It is not such a surprise that Americans have elevated Donald Trump to the headship of their country. It was improbable at first, because of his raucous personality, and the fact he had never held public office or a high military command (the almost invariable qualifications for a nominee).
He financed his own campaign, avoiding the endless demeaning roundel of fundraisers, (and doing quite well selling silly hats and T-shirts). It was also apparently unpromising because he was attacking the entire entrenched leadership of both parties, the Clintons, Obamas, and Bushes, OBushtons, as I called them here last week, and because he was opposed by and deliberately incited the escalated hostility of the national media, and the officious polling organizations.
The whole Trump campaign was audacious because it relied altogether on a broad swath of all socioeconomic groups — it was not a coalition based on pitching to the particular desires of voting blocs. As Trump said on election night, and as his wife had stated in several speeches recently, it was a movement, a mighty national rejection of the prim, robotic flimflam that disguised a corrupt failing system and feckless leadership behind the façade of “bridge-building, inclusiveness,” and self-abasement in the world.
Two premises undergirded the whole enterprise: that the party elders and their apparatus in both parties were castles made of sand and sawdust, and that a majority of Americans were so concerned about the first period of outright decline in American history and when the economic well-being of the middle and working classes had deteriorated outside the downdraft of normal cycles, that they would vote for a purposeful strategy put in plain and politically incorrect language.
These were bold conclusions, and even in the aftermath of their thunderous validation, those who right into election night counting were complacently expecting Trump to be sent packing back to his demi-monde of golf clubs, condos and low-brow television, are divided between those who wonder if they had completely misjudged or misheard or just missed what was happening, and the imperishables.
The latter group, including a number of the conservative intellectuals who stormed out of the Republican party and noisily slammed the door behind them, are claiming to be prophets who will be honoured, are proud of the martyrdom they have (unintentionally) chosen, and warn darkly of Trump’s authoritarian tendencies. Such tendencies are less pronounced in the president-elect’s character than in the personality of his chief opponent, and the whole concept is nonsense, given the robustness of the constitutional strength of the legislative and judicial branches of the U.S. government. (All three branches have performed poorly during the past 20 years, which is ultimately why Donald Trump will be the next president, but they are at least proficient in ensuring they are not overrun by the other branches.)
What made Trump such a long shot was the tenacity of the pompous certitude of entitlement of the political class. This is always a dangerous attitude in a country that actually holds free elections. Donald Trump was well known to the public before he started his campaign. He had the means to finance the campaign, used the social media and the conservative talk shows and bloggers to counter the mainline media and exploited their ignorance and malice to gain popularity from the wide section of the public that resented the bias and condescension of the Clinton News Network (CNN) and its ilk.
He knew, from polling and from echelons of the public that he encountered in his entertainment business, that the Archie Bunkers of America were angry and numerous, and that they were decent, plain-spoken, patriotic people, not ignorant slobs in need of guidance from my esteemed but disoriented friends such as (to pick two names out of a distinguishedly full hat) George Will and Fareed Zakaria.
What made Trump such a long shot was the tenacity of the pompous certitude of entitlement of the political class
Those who have been routed should have seen it coming. Trump thundered into the nomination race, cleaned up most of the primaries, routed 14 candidates, including five serious governors (Jeb Bush, Chris Christie, Mike Huckabee, John Kasich, Scott Walker), and three prominent senators (Ted Cruz, Rand Paul, Marco Rubio). And is credited with raising the Republican primary vote by 60 per cent in four years.
His entire campaign was an assault on everyone in both parties who was complicit in the blunders of the past 20 years: the soft early response to terrorism, the housing bubble and financial crisis and great recession; the admission of 12 million illegal and unskilled migrants, the disastrous Iraq war, 15 million dropouts from the workforce, immense trade and budgetary deficits, and a doubling of national debt in seven years to produce one per cent economic growth.
Given their lengthy intertwined involvement in high government office, the Bushes and Clintons were both obvious targets for Trump’s uproarious billingsgate, and his political incorrectness shattered many taboos and enjoyed a much wider appeal than had been thought possible for many months. He debunked global warming (more or less accurately) as a leftist attempt to hobble capitalism and incidentally destroy the coal and oil industries, and reviled U.S. President Barack Obama and former secretary of state Clinton for their inability to mention “Islamic extremism.”
His attacks in the crowded Republican debates were often brutal and personal: Sen. Rubio’s slight stature and tendency to perspire, Bush’s alleged lack of energy, Sen. Cruz’s claimed ethical lapses, even Carly Fiorina’s (unexceptionable) appearance; it was often gratuitous and unseemly but none of his opponents had any idea how to deal with it. He tapped a tremendous volcanic lava pool of public anger at poor government that has produced the first absolute and comparative decline in American history. Historians of the future will wonder how the political class imagined it could admit so many migrants without taking effective measures to control the southern border, and merely babble garrulously on, year after year, about “comprehensive immigration reform.”
