Nice work, Bari. As a conservative I don't always agree with you, but you have courage and are an independent thinker. That makes you a rarity among journalists today (sadly), and I'm happy to support your efforts.
I am a center right conservative. I subscribed to your site after reading the great unraveling. I shared it with my young adult children and told them that I subscribed because I want to support free thinkers like yourself. I want to hear from coherent people that I may not agree with, politically. I want to support journalists with courage and integrity. Thank you for your voice.
Happily subscribed, but have to suggest if the likes of you, Matt, Andrew, Glenn etc. keep leaving your publications it will become too expensive to follow you, unless you band together and form a new newspaper. Please!
Dear Bari, I just finished listening to the MK podcast and was inspired by your call to "speak out now." I am also, without a doubt, one of those people you mentioned that is hiding in the "political closet." I have always considered myself progressive, but today I no longer feel that this label accurately represents my values and policy positions. Like you, I suppose I'm left on some issues and right on others, but mostly I feel politically homeless and it is incredibly isolating (until now, with this newsletter :)). Furthermore, and more to the point of being in the closet, I am a young(ish) professor of Political Science at a small, private university and literally this last week did not speak out at all regarding the establishment of an "Ethnic Studies" program. Although I want to give my colleagues the benefit of the doubt that this program will not go down the path of CRT and an ideologically-based pedagogy, I am also afraid of the Ibram Kendi readings and overall agenda being set. And, Bari, I didn't say a thing. I sat there on Zoom and nodded along feeling pressured by all of the loud celebrations of how this is necessary and "right" ... I didn't bring up any concern, and I convinced myself that it was inevitable, so why sacrifice my reputation ... why debate colleagues and friends ... that this was not worth falling on my sword. And now, after listening to your brilliant conversation with MK, I am actually quite upset with myself. All that to say, although I know that it's too late to speak out now on this particular incident, I am truly inspired by you and this newsletter to be braver, to step out of the closet (or at least open the door), and to stand up for critical thinking, objectivity, liberalism, and the goodness of America.
I can agree with most of what you wrote but your baseline: "I also think he [Joe Biden] is an eminently decent and kind man[,]" requires turning a blind eye to truth and evidence. Starting with Joe Biden's attempts to blame an innocent truck driver (by insinuating he was drunk) for the death of his wife and child in the car accident in 1992 and ruining that truck driver's life in the process (in an apparent attempt to gain political points with the emergent MADD) all the way through his documented lying, plagiarism, and by all evidence, his involvement in his son's pay to play schemes do not make him a decent man in my opinion....by any stretch.
The culture and policies that risk undoing our liberal society are mostly confined to the elites and internet trolls. My daily interactions with regular people don’t reflect the culture wars in politics and media. So my question is: how do the center left and right get organized to defeat CRT, cancel culture, media bias, and the assault on free speech? There has to be a way to scale a more moderate and centrist approach to our lives, right? What can we do?
I voted for Donald Trump. I think he is NOT an eminently decent and kind man, never thought that even before he stepped off the elevator. But I liked his policies (most of them) even though his personality and character are/were somewhat in question. I also thought the same about Joe Biden, although maybe not to the same degree. I looked at the democrat platform and realized that I just couldn't support it.
So, what comes next? Mostly gridlock, the Senate GOPers are not going to rubber stamp the stuff that the democrats are going to push for, so the question becomes will they abolish the filibuster so they can bypass the 60-vote cloture rule and pass whatever they want? Biden said he opposes that, but when asked about it by reporters, he said: “It is going to depend on how obstreperous they become.”
Question: why is it obstreperous and obstruction only when the republicans say no? I think the democrats' idea of unity is do it our way. And that attitude ain't gonna sit well with the other side.
I've subscribed to your blog despite the fact that I think I will rarely agree with you on many issues, the same reason I subscribe to Andrew Sullivan (whose blog directed me to you). It is imperative to me that I read and understand and question conservative thinkers who are outside of the Trumpian echo chamber.
For this piece I will only question one part:
[T]he strong alliance between the Democratic Party and the press, which are advocating that major tech companies crack down on “hate,” or “disinformation,” which has quickly become a synonym for “information I don’t like.”
I believe there is a monumental difference between "information I don't like" and deliberate dissemination of lies and disinformation, both through mainstream right wing media (Fox "News") and the insanity of Trumpian social media. They are not providing facts from a different perspective. They are providing "facts" that are bald face lies and are primarily responsible for the polarization we live in today. My Trumpian friends believe everything they hear from Limbaugh, Hannity, Carlson, Ingraham, Ben Shapiro, Breitbart, etc., and have no idea that these cretins are laughing all the way to the bank as they fool their viewers. I challenge anyone to provide me with the names of equally leftist radicals who have the audience these entertainers have.
Good stuff Bari. Your voice is greatly missed and much needed. Please keep speaking hard truths. The answer is that Cancel Culture is already the norm. Critical Race Theory will become policy. What I can't tell yet is whether it will be America's future, meaning, we live our lives in fear of saying anything that isn't status quo (that is fascism) or whether Americans will shake out from under it and vote all of the Democrats out in 2022 and 2024 (my current prediction). Four more years of Trump would have pretty much shaken up the Democrats out of their mass hysteria stupor to perhaps rebuild the party, rethink things a bit. It is a big country, after all, and many who live here do not understand what your average Bard graduate carries with her in her mental toolbox.
