Recommended by Ricochet Members Created with Sketch. A Teachable Moment

 

One line of NeverTrump thinking has it that a big Trump loss would be an opportunity for the GOP to learn to stay away from all “Trumpy” mistakes in the future. That may be at least partially right. I’m not a big fan of Trumpiness myself if “Trumpiness” means Twitter trollery and lying about paying off porn stars and whatnot.

But I happen to think that America and the Democrat party, in particular, could really do with the teaching opportunity of a big Biden loss. But what lessons about Nice Guy from Scranton Who Rides the Amtrak could America stand to learn? Well, gee–the real problem is knowing where to start. Here are a few; I suggest that the Ricochetti add the rest in comments:

Don’t have a Big Tech censor.

Don’t have the media cover-up genuine scandals.

Don’t have double standards on credible sexual assault allegations.

Don’t support plagiarists.

Don’t be too friendly with the socialists in your own party.

Don’t fail to criticize violent revolutionary movements.

Published in Politics
This post was promoted to the Main Feed by a Ricochet Editor at the recommendation of Ricochet members. Like this post? Want to comment? Join Ricochet’s community of conservatives and be part of the conversation. Get your first month free.

There are 89 comments.

Become a member to join the conversation. Or sign in if you're already a member.
  1. Biden Pure Demagogue Coolidge
    Biden Pure DemagogueJoined in the first year of Ricochet Ricochet Charter Member

    Don’t nominate pedophiles.

    • #31
    • November 1, 2020, at 11:03 AM PST
    • 4 likes
  2. The Cloaked Gaijin Member

    But I happen to think that America and the Democrat party, in particular, could really do with the teaching opportunity of a big Biden loss. …

    Don’t have a Big Tech censor.

    Don’t have the media cover-up genuine scandals.> Don’t have double standards on credible sexual assault allegations.

    Don’t support plagiarists.

    Don’t be too friendly with the socialists in your own party.

    Don’t fail to criticize violent revolutionary movements.

    None of these matter. The Democrats and more importantly the Leftists need to be defeated to try to force them to snap back into reality. Until Obama came around, the Democrats always had to run a Southern or a vice presidential Southern who had a tiny bit of common sense. (And no I wouldn’t consider Delaware or Maryland to be Southern states anyway, and in the 21st Century I wouldn’t consider Virginia to be a Southern state either with North Carolina and Georgia sliding into crazy town too.)

    The Democrats have all gone completely crazy. Look at the impeachment votes. Trump was impeached for expressing some interest in what Biden did illegally or unethically, but Biden can be elected and not impeached for this?

    The Democrat Party doesn’t even exist anymore. The Leftist media has the real power along with the colleges and educational systems, Hollywood, and big city corrupt politicians.

     

     

    • #32
    • November 1, 2020, at 11:40 AM PST
    • 6 likes
  3. Stad Coolidge

    Democrats only partially learn from their mistakes. They plow ahead with their intentions, but disguise them with rhetoric that sounds conservative. For example, they promote veterans, Christians, and “pro-gun” candidates who are really stealth vessels for their real agenda, which is to transform America into an unarmed, secular, and military/police-hating Marxist “Utopia” . . .

    • #33
    • November 1, 2020, at 12:00 PM PST
    • 2 likes
  4. Bill Nelson Member

    Percival (View Comment):

    Bill Nelson (View Comment):

    Don’t care about the democrats. I oppose the dislike of big tech, Twitter is free to censor anything they wish. Fine by me if someone likes socialism, we should not suppress political ideas. If you dislike socialism, beat it at the ballot box.

    If you want to teach democrats a lesson do it by making arguments that win support from all people.

    The tech giants shouldn’t be able to pick between being publishers (with the responsibility of curating content) and being platforms (without that responsibility, but theoretically without that power) depending on which one is legally convenient. They shut down the social media conduit for a paper that is 119 years old because it disagreed with whatever the voices in little Jackie Dorsey’s head were telling him at the moment.

    (And Jack … the last guy who tried to present himself in public with a beard that looked like that was John Brown. It made him look demented. Just sayin’.)

    The “giant” is not a publisher, it is a printer. Publishers obviously control their content and have some responsibility for it. As a platform (printer) they can accept or reject jobs. If there is a need for a better platform it could become the next giant. Compete with ideas and don’t whine.

