December 5, 2016

7 reasons to be happy about the election of Donald Trump.

2 are things you could have taken into account when voting, and the rest are things that have accumulated in the transition period.

The link go to Instapundit, who warns "Don’t get cocky, because he could still blow it and the press will be looking for anything they can use to destroy him, as they do with every Republican president."

The warning interestingly interplays with reason #5, "Crushing the media’s sense of self-importance":
They thought they were going to hand this election to Hillary. Now they’re realizing just how few people like or trust them, while Trump bypasses them using Twitter and YouTube. As I’ve said before, in the post-World War II era, the press has enjoyed certain institutional privileges based on two assumptions: (1) That it’s very powerful; and (2) That it will exercise that power responsibly, for the most part. Both assumptions have been proven false in this election cycle. Like many of the postwar institutional accommodations, this one will be renegotiated under Trump. It’s past time. After getting spanked in 2004 over RatherGate, the press realized with Katrina that if they all converged on the same lies they could still move the needle. Now they can’t.

42 comments:

rehajm said...

Very good summary, The coordinated leftie media failed in this case but it is still powerful, still committed to destroying Republicans and too few people realize how corrupt and in the tank for lefties they are.

Kansas City said...

This sounds exactly right. My wife said over the weekend that the media was powerful and would bring down Trump. I said the media certainly would try, but we might be in a new era where the media has lost so much power it can no longer bring down a politician, at least not one like Trump. We specifically talked about Rather. We did not talk about how the media succeeded in the lies about Katrina and effectively protected Obama on all issues. I think the future power of the media is a toss up, dependent on whether Trump can continue to win the war with the media. Unfortunately, I think the media might still have the upper hand.

There also could be a significant development if a new conservative force comes into the media, comparable to Fox News on TV. Something like a rich conservative buying a media giant like the New York Times or Washington post and imposing diversity of thought on the institution.

Big Mike said...

Every bit of it is perfectly true. And I voted for Trump strictly because of reason #2.

gspencer said...

From yesterday's (12/04/16) Face the Nation,

DICKERSON: “The Democratic Party is in a moment of questioning about its identity. You were reelected to lead the Democrats in the House. What do you tell Democrats who want a new direction and then, go to you, what are you going to do differently?”

PELOSI: “Well, I don’t think people want a new direction. Our [Democrat] values unify us and our values are about supporting America’s working families.

Quaestor said...

Well, I don’t think people want a new direction. Our [Democrat] values unify us and our values are about supporting America’s working families.

Depending on who the GOP taps to run in 2024 we're looking at 12 years minimum of Republican ascendancy. The real opposition will come from the Libertarians and not the geriatric Democrats, a party whose time as been.

traditionalguy said...

That was a well reasoned piece, but somebody call in Scott Adams.

DJT is now bonding with his voters. They love and trust him like FDR's voters did the Franklin Delano side of the Roosevelt line of great Presidents.

Every new hit piece the media has fired at him
this week bounced off DJT and destroyed what was left of the silly media's once mighty credibility.

Anonymous said...

People said the same thing about how destabilitzing Martin Luther's 96 principles he nailed to the wittenberg door were. Which freed the serfs from the oppressive priesthood and the church. The social networks and fake news driving clicks being our Guttenberg. The elites knew that once this match was lit, their days were numbered. Couldn't happen to a nicer group of people. the Dems. The party of stupid bullies. Granted this led to the inquisition for this heresy. Well, progress always has a cost. Whoda thunk the iPhone would have left to the demise of the left.

Lyssa said...

I agree with all of that, from someone who was against Trump and opted to vote 3rd party this go-'round. I'm quite a bit more pleased than I expected, and cautiously optimistic to see what will happen next.

Sebastian said...

Keeping Hill out was reason #1. Trumping the media was predictable, not an afterthought -- not a major reason, just a nice fringe benefit. Reason #2 for me: vote for team more than person: in spite of Trump's, umm, unorthodox tendencies, the greater likelihood that he would bring in a GOP crew (including particularly a conservative Justice). Which is now happening, mostly.

Mike (MJB Wolf) said...

