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Never Trust Schadenfruede
I try to remain above schadenfreude; like its lesser cousin, gloating, there is something more than just undignified about it. But when Trump claimed yet another “win” last night and as the cameras swept the room and past a slumped Schiff and scowling Nadler, I had to resist a reflexive smile.
There was something pathetic about them, as well as their fellow glum Democrats, as they followed the lead of their mistress Pelosi in their resistance to any Trumpeting. Pelosi’s post-SOTU, petulant, destruction of the speech was the best she could muster, an empty gesture made for television and an unintended admission that her party has no answer for Trump. Like the failed Russia hoax and the impeachment fiasco, the Pelosi led Democrats got nothing.
Amid much good news, much, if not most of it, good for traditional Democrat constituencies, why were the Pelosi loyalists so sullen? In part, because they’ve taken some big losses recently. They thought that they could use last-minute theatrics to take out Kavanaugh. He’s now on the SCOTUS. Their Russia collusion joint venture with the deep state fell flat. The follow-on Ukraine impeachment strategy backfired. The Durham investigation may well expose them further. And, recent results and showings in Iowa do not bode well for their party’s November prospects, neither at the top nor down the ticket.
But the bigger news is just how quickly the policies of Trump and his administration have boosted the US economy and our prospects. No doubt there has been a renaissance; we are born-again, US-centric, limited-governance constitutionalists, and this has given us an unprecedented economic recovery and confidence. A Democrat coalition that relies upon the monopolization of the votes of disgruntled minorities loses if these groups thrive, and worse, if they can attribute their success to traditional Republican policy.
This is the reason why the Left’s demonization of Republicans (fascists!) has become more childish and shrill, and why the disgruntled minorities associated with the Left have become more splintered and outlandish in their rhetoric and action. I find it interesting that the alternative view being pushed by the left-dominant Democrats has morphed into outright socialism – tax policy that is essentially confiscation, free college, Medicare for all, etc. Then there are the other radical policies – the New Green deal and open borders.
If you dive deeper into these new socialist circles you find people opposed to both the first and second amendments. In fact, some have even espoused totalitarian ideas like re-education and work camps for those who oppose them. This is not hyperbole. The new Left has obviously jettisoned the Constitution, for them a document that stands in the way of their desire for total power. Obama first espoused this abandonment 12 years ago. Today’s socialists were listening.
I would like to believe that these are the last gasps of a party about to be throttled by reality. Who could believe that an unaccomplished college-town socialist city council member could rise to the lead in a Democrat party presidential race? The push for socialism, open borders, and the New Green deal can’t represent a crossroads. Moving left, away from sovereignty and into the embrace of radical environmentalism, represents a false choice. Our recent history shows that socialism is incompatible with a constitutional republic founded on limited governance and individual liberty. And these principles, re-established with this Trumpian renaissance, are proving once again to be a potent and prudent organizing doctrine. We know where the Left leads and it is devastating.
James Carville is right. The success of Trump’s policies will pull votes from traditional Democrat constituencies. Any reflexive Democrat lurch to the left will further alienate traditional Democrats. If the Democrats are going to avoid a complete bloodbath in November, they have to abandon these wild socialist takeovers and get back to traditional Democrat retail politics. Bernie, AOC, and the squad stand in the way of Carville’s remonstration. I’ll never count the Democrats out, but I think Carville’s complaint may be too little and too late.
Darn. I feel another one of those smiles coming on.
Published in Elections
The left never gives up. Never. Because they like change, and don’t take the time to reflect on then what scenerios. Complexity theory is to complex for them to think about when everything has a simple solution. Just upsides, no downs (except the rich will be punished). The economy will have a downturn, and the right needs to be prepared, because the left never wastes a crisis. Every economic system has downturns. We have foodstamps, unemployment insurance and the wealth of family and friends if need be. Socialism has diet plans when their economies have recessions.
Excellent topic and post.