    • #34
    • November 1, 2020, at 12:00 PM PST
    • 1 like
  5. Sisyphus Coolidge
    SisyphusJoined in the first year of Ricochet Ricochet Charter Member

    The mistake according to Democrats is always the messaging, never the message. Because, you know, everyone wants Marxist Totalitarianism. Look at all the successes, Cuba, Venezuela, China, North Korea.

    • #35
    • November 1, 2020, at 12:05 PM PST
    • 2 likes
  6. Bill Nelson Member

    The Cloaked Gaijin (View Comment):
    Trump was impeached for expressing some interest in what Biden did illegally or unethically

    Not true. Which of course you know. 

    • #36
    • November 1, 2020, at 12:09 PM PST
    • Like
  7. Flicker Coolidge

    Bill Nelson (View Comment):

    The Cloaked Gaijin (View Comment):
    Trump was impeached for expressing some interest in what Biden did illegally or unethically

    Not true. Which of course you know.

    Wrong. The president of Ukraine brought up Biden. Trump went along with the conversation, agreed that an investigation was appropriate, and then changed the subject.

    • #37
    • November 1, 2020, at 12:12 PM PST
    • 6 likes
  8. Front Seat Cat Member

    Throw away your copy of Socialist Tips for Dummies, dust off The Constitution and read it – there will be a test.

    • #38
    • November 1, 2020, at 12:17 PM PST
    • 4 likes
  9. Percival Thatcher
    PercivalJoined in the first year of Ricochet Ricochet Charter Member

    Bill Nelson (View Comment):
    If there is a need for a better platform it could become the next giant. Compete with ideas and don’t whine.

    You are already licking the hands. The chains won’t bother you at all, I’m sure.

    • #39
    • November 1, 2020, at 12:37 PM PST
    • 7 likes
  10. Saint Augustine Member
    Saint Augustine

    Bill Nelson (View Comment):
    I oppose the dislike of big tech, Twitter is free to censor anything they wish. Fine by me if someone likes socialism, we should not suppress political ideas.

    Therefore Twitter, evidently, is free to censor but should not censor, inasmuch as that would be suppression of ideas.

    But who’s for suppressing socialism? I’m for opposing it politically, not suppressing it.

    • #40
    • November 1, 2020, at 1:07 PM PST
    • 3 likes
  11. MichaelKennedy Coolidge

     if “Trumpiness” means Twitter trollery and lying about paying off porn stars and whatnot.

     

    I have a mild objection to the Avenatti production of a woman who has a photo at a golf tournament. I have some of those, too. Not with her but then I don’t have that much money.

    • #41
    • November 1, 2020, at 1:08 PM PST
    • 2 likes
  12. Saint Augustine Member
    Saint Augustine

    Gary Robbins (View Comment):

    Saint Augustine (View Comment):

    Don’t try to pack the Court. Don’t even think about it.

    Agreed.

    Woo hoo!

    • #42
    • November 1, 2020, at 1:11 PM PST
    • 2 likes
  13. Saint Augustine Member
    Saint Augustine

    Jon1979 (View Comment):
    Andrew Klavan’s made the point it’s not so much how they cover Trump by itself — it’s how they cover Trump vs. how they covered Obama and how they would cover Biden.

    Amen.

    • #43
    • November 1, 2020, at 1:12 PM PST
    • Like
  14. Saint Augustine Member
    Saint Augustine

    666 (View Comment):

    Don’t nominate pedophiles.

    Do we have any evidence Biden is that kind of bad? I’m only aware of weird hair-sniffing.

    • #44
    • November 1, 2020, at 1:14 PM PST
    • 2 likes
  15. Saint Augustine Member
    Saint Augustine

    Bill Nelson (View Comment):

    The Cloaked Gaijin (View Comment):
    Trump was impeached for expressing some interest in what Biden did illegally or unethically

    Not true. Which of course you know.

    I do not know. I really don’t.

    • #45
    • November 1, 2020, at 1:17 PM PST
    • 1 like
  16. Saint Augustine Member
    Saint Augustine

    Flicker (View Comment):

    Bill Nelson (View Comment):

    The Cloaked Gaijin (View Comment):
    Trump was impeached for expressing some interest in what Biden did illegally or unethically

    Not true. Which of course you know.

    Wrong. The president of Ukraine brought up Biden. Trump went along with the conversation, agreed that an investigation was appropriate, and then changed the subject.

    Didn’t know that either. Well, well.