The wellsprings of public anger and frustration were not exploited by Trump alone. He took half the Republicans, the democratic Marxist Bernie Sanders took almost half the Democrats, and the runner-up Republican contender, Cruz, took 30 per cent of the Republicans on a campaign of tearing down the federal government from the far right.
In the circumstances, it was no mean achievement for the two nominees to emerge still broadly within the political centre, despite Trump’s polemical flourishes about illegal immigration.
No informed person could be unaware of the depth of America’s problems, but the governing elites who were collectively responsible for the steady proliferation of those problems did not see what they had wrought. American democracy is undermined by corruption and misinformation, but it is still vital and healthy on election day. A clear choice was presented and the people have spoken.
The score is Donald Trump and the clear and free plurality of the public 1; the authors of the economic debacle, the immigration disaster, the foreign policy fiascos and catastrophic wars and humanitarian crisis, and gross fiscal mismanagement and the deterioration of almost everything in America, 0. This is as it should be, and the alarmists are fools, as the positive response of financial markets to Trump’s economic growth program illustrates.
America and the world will be the better for it, Donald Trump spoke elegantly and generously on election night and I predict that, though there may be some stylistic lapses, he will be a successful president.
Conrad Black is the founder of the National Post. His columns regularly appear in the National Post on Saturdays. For more opinion from Conrad Black, tune into The Zoomer on VisionTV (a property of ZoomerMedia Ltd.), Visiontv.ca.
Mr. Black graciously allowed us to reprint this article on CFN.
Furtz Canadians and Americans and other first world countries are not having children or very few. Women today have to work because of the high cost of living and so many are feminists that have destroyed family life. When I think back to the 50’s era when mom stayed home with her kids while dads worked that was family and not today. So much divorce and unfaithfulness today and latch key kids.
Out of the list that Jamie named I would support Mike Huckabee since he is very religious and a good person. I have heard him speak in other issues in past years. I also like Dr. Ben Carson. I think that Trump is good for this day and age and he stopped WW3 from happening. Hillary was for WW3 and that would have destroyed the world literally and she is very sick.
Did you all know that Carroll O’Connor who played the role of Archie Bunker was really a Democrat – very liberal and his wife admitted that. I miss Carroll O’Connor and he was one of our favorite actors and we loved Archie Bunker – I have my own Archie Bunker here at home so pray for me. LOL LOL. ROLF!
I have listened to things today (NOT ALEX JONES) but other areas that Hillary took a hissy fit and was intoxicated when the results came through and treated her staff terribly. Hillary wanted to be the first woman president since she was a child. All of his hit her mind and wanted to go much further in some sort of a world leader. No wonder these people are wackos.
If this has taught us anything is don’t believe all you read or hear.
If there is a good thing about Tronald Dump being elected is that he said he will withdraw the U.S.A.’S support for the TPP.
Hugger1…what have we learned? Canadians drink the liberal kool aid in copious amounts. Look at Ontario and the direction that the Feds are taking the former great nation of Canada. As if liberal socialism wasn’t draining your pockets enough the carbon tax will break the back of your economy. I miss common sense and fact based decision making.
Not Hitler? … Not yet, but give Trump time.
Look at his confederates, his political appointments and soon his judiciary. Just watch Trump’s minions and sycophants — Muslims now Jews tomorrow, and anyone else not on side after.
Hitler didn’t work alone, he created opportunities for, and welcomed, depraved henchmen.
He hasn’t carved up a nation with Russia quite yet but watch — Canada beware.
You say Hitler – no way and Trump is Jewish in his bankground and his children all have Jewish spouses and Tiffany is dating a Jewish man – Hitler???? gee I don’t think so because all those Jews would be running for life. He sure would put Justine in place and I long to see that. Go Trump Go!!!!
I was just listening to Dr. Ben Carson – one of the men who was running for president and he had good things to say about “The Donald” sand said that all of Donald’s employees – the ones who park cars, look after the grounds, etc. all have high praise for Donald that he is a very good man with a big heart. I am for Trump.
I want you folks to go on Ottawa’s papers and see what Justine’s carbon taxes are going to mean for we Canadians. I retrieved this article from the Ottawa Sun:
Trudeau carbon tax takes from the poor, give to the rich
http://www.ottawasun.com/2016/11/22/trudeau-carbon-tax-takes-from-the-poor-gives-to-the-rich
Go and read the article and it will open your eyes to see how much it will cost all of us.