Fund is a reliably good writer who researches his articles the old fashioned way. He would laugh if he could see the comments here about "no voter fraud has been proved." Look up his work if you want to have your eyes opened. He also wrote the research paper with Hans von Spakovsky about persistent non-citizen voting nationwide noted here last week.

Tarrou said...

As a moment of sober analysis away from my months-long celebration of the death of traditional DNC-owned media. The polarization will get worse. The mainstream media is gone full retard, and without anyone providing a real center, everyone retreats to their partisan corner. There are no referees to appeal to. Now, in the long run, this is good, I think it will eventually produce a media at least superficially roughly centered. In the meantime, however, we have a crisis of credibility. Who we listen to boils down to who we trust. And who we trust is mediated by our biases and politics.

The Trump candidacy was wonderful for exposing the bias of the media, but it also exposed those few principled people who could hold their line in that storm. Glenn Beck comes through this looking great. Sam Harris likewise, on the opposite side of the aisle. Dave Rubin has been remarkable, I think, with his new webshow. If you can find the people who opposed Trump without hyperventilating or deifying Hillary. If you can find the people who supported Trump without drinking the kool-aid, you'll have a good start on some reasonably principled people to get your news from.

Bob Boyd said...

The Dems have been bleeding governorships and legislative seats at the county, state and national level for years, but they didn't seem to care. They apparently believed they would continue to control the Presidency, the judiciary and the media and that this would be enough to implement their agenda. After all, the President could issue executive orders to the States backed up by the judiciary and opinion could be controlled by the cooperating media.
The Trump phenomenon swept away all three of these pieces at once and left the Dems devastated. The current Democrat party is essentially a failed coup.

Rick said...

traditionalguy said...
DJT is now bonding with his voters. They love and trust him like FDR's voters did the Franklin Delano side of the Roosevelt line of great Presidents.


FDR ran as a budget cutting government spending hawk. You might consider what this comparison says about Trump.

Tommy Duncan said...

Every time I think about Trump winning I think of this movie quote:

"To crush your enemies, to see them driven before you, and to hear the lamentations of their women." - Conan the Barbarian

Then I think about the reaction of the progressive snowflakes to the election. And I smile.

khesanh0802 said...

It is wonderful to see the exploding heads at NYT, but especially at the WaPo. They know they have lost the war, but they don't know how to surrender and change direction. As I have said before Trump should ban the WaPo from the press pool and make them stand in the snow with the reporters from the Sioux Falls Argus Leader!

MadisonMan said...

Anti-Hillary was my #1. Still is.

I'll relax after the Electoral College dots the i and crosses the t.

khesanh0802 said...

@Bob Boyd. Very astute comment. Now off with their heads -figuratively, of course!

tcrosse said...

It ain't over until it's over, and even then it ain't over. It's hard to believe that HRC will go quietly into obscurity, where she belongs. Have a sharp oak stake ready - figuratively, of course !

Molly said...

Reason 8: It was a great victory for feminism to allow a woman with real achievements to become the first president. Read this comment to a WP article on Clinton's loss:

Here's what I told my 15 year old daughter: "Hillary's loss does not mean that your hopes and aspirations can't be fulfilled. And the path that Hillary blazed is still the best path for achieving those hopes and aspirations. So go to college, find a man who is bright and engaging and ambitious. Do everything you can to help him reach those ambitions. Stick with that husband, no matter how badly he treats you, because it is through his successes (and the credit that you deserve for those successes) that you can achieve your own success. "

tcrosse said...

P.S. A Federal judge (natch) has ordered the Michigan recount to proceed today at noon.

Owen said...

Desperate people do desperate things. The mainstream media have burned their ships. They have nothing left to lose. Trump has used Twitter IMHO brilliantly to outflank them, pre-empt them, redefine how the Executive communicates to the country his strategic intent. It is a complement to other channels and it will keep the MSM off-balance and feeling vulnerable: how can they monopolize the delivery of news when it has already been tweeted past their perimeter? We will have to hope Trump can keep the tone and pace of his agenda positive and energetic, because the MSM will be rolling grenades at him at every opportunity.

bagoh20 said...

