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A Real Threat to Democracy
I feel as if I’ve just been kicked in the gut by a good friend. He was, for many years, the epitome of intelligence and reason, with a lively sense of humor. We’ve been estranged for a while, mainly because of his political positions. After hearing one too many of his podcasts a few years ago, I pretty much avoided him. After reading one of his latest pieces on the Bari Weiss blog, I’ve decided we’re done. I’m talking about Jonah Goldberg.
This is not really a post about Jonah Goldberg. It’s about my bewilderment about the defaming of Republicans and Conservatives by using the broad-brush of assuming that we are all Donald Trump fanatics, who continually fawn over him and apologize for him. I think this viewpoint about who we are, who I am, is deeply flawed, and I can’t figure out why it persists.
Goldberg and others seem to refuse to accept that a huge number of those who voted for Trump—not even necessarily people whom I would call “Trump supporters”—were desperate to dislodge the DC Swamp. We didn’t really like Donald Trump, but it was clear that he was fearless and prepared to take on just about anyone. Many of us became convinced, particularly after the attacks on Trump after he was elected, that the Washington establishment was determined to protect every ounce of abusive power that they had. And I don’t think there was another Republican who had the guts to do that. That he was rude and crude and held disdain for proper etiquette was not relevant.
So, what am I so upset about? I feel that most Republicans and Conservatives are not sycophants to the person and platform of Trump. Most of us would never riot at the Capitol. Most of us would not dress like crazy Shamans. Most of also would not have the gumption that Trump displayed. But he was willing to do it on our behalf (and probably for his own motives).
Most of us dreaded the Tweets but liked that Trump got things done. Most of us disliked his personal attacks but liked his pushback on Xi. Most of us were annoyed at his bragging but were amazed that he was able to deal with Covid-19 the way he did.
What especially disturbs me about Jonah and the criticisms of others who hate Trump is that they are defaming most of us in the Republican Party and those who are Conservatives.
How does that help the party? How does that contribute productively to the future of this country? How does that help re-establish conservative values?
If some people are misguided, they aren’t the people who support Trump; they are the people who are determined to keep the edifices from crumbling. The rest of us are tired of the status quo and those who malign our institutions and values.
Jonah and his ilk would be better off exerting their energies against our real enemies.
Published in Politics
I guess, as Susan said, this is not a post about Goldberg.
When we get over 100 comments, which is amazing, I kind of figure all bets are off. So it’s okay. Especially when it’s friendly. . .
I agree. If your father were entirely like mine, your father (and George Burns) would have taught you the proper response to
The link doesn’t work. I tried before. Is it a refence to Gracie Allen?
Gracie never said “Good night Gracie” in response to George saying “Say Goodnight Gracie”. She just said “Goodnight”.
George claimed in later years that they just never thought of that, which I find hard to believe.
The link is to your Ricochet.com profile, intended only to insure that you were notified of the comment.
I am skeptical that Gracie never said “Good night Gracie,” as I have clear memories of seeing and hearing her doing so many times, almost always turning her head to look directly at the camera and smiling as she delivered the punch line. Why Google would choose to conceal that from the public, I can’t imagine.
As a nod to the original subject of the original post, even though it’s not a post about Jonah Goldberg, one truly disappointing thing about Jonah Goldberg’s descent into madness is that he did indeed have a sense of humor say, a decade and longer ago. To become the NeverTrumper he is today, he must necessarily intentionally stifle his sense of humor. What a horrible thing to do to oneself.
I don’t think you’ll find a much better primary source on this topic than George Burns:
Now there is a Mandela Effect moment for you. I also was sure I’d heard it multiple times, but apparently not.
If you two are old enough, you probably heard Dan Rowan’s “Say good night, Dick” followed by Dick Martin saying “Good night, Dick” every single week.
Yeah, that’s mentioned in the link.
I didn’t follow the link.
Are we certain that legendsrevealed.com is as reliable as, say, The Unimpeachable Source?
Well, that rumor has been around for a long time then. I remember hearing it is the 60s.
Actually, I don’t understand the trauma it caused. I put up with eight years of Obama without being traumatized.
Nauseated, yes. Traumatized, no.
But Biden is a bigger jerk, lout, and boorish person than Trump in a more acceptable way.
The “Washington Way”?
Wishing misery and death to millions of Americans in his Christmas message?
I only apply the word traitor to Jonah Goldberg, Jonathan V. Last, Rob Long, all the Bushes, Bill Kristol, Peggy Noonan, and anyone on the Lincoln Project. I purchased their magazines and books for decades while listening to their podcast while I purchased whatever product they might promote out of loyalty to them and a sense that their voices needed to be heard and funded.
I would have voted in the general election for any of the men and woman (except for Kasich and Christie) who ran in 2016 over Donald Trump because I didn’t trust him and distrusted his celebrity more, but he won the Primary. Even then. my wife and I didn’t decide to vote until the last minute because We would never vote for any Clinton. I voted for Trump and held my nose just like I did in the previous general elections with Romney, McCain, Bush, Dole, and Bush.
What did my loyalty to all these approximate conservatives in the Republican Party and their cheerleaders in the Conservative press achieve when Trump won…? Contempt and disparagement from people for the man they made inevitable by their series of endless failures to even slow the Left and protect the American people.
These “Cultured Conservatives” don’t need to be heard any longer because their complete raison d’être has vanished.
But you’re leaving out so many . . .
Yes… True, I started but the list was just too exhaustive.
Bravo.
And it’s telling to me that none of these people ever acknowledge those with enough neutrality to have been very skeptical of this man, and might not even really like him, to conclude they might have got him wrong after seeing actions, activity and healthy US self promotion , and that perspective in any way. We’re all in a cult?
Ben Shapiro and Thomas Sowell are the only ones that I can think of who changed their mind based on changing evidence.