Posted on 02/11/2016 11:19:16 AM PST by Kaslin
There's nothing like the warm, satisfying sound coming out of American presidential politics these days:
The sound of Democratic and Republican establishments -- what I call the Combine -- being kicked by voters where it hurts.
Right in the metaphors.
Or, if that's too vague, let's just say the political establishments are getting it right in their peculiar vulnerabilities.
In New Hampshire, Bernie Sanders trounced Hillary Clinton among Democrats. And Donald Trump scored a huuuge victory among Republicans, although Sen. Ted Cruz's third-place showing puts him in a good spot as the campaigns move South and West.
Hillary Clinton has been irrevocably identified as the candidate of Wall Street in the midst of an insurgency year and pressure from the left. She doesn't like it, because it's true. She is the Wall Street candidate.
She also probably doesn't like the national polls showing she's in a dead heat with a 74-year-old socialist, but I can't help her there either.
And as the campaign rolls to South Carolina, the big question is: What tricks will Clinton use on Sanders?
It won't be pretty. Politics in the South is like politics in Chicago. You need to put sawdust on the floor to sweep up the aftermath. So expect the race card to drop, skillfully of course, but it will be played. It was played against Hillary by surrogates of the Obama campaign in 2008. She knows how it feels.
Clinton supporters have already tried gender-shaming young women who dared to feel the Bern in New Hampshire. The shaming didn't work. It was awkward and clumsy and it backfired.
But that's the campaign as entertainment. What I'm enjoying now is a bit subtle, taking place in the shadows, where the establishment lords are quivering just a bit. And I plan on savoring it for a while, because finally both sides, Democrats and Republicans, are getting what they deserve.
The national Combine sends out its meat puppets on TV to preach the talking points about who is electable and who is not and who is an embarrassment and who is not. But about half the voters in each party loathe the establishment candidates. They've had enough.
The middle-aged are tired of being afraid for their jobs, or working part-time jobs, and they're angry. And the young, raised to expect the world, don't see much of a future.
Sanders promises a revolution. Trump and Cruz promise battle. They're the ones with the energy. They're the ones telling voters they'll put the boots to the status quo. And the others? They're just holding on.
If a fish rots from the head, then political parties rot from the center. They rot from the gut. You can see the head of a fish, see what's wrong with it, notice the eyes, how it smells. With political parties, though, the heads are always hidden. The guts don't rumble until it's too late.
So far in 2016, all the voter anger and insurgency and passion seems to be a surprise to the insiders, and to the salons of common wisdom along the Beltway. But it shouldn't be a surprise. It's been building for years.
In some respects, the establishment reminds me of the sleek, well-fed gentlefolk in the forgettable Leonardo DiCaprio movie the "Gangs of New York." The scene that applies to 2016 was the establishment family breakfast scene.
You may remember it. They had perfect table manners and enjoyed tasty foods from fine chafing dishes; there was plenty of sunlight in the breakfast room and crystal on the table. Everything was toasty. Then the ruffians broke down the door and smashed the china and wreaked havoc.
In 2016, the establishment hasn't lost complete control. But winning elections isn't the main thing.
Elections are what the people believe in, what voters care for, what you and I argue about in the battle of ideas; how much government, how much liberty, how large a safety net. We fight it out. We care. We go tribal.
But the insiders don't get angry that way. They're about what insiders have always been about -- control. They need control of the parties to put their hands on the levers of government, to make treasure. They'd rather lose an election than lose control of that machinery.
A political party isn't a bumper sticker. It isn't a slogan. It isn't the true passion of a young person who feels the Bern or some other young person depressed because they can no longer stand with Rand.
The establishment doesn't think that way. Their parties are a gathering of interests, formed to use government to protect what they have, to take from others, to increase their slice. The candidates are chosen like fine horseflesh, the idea being to find the one you can ride to the gold.
Voters know this now. There should be no doubt except among the thickest partisan meat puppets.
They know Hillary is of the establishment, and they know Jeb! and the others are of the establishment, and they're tired. They've watched the banks that are too big to fail get federal bailouts after the economic catastrophe, and none of the big fish went to prison. They've seen their jobs shipped overseas, and they're told that their anger isn't only irrational but bothersome.
I'm sure the establishments believe they can herd this anger, as they've herded it in years before; goad it all into chutes and pens, so it ends up as tasty sausage in fine chafing dishes.
They have five months to get the herding done before those conventions in July.
This was quite well-written. I think the author could have added one more salient point: Voters on both sides of the aisle have actively begun trusting their parties to lead them astray, and therefore the voters stand in stark defiance of the advice given by the parties.
When you are continually lied to, eventually you start assuming that everything said is just another lie.
DEATH TO THE UNIPARTY!
There is an interesting underlying subtext here. Up until this election, the media would laugh at any suggestion of an “establishment” or a “uniparty.” This was our belief, developed from election after election where republicans deliberately ignored voters, or actively worked against our interests. In this election, this is now the “official narrative”. This is an important ideological battle that we have won.
Were they all to die, a mega party would result.
We could burn the carcasses, right after taking bodacious Obamas on them.
When only the oligarchs are represented can “we the people” claim that it’s taxation without representation?
Speaking of a certain establishment candidate:-)
U.S. District Court Judge Rudolph Contreras issued an order Thursday requiring State to release batches of the still-undisclosed portion of Clinton’s emails on Feb. 13, 19 and 26 with “all remaining documents” released by “the close of business” on Feb. 29.