    • #46
    • November 1, 2020, at 1:18 PM PST
    • 2 likes
  17. Gary Robbins Reagan

    9thDistrictNeighbor (View Comment):

    I don’t think the democrats would learn a lesson from any outcome. They have been plowing ahead on the local level with leftist prosecutors, council members, mayors, etc. Only now have they become so brazen with traveling Antifa mobs and molotov cocktails. The underbelly of the hard left will kick all of the aging democrat pols to the curb soon enough.

    After the 1988 election, Democrats looked back and realized that they had lost 5 of the last 6 elections, and had won back in 1976 only after Watergate. Thus was born the Democratic Leadership Council (DLC) who moderated the Democrats somewhat.

    After Iowa and New Hampshire this year, Democrats became terrified that Bernie would be the new face of the Democrats. Biden came in second at the Nevada caucuses, and then won 50% of the vote in South Carolina. Buttigieg, Klobuchar, and Bloomberg quickly withdrew and threw their support to Biden.

    Political parties have a strong sense of survival. If what they are doing has led them to defeat, they change.

    • #47
    • November 1, 2020, at 1:29 PM PST
    • 2 likes
  18. Gary Robbins Reagan

    The Reticulator (View Comment):

    The GOPe has learned nothing from its loss in 2016. Are Democrats any more teachable than that?

    With all due respect, your use of the the slur GOPe for the establishment GOP, suggests that you are headed to a “teachable moment” of your own.

    • #48
    • November 1, 2020, at 1:31 PM PST
    • Like
  19. Gary Robbins Reagan

    666 (View Comment):

    Don’t nominate pedophiles.

    Or rapists.

     

    • #49
    • November 1, 2020, at 1:33 PM PST
    • Like
  20. Gary Robbins Reagan

    Flicker (View Comment):

    Bill Nelson (View Comment):

    The Cloaked Gaijin (View Comment):
    Trump was impeached for expressing some interest in what Biden did illegally or unethically

    Not true. Which of course you know.

    Wrong. The president of Ukraine brought up Biden. Trump went along with the conversation, agreed that an investigation was appropriate, and then changed the subject.

    Senator Lamar Alexander disagrees with you. He concluded that the House Managers had made their case, but that it did not rise to justify Trump’s removal.

    • #50
    • November 1, 2020, at 1:35 PM PST
    • Like
  21. Saint Augustine Member
    Saint Augustine

    Gary Robbins (View Comment):

    666 (View Comment):

    Don’t nominate pedophiles.

    Or rapists.

    Whom are we talking about here?

    • #51
    • November 1, 2020, at 1:38 PM PST
    • Like
  22. Gary Robbins Reagan

    Saint Augustine (View Comment):

    666 (View Comment):

    Don’t nominate pedophiles.

    Do we have any evidence Biden is that kind of bad? I’m only aware of weird hair-sniffing.

    There is no evidence of pedophilia by Biden. None. Biden is like your old maiden aunt who uses too much perfume and insists of hugging and kissing nieces and nephews who don’t feel comfortable. 

    • #52
    • November 1, 2020, at 1:38 PM PST
    • 1 like
  23. Saint Augustine Member
    Saint Augustine

    Saint Augustine: Don’t have a Big Tech censor.

    Dang. The word “a” was not supposed to be there.

    • #53
    • November 1, 2020, at 1:41 PM PST
    • Like
  24. Buckpasser Member
    BuckpasserJoined in the first year of Ricochet Ricochet Charter Member

    The d’s (biden-harris) are all in on rioting and looting. Neither they or the Secretary of Looting (that would be Nancy Pelosi) are capable of learning anything.

    • #54
    • November 1, 2020, at 1:50 PM PST
    • 2 likes
  25. Flicker Coolidge

    Gary Robbins (View Comment):

    Flicker (View Comment):

    Bill Nelson (View Comment):

    The Cloaked Gaijin (View Comment):
    Trump was impeached for expressing some interest in what Biden did illegally or unethically

    Not true. Which of course you know.

    Wrong. The president of Ukraine brought up Biden. Trump went along with the conversation, agreed that an investigation was appropriate, and then changed the subject.

    Senator Lamar Alexander disagrees with you. He concluded that the House Managers had made their case, but that it did not rise to justify Trump’s removal.

    What a foolish response.

    • #55
    • November 1, 2020, at 1:57 PM PST
    • 1 like
  26. Gary Robbins Reagan

    Saint Augustine (View Comment):

    Gary Robbins (View Comment):

    666 (View Comment):

    Don’t nominate pedophiles.

    Or rapists.

    Whom are we talking about here?

