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Thank You, Peggy Noonan
I had just wandered through a generally so-so observation about patrician and plebeian elements in our present political situation. I was not sure that I had made my points clear enough for the normal pleb to grasp fully (we are generally too preoccupied with life’s minor distractions such as rent, food, and selecting the right brand of beer).
But one can always count on their betters to provide. So Peggy Noonan was kind enough to write a Wall Street Journal piece that explains it much better than I. She, of course, is an established member of the GOP Order of Patricians and her concern was about the unwashed plebs generally known as Trump voters. Hope among her fellow elitists was that more and more of this group would abandon the notion of the former president seeking the office again in 2024, that support for him would fade and he would pass from the public’s eye. As it is turning out, that simply isn’t happening. In fact, it appears to some that their numbers might even be growing.
This is so despite the continuous dumping on the former president. Or maybe even because of it. The latest anti-Trump production is turning into a huge disappointment. It actually seems to have the opposite effect intended. Interest in the show trial sometimes called the J6 hearings has been weak and far below what was hoped for. In fact, it is probably having the opposite effect. Only the most gullible or pre-disposed believe in them and for the rest they are far too transparent. For most, they leave the distinct impression of Star Chamber episodes intended not to learn anything but to influence an election by removing a leading candidate. Plebs must be protected from their limited intellects by narrowing their choices to only acceptable options.
In any case, Trump is actually increasing in support from this sideshow. So a fresh approach in pleb management has shown its face recently. That is to agree that the plebs do have some real concerns and that maybe the down and dirty Trump demeanor helped to create attention for them. But now he has served his purpose and it is time for candidates with smoother edges to carry the banner. For the moment, they are even willing to accept some candidates who might be a little “Trumpy” themselves as long as they are not the original. For the moment, that is.
But in the end, the real call will be for “reasonable” candidates who can hopefully worm their way into those “purple” vote without really confronting the matters that will change us as a nation and having to win a thoughtful and passionate argument for Liberty. You know, the kind of candidates who made Trump possible in 2016, the kind who knows in his (or hers, or …..) heart that something can be worked out to get us by if the patricians were left to bargain among themselves.
Noonan knows enough to begin every con job with a compliment, sort of. She is impressed that every Trump voter does love America even if it is “not always been a fully thought-through love but it’s generally fully felt”. She even concedes that this is “admirable”, even if the thought process was so incomplete. So plebeian. If it got any more simple-minded, it would be on my level.
A little deeper into the piece one is able to get a clearer picture of the patrician view of those millions upon millions of the GOP base who are so regularly called on by the party elites but rarely listened to. She tries to reinforce the Dem contention that Trump was told by all reasonable and sane people that the 2020 election was fair and square but he chose to listen instead to a collection of “kooks, crooks and freaks” which was not hard to find since “Trumpworld has more than most”.
Her appeal to wayward plebs is to drop Trump or lose the shining chance to dominate in the coming elections. Everything is so very bad that just about any Republican will surely win. Any except, of course, Trump. “Only Trump” would lose.
But the truth is as soon as Trump can be eliminated, the patricians will begin to try and thin out any of the other non-conformists with plebeian tendencies. Before the discussion is over they will hope to be back to the old standard GOP patrician because they could win “in the middle”. You know, that legendary middle where gun rights can be narrowed, where new entitlements have been created, where “comprehensive” immigration reform lives, where government dollars represent educational concern, where … Oh, hell my simple mind and stubby fingers are over-loaded … You can fill in the rest.
What is so desperately needed is a clear, objective American agenda for all, with disregard for who you are speaking to. The principles of the Founding and the principles which build successful lives will reach all levels of society.
The great swath of middle America that I have spoken of very much feels the loss of our Constitution even if the patricians don’t. The party elites have yet to realize that MAGA is not a Trump thing. It is a grassroots American plebeian thing. Trump simply put a slogan behind it and then did his best to implement it.
The Peggy Noonans still talk and act as if this was about a loose-mouthed billionaire and not the saving of the republic as founded. But they do sense the shift away from them and that is what they hate, what they fight against. If Trump is at the head of the column or not is hardly the central question. The real question is the uncompromising direction of the column.
We might be in a dangerous position with our future but more and more I believe that the people who will make the long-term difference have finally realized that the damage done to us by the “warriors” on their side, it is not near the problem as the damage done by the cowards and blinded on ours. Hopefully, Noonan will save her condescension for her own kind.
By the way, if any of you fellow plebs actually want to read the Noonan column you will find it behind a paywall. Unless you have the devious computer skills to bypass “the wall”, you will have to take my word for the content of the piece. Otherwise, you can join me in some simple plebeian pleasure as I take off these smelly socks, let the air hit these more than smelly feet, pour three, possibly four fingers in a cup, and soak up the quiet of an evening that has finally begun to cool.
Published in General
I am not outside. I am editing together a video presentation about missionaries.
I am therefore not taking a walk this morning, but generally take a bike ride every day because exercise and fresh air is good for you.
I do not have a dog, however my neighbors have dogs, and I pet them whenever they come over to see me.
I can’t remember the last time I had ice cream because it’s not healthy and I try not to eat unhealthy foods. Also, because if there is ice cream in the house, someone else usually gets to it before I do.
Go outside, take a walk, pet a dog, eat ice cream.
You need to detox from politics, and you need it badly.
Trump started the Big Lie on Election Night.
Trump summoned the rioters to come to DC on 1/6.
