They may (at least some of them) start listening. But I suspect it may take a while. After Jimmy Carter, Republicans held the president's office for 12 years. But it's possible they are in an even bigger hole. After Lincoln was elected, and the Civil War began, the Democrats did not elect a president until 1884--24 years without a Dem president. And Grover Cleveland, who was elected then, was a fiscal conservative, who cut spending while in office! (Totally unlike our modern Dems!)
I do think we are in the middle of a period of major change. We seem to have one about every 80 years, and it takes about 20 years or so to work through. We may be about halfway through this one. Yes, I have read Strauss and Howe's book, "The Fourth Turning." I do not necessarily agree with all of their details, but the concept of major change every 80 years seems valid. Another writer who sees that cycle is George Friedman, formerly of Stratfor, wrote a book a few years ago, "The Storm Before the Calm." He used the 80-year political cycle, but added a 50-60 year economic cycle--and noted that for the first time, both cycles are landing in the same decade!
One thing in the current situation that I find interesting: while the Dems are still lined up behind leaders in their 70s and 80s--Biden, Pelosi, Schumer, the Clintons, and more--Trump is bringing in a bunch of younger people in their 40s--Vance, Hegseth, Gabbard, Musk, Ramaswamy, and more. The Dems may well get smacked by the Wave of the Future. I'm 74 myself--no youngster--but I do think this is going to be significant. And older Republicans, like Cornyn, had better be careful.
At base, the Democrats have failed to accept eternal verities--such as "no free lunch" (contra to "modern monetary theory" ideas about gov't spending), and lies catch up with you. The degree of corruption that has been revealed (to date) is breathtaking. So many of these programs have backdoor $$ for pols and their families (thinking Ukraine--where the Biden's aren't the only ones in on the grift). Their climate programs typically favor donors with gov't grants. All OPM (Other People's Money) because, to coin a phrase, they "didn't build that".
One other scam ripe for investigation is Act Blue and other schemes financing Democrat elections.
My view is the we should hang tough and be ready to smell a stench as the cesspool is drained.
I don't know enough about the ins-and-outs of campaign finance laws, but I know enough to ask a rhetorical question about how these Oprah / Beyonce etc. payments may have actually been intended to game the campaign finance system? Donation limits, reporting requirements, and so on.
And/or, to establish slush funds and folks from Kamala and crew will later be "hired" by some of these entities, thereby being paid from campaign funds indirectly and after-the-fact?
When Z-man can raise 10s to 100s of Billions with NO PLAN of any sort, none of this silliness is surprising. In fact, it is strong evidence of how politicized our leaders have allowed our government to become.
We need to play the ball, not the man...by this I mean, we should attack behaviors rather than people and institutions.
Funnier is a story about a Boston-area businessman, proven with assets, who can't get a loan for component parts for a potential contract with Boeing. It was in 2017 or thereabouts. Riddle me that Batman. Same stuff...
The Democratic party that my father belonged to, did to him what Ronald Regan said "he didn't leave the Democratic Party, the Democratic Party left him". You do not achieve loyalty by talking down to people, you get it by listening to their concerns. The lockdowns, and and every aspect of the social experiment called "Covid" woke many up by the absurd rules which have all been debunked. They continued to lie and "The People" recognized and responded. God Bless America
I think they are good at one thing; figuring out ways to acquire power and keep it by hook or by crook. Institutions, NGOs, media, right down to lowly apparatchiks. It is a Machine. They want to dictate a be a bully with how they divide the spoils of power. They are far too arrogant to change and don't have the right incentives. They think Trump was a fluke. Once DOGE get going and if it accomplishes something the incentives will change
Totally agree! Democrat is a party affiliation. It's important to recognize that the United States of America is a Constitutional Republic (for those who never had a civics class). When dems warn that Trump is a threat to 'democracy' what they REALLY mean is that he is a threat to BUREAUCRACY. DOGE will make that go <poof!>
Oprah presents the principle of the nominally-Marxist BLM leader. They pretend compassion for the masses while amassing millions for their mansions. Behold the Democrat Party--its sole client is the callous plutocracy it claimed for decades to be purely Republican.
That would take a LOT of listening. Let those who have ears listen.
I wonder it they've not been wearing ear buds for so long, hearing the same mantra from their handlers, that they are now incapable of even removing the messenger -- let alone hearing a new message.