Democrats coming to power in 2024 as rebuilt and redefined might have been quite the force. But as it is, we took a step back, putting the Obama administration back in power. That is likely how it would have gone had Biden ran in 2016 instead of Hillary. But if Biden had ran Trump might not have been the nominee. Maybe it would have been Jeb! After all, Biden's greatest gift against Trump is that he's teflon.
Taking a step back instead of a step forward could mean that Biden is either Jimmy Carter, the brief respite between Nixon and Reagan (my prediction) or he is Reagan himself, taking the country into the the next 8 to 12 years (he for four, Harris for eight). The key to figuring this out is understanding what America wants going forward. Will the economy collapse? Will it thrive? Will we go through a cultural and political Renaissance or are we just saying goodbye to one but having trouble letting go?
In the end, I figure the strident nature of Cancel Culture will be the undoing of the Democrats and the left as the country craves more freedom, more stability and less fear of each other. The question that remains is whether there is anyone on the right Americans will like as much as they liked Reagan.
This is truly a breath of fresh air. Keep it going. I think Democrats misunderstand why Trump was elected in the first place. My own view is that economics played only a limited, derivative role. Identity politics, political correctness, and the sense that elites in both parties have separated from the American cultural and physical heartland were the true drivers of Trump’s resonance with voters. And none of that has changed.
Listened to your outstanding podcast interview with Megyn Kelly! While ideologically I lean conservative, I feel strongly in supporting independent thinkers like yourself and look forward to learning from a different perspective.
I think that once the normal Americans who voted for Biden/Harris because Orange Man Bad get a good look at the job-killing polices, the racism and the radicalism, not to mention kow-towing to China and the flouting to norms of free speech and cancel culture, they will have severe regrets... but it will be too late. The ‘unity’ the Democrats are calling for is nothing more than “Gleichschaltung”.
I’m extremely happy to have found you Bari. I feel most of us are both “one AND the other” and your writing hits me as refreshing common sense. Thank you!
Heard your interview on Megyn Kelly's podcast and had to subscribe! It's always a relief to find out that sane, empathetic, rational and articulate people still exist out there. We may not agree on all things but our ability to talk about those things, vigorously, passionately and honestly is what makes America -- America. I truly hope we never lose that.
Nice work, Bari. As a conservative I don't always agree with you, but you have courage and are an independent thinker. That makes you a rarity among journalists today (sadly), and I'm happy to support your efforts.
I am a center right conservative. I subscribed to your site after reading the great unraveling. I shared it with my young adult children and told them that I subscribed because I want to support free thinkers like yourself. I want to hear from coherent people that I may not agree with, politically. I want to support journalists with courage and integrity. Thank you for your voice.
Happily subscribed, but have to suggest if the likes of you, Matt, Andrew, Glenn etc. keep leaving your publications it will become too expensive to follow you, unless you band together and form a new newspaper. Please!
Dear Bari, I just finished listening to the MK podcast and was inspired by your call to "speak out now." I am also, without a doubt, one of those people you mentioned that is hiding in the "political closet." I have always considered myself progressive, but today I no longer feel that this label accurately represents my values and policy positions. Like you, I suppose I'm left on some issues and right on others, but mostly I feel politically homeless and it is incredibly isolating (until now, with this newsletter :)). Furthermore, and more to the point of being in the closet, I am a young(ish) professor of Political Science at a small, private university and literally this last week did not speak out at all regarding the establishment of an "Ethnic Studies" program. Although I want to give my colleagues the benefit of the doubt that this program will not go down the path of CRT and an ideologically-based pedagogy, I am also afraid of the Ibram Kendi readings and overall agenda being set. And, Bari, I didn't say a thing. I sat there on Zoom and nodded along feeling pressured by all of the loud celebrations of how this is necessary and "right" ... I didn't bring up any concern, and I convinced myself that it was inevitable, so why sacrifice my reputation ... why debate colleagues and friends ... that this was not worth falling on my sword. And now, after listening to your brilliant conversation with MK, I am actually quite upset with myself. All that to say, although I know that it's too late to speak out now on this particular incident, I am truly inspired by you and this newsletter to be braver, to step out of the closet (or at least open the door), and to stand up for critical thinking, objectivity, liberalism, and the goodness of America.
I can agree with most of what you wrote but your baseline: "I also think he [Joe Biden] is an eminently decent and kind man[,]" requires turning a blind eye to truth and evidence. Starting with Joe Biden's attempts to blame an innocent truck driver (by insinuating he was drunk) for the death of his wife and child in the car accident in 1992 and ruining that truck driver's life in the process (in an apparent attempt to gain political points with the emergent MADD) all the way through his documented lying, plagiarism, and by all evidence, his involvement in his son's pay to play schemes do not make him a decent man in my opinion....by any stretch.
