In 2016 Trump himself was not prepared for government in that beyond a few appointments the establishment retained control of institutions and the media still enjoyed a reputation. This time round the media have been exposed, the biases suddenly in stark relief as they told a story that was disconnected pure fantasy. They got it so wrong even on election night until reality could be denied no longer. Viewing of MSNBC, CNN et al is significantly down while Fox is up. They are no longer trusted and so one arm of the Obama-Pelosi-Clinton machine is compromised. Also, Trump's team have been preparing for 18 months, vetting people to fill the 3000 or so positions that an inoming goverment can appoint.
This time round it will be very different. The outgoing Democrat establishment know this and know that the avenues they used in 2016 onwards for resisting and undermining Trump are not available. That realisation together with Trump winning the popular vote as well as the electoral college and both houses is the source of their sullen fatalism. For now, until they work out some other anti-democratic tactics, the only avenue for them is to forgo their elitist upper middle class snobbery and work out some actual policies to connect with America's working class. And they are a long way from doing that. Trump's clean sweep must be profoundly disorientating. The swamp may well be drained this time round though there are anti-trumpers in both houses even in the Reublican Party. There are real battles ahead indeed.
The Democrat elites will recover from their shock, of course, and organise and plan, and much will turn on the economy. If under Trump gas prices come down, if a large swathes of America come to feel better off under Trump, then the Democrats will have a hurdle to overcome. Trump has a chance to change the instituional and cultural landscape of America. Let's hope he succeeds.
It certainly feels very different now, as if the adults really are back in charge. We should never put too much faith in politicians, but it does feel that there is a major course correction for sanity and solvency taking place. The left must retreat and sulk as they have no positive vision for managing a complex economy. It also shines a massive light on the failures of the UK’s own political class who are still stuck in the pre-Trump mindset and cannot change - it seems the UK has to self-destruct before reality reasserts itself from the wreckage.
In 2016 Trump himself was not prepared for government in that beyond a few appointments the establishment retained control of institutions and the media still enjoyed a reputation. This time round the media have been exposed, the biases suddenly in stark relief as they told a story that was disconnected pure fantasy. They got it so wrong even on election night until reality could be denied no longer. Viewing of MSNBC, CNN et al is significantly down while Fox is up. They are no longer trusted and so one arm of the Obama-Pelosi-Clinton machine is compromised. Also, Trump's team have been preparing for 18 months, vetting people to fill the 3000 or so positions that an inoming goverment can appoint.
This time round it will be very different. The outgoing Democrat establishment know this and know that the avenues they used in 2016 onwards for resisting and undermining Trump are not available. That realisation together with Trump winning the popular vote as well as the electoral college and both houses is the source of their sullen fatalism. For now, until they work out some other anti-democratic tactics, the only avenue for them is to forgo their elitist upper middle class snobbery and work out some actual policies to connect with America's working class. And they are a long way from doing that. Trump's clean sweep must be profoundly disorientating. The swamp may well be drained this time round though there are anti-trumpers in both houses even in the Reublican Party. There are real battles ahead indeed.
The Democrat elites will recover from their shock, of course, and organise and plan, and much will turn on the economy. If under Trump gas prices come down, if a large swathes of America come to feel better off under Trump, then the Democrats will have a hurdle to overcome. Trump has a chance to change the instituional and cultural landscape of America. Let's hope he succeeds.
It certainly feels very different now, as if the adults really are back in charge. We should never put too much faith in politicians, but it does feel that there is a major course correction for sanity and solvency taking place. The left must retreat and sulk as they have no positive vision for managing a complex economy. It also shines a massive light on the failures of the UK’s own political class who are still stuck in the pre-Trump mindset and cannot change - it seems the UK has to self-destruct before reality reasserts itself from the wreckage.