Lassie…Islam is obviously not a religion of peace, read the Quran. Trump’s daughter is Jewish as are her children. To much doom and gloom and manufactured “facts” for me. Good luck, however I personally do not share your negativity I prefer to keep an open mind to the possibility that good will triumph and that Canada might be positively influenced.
I wonder if Tronald Dump is going to pay his bills from his election campaign. He’s already being sued by his pollster, the one Tronald Dump, picked because TD thinks his bill is too high. Seriously? You pick them, then refuse to pay the bill because you don’t like the results they provided.
Jamie I have something here for you to look at and if you can pass this on for all to see after you look at it and you may be throwing your shoes at him:
George Soros And The Canadian Agenda Exposed
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9aETpLQ7WcM
It is imperitive that you watch this video.
I have something for all of you to see and read the comments as well it will open your eyes. Pierre Elliott Trudeau once praised the value of diversity, inclusiveness
https://ca.yahoo.com/news/pierre-elliot-trudeau-praised-the-value-of-diversity-inclusiveness-in-1971-223029284.html Pierre did it for votes only.
Oh come on David.. Like Christianity is a religion of peace? Even you must have read a few books about the history of Christianity. It’s not a Walt Disney movie, even if you consider it such. We only have to look at the Tom Newton facebook page to see how nasty these born-again nut-bars are.
Furtz I sure wouldn’t call Pastor Newton and his faith a nut bar job. Do you remember taking about the crusaders in your history? The crusaders were those of the Vatican (Jesuits) who went to the Middle East and slaughtered the Islamic people. Well today the Islamic people call we Christians the crusaders.
Speaking about Donald Trump and the wall a Mexican cement company in the area called Chiwawa (don’t know the exact spelling) are going to build the wall – there is a cement company (Mexican) who is going to construct the wall. Trump is right – nothing but drugs coming across and drug cartels and diseases like you wouldn’t imagine possible. Something has to be done and this is it. I support Trum
There are Lebanese Christians who are going into Trump’s cabinet and my husband reads all this in his papers back home. Do you know “Judge Jeannie” – she is Lebanese and going into a high position in Trump’s cabinet and there are other Lebanese Christians as well having high posts as well in Trump’s cabinet. Trump is a good man and don’t go by his exterior – the interior of the man counts.
Furtz I am not defending any religious belief system. What other belief system/ideology/cult has murdered thousands in the last decade in the name of their god/leader? What other purported religion advocates the death sentence for homosexuals? Advocates and sets out guidelines regarding corporal punishment for their wives.? Maintains the belief that women are not equal? Justifies deception? Etc…
Bush/Cheney/Blair (Christians) slaughtered hundreds of thousands and displaced millions just to liberate their oil. That worked out well, didn’t it?
My husband read his papers early this morning like he always does from back home and a bunch of Jihadis were caught including their top boss in the camps in the Beckaa Valley – a lot of which Justine is bringing in. My husband will mock and slay ONLY IN CA NA DAH EH! This country has brought in more jihadis than anything under Justine and I have names for Justine that Jamie won’t print.
It actually worked out well Furtz as it helped move less ME Oil and more local while phasing in alternative energy so that by the time countries like Iran are really back online in the oil business there will be a lot less business for their product.
Jamie, tell that to the Iraqi people who have had their country bombed into the stone-age, and taken over by terrorists.
Jamie I have something for you to listen to and I read the books on the subject and saw this video since over 14 years ago and I want you to see it and pertains to the US government and it pertains to a former US FBI agent who was murdered for telling the ruth. It is about former US doctor Capt. MacDonald who is in prison for having murdered his wife and kids and didn’t do it and about satanism.
Jamie here is the video that I want you to see. I couldn’t put everything into 4 lines so here it is: Retired Head of the FBI Tells All about Illuminati, Satanism, Pedophile Rings in the Government https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KfdX7duuFsM
I know that you and your readers will be interested in this. There are books written on this subject.
I wanted to add one more thing to the Capt. MacDonald case and that is my husband watched about this case a good 15 years ago maybe more on A&E channel when we were in Cornhole and told me about it and I read the books and then came across this video some years ago. This is a true story and the doctor is still in prison for a murder that he didn’t commit. This happened in 1970.
Jamie these things are still going on today as we speak and there is talk about this stuff in the media and it is all true. People will yell out conspiracy theory when all the time it is the truth. There is a book and a movie about the orphan boys in Nebraska called Conspiracy of Silence and you wouldn’t believe who is involved in this. I think that there is a book on on this as well.
Jamie there is a great deal going on that would make your hair raise up and your skin crawl. I was totally unaware of everything years ago but one thing is that I always doubted about who killed JFK and Junior was going to tell all and he did say part of it in just so many ways (one of the people involved) and there was a death bed confession.
Yes of course everything in the media is true. ROFL LOL