Commentary
Ironically, as I leafed through the weekend edition of the Wall Street Journal, I saw a feature, “Where Do Never Trumpers Go From Here,” a subject on my blog to do list.
As I read the subhead on the Journal piece, It’s decision time for the five tribes of the anti-Trump right, I wondered which tribe my friend, Tom, would belong.
I wasn’t aware that there were five different factions, but the author Kevin D. Williamson lists them in Five Nations of the Anti-Trump Confederacy – Neocons, Frenchmen, Libertarians, Snoots, and Lifers.
While reading Williamson’s description of the tribes, I realized that he concocted his division of political wonks into one of his five tribes, which excludes my friend, who has a full-throated disdain for Trump, but has zero interest in politics.
After writing at the National Review for 15 years, I was surprised that he went to the Dispatch, home of anti-Trumpers Jonah Goldberg and Stephen Hayes, once contributors to Fox. And more surprising that the Journal gave him the generous space when he states that “politics is suspended” at the Dispatch.
He insists that during staff meetings, the Dispatch would not position themselves for “that former or future presidential candidate, or how to influence this or that aspect of this or that party’s internal factional politics. The Dispatch is here to do journalism – not politics.”
With that line of BS in mind, I read his recent piece, “The Decimated GOP: Trump has been an electoral disaster that Republicans keep backing,” in which he notes that “Trump has succeeded in doing one big thing for the 2024 presidential election, he has (almost literally) decimated the Republican Party.” He continued, stating that 9 in 10 who are for Trump, are “chumps,” and refers to former President Trump in a crude fashion I will not repeat.
So much for “journalism – not politics.” But there’s more.
I find it somewhat incongruous that Williamson is so opposed to Trump, since he is Writer in Residence at the Competitive Enterprise Institute, with its mission to “reform America’s regulatory state, developing and advocating policies to eliminate harmful bureaucratic controls so people can live in a freer, healthier, and more prosperous nation.” One of Trump’s primary focuses.
Two years into office, Trump issued two executive orders, saying, “We are reforming the bureaucracy to make it lean, responsive, and accountable. And we are ensuring our laws are enforced fairly.”
Of course, the American Federation of Government Employees are concerned about Trump taking up where he left, warning that he “still represents an existential threat to both organized labor and the federal civil service writ large,” said Everett Kelley, it’s national president.
The left-leaning Brookings think tank, using data from the American Action Forum, reported that the Trump administration imposed annual net regulatory costs of $10 billion, compared to the $111 billion of the Obama administration and $43 billion of the George W. Bush administration.
With the failure of the Never Trump movement, formed in 2015-2016 to keep him from winning the presidency, most of the big names in conservatism have now become his strongest defenders.
“The ‘Never Trump’ Coalition That Decided Eh, Never Mind, He’s Fine” – New York Times
“The Never Trump wing of the GOP never had a chance” – Vox
“The US election 2024: big-name ‘never-Trumpers’ are now falling into line” – The Conversation
Some big names in political circles, in elected office and the media, came out against Trump in the now infamous February 15, 2016 “Against Trump” edition of National Review, which I recalled in my May 11, 2024, blog.
Sen. Lindsay Graham was opposed to Trump in 2016 but has since come to be one of his biggest supporters. Nikki Haley had some strong words for Trump, but eventually decided to support and campaign for him. Sen. Mitt Romey continues to be a never Trumper.
With the frequent reference to Trump’s demand for loyalty among people advising him, I am sure J. D. Vance was as surprised as those on his campaign when he was selected to be Trump’s running mate. There’s a lengthy list of words he used dating back to 2016, including “reprehensible,” “America’s Hitler,” and his admission to being a “never Trump guy.”
In a recent Rasmussen Report survey, 50 percent of likely voters view Vance favorably, including 33 percent very favorably. Forty-two percent viewed Walz favorably and 28 percent very favorably.
With just 20 days until Election Day, I encourage you to vote early and vote Republican.
May God continue to bless the United States of America.
