President Trump's reckless disruption of Washington taps into America's distrust of institutions. Democrats must resist him without defending institutional status quo.
I would argue that Biden worked within the existing political construct to get done what 50% of country (including you and me) supported. What he didn't do is acknowledge the public's widespread frustration with political and social institutions, much less seek to adapt them to the times. He let Trump be the sole populist in the election, the only change agent. Dems need to seize the change mantle. To co-opt Bush's "Reformer with Results" slogan, Trump and his ilk are a Reformers with Revenge. Democrats must counter as reformers with a heart.
Sclerotic institutionalism is what doomed the Democrats during Biden's term. In Ukraine, in Gaza, in the criminal courts trying to hold Trump accountable.
The Republicans rolled up all the unpopular institutionalism supported by the Democratic Party in their 2024 "they/them" campaign ad, the most devastating political ad since Willie Horton.
“Democrats would be wiser to position themselves as reformers — positive populists who disrupt the same institutions Trump does, but rather than doing so for self-aggrandizement, as the president does, act on behalf of the whole country.”
So, you say that people have been losing faith in government for years. You say that government doesn’t represent the needs of the people. (These seem related.)
For DECADES both parties have been nibbling around the edges of this problem trying to claim relevancy while in actuality expanding the problem. We finally get somebody to attract the root causes, head-on. And you call the effort reckless. Pick a lane…
Have you ever remodeled your house, Ryan? You’re in the middle of demo when your cabinets show up. The flooring guy is late and you’re trying to get the framing done so the electricians and plumbers show up before drywall and priming can be done. All while you and the family are in your in-law’s house with 535 two-year-olds. Costs are overrunning, schedules are slipping and you’ve got to ask your parents for a couple of grand to handle the knob and tube wiring.
Now multiple your project until is over $4T and expanding.
I’d say chaos isn’t unexpected, and it’s only reckless if you think you can only nibble at the problem…
President Biden had us back on the right track in terms of taking government action helpful to « we, the people “ but no one could hear that news over the roar of misinformation. Media outlets unreported this. No government isn’t perfect but the current administration is trying to burn down the whole thing. This is not about democrats, or people’s perceptions. This is unconstitutional and will crash our economy, health systems etc. This is a 5 alarm fire and everyone must speak up.
I would argue that Biden worked within the existing political construct to get done what 50% of country (including you and me) supported. What he didn't do is acknowledge the public's widespread frustration with political and social institutions, much less seek to adapt them to the times. He let Trump be the sole populist in the election, the only change agent. Dems need to seize the change mantle. To co-opt Bush's "Reformer with Results" slogan, Trump and his ilk are a Reformers with Revenge. Democrats must counter as reformers with a heart.
Sclerotic institutionalism is what doomed the Democrats during Biden's term. In Ukraine, in Gaza, in the criminal courts trying to hold Trump accountable.
The Republicans rolled up all the unpopular institutionalism supported by the Democratic Party in their 2024 "they/them" campaign ad, the most devastating political ad since Willie Horton.
“Democrats would be wiser to position themselves as reformers — positive populists who disrupt the same institutions Trump does, but rather than doing so for self-aggrandizement, as the president does, act on behalf of the whole country.”
Exactly right, thank you for putting it so well.
So, you say that people have been losing faith in government for years. You say that government doesn’t represent the needs of the people. (These seem related.)
For DECADES both parties have been nibbling around the edges of this problem trying to claim relevancy while in actuality expanding the problem. We finally get somebody to attract the root causes, head-on. And you call the effort reckless. Pick a lane…
Fair point, Frank. Two things can be true:
1) We need government reforms/disruption to attack the root causes.
2) Trump's approach is reckless.
That is my lane. Looks like we agree on #1 but not on #2 -- 50% agreement is better than none! :)
i really appreciate how you've approached this pushback.
Have you ever remodeled your house, Ryan? You’re in the middle of demo when your cabinets show up. The flooring guy is late and you’re trying to get the framing done so the electricians and plumbers show up before drywall and priming can be done. All while you and the family are in your in-law’s house with 535 two-year-olds. Costs are overrunning, schedules are slipping and you’ve got to ask your parents for a couple of grand to handle the knob and tube wiring.
Now multiple your project until is over $4T and expanding.
I’d say chaos isn’t unexpected, and it’s only reckless if you think you can only nibble at the problem…
*attack
President Biden had us back on the right track in terms of taking government action helpful to « we, the people “ but no one could hear that news over the roar of misinformation. Media outlets unreported this. No government isn’t perfect but the current administration is trying to burn down the whole thing. This is not about democrats, or people’s perceptions. This is unconstitutional and will crash our economy, health systems etc. This is a 5 alarm fire and everyone must speak up.