No time for the timid: The dual threats of progressives and Trump | TheHill – The Hill
Its often said that Barack ObamaBarack Hussein ObamaMissed paperwork deadline delaying Biden nomination for FDA: report Poll: Democracy is under attack, and more violence may be the future No time for the timid: The dual threats of progressives and Trump MOREs principal legacy was Donald TrumpDonald TrumpFive reasons for Biden, GOP to be thankful this season Giving thanks for Thanksgiving itself Immigration provision in Democrats' reconciliation bill makes no sense MORE. Soon, Joe BidenJoe BidenUS lawmakers arrive in Taiwan to meet with local officials Biden meets with Coast Guard on Thanksgiving Five reasons for Biden, GOP to be thankful this season MOREs main legacy also may be Trump. In both cases, Trump could be seen as a broad-based, middle-class populist reaction to massive overreach by progressives, their powerful supporters in the media and tech communities, and a firmly entrenched, permanent bureaucracy.
Modern politics in the superpower states whether in the United States, China or Russia has become a crucible of hardball, winner-take-all, merciless strategies and tactics, utilizing every vehicle available to prevail. In the American model, political leaders, successfully emerging from that crucible and equipped to govern, must be prepared to fully co-opt the progressive left or be strong enough to resist it, as well as prepared to resist the ill-defined, but highly effective, political magnetism of Trump. The far left-leaning Democratic Party leadership in the House and Senate has been effective in aligning with and partially co-opting the radical progressives. Trump has been very effective at building a populist movement to confront and resist both progressives and the permanent bureaucracy.
Neither radical path represents good governance or a sustainable long-term direction for America. They are highly divisive. Many Americans understand that, and it leaves a centrist path open to any moderate Democrats, Republicans or independents with the political skills, personal strength and resources to resist the radical left, the media, the entrenched bureaucracy and Trump.
Many Americans feel, with some justification, that liberal Democrats appear to have fully corrupted the media and perhaps even weaponized parts of the federal justice, national security and, recently, health agencies as active arms of their political agenda. The result has begun to feel to a large portion of the country like increased authoritarianism and radical government.
But, the left has made the deadly error of making its plans and tactics increasingly obvious. The trillion-dollar infrastructure bill and the $1.75 trillion social spending bill (some estimate its real price at closer to $4 trillion) most likely will represent a disastrous $5 trillion in new spending. When combined with the destruction of Americas energy independence and renewed allowance for states and local governments to subsidize increased spending through higher federal income tax deductions, the spending will lead to skyrocketing inflation, higher taxes and interest rates, a slowing economy, higher unemployment and increased misery among the middle class and the poor precisely the opposite of what is being claimed by the sponsors.
They will have weakened the economy, destroyed the jobs-creating machinery, weakened national security, and shown their authoritarian fists in implementing their programs. They have flooded the country with illegal border crossers, allowed an explosion of crime and drug deaths, and confronted parents over how to raise and teach their children. They have allowed cities to be trashed and burned and ordinary citizens of all races to be terrorized, beaten and killed.
Re-enter Trump. He has shown himself to be unique among moderate and right-leaning leaders in having the populist charisma, personal resources and single-minded determination to resist, confront and occasionally defeat the progressive left and the entrenched bureaucracy. But his highly-flawed style and personal behavior make him distasteful to moderates, many conservatives and others favoring decorum, graciousness, orderly process and personal consideration from Americas leaders. He has treated opponents, and often his own staff, with relentless derision and disrespect.
While not governing as a racist, Trump certainly seemed to use racist dog whistles to secure the 2016 Republican nomination and occasionally as president. He had a successful economic program thanks to his embrace of Paul Ryans tax reforms, his dogged trade representatives, and former Secretary of State Mike PompeoMike PompeoNo time for the timid: The dual threats of progressives and Trump Psaki: Sexism contributes to some criticism of Harris Mnuchin, Pompeo mulled plan to remove Trump after Jan. 6: book MORE's diplomacy little of which he recognizes. Trump governed as a moderate with the lowest unemployment rates for Blacks, Hispanics and women in history, while increasing real wages across the board. Carbon emissions were some of the lowest in a decade.
