Is Trump a believer in Stephen Anton's and Michael Miller's Trumpismo?

 

"To save America, Anton proposes a blitz of desperate actions. The point, he argues, is to take exceptional and potentially suicidal steps (the rushing-the-cockpit scenario) because the America that conservatives aspire to preserve faces total elimination. He reveals this in a section of his essay that looks at the intentions of  “the Left.” Some of the Left regard conservatives as Nazis, he writes: “How does one deal with a Nazi – that is, with an enemy one is convinced intends your destruction? You don’t compromise with him or leave him alone. You crush him.”

The flip side of believing your enemies want to crush you because you are a Nazi is the belief that you must crush them first. “So what do we have to lose by fighting back?” Anton asks. “The Left, the Democrats, and the bipartisan junta (categories distinct but very much overlapping) think they are on the cusp of permanent victory that will forever obviate the need to pretend to respect democratic and constitutional niceties.” Anton’s ideology has a temporal as well as political edge: it is now-or-neverism."  The Intercept

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 Michael Anton and Stephen Miller are big this weekend,  Miller is everywhere as a voluble surrogate for the surrogate Kelly Ann Conway. 

Miller may be young but he ain't afraid of the Borgists.  My SWAG is that if Bannon has his way Jake Tapper will have to find someone other than Conway to use as a partisan punching bag.   Anton is the author of a now famous article that denounces what he sees as the degeneracy of the United States and which calls for a top to bottom "revolution" in thinking in the USA.  Understandable.

The Left does not like such thinking since they believed before HC's catastrophic loss that there was a revolution but it was their revolution and it had triumphed.  Their discovery that not only had she lost but that Obama's neglect of the Democratic Party for two terms had devastated the party at the state and local levels is something they still have not absorbed or accepted as a new reality.  IMO the Democratic Party left is still trying to undermine Trump's public positions in the hope that convincing evidence of an impeachable charge can be created before the Trump Administration solidifies its institutional position.

IMO this badly misunderstands Trump himself as opposed to his entourage.  I think the error is in thinking that Trump has an ideology other than a crude sort of nationalism based on a lot of movies and marching around at NYMA. 

For Trump IMO "the Art of the Deal" remains all.  Whatever he says or does in making phone calls, running his hand up President Ji's leg, etc, is just stage management in a long (or short) process of negotiation. 

The revolutionary right wing "geniuses" (Bannon, Miller, Anton, etc., ) are just there to take the heat off him on the right.  They, like the NSC crew, should be careful that they do not cause him discomfort or are a distraction from the deals.  pl 

https://theintercept.com/2017/02/12/dark-essays-by-white-house-staffer-are-the-intellectual-source-code-of-trumpism/

Comments

[The Twisted Genius]

That's the reason I sincerely don't wish Trump to be impeached. I dread what the hard right Republicans will do in league with the revolutionary right wing "geniuses" without that blustering, bullshitting conman to keep them all in check.

[ex-PFC Chuck]

Internet surfing time is limited today because of a death in the extended family, but when I got the news I was about half way through a fascinating piece that is centered on this issue but apparently heading toward quite different conclusions. Here's a brief quote that gives a flavor:

"Perhaps the most powerful takeaway from this examination of who the Trump administration actually is, is that the Trump regime is not external to the Deep State. On the contrary, the people who hold senior posts in his administration, both formal and otherwise, are key nodes that represent whole layers of social and institutional networks within and across the wider US Deep State.

"If this is not immediately obvious, it’s because there is much misunderstanding of what the Deep State actually is. The Deep State is not simply ‘the intelligence community’. When a more accurate understanding of the American Deep State and its symbiotic embeddedness in a transnational Deep System is adopted, the role of the Trump faction can be properly discerned."

https://medium.com/insurge-intelligence/how-the-trump-regime-was-manufactured-by-a-war-inside-the-deep-state-f9e757071c70#.z0zipubwf

[Edward Amame]

What the left is up to is not impeachment. Pence might even be worse. Also, the left is all too aware that two terms of neglecting state and local party infrastructure has had devastating consequences. The idea now is more to oppose Trumpism (the way the Tea Party opposed Obama) while rebuilding the party from the ground up.

Here in NY, that starts with doing something about the Independent Democratic Conference that caucuses with the GOP -- suddenly the 6+ year old IDC is under attack. Newer IDC members from liberal and minority districts have been getting really hammered since the election. All kinds of new post-trump Dem ideas are being floated, from making state abortion laws compatible with Roe v Wade to proposing a single payer healthcare system. If the IDC tries to oppose some of this stuff that ultimately makes it out of the gate, they could be trouble. This will be interesting. The real estate industry owns the GOP and IDC in the State Senate and the hedge fund industry is funding the same crew to push their for-profit charter school agenda. What will be sacrificed/allowed to pass to save what's really important to them?

In the long run, Pres Trump could possibly wind up being a gift to the Dems. And maybe not so great for the GOP brand. Seeing what happens with big pharma and his call to lower drug prices will be a clue about who wears the pants in DC, at this point anyway.

