Tag: The Bulwark

Are Trump Supporters Ready for Change?

Kelly D Johnston
Kelly D Johnston
73201825
 

Most food packages come with one of two expiration dates. One says “best if used by” a date after which the quality slowly declines. The second one says “use by” or “expires by,” after which the product may be hazardous to your health.

It appears that Donald Trump may have hit his expiration date. It is hazardous for Republicans to nominate him for another White House run.

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Democrat-Supporting Grift Outfit Laments the ‘Extinction’ of ‘Good Republicans’

Victor Tango Kilo
Victor Tango Kilo
10720
 

There’s an article on the Bull-Work (I read it so you don’t have to) lamenting that “The Good Republicans are gone. Probably for good.” They lament that Ben Sasse is leaving the Senate because he — like Liz Cheney, Adam Kinzinger, and Paul Ryan — were “good Republicans.”

To the Bull-workers, a good Republican is a Republican that ignores his constituents and follows The New York Times editorial page. “Good Republicans” never question the decency and competence of the Deep State bureaucracy. “Good Republicans” let the left own the culture and institutions because fighting them is distasteful. “Good Republicans” support open borders and uncontrolled mass immigration because it’s good for the donor class. “Good Republicans” don’t question media narratives. “Good Republicans” most certainly do not oppose costly foreign wars all over the world.

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The Bulwark (Once Again) Endorses a Democrat

Victor Tango Kilo
Victor Tango Kilo
27721
 

The “Reagan conservatives” at The Bulwark really hate Ohio Republican senate nominee JD Vance.  (“Trump’s Hillbilly” — they literally called him that.) So this morning, Bill Kristol and fellow Bulwark Operative Tim Miller endorsed his Democratic opponent. “If you voted for Matt Dolan, a totally inoffensive Republican in this primary and don’t want literal authoritarianism advanced by a charlatan who is at the mercy of Donald Trump’s whims go ahead a sign up to support inoffensive Democrat@TimRyan.”

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Face, Meet Palm

Kephalithos
Kephalithos
1010
 

The Bulwark outdid itself this weekend. The Bulwark outdoes itself every weekend, but this particular piece deserves a spot in the official Bad Bulwark Takes Hall of Fame. Read it if you dare.

I won’t quote it. Too much work. But I will offer a brief summary: The Kyle Rittenhouse trial failed to reach the outcome desired by the cultural left, so Bruce Schroeder, the judge, should be voted out and replaced. He makes jokes about Asian food! Yeah, yeah, everyone seems to admire him, and they call him “objective” or “no-nonsense” or something. But just look at the outcome! Racism! Racial injustice! White supremacists roaming the streets!

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Critical Theory in Ohio School Districts

Kephalithos
Kephalithos
2213
 

Why do I do this to myself? True to form, The Bulwark‘s Charlie Sykes has once again dismissed anti-critical race theory sentiment as mere paranoia:

These are more than scattered anecdotes, and do seem to indicate a trend — at least in a certain strata of schools. But how widespread is this sort of thing in less elite, posh, rarefied precincts? . . . As far as I know, nobody knows the answer. And nobody really wants to find out. The point of shark attack politics is not data — it is fear and outrage. And for outrage, anecdata is more than sufficient. Statistics are irrelevant, if the stories are graphic and alarming enough. So, even though the vast majority of Americans will never encounter anything remotely like CRT, it becomes a real threat and a potent political weapon.

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The Bulwark

Henry Racette
Henry Racette
128333297
 

It’s funny how catalysts work.

In chemical terms, catalysts are things that accelerate reactions but that are not themselves consumed in those reactions. When you add oxygen to a fire, the rate of burning is increased — but the oxygen is consumed in the process: oxygen is not a catalyst. On the other hand, the platinum in the catalytic converter in your car is a catalyst: it catalyzes (facilitates) a chemical reaction that reduces toxic carbon monoxide and waste hydrocarbons, converting these substances into, largely, non-toxic carbon dioxide and water. (Platinum isn’t a perfect catalyst, in that it’s gradually changed in the process, but it does a good job nonetheless.)