Trumps firm, but restrained, foreign policy kept America out of new shooting wars, and prevented increased aggression from Russia, China, North Korea or Iran. He created effective peace treaties in the Middle East. But many moderates feel he was totally self-absorbed and obnoxious while he accomplished all of this and have trouble stomaching another, possibly inevitable, round of Trump in the White House.
Nonetheless, the apparent incompetence and radical progressive direction of the Biden administration is bleeding reluctant moderates and independents toward Trump as the lesser of two evils. In short, Biden and the radical left are creating a massive political vacuum in America, which Trump will fill unless a very strong alternative surfaces.
This is no time for the timid. Trump has become a political colossus and he must be confronted by another charismatic leader with personal determination, huge political and management skills, an effective populist message, and personal access to vast resources to confront powerful political blocs, most of the media, and the permanent bureaucracy. It must be a populist leader with the personal energy to barnstorm America the oxymoron extreme-moderate with the courage, skill and resources to confront both Trump and the progressives.
Biden has lost his magic beans. The stalk is starting to grow. The giant is coming. Who knows Jack (or Jacqueline)? Tell them to bring a sharp ax.
Grady Means is a writer (GradyMeans.com) and former corporate strategy consultant. He served in the White House as a policy assistant to Vice President Nelson Rockefeller. Follow him on Twitter @gradymeans1.
Original post:
No time for the timid: The dual threats of progressives and Trump | TheHill - The Hill
- Adriana E. Ramrez: Progressives should admit that Donald Trump might do something right - Pittsburgh Post-Gazette - March 3rd, 2025 [March 3rd, 2025]
- Decades of pandering to progressives have left both BP and Unilever at a loss - The Telegraph - March 3rd, 2025 [March 3rd, 2025]
- Progressives tap a rising star to deliver their response to Trump - POLITICO - March 1st, 2025 [March 1st, 2025]
- Two Santa Ana progressives make bids for the 68th Assembly District - Los Angeles Times - March 1st, 2025 [March 1st, 2025]
- The great rethink and the opportunity for progressives - Nation.Cymru - March 1st, 2025 [March 1st, 2025]
- Progressives Say They Want Clean Energy. They Held Up This Hydro Project for Years. - POLITICO - February 25th, 2025 [February 25th, 2025]
- Meet the 'old-school Democrat' defying warped progressives to make his Southern city boom now Trump's back - Daily Mail - February 25th, 2025 [February 25th, 2025]
- Progressives go silent on court-packing with Trump in office - Washington Examiner - February 25th, 2025 [February 25th, 2025]
- Can progressives and moderates bridge the growing divide in the Democratic Party? - College of Social Sciences and Humanities - February 25th, 2025 [February 25th, 2025]
- Progressives say they are prepared to take charge over any ministry in Latvia - bnn-news.com - February 25th, 2025 [February 25th, 2025]
- Can progressives and moderates bridge the growing divide in the Democratic Party? - Northeastern University - February 25th, 2025 [February 25th, 2025]
- FTC Push for State Media Shows Progressives Need to Spend on Local Media - Daily Kos - February 25th, 2025 [February 25th, 2025]
- For progressives, humanitarian values apply to everyone, except the Jews - JNS.org - February 25th, 2025 [February 25th, 2025]
- Cowardly Kathy Hochul caves to progressives on punishing Eric Adams (and his voters) - New York Post - February 25th, 2025 [February 25th, 2025]
- How Progressives Broke the Government - The Atlantic - February 18th, 2025 [February 18th, 2025]
- Its too late for progressives to be careful what they wish for - Danville Commercial News - February 18th, 2025 [February 18th, 2025]
- Progressives Flood Senator Schumers Peekskill Office -Demand A Fight Against Trump & Musk - Yonkers Times - February 18th, 2025 [February 18th, 2025]
- Trump's Ideas Aren't Crazy, They've Just Shaken Progressives - Newsmax - February 14th, 2025 [February 14th, 2025]