[David E. Solomon]

Ah, But Colonel Lang,

Does anyone on your site or elsewhere, (or even Trump himself) have the foggiest notion of where his deals will take us?

David

[Hood Canal Gardner]

Elegantly put. Help: what's in his "to do" deal bag. To be remembered/warned if it helps: The New Gypsy King is a sticker not a cutter.

[turcopolier]

David E. Solomon

You think I am a fortune teller? pl

[jonst]

Miller looked, to me, like an uptight law student, at his first moot court practice run. Willing to mix it up, but his presentation bordered on stridency. That's ok, like the Law Student, it was his first shot. We'll see how he can critique himself. Tone it down, without losing any intellectual capacity. Its all part of learning, right? He is obviously Session's man. So he will keep getting his facts straight, if unpalatable to the George S's of the Sunday world. Their attacks are so shockingly predictable, as to allow for planned, viable, counterattacks. Miller should expect to be portrayed on SNL. And by the way....if the Trumpites really have any imagination they should be looking for a vehicle to create their own version, albeit on a smaller scale, of an SNL show. Parody and humor are effective vehicles of attack. And the Dems lend themselves to such attacks. That would be made all the more effective because the Dems are not used to being on that end of the fire. Think about all the politically incorrect material one could use, within reason.

I have not heard Anton speak yet. His writings are original and biting. We'll see if he has any traction in the big leagues.

The Dems, Progressives, are hide bound by the Civil Rights model of protest. These protests of theirs, these campaigns, lack the long standing and major, grievances demonstrated in the Civil Rights campaigns. They desperately desire to run the same plan of attack for immigration and transgender battles et al. But there is absolutely no sense of historical injustice to fuel them within the American public. The kind that was present in the Civil Rights Movement. This sense of historical injustice meant most people had a natural sympathy to 'do something' to rectify the sins of the past. They differed regarding HOW MUCH to do, and how far to do it. But they were sympathetic to the general idea. Not so with immigration or gay rights. Or a lot of other Progressive issues. The Arc of History does not bend naturally in their direction with this stuff. As they think it does. Their policies can be resisted. If done so in a competent and reasonable manner. And therein lies the rub. Restoring economic growth can solve a lot of other issues. Or, at least, tone down opposition to Trump, anyway. He should focus on that. And stay the hell out of more foreign adventures.

[VietnamVet]

Colonel,

The coming ethnic pulling apart of America and the rise of ISIS have much in common:
http://www.counterpunch.org/2017/01/23/the-rise-of-trump-and-isis-have-more-in-common-than-you-might-think/

The Flight 93 Scenario could well be the outcome if real jobs, healthcare for all, free education and old age security are not restored in America. But, as usual, the real culprits are ignored. It is not the little people on the left and right struggling to get by who are the bad guys; it is the Oligarchs and their Cosmopolitan assistants who are looting the Middle Class across Europe and North America. The only way reverse the swindle is to put government by the people back on top, jail wealthy criminals and raise taxes on hoarders to benefit society.

I do not know what will happen but it isn’t like we haven’t been warned.

[Bobo]

"Pres Trump could possibly wind up being a gift to the Dems"
Your starting to see the light as President Trump is a gift to America as he really has no other political philosophy and his satisfaction is The Deal. Whatever political group gets in his way they will be dealt with directly or indirectly but he will move on and America will benefit from his view of what America should be which is not too radical unless your view is radical.

[ToivoS]

Anton and Miller sound like ideologues. In the past when ideologues confront US political reality they change or, if not, disappear from politics. Let us hope that these two fools blow up and disappear. It sounds very scary that these nuts (and their inspiration Carl Schmidt) are so close to power.

[walrus]

I am preoccupied with many personal issues at present that prevent more comment, but I there isa close parallel in my opinion that Antons articles bring to mind.

After decades of settled, conservative Government, Australia elected a reformist left/liberal administration under Prime Minister Gough Whitlam who proceeded to act like a bull, in a china shop, pushing through major reforms. Whitlam famously said of his reform agenda;"we must crash through, or crash".

The Whitlam government was removed in spectacular circumstances after playing fast and loose with the constitutional niceties of the Westminster system, but they are still remembered as great reformers who have made a lasting contribution to the country.

Whitlam was replaced by the Fraser conservative government which had a huge electoral victory on the mandate of "ruling back" Whitlams reforms. Fraser proceeded to do absolutely nothing of the sort and has gone down in Australian history as an ineffectual political nonentity.

Trump must indeed "crash through or crash" if he is to be remembered as a Whitlam and not a Fraser character.

That said, I think Anton is right on the money with his criticism of conservatives. What is required now is action by the Trump Administration. For Trump to listen to the counsel of fear and timidity, as Fraser did, is political suicide for him

[David E. Solomon]

No, but I trust your intuition.

[Keith Harbaugh]

A related article (on some intellectual underpinnings of “Trumpism”) is:

“What Steve Bannon Wants You to Read”
President Trump’s strategic adviser is elevating a once-obscure network of political thinkers.
By Eliana Johnson and Eli Stokols
http://www.politico.com/magazine/story/2017/02/steve-bannon-books-reading-list-214745

This cites, and discusses:

• The Fourth Turning by William Strauss and Neil Howe.