Selected Trump articles on FR, with links, from 12:00 AM to 3:00 PM EST, 2/11/16:
Political Establishments Getting Kicked Where it Hurts [Townhall]
Dear FRiends, We need your continuing support to keep FR going strong. [FReepathon]
14 Months and Counting, I'm Still Right About Trump
Viguerie: 'Only Cruz Has Potential to Unite The Party;' 'Trump Can't Unite Conservatives' [big Jeb! donor tries to divide against DJT]
Why RNC chair Reince Priebus would welcome a Michael Bloomberg run [CBS News]
First on CNN: Top South Carolina business leader to endorse Donald Trump
A retreat fit for a president? Donald Trump's new $200 million hotel in Washington, D.C [DailyMail - big pix]
TED CRUZ, SLEAZY LIAR: Compare Cruz's claims on Fox News to what Trump actually said [Ann Coulter]
Trump's Campaign Pulls a Negative Ad on Ted Cruz [Trump going 'nice' in SC] [NYT]
SC Poll: Trump 32, Cruz 26, Rubio 20, Bush 10
BLM tried to interrupt Breitbart lecture; students respond with "TRUMP"; forcing them to leave [video]
America Trumped (Trump is the anti-Obama in every way) [American Spectator]
The Mask Is Off: Trump Blames Conservatives For GOP Betrayals [Duh! - Ben Shapiro]
Coveted Endorsements Up for Grabs in South Carolina [WSJ]
GOP focus group describes Donald Trump as 'inevitable'
FBI: Mob Boss Bobby Manna planned to kill Trump's sister Judge Barry
Donald Trump Predicts Upheaval in Europe In Interview with French Magazine
Trump Tells French Magazine, "I Always Have A Gun On Me"
Rush Limbaugh: Ted Cruz is the closest we've gotten to Ronald Reagan in our lifetimes [Finally shows his colors]
The GOP: Five Seats at the Final Table [American Thinker]
Elite Don't Get Trump's Appeal
Trump: Illegals Being Entitled To Due Process An Open Question
Sanders and Trump Are the Same Totalitarian Candidate [Ben Shapiro TDS]
Carson: I think I can win South Carolina
Dana Loesch: If Carson Doesn't Drop Out, It Means He's in It for Himself
The Real Jobless Rate Is 42 Percent? Donald Trump Has a Point, Sort of [NYT]
What do you do when the government loses its legitimacy?
LIVE THREAD: Donald Trump Rally Baton Rouge, LA - 8PM (EST) 7PM (CST) 6PM (MST) 5PM (PST) [corrected simulcast link: see post 29
GOP asks: Can Trump and Cruz be stopped?
Rush flays GOP: They still don't get it
Trump Thumps Merkel on Migrant Madness: 'It's the End of Europe'
Cruz: "The Only Person in this Field Who Can Beat Donald Trump Is Me"
Trump, Cruz Pound Each Other in South Carolina Attack Ads
WaPo: The utter ugliness of Donald Trump's campaign should scare us all [WaPo Editorial Board]
How to talk to your kids about Donald Trump
10,000+ Attend Trump Rally in South Carolina - Polling Preview (Trump 36-Cruz 20)
Heidi Cruz Argues Forcefully For Trade Authority, Something Her Husband Opposes
I hate to say this but IMHO we are being played. Unless there a super winner from here on out the way its playing nobody will have enough to win the nomination outright with all the players still in the game. This will force a convention where back-room dealing and super-delegates can steal it for the one the GOPe wants.
Good for the judge
It is nice validation.
Thanks for the pings and the wonderful recaps, AW!!
Much appreciated :)
It is wonderful to see a long standing political system disintegrating right before our eyes. A system that hates Americans.
We are seeing a paradigm shift with us selecting our Presidential Candidate instead of the GOPe and DEMe elites who hate us, selecting our candidates.
There is a Black Swan event occurring with the daily suicidal self wrought destruction of the GOPe, Open Border Thugs, DC faux pundits, Faux News, ABCNNBCBS and the left wing fish wraps. Something similar is happening with the DEMes.
Many of us are looking forward to seeing the broken bones, drying blood and entrails of the Lying GOP Open Borders Elite, their DC faux conservative pundits, their mediots, their phoney pollers and focus groups, their hired tv and radio hacks strewn across the primary states as much as our victories in those states.
We have escaped from their faux conservative plantations, and we are not going back for more lies, abuse and mistreatment.
^ 10!
Thanks old FRiend.
PLease feel free to use any or all of my reply.
This is our last chance to leave something good for our children, grand kids, nieces/nephews and grand nieces/nephews.
Why would you even say that? I see no indication of it.
Borderline candidates are dropping out. Rand Paul, Chris Christie and Fiorina in the last few days.
Carson is only staying in for some strange reason but he has no chance.
I think Rubio is going way downhill. Even Fox didn’t mention his name much today.
So, it’s between Cruz and Trump. There will be a winner.
I’m all over it.
Cruz double maxed.
Excellent point.
Because its by delegates not states won and with super delegates its still up in the air. GOPe needs only keep the top one from getting 51% - with Cruz, Rubio, Trump and Bush in till the end, thats very doable unless Trump blows out a bunch of the States - which is unlikely with Cruz and Rubio in...
Give him a MANDATE. Without the majority of WTP, the establishment will never listen, never hear. GO get 'em TRiUMPh
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