionists at the Capitol wanted to do.
As for "anti-Trump street cred" -- it has cost me literally thousands of readers over the years. I'm not only fine with that, I am happy with that. If you can't bear to read my thoughts because my criticism of Donald Trump makes you sad, I'm not interested in having you read me.
As for being able to vote for a presidential candidate, I share your views. I voted for Ross Perot in 1992. That was my first presidential vote and I was enthusiastic about it. (He turned out to be a lunatic but I did not know that at the time.) I have not voted for any candidate since without reservations. I voted for Dole in 1996, Bush in 2000, Bush in 2004, McCain in 2008, Romney in 2012, McMullin (ugh) in 2016, and Biden in 2020. I have held my nose every time. How I wish Justin Amash would have stayed in the race. I would have voted for him without reservation, even though I disagree with him about many topics.
Personally, I wanted Mitch Daniels to run but he cited family as a reason not to. *Groan*
Frankly, I think our current political class is the worst crop since, oh, 1859? And I hope against hope that you “don’t get the government you deserve, good and hard” having voted for Biden. Honestly.
Now, if I remember, you work (worked?) in the California state legal system. Don’t know if you’ve ever had to deal with Kamal Harris, but her being one heartbeat away from the presidency strikes me as...unsettling. Should that in fact happen, it would take a heart of stone not to break down and laugh like a hyena. Having watched her over these past several months, she strikes me as the living embodiment of fingernail being drawn across a blackboard.
As for Trump, listen, the guy’s a piece of work. I get that. But taken in the context of Pelosi, Nadler, Ocasio-Cortez, Schumer and the rest of the crew that makes up the Democrat Party, their wasn’t much of a choice. Trump’s post-election behavior is appalling but I fear it will pale in comparison to the assault, perhaps definitively and permanently successful, on the framework of the Republic. I’m old enough to have gone to school when civics was still a “thing,” and we understood why the Founders considered true democracy a horror (just ask any Athenian general who lost a crucial battle...getting fired meant something a little more drastic if the polis was in an ugly mood).
Frankly, I don’t think I’ll die a natural death if Joe and Beto are serious about stripping from me to ability to defend my family and property against thieves, murderers, Antifa/BLM thugs, cops (I say this because I’ve worked with some...*shudder*) or any other asshole that wants to put a boot on my neck. But that seems to be what half our political class is turning into. I figured Trump would just delay it a bit, hence my reluctance to support a senile and corrupt alternative to Trump. At least the latter isn’t senile. Crazy, maybe, but that makes him scary and when you’re dealing with China and Iran, scary is good.
*Sigh*
I get your frustration, but given what Big Tech, Big Gubmint, Big Media and Academia are up to right now, God help us. They sure as hell won’t.
It might help if people decided there is value to having a consistent moral code.
Was your friend "captured by his audience," or was he genuinely persuaded to change his views?
First of all, he is not my friend. He has me blocked on Twitter and vice versa. Second of all, I described in the post some of the patently insane stuff he has been saying lately. I realize it may not persuade you, but I leave it to the unbiased reader as to whether those comments (e.g. "insurrectionists thought they were on an authorized tour!!1!" or "Twitter hates Orwell because they won't let #1984 [or literally any other number] be a hashtag!!!1!") represent Serious Reconsideration or a guy pandering for clicks.
I think this is an excellent analysis. Have you put much thought into why people so intensely defend politicians and parties as cult figures instead of as vehicles to achieve worthy goals?
I'm not talking about someone like Ted Cruz who went from being a strong deficit hawk to silent on the budget when Trump took over. His incentives are clear.
I'm talking about the more numerous supporters who evaluate each new event based on how it reflects on Trump.
I've come up with a theory of tribalism. People take base their identity on affiliation to a larger group; a political party, a college, a sports team, etc. Once they've done that anything that reflects badly on the group makes them feel bad about themselves. Which leads us to a place where people who spent a lifetime supporting the free market want government control as soon as that market produces media companies that they feel disrespect them.
Anyway, your piece is a good one and I just wanted to add that thought.
It will be interesting to see if your critique of the incoming administration includes its adherence to the Constitution.
Or that you consider the possibility that, say, the People’s Republic of China may not have our best interests at heart.
Or that the Second Amendment is not an individual right.
Or the latest Twitter theme, “Hang Pence” is appropriate.
In any case, take heart. Your anti-Trump street cred will probably protect you from cancellation...or worse.
Frankly, I look forward to the day when I can vote FOR a presidential candidate instead of AGAINST one. Such has been the case for me since 1992.
Let me address each issue in turn.
I absolutely intend to hold the incoming administration to the same standard to which I have held every administration since I began blogging.
I do not believe China or Russia or Iran has our best interests at heart.
I absolutely believe the Second Amendment is an individual right and you can look at my history to see this is so.
Of course "Hang Pence" is a crazy slogan -- and, I might add, it is what many of the insurrectionists at the Capitol wanted to do.
As for "anti-Trump street cred" -- it has cost me literally thousands of readers over the years. I'm not only fine with that, I am happy with that. If you can't bear to read my thoughts because my criticism of Donald Trump makes you sad, I'm not interested in having you read me.
As for being able to vote for a presidential candidate, I share your views. I voted for Ross Perot in 1992. That was my first presidential vote and I was enthusiastic about it. (He turned out to be a lunatic but I did not know that at the time.) I have not voted for any candidate since without reservations. I voted for Dole in 1996, Bush in 2000, Bush in 2004, McCain in 2008, Romney in 2012, McMullin (ugh) in 2016, and Biden in 2020. I have held my nose every time. How I wish Justin Amash would have stayed in the race. I would have voted for him without reservation, even though I disagree with him about many topics.
Many thanks for taking the time to reply.
Personally, I wanted Mitch Daniels to run but he cited family as a reason not to. *Groan*
Frankly, I think our current political class is the worst crop since, oh, 1859? And I hope against hope that you “don’t get the government you deserve, good and hard” having voted for Biden. Honestly.
Now, if I remember, you work (worked?) in the California state legal system. Don’t know if you’ve ever had to deal with Kamal Harris, but her being one heartbeat away from the presidency strikes me as...unsettling. Should that in fact happen, it would take a heart of stone not to break down and laugh like a hyena. Having watched her over these past several months, she strikes me as the living embodiment of fingernail being drawn across a blackboard.
As for Trump, listen, the guy’s a piece of work. I get that. But taken in the context of Pelosi, Nadler, Ocasio-Cortez, Schumer and the rest of the crew that makes up the Democrat Party, their wasn’t much of a choice. Trump’s post-election behavior is appalling but I fear it will pale in comparison to the assault, perhaps definitively and permanently successful, on the framework of the Republic. I’m old enough to have gone to school when civics was still a “thing,” and we understood why the Founders considered true democracy a horror (just ask any Athenian general who lost a crucial battle...getting fired meant something a little more drastic if the polis was in an ugly mood).
Frankly, I don’t think I’ll die a natural death if Joe and Beto are serious about stripping from me to ability to defend my family and property against thieves, murderers, Antifa/BLM thugs, cops (I say this because I’ve worked with some...*shudder*) or any other asshole that wants to put a boot on my neck. But that seems to be what half our political class is turning into. I figured Trump would just delay it a bit, hence my reluctance to support a senile and corrupt alternative to Trump. At least the latter isn’t senile. Crazy, maybe, but that makes him scary and when you’re dealing with China and Iran, scary is good.
*Sigh*
I get your frustration, but given what Big Tech, Big Gubmint, Big Media and Academia are up to right now, God help us. They sure as hell won’t.