• Nassim Taleb, the best-selling author of the 2014 book Antifragile.


• Curtis Yarvin, the self-proclaimed “neoreactionary” who blogs under the name “Mencius Moldbug”.


• Michael Anton, a onetime conservative intellectual writing under the pseudonym Publius Decius Mus.

[Willybilly]

As always VV, you're absolutely correct with your analysis, on this and all other issues pertaining to geopolitics and economics' shenanigans....

[turcopolier]

David E. Solomon

I do not intuit that he will be inclined to accept courses of action that lead to war and that Mattis and Kelly advise against. I do intuit that he will be very aggressive on internal and foreign economic issues. I intuit that the influence of his own womenfolk will soften his attitude toward non-felon immigrant illegals. That's fine with me. I have only seen one two man Anglo team of workmen in my area in two years. These Latino workmen are people I understand. I speak enough Spanish to sit and talk with them. DOL. Family men, hard working, we need them. I know people like these guys. I led them for 26 years. pl

[Fred]

Edward,

"What the left is up to is not impeachment. " You are certainly right about that.

[Ishmael Zechariah]

KH:
I read the article at your link. Seems like these Borg megaphones have, now, a term for the educated equivalents of "The Deplorables": "obscure intellectuals ". What fun. It is vastly satisfying, to me at least, that these rants will not change the fundamental fact: "Broomstick One" and her cadres lost a democratic election!
Ishmael Zechariah

[Edward Amame]

Bobo

Not what I meant. At all. What I meant was that he might wind up energizing the Dems party like W did and like Obama did for the GOP.

And as of yet, nobody has any idea how he will deal with either party. Again, a useful yardstick will be what happens to his call to lower drug prices (ie: allowing Medicare to negotiate). It will not happen if the GOP and big pharma have their way. Currently big pharma is pouring $$$ into GOP coffers in congress.

[Fred]

Col.,

That is an interesting take by Peter Mass. I would say his quote of Miller's: "Its sole recent and ongoing success is its own self-preservation." could apply to all the establishment not just conservatives. The other item of note is that it only took Mr. Mass 6 paragraph's to get to the Nazi's and then he spent most of the remainder of his article talking about them. I guess that's the best we can hope for a graduate of UC Berkeley, home of the anti-free speech riots not covered in the Sunday news.

[turcopolier]

EA

What I fear for you left Democrats is that your gurus still disdain the people that you came from in Jersey. pl

[TonyL]

Articlea about Trump's Art of The Deal book. Quite an interesting interview with the ghostwriter.

http://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2016/07/25/donald-trumps-ghostwriter-tells-all/amp

[David E. Solomon]

I can only say that I hope you are correct. Less warmongering and more attention to the basic economic needs of the working man in this country would be very welcome.

I just wish this could all come about with less of a circus atmosphere about it. We shall see soon enough.

As for the Latino workmen, my own experience is that they tend to be hard working individuals and our society can certainly use them.

David

[raven]

Yea, it's a good thing the swamp is being drained and all those men of the people are replacing the elitists.

[charlie sheldon]

If Trump did this he'd be on Rushmore -
Medicare for all, now. Cover everyone. This will reduce financial fears for millions immediately. This will bring optimism and hope, and will reduce desperation.

Three trillion dollar jobs program, now. Construction of roads, sewer systems, parks, schools, border fence (?), sustainable energy systems, whether equipment or retrofits for efficiency. Finance with quantitative easing but to the firms and workers not the banks. Millions of jobs. More hope. More money.

Jawbone and provide tax benefits to manufacture here, bring jobs back to U.S. More jobs. More hope.

Stop bombing everywhere else. Bring overseas bases and soldiers back and reopen or expand US bases here. Reduce military budget by giving construction jobs first to retiring soldiers. Less bombing means fewer future terrorists. Fewer refugees.

Stick to a rational, proper immigration system. Grandfather those already here. They live here, pay taxes here, have kids here, and by and large do the jobs nobody else wants to, jobs that need doing.

Apply social security tax to all income from whatever source and remove caps on top income – this will make system solvent forever

Apply graduated income rates to all income whether employment or passive. Keep rates where they are but for incomes over $400,000 charge 45%; $800,000 charge 65%; anything over $3 million charge 80%. Our financial problems will be over and the impact on 97 percent of us will be unseen.

Mostly, be practical, not ideological. Zealotry is the biggest deadly sin not on the list.

Results?

Health care as a right, not a source of financial fear and drain
Millions employed, earning that three trillion and spending it within the US to live
More jobs for more millions as manufacturing and making things expands
Less cost for war, bombings, and bases, leaving peace overseas and more funds at home
A sustainable future, built by all of us, for all of us

Forget Democrats, Republicans, Conservatives, Progressives, Liberals. This is about people, all of us, finding a way to survive, prosper, and live in relative peace.

[steve]

I thought Rhodes was too young and lacking in any real experience to have an important position in the Obama admin. Now, this Miller guy is even younger and with just as little experience. I have a very hard time taking someone seriously who has so little life experience, to say nothing of experience in the area he is supposedly an expert in.

Steve