Yea, John Fund nailed it. It's really is that simple.

Peter said...

And yet much of the mainstream press continues to disgrace itself by doubling-down on anti-Trump hysteria, instead of taking at least a brief timeout to examine why much of the public no longer considers the mainstream press a reliable, low-bias information source. Is "hysteria" not an appropriate word when big name "journalists" start expressing their big, bad fears that bigger, badder Trump is somehow going to suspend the First Amendment?


Here (for example) is NPR and CNN's Christine Amanpour speculating on "anxiety about if journalism, seeking objective truth, featuring a diversity of voices and treating them with respect but rigor can survive in a time of social media platforms that thrive on sniping and partisanship." As if any reasonable person would expect anything approximating "objective truth" from NPR, CNN, or Amanpour.

http://www.npr.org/2016/12/03/504244495/cnn-anchor-christiane-amanpour-concerned-for-u-s-journalism-in-trump-era

richard mcenroe said...

Hillary just lost 16,000 over counted votes in Milwaukee County. Way to go, Jill!

Peter said...

The View from the Mainstream Press:


"The Nazi echoes in Trump's tweets" - LA Times

"Alt-Right Gathering Exults in Trump Election With Nazi-Era Salute" - NY Times

"Holocaust survivor on Trump: 'I've seen this before — in Nazi Germany" - Chicago Tribune

White Nationalists Salute the President-Elect: "Hail Trump!" - The Atlantic\


-- and then they wonder where their credibility has gone?

traditionalguy said...

DJT becoming an FDR is going to include the inner city renewal under Carson akin to FDR doing REA, TVA, and CCC and urban renewal
Projects. Those all built things and hired people. The Bonneville Dam, the Fontana Dam and others were finished on time for WWII's electrical demand.


Bay Area Guy said...

Of course, Trump will stumble and let us down. He's a politician now!

His primary focus is to get re-elected in 2020. Hopefully, on that path, he will also do a few good things for the country.

But, he will be faced with a few decisions points down the road. Remember when George W. Bush nominated his crony Harriet Miers to SCOTUS?

Whatever Trump is, he is not a doctrinaire Conservative. Indeed, he has pledge to build lots of government projects and to "protect" entitlements.

However, if he secures our border, repeals Obamacare, discards the Iranian Nuclear deal, grows the economy, cuts taxes, bombs the crap out of Isis, most right of center folks will be pleased with him.

Wince said...

"7 reasons to be happy about the election of Donald Trump."

Reasons To Be Cheerful , Part III - Ian Dury and The Blockheads.

Why don't you get back into bed...

Reasons to be cheerful part 3
1 2 3

Summer, Buddy Holly, the working folly
Good golly Miss Molly and boats
Hammersmith Palais, the Bolshoi Ballet
Jump back in the alley and nanny goats
18-wheeler Scammels, Domenecker camels
All other mammals plus equal votes
Seeing Piccadilly, Fanny Smith and Willy
Being rather silly, and porridge oats
A bit of grin and bear it, a bit of come and share it
You're welcome, we can spare it - yellow socks
Too short to be haughty, too nutty to be naughty
Going on 40 - no electric shocks
The juice of the carrot, the smile of the parrot
A little drop of claret - anything that rocks
Elvis and Scotty, days when I ain't spotty,
Sitting on the potty - curing smallpox

Reasons to be cheerful part 3...
1 2 3

Health service glasses
Gigolos and brasses
Round or skinny bottoms
Take your mum to Paris
Lighting up the chalice
Wee Willy Harris
Bantu Stephen Biko, listening to Rico
Harpo, Groucho, Chico
Cheddar cheese and pickle, the Vincent motorsickle
Slap and tickle
Woody Allen, Dali, Dimitri and Pasquale
Balabalabala and Volare
Something nice to study, phoning up a buddy
Being in my nuddy
Saying hokey-dokey, Sing Along With Smokey
Coming out of chokey
John Coltrane's soprano, Adi Celentano
Bonar Colleano

Reasons to be cheerful part 3...
1 2 3

Yes yes
Dear dear
Perhaps next year
Or maybe even never
In which case...

jg said...