    E. Jean Carroll. Her defamation case can go to trial if Trump is defeated in the election. 

    • #56
    • November 1, 2020, at 2:05 PM PST
    • Like
  27. Gary Robbins Reagan

    Flicker (View Comment):

    Gary Robbins (View Comment):

    Flicker (View Comment):

    Bill Nelson (View Comment):

    The Cloaked Gaijin (View Comment):
    Trump was impeached for expressing some interest in what Biden did illegally or unethically

    Not true. Which of course you know.

    Wrong. The president of Ukraine brought up Biden. Trump went along with the conversation, agreed that an investigation was appropriate, and then changed the subject.

    Senator Lamar Alexander disagrees with you. He concluded that the House Managers had made their case, but that it did not rise to justify Trump’s removal.

    What a foolish response.

    Here is the citation: https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/2020/01/31/lamar-alexanders-yes-he-did-it-statement-trump-annotated/.  The summary:

    While the president’s lawyers have said he did nothing wrong, Alexander disagrees. In fact, he says Democratic House impeachment managers proved their case — that Trump withheld aid and a White House meeting for his desired investigations and that it was “inappropriate.” He said he just doesn’t think Trump’s actions are worthy of removal from office.

    • #57
    • November 1, 2020, at 2:08 PM PST
    • Like
  28. Saint Augustine Member
    Saint Augustine

    Gary Robbins (View Comment):

    Saint Augustine (View Comment):

    Gary Robbins (View Comment):

    666 (View Comment):

    Don’t nominate pedophiles.

    Or rapists.

    Whom are we talking about here?

    E. Jean Carroll. Her defamation case can go to trial if Trump is defeated in the election.

    Well, that was badly phrased. You mean we’re talking about Trump.

    Is this woman’s testimony any more credible than that of Tara Reid? (I really don’t know. I vaguely remember hearing something about someone’s testimony, but I can’t even recall which person.)

    • #58
    • November 1, 2020, at 2:23 PM PST
    • 1 like
  29. Saint Augustine Member
    Saint Augustine

    Gary Robbins (View Comment):

    Flicker (View Comment):

    Gary Robbins (View Comment):

    Flicker (View Comment):

    Bill Nelson (View Comment):

    The Cloaked Gaijin (View Comment):
    Trump was impeached for expressing some interest in what Biden did illegally or unethically

    Not true. Which of course you know.

    Wrong. The president of Ukraine brought up Biden. Trump went along with the conversation, agreed that an investigation was appropriate, and then changed the subject.

    Senator Lamar Alexander disagrees with you. He concluded that the House Managers had made their case, but that it did not rise to justify Trump’s removal.

    What a foolish response.

    Here is the citation: https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/2020/01/31/lamar-alexanders-yes-he-did-it-statement-trump-annotated/. The summary:

    While the president’s lawyers have said he did nothing wrong, Alexander disagrees. In fact, he says Democratic House impeachment managers proved their case — that Trump withheld aid and a White House meeting for his desired investigations and that it was “inappropriate.” He said he just doesn’t think Trump’s actions are worthy of removal from office.

    Ok, but how is that relevant to Flicker’s remark about how the original conversation went?

    • #59
    • November 1, 2020, at 2:25 PM PST
    • 1 like
  30. Front Seat Cat Member

    Gary Robbins (View Comment):

    9thDistrictNeighbor (View Comment):

    I don’t think the democrats would learn a lesson from any outcome. They have been plowing ahead on the local level with leftist prosecutors, council members, mayors, etc. Only now have they become so brazen with traveling Antifa mobs and molotov cocktails. The underbelly of the hard left will kick all of the aging democrat pols to the curb soon enough.

    After the 1988 election, Democrats looked back and realized that they had lost 5 of the last 6 elections, and had won back in 1976 only after Watergate. Thus was born the Democratic Leadership Council (DLC) who moderated the Democrats somewhat.

    After Iowa and New Hampshire this year, Democrats became terrified that Bernie would be the new face of the Democrats. Biden came in second at the Nevada caucuses, and then won 50% of the vote in South Carolina. Buttigieg, Klobuchar, and Bloomberg quickly withdrew and threw their support to Biden.

    Political parties have a strong sense of survival. If what they are doing has led them to defeat, they change.

    We should all pitch in and get Gary a Trumpy Bear for Christmas:

    https://gettrumpybear.com/

     

    • #60
    • November 1, 2020, at 2:49 PM PST
    • 8 likes