I have to admit to enjoying, at least a little bit, the consternation, gloom and doom on the left as Donald Trump became president.
I justified this glee by comparing how those on the losing side reacted when compared to those of us who were the losers last time.
Here is what I wrote in January 2013:
“The question remains, what can conservatives do about it.
I think we keep fighting … in the arena of ideas, Conservatives have the advantage since the truth, when well presented, is very persuasive. That advantage, coupled with a sincere concern for the future of our country will easily win at least the extra five percent we need to haul the politicians back in line with basic American principles … It is always hard to lose a close fought competition, and the first day after the election, I was ready to concede the country, cling to my religion and guns and consign the American people to their justified fate. But that’s not my way – and I’ll bet it not yours … Besides, there will always be a next time.”
I think the contrast is most stark when compared with the immaturity of the far left who sat out the inauguration, rioted, and are now filing frivolous lawsuits. It seems most Conservatives, faced with political loss, move on – looking for better ways to make their argument. Too many Liberals whine, complain and look for an opponent to demonize.
Nowhere was the whining more evident than in Wired magazine this month. I subscribe to Wired for the latest communications technology news. In this last issue, however, nearly every article had outrageous prophecies about how Trump would destroy personal communications. That is, except for when they complained about how he had unfairly used Twitter to bypass the liberal media.
I could not believe an otherwise top-notch technology magazine turned itself into an attack dog for the left.
I am firmly convinced that this type of unreasonable political discourse is what cost the left the election and is now driving their sense of desperation. When you paint your opponent as the worst possible human being, and they win anyway, it will seem that your way of life is over.
The world of liberals, however, is not ending. The same system of federalism and divided government, which I have often talked about protects conservatism, will also protect liberals – despite their dire warnings otherwise.
James Lileks writing for National Review gives a great example. He says the Left fears that Trump will abolish the Department of Education (DOE) and education for the poor will disappear. In reality, he continues, the Department of Education doesn’t actually educate anyone, and even before there was a DOE, “somehow we invented flight, built the Hoover dam, and went to the moon.”
But instead of arguing the issue, the left demonizes Betsy DeVos (Trumps pick to head the DOE) because she supports school choice (a non-union friendly position). Yet studies show that under the DOE, minority students in our largest cities continue to score well below their peers in practically every state. And States, according to the U.S. Constitution, still control education – especially K-12. There is then, only so much that an education secretary can do, so calling DeVos a “grave threat” to education is both ridiculous and un-informed.
However, the bigger problem is how they deify their own party candidates. By refusing to look critically at Hillary, they put Trump in the White House.
The Republicans are now making the same mistakes.
If there is a bright spot in all this, it’s that with the left scrutinizing everything Trump does – and about half of the Republicans doing the same thing, we may actually achieve a level of citizen engagement worthy of a free people.
Remember after the first inauguration of Obama when several Hollywood stars created a video where they pledged themselves to him?
I found that a little creepy.
But it will be just as creepy if Republicans start pledging undying devotion to Donald Trump.
If you feel the need to pledge, pledge yourself to the Constitution, freedom, equality, or peace – not to a politician.
That can never end well.
Gordon B. Hinckley, past President of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (the Mormons) once told his membership.
There is a terrible ailment of pessimism in the land, it’s almost epidemic. We’re constantly fed a steady and sour diet of character assassination, faultfinding, evil speaking of one another. …I come … with a plea that we stop seeking out the storms and enjoy more fully the sunlight. I’m suggesting that we accentuate the positive. I’m asking that we look a little deeper for the good, that we still our voices of insult and sarcasm, that we more generously compliment virtue and effort.
Joe Bouchelle (my dad) says, “If the looney left and the radical right would give it a rest and the MSM would do an honest job, maybe…just maybe…the United in the title of our country might be meaningful again.”
That’s where I stand too.
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The Founders Tavern 
No More Bandwagons for Me
Posted in Political Commentary, tagged conservative, trump on January 26, 2017| Leave a Comment »
I justified this glee by comparing how those on the losing side reacted when compared to those of us who were the losers last time.
Here is what I wrote in January 2013:
“The question remains, what can conservatives do about it.
I think we keep fighting … in the arena of ideas, Conservatives have the advantage since the truth, when well presented, is very persuasive. That advantage, coupled with a sincere concern for the future of our country will easily win at least the extra five percent we need to haul the politicians back in line with basic American principles … It is always hard to lose a close fought competition, and the first day after the election, I was ready to concede the country, cling to my religion and guns and consign the American people to their justified fate. But that’s not my way – and I’ll bet it not yours … Besides, there will always be a next time.”
I think the contrast is most stark when compared with the immaturity of the far left who sat out the inauguration, rioted, and are now filing frivolous lawsuits. It seems most Conservatives, faced with political loss, move on – looking for better ways to make their argument. Too many Liberals whine, complain and look for an opponent to demonize.
Nowhere was the whining more evident than in Wired magazine this month. I subscribe to Wired for the latest communications technology news. In this last issue, however, nearly every article had outrageous prophecies about how Trump would destroy personal communications. That is, except for when they complained about how he had unfairly used Twitter to bypass the liberal media.
I could not believe an otherwise top-notch technology magazine turned itself into an attack dog for the left.
I am firmly convinced that this type of unreasonable political discourse is what cost the left the election and is now driving their sense of desperation. When you paint your opponent as the worst possible human being, and they win anyway, it will seem that your way of life is over.
The world of liberals, however, is not ending. The same system of federalism and divided government, which I have often talked about protects conservatism, will also protect liberals – despite their dire warnings otherwise.
James Lileks writing for National Review gives a great example. He says the Left fears that Trump will abolish the Department of Education (DOE) and education for the poor will disappear. In reality, he continues, the Department of Education doesn’t actually educate anyone, and even before there was a DOE, “somehow we invented flight, built the Hoover dam, and went to the moon.”
But instead of arguing the issue, the left demonizes Betsy DeVos (Trumps pick to head the DOE) because she supports school choice (a non-union friendly position). Yet studies show that under the DOE, minority students in our largest cities continue to score well below their peers in practically every state. And States, according to the U.S. Constitution, still control education – especially K-12. There is then, only so much that an education secretary can do, so calling DeVos a “grave threat” to education is both ridiculous and un-informed.
However, the bigger problem is how they deify their own party candidates. By refusing to look critically at Hillary, they put Trump in the White House.
The Republicans are now making the same mistakes.
If there is a bright spot in all this, it’s that with the left scrutinizing everything Trump does – and about half of the Republicans doing the same thing, we may actually achieve a level of citizen engagement worthy of a free people.
Remember after the first inauguration of Obama when several Hollywood stars created a video where they pledged themselves to him?
I found that a little creepy.
But it will be just as creepy if Republicans start pledging undying devotion to Donald Trump.
If you feel the need to pledge, pledge yourself to the Constitution, freedom, equality, or peace – not to a politician.
That can never end well.
Gordon B. Hinckley, past President of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (the Mormons) once told his membership.
There is a terrible ailment of pessimism in the land, it’s almost epidemic. We’re constantly fed a steady and sour diet of character assassination, faultfinding, evil speaking of one another. …I come … with a plea that we stop seeking out the storms and enjoy more fully the sunlight. I’m suggesting that we accentuate the positive. I’m asking that we look a little deeper for the good, that we still our voices of insult and sarcasm, that we more generously compliment virtue and effort.
Joe Bouchelle (my dad) says, “If the looney left and the radical right would give it a rest and the MSM would do an honest job, maybe…just maybe…the United in the title of our country might be meaningful again.”
That’s where I stand too.
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