Posted on 02/22/2016 11:41:35 PM PST by goldstategop
White Middle Americans express heavy mistrust of every institution in American society: not only government, but corporations, unions, even the political party they typically vote for—the Republican Party of Romney, Ryan, and McConnell, which they despise as a sad crew of weaklings and sellouts... And when Donald Trump came along, they were the people who told the pollsters, “That’s my guy.â€
They aren’t necessarily superconservative. They often don’t think in ideological terms at all. But they do strongly feel that life in this country used to be better for people like them—and they want that older country back.
...People like them in many other democratic countries too. Across Europe, populist parties are delivering a message that combines defense of the welfare state with skepticism about immigration; that denounces the corruption of parliamentary democracy and also the risks of global capitalism. Some of these parties have a leftish flavor, like Italy’s Five Star Movement. Some are rooted to the right of center, like the U.K. Independence Party. Some descend from neofascists, like France’s National Front. Others trace their DNA to Communist parties, like Slovakia’s governing Direction–Social Democracy.
These populists seek to defend what the French call “acquired rightsâ€â€”health care, pensions, and other programs that benefit older people—against bankers and technocrats who endlessly demand austerity; against migrants who make new claims and challenge accustomed ways; against a globalized market that depresses wages and benefits. In the United States, they lean Republican because they fear the Democrats want to take from them and redistribute to Americans who are newer, poorer, and in their view less deserving—to “spread the wealth around,†in candidate Barack Obama’s words to “Joe the Plumber†back in 2008. Yet they have come to fear more and more strongly that their party does not have their best interests at heart.
(Excerpt) Read more at theatlantic.com ...
I’m sorry but David Frum is a McConnellite swish.
This is what Southerners felt just before secession. It wasn’t about a slavery....
PARTIALLY TRUE. The Democratic base - particularly those who support Bernie - want no part of work. They want everything you have, preferably stolen from you by the government and given to them by the government. Bottom line is that they're too lazy to steal (like the majority of welfare recipients)
In this light, instead of revising Republican policies to stop future Barack Obamas and Hillary Clintons, maybe it's necessary to revise only the party rules to stop future Donald Trumps from confronting party elites with their own unpopularity.
The battle or war he expounds on, ad nauseum, is one of government vs. freedom, NWO vs. nationalism, diversity vs. cohesiveness. On that stage, the race for the presidency is only one piece, but it is a pivotal symbolic piece. Frumm also advocates that the NWO/elite/royalty inclined schemers take over local and state offices.
He wants to save the GOP as an instrument to advance the interests of the political-industrial crony class - status quo or a return to it.
Our Social Security and Medicare benefits were earned. They’re not handouts!
2. Social Security benefits were earned? No, it was money stolen from REAL productive workers under threat of criminal prosecution if not paid and given to both the original victim and some worthless welfare cheat who never worked and paid a single penny into it.
Go back in history and see what the social security tax rate was back when the flim-flam system started and it becomes very apparent.
Actually that was George C Scott in the movie
You are right, most Americans are not really interested in living under the REAL American constitution. I think it would have been a much finer life had we never departed from it but that is a very different thing than what would happen if we could suddenly go back to it. I think if we went back to the TRUE meaning of the constitution ninety percent or more of the federal government and a majority of state government would have to shut down. Most Americans who CALL THEMSELVES conservatives would be totally dismayed if they knew just how left leaning they really are. Before Obama was elected I spoke with some who identified as conservatives who said things like, “I am one of the most conservative people you will ever meet but I think the federal government should provide medical care FREE to every American.” That is as absurd as saying you are very wealthy but cannot afford socks.
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