No offense, but '16k overcount in milwaukee co.' appears to be that 'fake news' stuff we were all told about.

Bruce Gee said...

Bay Area Guy:
"His primary focus is to get re-elected in 2020."

Why would this guy make his primary focus to get re elected? Aren't you confusing him with a career politician? He has all the power and influence and prosperity and family happiness anyone could want. I really doubt he ran for president so that he could...uh...run again. This comment makes no sense whatsoever to me.

If you look at Trump's career objectively, he's a guy who is results and detail oriented if nothing else. His values may not be your values, but I really do believe that those who think he can't get things done are in for a pleasant, or unpleasant, surprise.

chickelit said...

I love the delicious irony that Jeff Bezo of all people bought antiquated technology.

victoria said...

What makes me happy about the election??? 4 years of hilarity.


Vicki from Pasadena

Bay Area Guy said...

@Bruce Gee,

Why would this guy make his primary focus to get re elected? Aren't you confusing him with a career politician? He has all the power and influence and prosperity and family happiness anyone could want. I really doubt he ran for president so that he could...uh...run again. This comment makes no sense whatsoever to me.

I could be wrong, but when's the last time a sitting President chose not to run again? LBJ in 1968, and Truman in 1952. But both were politically weak and sure to lose.

The power of the Presidency is much bigger than the fame, riches, and publicity that Trump has experienced. Now, he controls armies, nukes, Federal prosecutors, a large place in American history and a lot more. From my lowly experience as citizen, I say once Trump gets the taste of power, he will want more of it, not less, and not want to voluntarily give it away. That means focusing on re-election.

As Bruce Sprinsteen once said, "Poor man wanna be rich, rich man wanna be a king, and a king ain't satisfied until he rules everything" -- Badlands, Sprinsteen (1978)


Rusty said...

richard mcenroe said...
"Hillary just lost 16,000 over counted votes in Milwaukee County. Way to go, Jill!"

I like that. "We didn't cheat. We simply overcounted."

victoria said...
"What makes me happy about the election??? 4 years of hilarity.


Vicki from Pasadena"

That's the spirit Vick. Turn that frown upside down.

Matt Sablan said...

... Oh my God.

If the recount swings votes AWAY from Clinton... that'll be actually epic.

Joe Biden, America's Putin said...

There is nothing more hacktastic that Chuck Todd and George Clintonopolis.

Anonymous said...

1. You are dumb.
2. You are a racist.
3. You are brain damaged.
4. You are a fascist.
5. You are weirdo.
6. You are Scott Adams.
7. You are dumb.

Bad Lieutenant said...

Any updates or cites on the truth or falsity of that 16000 overvote allegation?

Rusty said...

Unknown said...
1. You are dumb.
2. You are a racist.
3. You are brain damaged.
4. You are a fascist.
5. You are weirdo.
6. You are Scott Adams.
7. You are dumb.

You need to listen to Vicki. She's on the right track. Maybe some Valium?

Joe Biden, America's Putin said...

#2 nails it.

2) Kept Hillary out of the White House. She’s amazingly crooked even by DC standards, and amazingly inept even by DC standards as well. Debacles galore have been prevented by keeping her out. Plus, a Clinton presidency would have allowed the completion of the Obama Administration’s weaponization of the federal government and possibly ensured one-party rule for decades. And at the very least, it would have allowed the sorry gang that Obama and Clinton brought in (go read the Podesta emails!) to bore in for four to eight more years.

Joe Biden, America's Putin said...

(7) The transition. It was supposed to be “chaos,” but it’s been smooth and obviously well-planned. This bodes well and, among those willing to pay attention beyond SNL sketches, is changing minds.

Only stupid progs watch SNL and think it's funny.

JamesB.BKK said...

I was thinking about that Springsteen Badlands line the other day. It's bullshit. Rich men don't usually want to be kings. Kings usually don't wish to rule everything. Too complicated. Politicians on the other hand, particularly those promoted by Springsteen . . ..