- How Progressives Froze the American Dream - MSN - February 14th, 2025 [February 14th, 2025]
- Opinion: George Will: Its too late for progressives to be careful what they wish for - Longmont Times-Call - February 14th, 2025 [February 14th, 2025]
- How Progressives Froze the American Dream - The Atlantic - February 12th, 2025 [February 12th, 2025]
- Opinion | Its too late for progressives to be careful what they wish for - The Washington Post - February 12th, 2025 [February 12th, 2025]
- Progressives Sickening Embrace of the PFLP - Commentary Magazine - February 12th, 2025 [February 12th, 2025]
- Progressives demanding NYC fight ICE are at war with reality - New York Post - February 12th, 2025 [February 12th, 2025]
- Higher taxes on millionaires and a $20 minimum wage: What else are RI progressives proposing? - The Providence Journal - February 12th, 2025 [February 12th, 2025]
- Musk cuts waste and progressives melt down. He must be on the right track. I Opinion - USA TODAY - February 12th, 2025 [February 12th, 2025]
- How U.S. progressives broke the administrative state, according to Marc J. Dunkelman - NPR - February 12th, 2025 [February 12th, 2025]
- Progressives should cheer Trumps FBI purge The bureau bullied antiwar radicals like my father - UnHerd - February 12th, 2025 [February 12th, 2025]
- Progressives let hatred of Trump push them over the edge. It's truly sad to see. | Opinion - USA TODAY - February 12th, 2025 [February 12th, 2025]
- Progressives demanding NYC fight ICE are at war with reality - MSN - February 12th, 2025 [February 12th, 2025]
- ASU progressives worry about tech oligopoly in Trumps second term - The College Fix - February 12th, 2025 [February 12th, 2025]
- "Solidarity is the antidote to fascism": Progressives organize Treasury protest over Musk takeover - Yahoo! Voices - February 5th, 2025 [February 5th, 2025]
- "There is no common ground with fascists": Progressives rip Klobuchar's call for bipartisanship - Salon - February 5th, 2025 [February 5th, 2025]
- Opinion | Progressives Wont Help the Working Class by Abandoning Marginalized Groups - Common Dreams - February 5th, 2025 [February 5th, 2025]
- "Solidarity is the antidote to fascism": Progressives organize Treasury protest over Musk takeover - Salon - February 5th, 2025 [February 5th, 2025]
- Opinion - A kicked DOGE hollers: Progressives telling response to an agency cutting spending - AOL - February 5th, 2025 [February 5th, 2025]
- Chicago alderman accuses Mayor Johnson only listening to 'hyper-White liberal progressives' on immigration - Fox8tv - February 5th, 2025 [February 5th, 2025]
- Trump and Musks Agenda Is a True Threat to Aviation Safety, Progressives Warn - Truthout - February 1st, 2025 [February 1st, 2025]
- Jonathan Scott: How progressives lost rural Canadaand what they should do now - The Hub - February 1st, 2025 [February 1st, 2025]
- New York magazine shows progressives are losing the culture war - UnHerd - January 30th, 2025 [January 30th, 2025]
- New Unity and Progressives give up and decide to support Kazks to lead Bank of Latvia - bnn-news.com - January 30th, 2025 [January 30th, 2025]
- Opinion | Our Democracy Is in Peril, But Progressives Are Poised to Lead Its Revival - Common Dreams - January 27th, 2025 [January 27th, 2025]
- Progressives Are Done With Eric Adams. Can They Elect One of Their Own? - The New York Times - January 27th, 2025 [January 27th, 2025]
- Progressives' meltdown over Trump's first actions show exactly why he won | Opinion - USA TODAY - January 26th, 2025 [January 26th, 2025]
- Andrew Perez: My fellow progressives youve been lied to about Israel - National Post - January 26th, 2025 [January 26th, 2025]
- Memo to Big-City Progressives: Get Back to Basics - Governing - January 26th, 2025 [January 26th, 2025]
- Californias Wildfires and the Battle Between Populists and Progressives - Australian Institute of International Affairs - January 26th, 2025 [January 26th, 2025]
- Streeting heckled as he urges progressives to fight the populist right - The Independent - January 26th, 2025 [January 26th, 2025]
- Trumps political resurrection sends three warnings to Hollywood, media, progressives - Washington Times - January 26th, 2025 [January 26th, 2025]