Trump assembled the rioters on 1/6.
Trump targeted the rioters at the Capitol on 1/6.
Trump refused to defend the Capitol for hours after it was overrun on 1/6.
Exercise self-care.
All you care about is winning elections. You don’t know where to draw the line in the sand and tell others they better not cross it. The only person on your list I would want to see in the White House is DeSantis, and I have already stated my desire to keep him as Governor. I will give you the same advice, choose wisely or lose. RINO establishment has extorted my vote for the last time. By saying your ilk would let a Dem win over Trump tells me we aren’t on the same team.
Establishment republicans promulgate many lies about Trump – when they aren’t happily spreading the ones the Democrats start.
Oh my gosh. You can’t even rationalize why Trump offered troops and Dems didn’t want them. The difference between those who attended the Jan 6 rally and you is they wanted to push back against Democrat corruption.
Why isn’t Kristi Noem on that list?
Was a little late to call for troops. At that point, they should have called the DC mayor.
Gary donated so much to Evan McMullin that he got a call for him. Defeating Mike Lee is not my idea of progress.
What is left to discuss?
Yes, and this is why DC is not a state. The DC Police should have been defending the Capitol.
93 million voted for a dementia patient who couldn’t campaign? The only explanations are cheating and hatred for Trump and our side. Pick one. –
And now they are paying $5 a gallon for gas and I am rolling my eyes at them
Democrats will destroy the economy. Trump tried to destroy democracy and the country. Given that terrible choice, I had to take the bad choice, Democrats, over the existential death of my country, Trump who tried to enact a coup.
How about a non-Trumpy Republican? I’ll vote for DeSantis. But I won’t vote for Trump.
I am happy to include her. She is a great addition. DeSantis, Kemp, Abbott, Pence, Kemp, Ducey, Little, Noem, Christie, Romney, Baker, Sununu, Jindal. A baker’s dozen Republican Governors for America.
It isn’t and he doesn’t care.
McCarthy was on the phone to Trump. And why the heck couldn’t Trump quickly go to the podium and tell the rioters to leave, instead of waiting for hours?
How about this:
I don’t have any insight beyond common sense and experience with elections in 11 other countries. My undergraduate and graduate work in politics and economics was better than most, but superficial. I’ve known a lot of folks who are serious and try to be well read but just lack insight, perhaps they lack a variety of experience in very different places to accumulate a better grasp of human weakness, including our own, or have developed the habit of listening to the wrong people. That’s easy because we know how little we understand personally so tend to pay attention to folks who act as if they knew more. They don’t because none of us do and it took me most of my career to figure that out. I think we need Trump exonerated and whatever candidate we pick needs his endorsement. He could win if the elections were honest but he’d justify a lot of fools to vote Democrat or stay home and rationalize even more cheating than last time. It’s a shame. I have a brother in Montana who is seriously involved in Montana politics as a Democrat and thinks Washington reflects what goes on there. I understand his positions on Montana, some are even ok, but there is a total lack of understanding of Washington politics. I think that dominates most democrats and a lot of Republicans who do not understand that Washington politics are profoundly different, are the reason our founders made us ground up.
No. Only 81 million voted for Biden. More accurately, very many of them, like me, voted against Trump.
The Dems win the long game.
We should have nominated any Republican other than Trump.
Trump should have not sabotaged the election of the two Georgia Republican Senators.
The rioters had their own agenda and wouldn’t have listened.
It is true, and I do care.
Funny, but when Trump finally asked them to leave, they left. Why did it take Trump hours to do so? Better yet, why did Trump target them at the Capitol? Better, why didn’t Trump accept his loss like a man?
I am going to take Drew’s advice and step away for a few minutes.
I hope you will take seriously my plea for Republicans to not nominate Trump (or his Mini-Me, DJTJ) and to nominate any other Republican.
Blessings.
@garyrobbins Why do you support a Committee packed by the criminal Communist Pelosi? You are treating the Committee like it is a jury but the composition is not representative of Americans in a sense of peerage, it is solely Democrats and two Republicans known to agree with them?
Please answer my questions if you want any credibility here.
No doubt if “we” nominate Trump, you’ll claim again that “we” made you vote Demo-rat again. My crystal ball is currently under repair, but I’m pretty sure of that.
The Case for Donald Trump 2024 (townhall.com)
Y’all keep this up and I will answer the summons next time. BTW. It was a rally. Why did so many answer the “summons”? Because they are tired of being ignored and mocked.
Fine, don’t vote for him. I won’t vote for your list….and DeSantis isn’t running.
Here’s what I can’t figure out:
1. Why isn’t the discussion here about the merits (or lack thereof) of Peggy Noonan’s WSJ piece, as referenced in by @olesummers in the OP above?
2. Isn’t there another post currently on the Member Feed for arguing with @garyrobbins about all things Trump? Why does THIS thread have to duplicate that other one?
Here’s what I can figure out:
I’ve read the Noonan piece in its entirety in the hard-copy WSJ. (Yeah, I’m kinda stupid like that, but I love the feel of actual newsprint in my hands…) I believe she makes her arguments in good faith. However, she is condescending as HEL*, and seems oblivious to the fact that an awful lot of the people she is ostensibly talking to don’t trust her…and they REALLY don’t trust the J6 proceedings. She and the GOPe she speaks for haven’t yet addressed the conditions that made Trump possible. He is a symptom, not the disease.
Good question. Perhaps add the former South Carolina governor and Indiana’s Daniel’s.