Trumpopulists: what will be the priorities?

There is often a logic, beneath shrill jeremiads. For example, Ted Cruz has proclaimed that even one more liberal or moderate justice appointed to the U.S. Supreme Court might shift the reading of the Second Amendment (2A) — does it give private individuals an unlimited right to own guns, or reserve that right only to members of a militia? 

(Go read the amendment and come back. In Heller v. D.C. the court went with Red America’s wishes by one vote, one interpretative vote. Moreover, let me shudder and add that Cruz is probably right about this one thing. The swing between those two interpretations is very likely to teeter for our lifetimes and more. But in railing about the near-term, he and his followers ignore the long term implication –

-- that the Second Amendment, as currently worded, is by far the weakest in the entire Bill of Rights.  If this court or the next one does not reverse Heller, then it will inevitably happen when some huge national tragedy strikes. That’s called the “Ratchet Effect” (see The Transparent Society), and you are behooved to plan, during good times, for what you’ll do at some future crisis, when the public is scared.

If today's political rightwing were rational, it would be working right now to gather consensus for a new Constitutional Amendment that might protect weapon rights far more firmly than the ambiguous and inherently frail Second. I have elsewhere described just such an amendment, which could actually pass! Because it offers some needed compromises to liberals and moderates – some positive-sum win-wins - while protecting a core of gun rights more firmly than 2A.  

In fact, this begins a long list of possible compromises that might help left and right wing populists get some of their favorite wishes, while giving up things they deem less important. It used to be called “politics.”  Consider trying it, some time.

== My consolation, if Trump gets the GOP nom ==

There are several silver linings to Donald Trump. Oh, I am fretful, for sure. In fact, one of those argent glimmers – that Trump likely does not believe even ten percent of the pandering things that he rants – is as dismaying as it is encouraging.  

One thing is as certain as sunrise. As nominee, he will charge to the center with dazzling, roadrunner agility, leaving it to VP nominee Huckabee or Rubio or even Cruz or some other shrieker to keep the confederates from bolting.  As president he would prove both more moderate in policy and vastly more of a sociopathic fibber than even Richard Nixon. 

Want to know in advance one key moment that could deeply discomfit GOP elders – indeed, that they dread? As nominee, Trump would battle Hillary Clinton or Bernie Sanders very hard. Nastily hard. And yet, at some point in the summer and autumn debates, he is almost certain to say: “Of course the rich pay too little tax!” 

And thus, with both nominees agreeing, on live TV, that needle would shift, hard. At long last, with almost a consensus sigh, Supply Side Voodoo (SSV) will be finished, precipitating the first of several convergences of left- and right- populisms.

But the biggest silver lining is simply this.  A Trump nomination will make George F. Will’s head explode. 

Mr. Will’s almost-daily rants against Trump are a sight to behold and I confess to gleeful schadenfreude over this bona fide American traitor’s discomfiture. No citizen of this republic was so well placed to denounce and possibly arrest the hijacking of conservatism by monsters, bent on destroying U.S. politics, one of the key problem-solving skills we need, for a fast-changing era.   

Will had the intelligence to see that Supply Side was voodoo, utterly disproved by  thirty years of diametrically-opposite outcomes. He has known for two decades that the War on Science (and journalism, teaching and all other knowledge castes) was destructive and that the Hastert Rule - against GOP pols ever negotiating in good faith - was outright treason. Faced with the Fox-Limbaugh dumbing-down of American conservatism (financed by oligarchs, many of them foreign, who have no love of Smithian-flat-fair-competititve capitalism), Will at-best occasionally whimpered, then went back to his flack-lackey task of concocting rationalizations for oligarchy.

This man – this one fellow – could have led a rebellion by conservative intellects to save their movement from Manchurian captivity. It would have been fun! Historically memorable and possibly rewarding… though risky. A real man – and Will has had the nerve to lecture at us, over the years, about manhood – might have accepted the challenge, for the good of his nation and civilization. Indeed, for the good of American conservatism, whose descent into frothing, carpet-chewing hydrophobia can be laid squarely at his feet.