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Useless Useful Idiots: Whither The Bulwark and The Dispatch After Trump?

The Elephant in the Room
The Elephant in the Room
37521
 

Ever since Donald Trump’s 2016 presidential campaign began to look like it was more than a promotional stunt for his reality show and began to take on the shape of a real run at the White House, there were voices on the Right condemning the whole idea of a Trump presidency. The Right’s most concerted effort took the form of National Review’s “Against Trump” issue, and most on the Right remain critical of the President’s failings even if they support him generally. (This is a marked difference from the last Democrat president, who received virtually no significant criticism from members of his party while in office.) But a sizable group of Republicans (excuse me, “former Republicans”) abandoned their party and became “Never Trumpers” – they were so exorcized by the idea of Donald Trump personally that they could no longer support their party. Some, like Max Boot and Jennifer Rubin, completely altered their beliefs and values because they hated Trump so much.

And from this sprang a whole new cottage industry of Republican-hating Conservatives. A niche craft that once belonged only to David Brooks and David Frum suddenly burst open with a whole field of carpetbaggers toting elephant guns: Charles Sykes, Mona Charen, Jonah Goldberg, George Will, Noah Rothman, Joe Scarborough, just to name a few. And with it has come two political websites to challenge the likes of NationalReview.com, CommentaryMagazine.com, and Ricochet.com: TheBulwark.com and TheDispatch.com.

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Q & A, Hosted by Jay Nordlinger #257

JVL and JSN

35
Hosted by Jay Nordlinger
With guest Jonathan V. Last

Jonathan V. Last, executive editor of The Bulwark, is known as “JVL.” Jay (S.) Nordlinger is not known as “JSN” – but we will call him that just for the purposes of this episode. Jay and Jonathan worked together at The Weekly Standard many years ago – indeed, in the last century. On this podcast, Jay asks Jonathan the pregnant question: What does the “V” stand for? They go on to Jonathan’s university, Johns Hopkins, which Jonathan excoriates in no uncertain terms. Then they talk about George Will, whom Jonathan first started reading when he was in seventh grade. He grew up to attend a ballgame with Will and, as a bonus, Tony La Russa. At Jay’s prodding, Jonathan further talks about presidential politics, Star Wars, Star Trek, design, presidents, athletes, musicians, novelists, and more. A tour with JVL is a rich and interesting one indeed. Jay calls him one of his favorite journalists and favorite people in America.

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Bulwark Report: When All You Have Is an Anti-Trump Hammer…

Henry Racette
Henry Racette
24927
 

I think Jonathan V. Last is a very funny fellow, in a dark and sardonic way. I enjoy him on the Sub-Beacon podcast and wherever else I hear him. He’s an amusing, irreverent, nebbish fellow, and I don’t like saying bad things about him.

But his latest piece at The Bulwark, entitled Donald and Jussie, Birds of a Feather, is trying too hard to fulfill The Bulwark’s mission, which is to spare no expense, grace, or integrity in its effort to besmirch the all-too-readily besmirchable President Trump.

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The Bul****: You’ve Gotta Pivot Like There’s Nobody Watching

Henry Racette
Henry Racette
12927
 

Lest we lose sight of the forest for the trees: It seems to me likely Mueller will find there was collusion between Trump associates and Putin operatives; that Trump knew about it; and that Trump sought to cover it up and obstruct its investigation. What then? Good question. — Bill Kristol, August 9, 2018

Good question, indeed. The complementary question, of course, is: what if Mueller doesn’t find that there was collusion between Trump associates and Putin operatives? What then?

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Member Post

Gary Robbins
Gary Robbins
13725
 

As my fellow Ricochetti know, I financially support two websites, Ricochet and The Bulwark. Today I saw a great article in the Atlantic about The Bulwark. Mindful of the need to not simply reproduce an entire article, I have edited out 30 paragraphs and submit that the remaining six paragraphs best summarize the article. (If […]
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