The way out is by adhering to the oath of office, the first act of elected officials and to which each commits his sacred honor. It is about the Constitution, not about constituents. By adhering to that document the government can be returned to its intended state and power to the states and people. While it is unlikely to occur, putting this philosophy constantly before the American people will garner general support and corner those who favor big government.
I know they don't, but my thought is for us to remind them at every opportunity. A politician almost always will claim the primary duty is to represent one's constituents, but no one swears an oath to that effect. We should remind them whenever we can.
As an older Kennedy, Blue Dog, Reagan, (former) Democrat, I'm Out. And Ms. Harris "I'm not going Back". I'm a fan of Bill Maher, he is the elder in the room and no one seems to be listening and that's a shame because he has some good advice to burst the bubble of lefty thought. There is plenty of reasons of the Ds demise and I would start with the trade war with the CCP for the last 40 years that no politician of either party gave a shit about and even enriched some like Hunter. Guys like me have been talking in the garage how "everything" is low quality junk produced overseas for years and even Trump talked about it on Oprah long ago. The last year I would start with Dr. Jill Biden, who seemed to like living on Pennsylvania Ave. and was happy Joe answered all the questions. The media also has lost their street cred because journos sit behind laptops instead of doing some shoe leather work. Rodger I appreciate what you do hear and keep up the good work my friend. Peace Out.
I agree in large part with the early part of your comment. I am strongly FOR US Manufacturing and "owning our inputs". I am against any Red Scare. I don't think it's helpful unless it's used to cover up the malfeasance.
The Dems are and have been the doorway for China. (Trade/Export Control behaviors show this.) Please also look for Chinese subsidiaries in the US...and pay special attention to whose Congressional Districts these businesses were set-up in. China acts in their own nation's interests. Do our lawmakers act in ours? I mean this with deep respect for my nation. Thank you.
P.S. Like the Japanese imports when I was a boy, Chinese imports have achieved substantial quality. Meanwhile, our legislators, believing we had no peer competition, ran up the cost of US talent. This is evident by the social programs that have become very inefficient, due to the unchecked and sometimes weakened incentives of our system.
The reason I referred to the CCP and not China is because I have no ill will to the Chinese people but their government doesn't play fair and uses the old Standard Oil monopolistic ways of putting the competition out of business in order to raise prices. I like some imports from around the globe but when I had a bearing go out on my snowmobile last year going across a lake at 90mph it made me a little "upset" when I found out where it was made. In economics its important to "Make Stuff" because the the margins are higher and you can pay your employees more. It pays better to put a tire on a car in an auto assembly plant than fix a flat in a local garage. Japan and Germany have a better economic plan than we due and will never be the dominate player we were after WW2 but we have to make more than just cluster bombs. Call me Joe McCarthy but I like living in a Constitutional Republic over a Socialist or Communist form of governance. David I hope you and your family have a great 2025 !!
We seem to be aligned! I appreciate your kind reply. The Chinese people, in many ways, are just like us.
I make stuff - advanced technical stuff.
I also like Snow mobiles, but the old Ski-Doos are a thing of the past! (easier to roll/maneuver with two-strokes that'll clock us up to 90mph fast!) Sorry about your bearing!
We agree on Trade. As a business person, it is clear that the cost of US Talent is driven by government policy. Our (rightful) social benefits have been "enfattened", which drives the cost of US talent. (Story: We bought some Chinese power converters, based on their own chip, that cost <$10 for 10 units - this is total price delivered. Frankly, US labor costs, if we needed to return these, would be greater than what we paid...that's right; it would cost more to put them in a box, label it, and put it on the dock that we paid for all 10 units delivered.)
Cost of US Talent drives the cost of US Living. This seems obvious. I advocate for a "defattening" of our "fringe" on US talent.
“Could a renewed Democratic Party end up helping? It seems unlikely now but political parties do reinvent themselves, especially when they listen to the people.”
Your question is hopeful. “. . . listen to the people?” They have no ears!
Roger, at the end of your article you ask, "Could a renewed Democratic Party end up helping?" followed by, "It seems unlikely now, but political parties do reinvent themselves, especially when they listen to the people". America is on life support at best. Our enemies (both external and internal) hoped to "remake" America by destroying its virtues (helping others while helping itself). All Americans and the World will benefit from Trump World because it is built on positive actions to benefit all. Unlike the destructive party of "fake" diversity, equity, and inclusion, Trump World doesn't use a litmus test based on your skin color, extreme sexual perversion, or Hollywood Utopianism but rather what best practices will restore our nation as the breadbasket of the world in virtually all areas. If the Democratic and RINO Republican parties will work with Trump World for the American People, then everyone benefits. If they choose to remain deaf and insensitive to the Voice of the American People, then, may they never see the light of day again. The DNC "could" but the question remains, will they?