And it is most important that although it should be allowed for people to express some schadenfreude over the events we are witnessing, our game plan has to be constant vigilance.
Events across the pond indicate that even when a people rallies to throw off their oppressors, such as the EU, then those in charge come forward and instigate lengthy court battles. It has been so long since the British voted for Brexit that I no longer recall the date of their decision. But only in this past week are the Brits allowed to see the results of their vote on the matter take shape.
Why did the British even attain the Brexit vote that scorned the EU? Because in Great Britain, the voting takes place on good old paper ballots and pens. And then these ballots were hand counted!
Here in the USA, in California, we vote on paper ballots. But the ballots are then read by electronic equipment which has the full, added in value of being able to flip the election results.
It was proven in a San Diego court room in Jan 2017 that the San Diego DNC did just that, flipping Bernie’s 2016 Primary victory over to Hillary. There were twelve other voting activist groups who desired such a court investigation – but in those areas of the country, judges ruled Bernie had to get aboard the lawsuits. Only in San Diego did we have a judge saying citizens themselves have standing in any matter where there is a possibility their ballots were discounted and flipped to a different candidate.
We need to return to paper ballots, pens and a hand count. This is especially critical because the states of New York, Illinois, California and Washington all utilize either electronic voting machinery, or else their paper ballots are counted on electronic machinery. Also these states are all under the control of the DNC.
And as the events in the Iowa caucus unfold as a much needed wake up call to voters, the public is now awoken: the DNC is always going to man handle the voter’s wishes.
We can indulge in schadenfreude or in working to keep our election results sacrosanct. But we can’t do both.
Jerry Nadler just needs a little wardrobe makeover. New glasses, suit, and tie would have him looking dandy.
You say:
I would like to believe that this is the last gasp of a party about to be throttled by reality. Who could believe that an unaccomplished college town socialist city council member could rise to the lead in a Democrat party presidential race? The push for socialism, open borders and the New Green deal can’t represent a crossroads. Moving left, away from sovereignty and into the embrace of radical environmentalism, represents a false choice.
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Sociology professors have long stated that what happens on college campuses hits society ten to twelve years later. The fact that there are already not only Sanctuary Cities but actual Sanctuary States informs us that the “woke students” at universities and colleges from ten years back are already mandating that illegal immigrants have their crimes ignored, while those reporting on such crimes are to be considered guilty of hate speech. (And even worse, guilty of hate thoughts.)
Sanctuary States are also gun confiscation states.
The dance of The Revolution is just beginning. From their actions of the last 2 years, their choreography has been proven flawed; their dancers like Pelosi are out of shape and too old to transform into graceful ballerinas. But AOC is another matter, and she has vast appeal across the college campuses of today. She seems independent of the DNC’s top handlers. And her appeal will only widen, until we in the center regain the schools.
So would I, but the Democrats have a lot of allies in place at all levels of government service (not just elected officials,) in rent seeking businesses, in NGOs at home and abroad, and of course in the indoctrination apparatus: academia, social media, and mass media.
Reelecting Trump may be necessary to keep the USA from becoming the Former USA any more than it already has, but it is not sufficient. Many, many things will have to go right for many years to turn the tide.
If they ever do “O Brother Where Art Thou” on Broadway, he can play the Governor!
Or the Governor’s son.
Why deny yourself well-deserved joy? Life is short.
Schadenfreude, schöner Götterfunken
Happy dance all you want.
HOW MUCH DID THIS COMPLETE WASTE OF TIME COST??$?$??$$$$???
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l91ISfcuzDw
Have you noticed how one of his eyebrows is crooked? Like a poorly prepared Mr. Potato-head? As a general rule I’m not big on making fun of how politicians (or anyone) looks, but wouldn’t this be a great time for Nadler (and Schiff) to get away from the cameras? Maybe if California secedes from the Union (geez, I wish) Schiff might have a chance to grab the position of Chairman of the Politburo, but other than that neither Schiff nor Nadler are doing themselves any favors right now.