Even when "populism" is screaming for a return to the US Constitution and American values---as it was in 1980 and even more so in 2016?
Populism is by definition unprincipled, it is based on whatever the masses want. The
Constitution is designed to temper public anger and filter mass movements. It limits
government power in favor of the people. Trumpian populism seeks to use government
power to “help” the people.
I understand the inclination to make peace with Trumpian populism. But if you go this
route you have rejected your conservative principles in favor of public opinion. Constitution-
alism means we don’t just follow the popular trends. During the Obama years, Conservatives
did not make the argument that we should abandon conservatism because progressivism
had won.
Public opinion is not supreme. If it were, Donald Trump would not be taking office. Hillary
Clinton, who won the popular vote, would be.---
Jay W. Cobb,
2 December 2016.
Public opinion once upon a time supported slavery in many places. Was public opinion wise? Public opinion
once upon a time supported institutionalised racism in many places. Was public opinion wise? Public opinion
has often enough supported a good many things right reason knows to be wrong at minimum and grotesque-
ly dangerous at maximum. Is public opinion always wise? Would it have been wise to hand Hilarious Rodent
Clinton the White House because she won the popular vote but not the Electoral College vote? (Those who
think it wise to abolish the Electoral College, whatever they think of Donaldus Minimus, might want to
ponder that one, in the event a rightward candidate in the future wins the popular but not the electoral
vote.)
Just what do you have against "making America great again"?
America, which has never been
not great, would cease to be America if she remains defined strictly
by fealty to whomever happens to hold the presidency, or to the cult of the presidency, a cult which is
much in need of dissipation
regardless of who happens to hold the office. I'd like to think there was
a sound reason why the presidency comes in
second in the array of the Constitution, even as I lament
that too many of my countrymanpersons continue to believe the president
uber alles.
Make America "great" again? How about making America
America again?
p.s. To those who insist on continuing with the Clinton bugaboo, please try to remember: Hilarious Rodent
Clinton
lost. Get
over it.