Oh, oh, this will be my solace when I see Donald Trump accepting the Republican nomination. To envision George F. Will swallowing that pill.  Reaping the whirlwind that he helped fanatics, foreign meddlers, junkers-lords and quislings to sow. The know-nothing tide and criminally re-ignited civil war that he abetted, using his substantial intelligence to help inflict dogma-rabies upon a nation of pragmatic, problem-solving citizens.

== Delightful asides ==

Oh... For those of you calling Marco Rubio the great hope of “moderates” in the Republican Party, have a look at what he says about “God’s Law always winning over “ even the U.S. Constitution. Those clutching at Sen. Rubio as the great hope of Republican "moderates" - a man who would throw a 13 year old girl into prison for cleansing herself of any residue, a week after being raped - only show how deep into depravity even Ronald Reagan would call the "moderate" wing of his party.

By comparison. This stunning piece of rationalization from a Jordanian journalist asserts that Saudi Arabia has been devastating Iran, crediting a Saudi Prince with ending Iran’s nuclear program and calling low oil prices a deliberate Saudi gambit to crush the Iranian economy.  In fact, the article is worth reading! In order to see a weird perspective, and to glimpse some aspects re the War in Yemen of which westerners are mostly-unaware.  Still, the entire screed is absurd.  Oil price plummets had nothing to do with Iran.  That the price drop has cut wages to Shiite radical militias is good, of course, but the end of economic sanctions and ending the drain of a bomb program will both stimulate the main, non-radical elements in Iranian society.  Meanwhile, who has the most to dread from Iran rejoining the community of nations, no longer crippled by sanctions?  The Saudis, you bet. 

== Bernie vs Hillary ==

Okay, Bernie went up one notch in my estimation: Sanders would instigate a 0.5% tax on stock trades - to reduce speculation and high frequency stock trading.  If Congress whittled it in half, that’d be just right. See elsewhere my own riffs on why such a transaction tax is utterly essential… including a sci fi reason Bernie won’t mention. I’m still not sure he is my first choice to be president.  But boy am I glad he is out there raising lots and lots of policy boldness to our political attention and horizon. For the record, Clinton also supports a transaction tax.

Sandersites and Hillarites, go ahead and argue.  But if you start copying the "passion" and hate we see on the Confederacy side, then we are doomed. Stop it!!  Whether Hill or Bern win the nom, they will tell you to replace emotion with iron-willed logic, the way the Union was less frenzied and more logical, when America won vital, earlier phases of this civil war.

If Hill wins and you still kinda dislike her?  Then turn to a local congressional or state assembly race in which your passion can make a huge, local difference, while grudgingly murmuring "I guess I'll vote for her." And  "it's the Supreme Court, stupid."

Clinton supporters, make the same vow! Our confederate neighbors are in a science-hating psychosis that is now 100% dogma and 0% facts.  Their screeching rage denies all ability to look at ACTUAL OUTCOMES across GOP vs Democratic presidencies.

Do... not... be... like... that. We cannot afford it.

== Your Halloween Costume - plan ahead ==

Pay attention to Spike Lee, one of our smartest myth-spinners.  He gets the power of symbolism, even when only a few percent “get it” consciously.  Take a look at the photo of Spike being interviewed in early 2016.  His cap is no mere accessory.  It is a “kepi” worn by Union soldiers during the Civil War.  Four (and also I believe eight) years ago, I urged that folks consider making this their Halloween costume, at minimum, but I was premature.  Now is the time.

(Hey Spike! Come out with your own line of kepis! Offer them for sale!)

From 1852 till 1865, America suffered horrible betrayals not so much by a region as a cancerous mindset – feudalist, rancorous, and utterly devoted to romantic oligarchy – rule by plantations lords – for whom a million poor whites willingly fought and suffered and died, striving against their own best interests.  

We are now in a later, re-ignited phase of that same Civil War.  And make no mistake, this is not purely regional. 

As Matthew McConaughey’s new movie “Free State of Jones” will portray, there were many, many believers in the Union and our Great Revolution against feudalism, all across the south.  Many of them took up the cause, wearing that blue kepi.  I pray that we get through this phase of our Civil War without resort to arms – only a couple of the phases were violent, though all were painful.  Elections are best! Still… get the hat.