Writing as an old guy who grew up in a small-ish southern town, I think you're on target. You may over-rate taxes as an issue, but you understate the toxicity of "woke-ism." It's a matter of vocabulary more than policies. Progressives seem far into a Newspeak program concocted in the most esoteric subdisciplines of the academic humanities. I think Biden remains the Democrats' leader because he's the only candidate available who has enough power within the party without being certifiably bonkers from the perspective of "middle America."
Bravo. This matches my opinion as someone that actually interacts with both political species.
I think the pandemic was a beneficial help to the Democrats to delay their reconning. Unfortunately I think it broke their political strategy in that they mistook it for a structural winning strategy. Then Dobbs and it reinforced their mistake.
The female rage vote over abortion might again help the Democrats perform over their capability; however, I suspect that the 2024 election is going to help break down the old party of the working class... so that it reforms into something much better than it is today. At least I hope so.
As a recently naturalized immigrant and a former scholar of European politics and culture, I brought a left of centre approach to life and my new home. I am now surprised by the deep, extremist politics that lie beneath the surface of the American two-party system. The ease with which radical Republicans and even more radical Democrats can hide behind the respectable cloak of these instruments of democratic representation shocks me. There is however a difference. Republicans do it to sustain centuries old practices such as capitalist greed, religious adherence and gun ownership. The Left does it because they believe in neo-communism, revolutionary change and white extinction.
Guess which one I loathe most. Yes, the left oriented latter. They believe in hatred of America. The former just want to be left alone with their hats and trucks. They have the guns but the ‘progressives’ are going for the institutions. They have even hypnotized military leaders. This is not about culture. It is about power.
I'm 80 years old and the first generation of my family to grow up suburban. Which is to say, dependent on city amenities. My family pushed me and my cousins to get a college degree. And nationally, we are legion.
The rural people you write about are my people. I spend time with small town/rural people often. In many ways I feel more affinity with them than suburban/city folks.
The Democrats talk a good game, but you're right. If "we" don't pay attention to and support the real lives of this "other" culture, we're all screwed.
The Democrats need to (1) recast Big Government as strong government, a state that works with big private enterprises in stimulating the productivity of the national economy, in accordance with a well-conceived national economic plan; (2) end their alliance with the neocons and their endless wars, seeking cooperation with the emerging nations of the world; (3) return to the classic social justice formulation of equal opportunity for all; and (4) recognize that fiscal responsibility is a necessity for good government. An alternative program that the Democratic Party has to respectfully explain to the people.
This is an excellent piece. It's all been obvious for years, and yet somehow it continues to be recondite knowledge. If laying it out now in trenchant, unadorned prose can do some good, you'll do some good.
You write, "Fundamentally, the Democratic position is—and has been for years now—a house of cards. My fear is that it will collapse at the worst possible moment—this November." My sentiments exactly:
It's weird. The Biden administration has been a sea change in changing how antitrust is enforced, which Obama didn't do so well, and not Trump either. The Democratic Party should trumpet this, but don't? Perhaps they think Fox News et al would savage them, and perhaps this is true. That said, it's one thing that would change the economy in ways that are cross-party beneficial to most Americans.
I don't doubt that Kahn has some valid points. What I do have a problem with is how many people act like Democrats/liberals/coastal people are solely to blame for what's clearly a history of mutual disrespect.
Writing as an old guy who grew up in a small-ish southern town, I think you're on target. You may over-rate taxes as an issue, but you understate the toxicity of "woke-ism." It's a matter of vocabulary more than policies. Progressives seem far into a Newspeak program concocted in the most esoteric subdisciplines of the academic humanities. I think Biden remains the Democrats' leader because he's the only candidate available who has enough power within the party without being certifiably bonkers from the perspective of "middle America."
Bravo. This matches my opinion as someone that actually interacts with both political species.
I think the pandemic was a beneficial help to the Democrats to delay their reconning. Unfortunately I think it broke their political strategy in that they mistook it for a structural winning strategy. Then Dobbs and it reinforced their mistake.
The female rage vote over abortion might again help the Democrats perform over their capability; however, I suspect that the 2024 election is going to help break down the old party of the working class... so that it reforms into something much better than it is today. At least I hope so.
As a recently naturalized immigrant and a former scholar of European politics and culture, I brought a left of centre approach to life and my new home. I am now surprised by the deep, extremist politics that lie beneath the surface of the American two-party system. The ease with which radical Republicans and even more radical Democrats can hide behind the respectable cloak of these instruments of democratic representation shocks me. There is however a difference. Republicans do it to sustain centuries old practices such as capitalist greed, religious adherence and gun ownership. The Left does it because they believe in neo-communism, revolutionary change and white extinction.
Guess which one I loathe most. Yes, the left oriented latter. They believe in hatred of America. The former just want to be left alone with their hats and trucks. They have the guns but the ‘progressives’ are going for the institutions. They have even hypnotized military leaders. This is not about culture. It is about power.
I'm 80 years old and the first generation of my family to grow up suburban. Which is to say, dependent on city amenities. My family pushed me and my cousins to get a college degree. And nationally, we are legion.
The rural people you write about are my people. I spend time with small town/rural people often. In many ways I feel more affinity with them than suburban/city folks.
The Democrats talk a good game, but you're right. If "we" don't pay attention to and support the real lives of this "other" culture, we're all screwed.
The Democrats need to (1) recast Big Government as strong government, a state that works with big private enterprises in stimulating the productivity of the national economy, in accordance with a well-conceived national economic plan; (2) end their alliance with the neocons and their endless wars, seeking cooperation with the emerging nations of the world; (3) return to the classic social justice formulation of equal opportunity for all; and (4) recognize that fiscal responsibility is a necessity for good government. An alternative program that the Democratic Party has to respectfully explain to the people.
https://charlesmckelvey.substack.com/
If someone knows the words to Lynyrd Skynyrd songs they are OK in my book 😉!
This is an excellent piece. It's all been obvious for years, and yet somehow it continues to be recondite knowledge. If laying it out now in trenchant, unadorned prose can do some good, you'll do some good.
You write, "Fundamentally, the Democratic position is—and has been for years now—a house of cards. My fear is that it will collapse at the worst possible moment—this November." My sentiments exactly:
https://thefamilyproperty.blogspot.com/2023/07/card-game.html
https://thefamilyproperty.blogspot.com/2024/04/the-archimedean-gamble.html
Having grown up in Alaska and now living in New Mexico, this is absolutely right on point. Thank you for writing it.
Very well-written piece; matches my experience in rural counties in Virginia.
It's weird. The Biden administration has been a sea change in changing how antitrust is enforced, which Obama didn't do so well, and not Trump either. The Democratic Party should trumpet this, but don't? Perhaps they think Fox News et al would savage them, and perhaps this is true. That said, it's one thing that would change the economy in ways that are cross-party beneficial to most Americans.
See: https://www.thebignewsletter.com/
🔥🔥🔥
I don't doubt that Kahn has some valid points. What I do have a problem with is how many people act like Democrats/liberals/coastal people are solely to blame for what's clearly a history of mutual disrespect.