The culture and policies that risk undoing our liberal society are mostly confined to the elites and internet trolls. My daily interactions with regular people don’t reflect the culture wars in politics and media. So my question is: how do the center left and right get organized to defeat CRT, cancel culture, media bias, and the assault on free speech? There has to be a way to scale a more moderate and centrist approach to our lives, right? What can we do?
I voted for Donald Trump. I think he is NOT an eminently decent and kind man, never thought that even before he stepped off the elevator. But I liked his policies (most of them) even though his personality and character are/were somewhat in question. I also thought the same about Joe Biden, although maybe not to the same degree. I looked at the democrat platform and realized that I just couldn't support it.
So, what comes next? Mostly gridlock, the Senate GOPers are not going to rubber stamp the stuff that the democrats are going to push for, so the question becomes will they abolish the filibuster so they can bypass the 60-vote cloture rule and pass whatever they want? Biden said he opposes that, but when asked about it by reporters, he said: “It is going to depend on how obstreperous they become.”
Question: why is it obstreperous and obstruction only when the republicans say no? I think the democrats' idea of unity is do it our way. And that attitude ain't gonna sit well with the other side.
I've subscribed to your blog despite the fact that I think I will rarely agree with you on many issues, the same reason I subscribe to Andrew Sullivan (whose blog directed me to you). It is imperative to me that I read and understand and question conservative thinkers who are outside of the Trumpian echo chamber.
For this piece I will only question one part:
[T]he strong alliance between the Democratic Party and the press, which are advocating that major tech companies crack down on “hate,” or “disinformation,” which has quickly become a synonym for “information I don’t like.”
I believe there is a monumental difference between "information I don't like" and deliberate dissemination of lies and disinformation, both through mainstream right wing media (Fox "News") and the insanity of Trumpian social media. They are not providing facts from a different perspective. They are providing "facts" that are bald face lies and are primarily responsible for the polarization we live in today. My Trumpian friends believe everything they hear from Limbaugh, Hannity, Carlson, Ingraham, Ben Shapiro, Breitbart, etc., and have no idea that these cretins are laughing all the way to the bank as they fool their viewers. I challenge anyone to provide me with the names of equally leftist radicals who have the audience these entertainers have.
The 50 dollars I spent to subscribe will be 50 dollars less I donate to my former University.
I just subscribed. I need all the sanity in my life I can get.
Good stuff Bari. Your voice is greatly missed and much needed. Please keep speaking hard truths. The answer is that Cancel Culture is already the norm. Critical Race Theory will become policy. What I can't tell yet is whether it will be America's future, meaning, we live our lives in fear of saying anything that isn't status quo (that is fascism) or whether Americans will shake out from under it and vote all of the Democrats out in 2022 and 2024 (my current prediction). Four more years of Trump would have pretty much shaken up the Democrats out of their mass hysteria stupor to perhaps rebuild the party, rethink things a bit. It is a big country, after all, and many who live here do not understand what your average Bard graduate carries with her in her mental toolbox.
Democrats coming to power in 2024 as rebuilt and redefined might have been quite the force. But as it is, we took a step back, putting the Obama administration back in power. That is likely how it would have gone had Biden ran in 2016 instead of Hillary. But if Biden had ran Trump might not have been the nominee. Maybe it would have been Jeb! After all, Biden's greatest gift against Trump is that he's teflon.
Taking a step back instead of a step forward could mean that Biden is either Jimmy Carter, the brief respite between Nixon and Reagan (my prediction) or he is Reagan himself, taking the country into the the next 8 to 12 years (he for four, Harris for eight). The key to figuring this out is understanding what America wants going forward. Will the economy collapse? Will it thrive? Will we go through a cultural and political Renaissance or are we just saying goodbye to one but having trouble letting go?
In the end, I figure the strident nature of Cancel Culture will be the undoing of the Democrats and the left as the country craves more freedom, more stability and less fear of each other. The question that remains is whether there is anyone on the right Americans will like as much as they liked Reagan.
This is truly a breath of fresh air. Keep it going. I think Democrats misunderstand why Trump was elected in the first place. My own view is that economics played only a limited, derivative role. Identity politics, political correctness, and the sense that elites in both parties have separated from the American cultural and physical heartland were the true drivers of Trump’s resonance with voters. And none of that has changed.
Listened to your outstanding podcast interview with Megyn Kelly! While ideologically I lean conservative, I feel strongly in supporting independent thinkers like yourself and look forward to learning from a different perspective.
I think that once the normal Americans who voted for Biden/Harris because Orange Man Bad get a good look at the job-killing polices, the racism and the radicalism, not to mention kow-towing to China and the flouting to norms of free speech and cancel culture, they will have severe regrets... but it will be too late. The ‘unity’ the Democrats are calling for is nothing more than “Gleichschaltung”.
I’m extremely happy to have found you Bari. I feel most of us are both “one AND the other” and your writing hits me as refreshing common sense. Thank you!
Heard your interview on Megyn Kelly's podcast and had to subscribe! It's always a relief to find out that sane, empathetic, rational and articulate people still exist out there. We may not agree on all things but our ability to talk about those things, vigorously, passionately and honestly is what makes America -- America. I truly hope we never lose that.