Jim, when I wrote that, I realized it was at best a long odds chance. Still it would be nice if it happens some day, make for more friendly relations at the supermarket.
For given value of "Democrat" that is almost certainly untrue.
For just as the Republican party is not Trump and Trump is not the Republican party, the same is true of the Obamas. The party is irrelevant as they would BE the party if they ran. And Mike entering the race at any point right up until the election, would have turned things upside down, with all D's and about half of R's falling at its feet in worship. Thanks to God it just enjoys its comfy wildly rich (thanks to us) retirement too much to enter the fray, their party and their people be damned.
You may be right. She was certainly their most formidable candidate, terrifying as that is because she would have been an abominable president. Had she won, I might have done a De Niro in reverse and fled the country.
I said the same for the past year, Costa Rica maybe? Also advocated for civil separation with the creation of the new sovereign nation of the Constitutional Republic of America (the CRA). Thanking God again for their incredible stupidity running FJB and Kumalot. The country and the world as we know it would be destroyed in a second Obama regime; Trumped dodged a bullet and so did we. Cruising right now but the process will be difficult and painful and absolutely critical to stay strong, DT will, will we? . Let's roll!
So true. I don't want to punch anyone in the face, just want to get out of their orbit. The mask is a handy way to steer clear of weirdos. Keep wearing them, dems!
They may (at least some of them) start listening. But I suspect it may take a while. After Jimmy Carter, Republicans held the president's office for 12 years. But it's possible they are in an even bigger hole. After Lincoln was elected, and the Civil War began, the Democrats did not elect a president until 1884--24 years without a Dem president. And Grover Cleveland, who was elected then, was a fiscal conservative, who cut spending while in office! (Totally unlike our modern Dems!)
I do think we are in the middle of a period of major change. We seem to have one about every 80 years, and it takes about 20 years or so to work through. We may be about halfway through this one. Yes, I have read Strauss and Howe's book, "The Fourth Turning." I do not necessarily agree with all of their details, but the concept of major change every 80 years seems valid. Another writer who sees that cycle is George Friedman, formerly of Stratfor, wrote a book a few years ago, "The Storm Before the Calm." He used the 80-year political cycle, but added a 50-60 year economic cycle--and noted that for the first time, both cycles are landing in the same decade!
One thing in the current situation that I find interesting: while the Dems are still lined up behind leaders in their 70s and 80s--Biden, Pelosi, Schumer, the Clintons, and more--Trump is bringing in a bunch of younger people in their 40s--Vance, Hegseth, Gabbard, Musk, Ramaswamy, and more. The Dems may well get smacked by the Wave of the Future. I'm 74 myself--no youngster--but I do think this is going to be significant. And older Republicans, like Cornyn, had better be careful.
The youth is invigorating.
At base, the Democrats have failed to accept eternal verities--such as "no free lunch" (contra to "modern monetary theory" ideas about gov't spending), and lies catch up with you. The degree of corruption that has been revealed (to date) is breathtaking. So many of these programs have backdoor $$ for pols and their families (thinking Ukraine--where the Biden's aren't the only ones in on the grift). Their climate programs typically favor donors with gov't grants. All OPM (Other People's Money) because, to coin a phrase, they "didn't build that".
One other scam ripe for investigation is Act Blue and other schemes financing Democrat elections.
My view is the we should hang tough and be ready to smell a stench as the cesspool is drained.
Excellent comment(s)! We're aligned and have read the same work. Very useful for me...and I hope others.
I don't know enough about the ins-and-outs of campaign finance laws, but I know enough to ask a rhetorical question about how these Oprah / Beyonce etc. payments may have actually been intended to game the campaign finance system? Donation limits, reporting requirements, and so on.
And/or, to establish slush funds and folks from Kamala and crew will later be "hired" by some of these entities, thereby being paid from campaign funds indirectly and after-the-fact?
When Z-man can raise 10s to 100s of Billions with NO PLAN of any sort, none of this silliness is surprising. In fact, it is strong evidence of how politicized our leaders have allowed our government to become.
