Donald Trump, Traitor to His Class

nyt ^ | AUG. 29, 2015 | Ross Douthat

[Red Steel]

THE Donald Trump phenomenon is a great gift to pundits because it can be analyzed and criticized in so many different ways. But two shorthands seem particularly useful. First, Trump is essentially using the Republican primary to run a third-party campaign, not a right-wing insurgency. Second, Trump’s appeal is oddly like that of Franklin Roosevelt, in the sense that he’s a rich, well-connected figure — a rich New Yorker, at that — who’s campaigning as a traitor to his class.

-snip-

In certain ways this narrowing can be good for the republic. Elites can have wisdom that populists lack, certain ideas deserve suppression, and multiparty systems are more likely to hand power to extremists or buffoons. (It’s a good thing for the country that neither Henry Wallace’s effectively pro-Soviet leftism nor George Wallace’s segregationist populism outlived their respective third-party bids.)

-snip-

it seems like he could actually fight his fellow elites and win.

He won’t, of course, but it matters a great deal how he loses. In a healthy two-party system, the G.O.P. would treat Trump’s strange success as evidence that the party’s basic orientation may need to change substantially, so that it looks less like a tool of moneyed interests and more like a vehicle for middle American discontent.

In an unhealthy system, the kind I suspect we inhabit, the Republicans will find a way to crush Trump without adapting to his message. In which case the pressure the Donald has tapped will continue to build — and when it bursts, the G.O.P. as we know it may go with it.

[miss marmelstein]

First of all, The Donald has no class.

Second of all, he’s straight up out of Queens into Manhattan. Anyone who knows that type of individual knows that they are street fighters, not aristocrats. I’m out of Queens into Manhattan and I know these types. They never lose their street cred.

[glenduh]

“...the G.O.P. as we know it may go with it.”
Isn’t that the point?

[sarasmom]

ROTFLMAO!

[nickcarraway]

Then why is he such a blustering wimp. Tough guys don’t act all hysterical and overcompensating like Trump.

[Red Steel]

NYT’s wanting and wishing and wanting.

[LucyT]

.

This FRmail arrived earlier today:

From xxx | 08/29/2015 2:05:25 PM PDT

Donald Trump is not the person people should be afraid of... it is Sen. Ted Cruz who people should be scared to death of having in our Government’s administration.

Ted Cruz is a supporter of NAFTA, the North American Union, NO borders between Canada, the US, and Mexico, and of course, supports amnesty. - This is exactly what Heidi Cruz specializes in at CFR where she works for GoldmanSachs.

In other words, the Canadian-born Cruz is anti-U.S. sovereignty. ... His being attacked by the GOPe is fakery.

[nickcarraway]

Trump inherited $200 million from his daddy. How many street fighters do that?

[<1/1,000,000th%]

Yeah. Rich people all stay on the left-wing plantation, normally.

[datura]

Where is the barf alert?

The suthor is absolutely clueless.

[CodeToad]

Only a liberal thinks America has “classes”, caste system.

[Red Steel]

Well his name is Ross Asshat.

[paintriot]

Whatever he is, he is beating the crap out of the rest of the field. I personally don’t like Trump’s personality, but you can’t argue with success.

[Lurkinanloomin]

the G.O.P. as we know it may go with it.

---

The GOP will not stop the illegal alien inundation and will go the way of the Whigs should they succeed in derailing Trump.

For the Republic to survive, the GOP must die.

GOP-RIP

[Lurkinanloomin]

I missed the in before nickcarraway by 10 minutes....

[hoosiermama]

That was the amount of entire estate Subtract taxes and then divide between the five siblings. By the time his father died he already owned much of Manhattan including the land under the Empire State building he didn’t get there using his dad’s money

While in college he actually bought and flipped property in PA using borrowed money He graduated with enough in the bank to start the Manhattan acquisitions. This between studies and going home on weekends to help his dad maintain his properties Its called Work Ethic something German Families pass down through the generations So get off the silver spoon The greatest gift his father gave him was how to negotiate a deal

[sauropod]

Ross Douthat is a member of the NYT stable of writers that is just a little too...

[DAC21]

Too funny seeing all the Marxists publications trying to get in front of the Trump steam train to try to slow it down. Flattened pennies anyone? Trump is hardly my first choice, but if it looks like the Redumblicans will hold the Senate, I won’t sit on my hands by not voting for Trump if he is the nomination come Nov. 2016

[Aria]

He’s the same class the rest of us are....he just has more money.

[MarvinStinson]

The NEW YORK TIMES, Traitor to the United States