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As someone who listens to many conservative podcasts (including Trump critics like Goldberg) I’m consistently impressed by how distorted their understanding of “the left” or “liberals” is. It’s like they think all liberals are either Angela Davis or Rahm Emanuel.
The thought that someone might actually have principles (other than them) is inconceivable. Which says more about them than the phantom “left” they so despise and fear. And goes a long way toward explaining the ties between traditional conservatism and Trumpism.
It’s probably not a surprise that a conservative tradition that started from the specious argument that everyone to their left was a civilization-destroying Communist, would develop such a distorted view of their “enemy.” https://twitter.com/sethcotlar/status/1074095188811739136
As someone who tries to pay attention to what's happening on the US right, it's often hard to resist the conclusion that there isn't much substance holding it together besides a reactionary hatred of "the left." Lose that juice, and the energy wanes. https://twitter.com/SethCotlar/status/1072597041379983360?s=20
I don't want to wade into the Lincoln Project/Bulwark discourse...but I will just say this. I appreciate the outspoken stand such folks have taken against the Trumpist GOP. But every time I hear such folks talk about "the left" of which they are still not a part, I cringe.
I cringe because their view of "the left" and of what's politically possible (and/or preferable) in the US hasn't seemed to have moved beyond Zombie Reaganism ca. 1988. They're still on team tax cut, deregulation, entitlement reform, and reducing the national debt.
If they think a viable political party that embraces such ideals can find a constituency in 21st century America w/o the rhetorical juice of Trumpian jingoism, well...more power to them I guess. But it's pretty hard for me to see happening.