We need to play the ball, not the man...by this I mean, we should attack behaviors rather than people and institutions.
Funnier is a story about a Boston-area businessman, proven with assets, who can't get a loan for component parts for a potential contract with Boeing. It was in 2017 or thereabouts. Riddle me that Batman. Same stuff...
The Democratic party that my father belonged to, did to him what Ronald Regan said "he didn't leave the Democratic Party, the Democratic Party left him". You do not achieve loyalty by talking down to people, you get it by listening to their concerns. The lockdowns, and and every aspect of the social experiment called "Covid" woke many up by the absurd rules which have all been debunked. They continued to lie and "The People" recognized and responded. God Bless America
I think they are good at one thing; figuring out ways to acquire power and keep it by hook or by crook. Institutions, NGOs, media, right down to lowly apparatchiks. It is a Machine. They want to dictate a be a bully with how they divide the spoils of power. They are far too arrogant to change and don't have the right incentives. They think Trump was a fluke. Once DOGE get going and if it accomplishes something the incentives will change
Please be careful when using the term; Democratic Party. They are very definitely not democratic.
Perhaps a more proper term is Democrat Party. I know, nitpicky, but I really can't see giving them a moniker they do not deserve.
Totally agree! Democrat is a party affiliation. It's important to recognize that the United States of America is a Constitutional Republic (for those who never had a civics class). When dems warn that Trump is a threat to 'democracy' what they REALLY mean is that he is a threat to BUREAUCRACY. DOGE will make that go <poof!>
That always bothers me. It is the democrat party by name.
"Money for Nothing" is almost 40 years old - It came out in 1985. Hard to believe!
I remember hearing in on a beach on the Turkish coast...great times.
Kamala’s campaign was a simulacrum of what the Marxist/Democrat/Hate America Party has been doing to this country for decades.
Oprah presents the principle of the nominally-Marxist BLM leader. They pretend compassion for the masses while amassing millions for their mansions. Behold the Democrat Party--its sole client is the callous plutocracy it claimed for decades to be purely Republican.
That would take a LOT of listening. Let those who have ears listen.
I wonder it they've not been wearing ear buds for so long, hearing the same mantra from their handlers, that they are now incapable of even removing the messenger -- let alone hearing a new message.
The way out is by adhering to the oath of office, the first act of elected officials and to which each commits his sacred honor. It is about the Constitution, not about constituents. By adhering to that document the government can be returned to its intended state and power to the states and people. While it is unlikely to occur, putting this philosophy constantly before the American people will garner general support and corner those who favor big government.
"The way out is by adhering to the oath of office, the first act of elected officials and to which each commits his sacred honor."
You are assuming a lot of these people have Honor, sacred or otherwise.
I know they don't, but my thought is for us to remind them at every opportunity. A politician almost always will claim the primary duty is to represent one's constituents, but no one swears an oath to that effect. We should remind them whenever we can.
The words "government" and "efficiency" seem like such strange bedfellows. In 67 years of life, I've never seen the two get along at all.
As an older Kennedy, Blue Dog, Reagan, (former) Democrat, I'm Out. And Ms. Harris "I'm not going Back". I'm a fan of Bill Maher, he is the elder in the room and no one seems to be listening and that's a shame because he has some good advice to burst the bubble of lefty thought. There is plenty of reasons of the Ds demise and I would start with the trade war with the CCP for the last 40 years that no politician of either party gave a shit about and even enriched some like Hunter. Guys like me have been talking in the garage how "everything" is low quality junk produced overseas for years and even Trump talked about it on Oprah long ago. The last year I would start with Dr. Jill Biden, who seemed to like living on Pennsylvania Ave. and was happy Joe answered all the questions. The media also has lost their street cred because journos sit behind laptops instead of doing some shoe leather work. Rodger I appreciate what you do hear and keep up the good work my friend. Peace Out.
I agree in large part with the early part of your comment. I am strongly FOR US Manufacturing and "owning our inputs". I am against any Red Scare. I don't think it's helpful unless it's used to cover up the malfeasance.
The Dems are and have been the doorway for China. (Trade/Export Control behaviors show this.) Please also look for Chinese subsidiaries in the US...and pay special attention to whose Congressional Districts these businesses were set-up in. China acts in their own nation's interests. Do our lawmakers act in ours? I mean this with deep respect for my nation. Thank you.