- Streeting heckled as he urges progressives to fight the populist right - Evening Standard - January 26th, 2025 [January 26th, 2025]
- Streeting heckled as he urges progressives to fight the populist right - AOL UK - January 26th, 2025 [January 26th, 2025]
- Streeting heckled as he urges progressives to fight the populist right - MSN - January 26th, 2025 [January 26th, 2025]
- Trump inauguration: is this the end for progressives in America? - Channel 4 News - January 26th, 2025 [January 26th, 2025]
- Progressives Hate Jimmy Carters Best Accomplishments - National Review - January 1st, 2025 [January 1st, 2025]
- Jaime Watt: Advice to progressives: Public rage is real and the politics of joy is dead - Toronto Star - January 1st, 2025 [January 1st, 2025]
- Why progressives should talk to their enemies Jesse Jackson understood the power of persuasion - UnHerd - January 1st, 2025 [January 1st, 2025]
- Five reasons for progressives to take hope and stay engaged in 2025 - NC Newsline - January 1st, 2025 [January 1st, 2025]
- 5 reasons for progressives to be hopeful, engaged in 2025 - Restoration NewsMedia - January 1st, 2025 [January 1st, 2025]
- Progressives like Greg Casar remain politically out of touch, reader says - San Antonio Express-News - January 1st, 2025 [January 1st, 2025]
- Progressives Hate Jimmy Carters Best Accomplishments - AMAC Official Website - Join and Explore the Benefits - January 1st, 2025 [January 1st, 2025]
- Bill Maher's foul-mouthed rant at progressives who shun conservative loved ones over the holidays - Daily Mail - January 1st, 2025 [January 1st, 2025]
- Is the Seattle City Council 'toxic' for progressives. Newly elected Alexis Mercedes Rinck is about to find out - KUOW News and Information - December 16th, 2024 [December 16th, 2024]
- Congressional Progressives New Leader Thinks Times on His Side - The Dispatch - December 16th, 2024 [December 16th, 2024]
- Opinion | Progressives shouldnt avoid the hard conversations they need to win - The Washington Post - December 16th, 2024 [December 16th, 2024]
- Its fine to recall progressives, but not a conservative supervisor? Ask the Chron - 48 Hills - December 16th, 2024 [December 16th, 2024]
- Progressives Under Pressure: Confronting the Gradual Rise of Authoritarianism - Social Europe - December 16th, 2024 [December 16th, 2024]
- Progressives flee X for Bluesky, where they can harass others in peace - New York Post - December 16th, 2024 [December 16th, 2024]
- Opinion | Progressives should defend Bidens legacy to protect their future - The Washington Post - December 16th, 2024 [December 16th, 2024]
- Letters to the Editor: Progressives mandate is overstated; Boulder can be model supporting youth - Boulder Daily Camera - December 16th, 2024 [December 16th, 2024]
- Where Will Progressives Go from Here? Tyler Syck - Law & Liberty - December 16th, 2024 [December 16th, 2024]
- Progressives push for preemptive action on Trump 2.0 - POLITICO - December 16th, 2024 [December 16th, 2024]
- AOC, other progressives condemn violence but suggest justification for killing of UnitedHealthcare CEO - Fox News - December 16th, 2024 [December 16th, 2024]
- Both conservatives and progressives are paying attention to Jeong Hyeong-sik, who was designated as - - December 16th, 2024 [December 16th, 2024]
- To lead the resistance on Capitol Hill, progressives in D.C. are turning to a Texan - San Antonio Report - December 10th, 2024 [December 10th, 2024]
- Progressives Want Democratic Party Reform with Bold Working-Class Agenda - West Orlando News - December 10th, 2024 [December 10th, 2024]
- Progressives must Act to Protect the most Vulnerable: mere Resistance to Trump is not Enough - Informed Comment - December 10th, 2024 [December 10th, 2024]
- 2027: APGA ready for alliance with fellow progressives Ezeokenwa - Vanguard - December 10th, 2024 [December 10th, 2024]
- Progressives Plan for Handling Trump Is Too Clever to Work - New York Magazine - December 4th, 2024 [December 4th, 2024]
- Progressives must unite to see off the far right - The Guardian - December 4th, 2024 [December 4th, 2024]
- Opinion: Progressives need to step up with year-round, aggressive advocacy for facts. - UpNorthNews - December 4th, 2024 [December 4th, 2024]