What Trump Teaches Us
Another very powerful conservative dogma: Our economic problems will be solved by an ever-greater market freedom. This means lower taxes for the rich, those pushing the economy forward. It also means continuing the liberalization of global markets with free trade agreements, as well as de-regulation and the end of government supports for businesses
.. In rejecting this dogma, Trump is unique among Republican primary candidates. He doesn’t outline anything coherent enough to qualify as economic policy. Instead, he lobs grenades at the dogma that market freedom is a cure-all.
.. Trump is saying, in effect, that the hollowing out of the American middle class will not be solved by still more economic freedom. This is at odds with a core commitment of conservatism, perhaps the core commitment, since Ronald Reagan. And Trump wins Republican primaries while trumpeting this heresy! I can’t imagine a more fundamental threat to the Republican establishment, which has made this dogma non-negotiable.
.. Over the last generation, our political culture has become very thin. Campaigns are conducted like bombing raids at 30,000 feet.
.. People feel themselves making a candidate rather than being sold one manufactured by party professionals.
.. I’m not sure I fully realized how political correctness humiliates and silences ordinary people.
.. As a religious believer, I need an effective Republican Party, if only to block the ascendancy of an increasingly hostile Democratic Party. But it’s also an outcome I’d welcome. Trump is exposing a failing establishment. It needs to collapse so that it can be rebuilt on sounder foundations.