P.S. Like the Japanese imports when I was a boy, Chinese imports have achieved substantial quality. Meanwhile, our legislators, believing we had no peer competition, ran up the cost of US talent. This is evident by the social programs that have become very inefficient, due to the unchecked and sometimes weakened incentives of our system.
The reason I referred to the CCP and not China is because I have no ill will to the Chinese people but their government doesn't play fair and uses the old Standard Oil monopolistic ways of putting the competition out of business in order to raise prices. I like some imports from around the globe but when I had a bearing go out on my snowmobile last year going across a lake at 90mph it made me a little "upset" when I found out where it was made. In economics its important to "Make Stuff" because the the margins are higher and you can pay your employees more. It pays better to put a tire on a car in an auto assembly plant than fix a flat in a local garage. Japan and Germany have a better economic plan than we due and will never be the dominate player we were after WW2 but we have to make more than just cluster bombs. Call me Joe McCarthy but I like living in a Constitutional Republic over a Socialist or Communist form of governance. David I hope you and your family have a great 2025 !!
We seem to be aligned! I appreciate your kind reply. The Chinese people, in many ways, are just like us.
I make stuff - advanced technical stuff.
I also like Snow mobiles, but the old Ski-Doos are a thing of the past! (easier to roll/maneuver with two-strokes that'll clock us up to 90mph fast!) Sorry about your bearing!
We agree on Trade. As a business person, it is clear that the cost of US Talent is driven by government policy. Our (rightful) social benefits have been "enfattened", which drives the cost of US talent. (Story: We bought some Chinese power converters, based on their own chip, that cost <$10 for 10 units - this is total price delivered. Frankly, US labor costs, if we needed to return these, would be greater than what we paid...that's right; it would cost more to put them in a box, label it, and put it on the dock that we paid for all 10 units delivered.)
Cost of US Talent drives the cost of US Living. This seems obvious. I advocate for a "defattening" of our "fringe" on US talent.
“Could a renewed Democratic Party end up helping? It seems unlikely now but political parties do reinvent themselves, especially when they listen to the people.”
Your question is hopeful. “. . . listen to the people?” They have no ears!
Roger, at the end of your article you ask, "Could a renewed Democratic Party end up helping?" followed by, "It seems unlikely now, but political parties do reinvent themselves, especially when they listen to the people". America is on life support at best. Our enemies (both external and internal) hoped to "remake" America by destroying its virtues (helping others while helping itself). All Americans and the World will benefit from Trump World because it is built on positive actions to benefit all. Unlike the destructive party of "fake" diversity, equity, and inclusion, Trump World doesn't use a litmus test based on your skin color, extreme sexual perversion, or Hollywood Utopianism but rather what best practices will restore our nation as the breadbasket of the world in virtually all areas. If the Democratic and RINO Republican parties will work with Trump World for the American People, then everyone benefits. If they choose to remain deaf and insensitive to the Voice of the American People, then, may they never see the light of day again. The DNC "could" but the question remains, will they?
Jim, when I wrote that, I realized it was at best a long odds chance. Still it would be nice if it happens some day, make for more friendly relations at the supermarket.
"It’s likely no Democrat could have won"
For given value of "Democrat" that is almost certainly untrue.
For just as the Republican party is not Trump and Trump is not the Republican party, the same is true of the Obamas. The party is irrelevant as they would BE the party if they ran. And Mike entering the race at any point right up until the election, would have turned things upside down, with all D's and about half of R's falling at its feet in worship. Thanks to God it just enjoys its comfy wildly rich (thanks to us) retirement too much to enter the fray, their party and their people be damned.
You may be right. She was certainly their most formidable candidate, terrifying as that is because she would have been an abominable president. Had she won, I might have done a De Niro in reverse and fled the country.
I said the same for the past year, Costa Rica maybe? Also advocated for civil separation with the creation of the new sovereign nation of the Constitutional Republic of America (the CRA). Thanking God again for their incredible stupidity running FJB and Kumalot. The country and the world as we know it would be destroyed in a second Obama regime; Trumped dodged a bullet and so did we. Cruising right now but the process will be difficult and painful and absolutely critical to stay strong, DT will, will we? . Let's roll!
So true. I don't want to punch anyone in the face, just want to get out of their orbit. The mask is a handy way to steer clear of weirdos. Keep wearing them, dems!