Donald Trump's populism is dying

[bravenak]

In sum, Trump's emotion-laden campaign promises turn to dust when he actually tries to implement them. In the real world, populism has few concrete, viable solutions to offer the United States. Not surprisingly, when Americans see how it works in practice, they recoil against the mean-spirited anti-immigrant measures, an alliance with anti-democratic kleptocrats and the reverse Robin Hood schemes that widen the inequality gap. Bannon's mumbo-jumbo about "deconstruction of the administrative state" apparently means a healthcare scheme which keeps much of Obamacare's architecture (but favors rich people), enhanced police powers to go after hard-working immigrants and refusal to touch Medicare and Social Security. Populism hence becomes Robber Baron-ism.

Perhaps it took Trump to discredit the whole grab bag of ideas and remind us that putting "America first" means maintaining leadership in the world, keeping markets open and staying true to our values.

http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/opinion/commentary/ct-trump-populism-america-first-20170309-story.html

[JHan]

1. I gotta say, Jennifer Rubin has been bloody amazing in her op-eds.

[bravenak]

2. She hates him just as much as we do

[gratuitous]

15. She has much for which to atone

But at least she's moving in the right direction.

[nikibatts]

3. Whatever happened to Donna Britt? I miss her op-eds. One of at the best ever.

[bravenak]

6. Ooooh, i don't know.

Maybe retired

[Gothmog]

4. Trump has been a failure as POTUS and this will catch up with him

[bravenak]

7. He just can't make this go away

[rockfordfile]

9. Yes that's true

[dalton99a]

5. Great article.

[zentrum]

8. it doesn't matter. For the

...most part, it's too late.

They don't care what the "populace" says or feels at all. The populace was only useful to get elected.

They have seized all the power centers of the main institutions. They have almost undone all checks and balance. In one month.

They will "pacify" the populace with a war---that is, they will shut up the majority with some big patriotic violence abroad.

It was a coup.

[notdarkyet]

10. He's the walking dead and his plans

Are DOA. Once his zombies lose their HC they might wake up.

[RainAndMoreRain]

11. He Was An Overnight Populist

Not a real one.

Populism = having the rich pay their fair share.

Now that would sell.

[George II]

12. They love him in Moscow.

[ananda]

13. He doesn't really need it because ..

.. his only master is Vladimir Putin.

[gordianot]

14. Now is the time the Democratic Party figure out how to regain populism.

You cannot depend just being the other Party. The Democratic Party needs to establish why their choices make a difference. Hope there is enough time.

[Adrahil]

16. Overall, I'm not a huge fan of populism.

Populism tends to be driven by resentment of one kind or another, and resentment is rarely the basis for good policy.

[gordianot]

17. I agree populism was not a good choice of terminology.

Messaging needs to be improved.

[Adrahil]

18. agree NT

[JudyM]

19. "Reverse Robin Hood schemes" is a great turn of phrase. We need to speak like this. Concisely vivid.

[MountCleaners]

20. How is "enhanced police power"

a component of "small government"? RWers never have an answer for this. Surely the founding fathers would have a problem with the US becoming a police state.