Damn Hippies

Tuesday, March 11, 2025

Do you know about The Bulwark? Here’s what Wikipedia has to say:

The Bulwark is an American conservative, anti-Trump news and opinion website launched in 2018 by Sarah Longwell with the support of Bill Kristol and Charlie Sykes. It initially launched as a news aggregator but in 2019 was revamped using key staffers from the recently closed The Weekly Standard.

We’re not exactly talking Mother Jones or The Nation here.

Some of their content is behind a paywall, but the subscription is $100 a year. Money well spent as far as I’m concerned.

A lot of it is free or ad supported, though. I call your attention to this podcast on YouTube, where Tim Miller interviews S. E. Cupp. Again, hardly a couple of lefties.

A summary is below; okay, maybe more than a summary. A little levity first.

SUMMARY

Tim Miller hosts the Bulwark Podcast while battling the flu, joined by CNN political commentator S.E. Cupp, to discuss the chaotic state of American politics, economic instability, and geopolitical challenges.

IDEAS

• Trump’s actions are weakening America, not promoting isolationism.
• Outrage seems central to Trump’s administration’s strategy.
• Economic chaos is prominent, with markets suffering and trading partners angry.
• Trump’s 2024 campaign initially well-run, now disorganized and chaotic.
• Trump’s administration lacks focus on core campaign issues like economy and crime.
• Trump’s economic policies aren’t delivering positive results as promised.
• Intelligence sharing pause is harming Ukraine’s defense against Russia.
• U.S. allies are wary of Trump’s foreign policy direction.
• The proposed peace deal for Ukraine seems biased towards Russian interests.
• Trump’s administration’s actions weaken America’s global influence.
• Trump administration’s interventionist moves contradict isolationist promises.
• Republican lawmakers hesitant to challenge Trump’s decisions on national security.
• Elon Musk’s involvement in government raises concerns about accountability.
• Tesla’s stock downturn could pressure Musk to focus on company responsibilities.
• Corruption and self-dealing in the current administration are blatant yet ignored.
• MAGA movement lacks constructive agenda, focused on destruction.
• Chaos in Republican party leads to defending indefensible figures.
• Some Republicans criticize support for controversial figures like Andrew Tate.
• Concerns over RFK and agricultural policies affecting public health.
• There’s a potential vacuum for new ideologies post-Trump era.

INSIGHTS

• Trump’s unpredictability and chaos undermine American global leadership.
• Economic instability results from lack of coherent policy focus.
• Trump’s interventionist actions contradict his isolationist rhetoric.
• MAGA movement is primarily destructive, lacking constructive vision.
• Trump’s administration’s actions create global geopolitical instability.
• The weakening of Western alliances under Trump is strategically concerning.
• America’s political landscape is ripe for new ideological directions.
• Economic warfare tactics harm rather than strengthen national interests.
• Corruption within the administration shows erosion of ethical governance.
• The Republican party’s moral compass is compromised by opportunism.

QUOTES

• “With friends like these who needs enemies.” - S.E. Cupp
• “Outrage is the point of everything they’re doing.” - S.E. Cupp
• “The market has been getting crushed.” - Tim Miller
• “It’s more chaotic than I thought.” - S.E. Cupp
• “I expected everything to go to [__].” - Tim Miller
• “We are becoming a weaker force and presence on the world stage.” - S.E. Cupp
• “Trump sees himself as the rich guy that wasn’t respected.” - Tim Miller
• “Elon tweets at foreign leaders like they’re just trolls.” - S.E. Cupp
• “We live in a kleptocracy.” - S.E. Cupp
• “The liberal world order…might be the end of that era.” - Tim Miller
• “MAGA is a destructive movement.” - Tim Miller
• “Defending the indefensible is kind of what they’re left with.” - S.E. Cupp
• “Will we survive it? Open question, fair question.” - Tim Miller
• “You have to earn your democracy, you have to earn your government.” - S.E. Cupp
• “MAGA is just an online fanfiction kind of movement.” - S.E. Cupp
• “It’s crazy, I don’t know how we call ourselves a first-world country.” - S.E. Cupp

HABITS

• Analyze political actions in the context of historical patterns.
• Critique political decisions with focus on long-term implications.
• Engage in discussions with multiple political perspectives.
• Evaluate government policies through an economic lens.
• Examine geopolitical decisions for global alliance impacts.
• Assess political movements for constructive vs. destructive potential.
• Monitor political figures' accountability and transparency.
• Stay informed on current events to gauge political trends.
• Consider the ethical dimensions of political actions.
• Encourage open dialogue on political ideologies.

FACTS

• Intelligence sharing pause impacts Ukraine’s defense capability.
• Trump’s cabinet appointments contribute to administration’s disorder.
• Economic indicators show market instability under current policies.
• Proposed Ukraine peace deal favors Russian territorial gains.
• Western alliances show signs of weakening under current U.S. leadership.
• Tariffs and economic threats are forms of economic warfare.
• Geopolitical interventions challenge promises of isolationism.
• MAGA movement lacks a cohesive, constructive agenda.
• Corruption and self-dealing are rampant in the administration.
• Political landscape is open to new ideologies post-Trump era.

REFERENCES

• The Bulwark Podcast
• S.E. Cupp, CNN political commentator
• Off the Cupp Podcast
• Table for Five, CNN show
• Stacey Abrams' appliance program
• Elon Musk’s government involvement
• Tesla stock performance
• Andrew Tate controversy
• Noah Smith’s Substack post

ONE-SENTENCE TAKEAWAY

America’s political chaos, economic instability, and weakened global alliances underscore the need for a new constructive ideological direction.

RECOMMENDATIONS

• Examine U.S. foreign policy for strategic coherence and global stability.
• Prioritize economic policies that deliver tangible benefits to citizens.
• Hold political figures accountable for corruption and ethical governance.
• Foster open dialogue on the future ideological direction of America.
• Strengthen alliances to enhance American global leadership.
• Encourage political movements to focus on constructive agendas.
• Address economic instability with clear, consistent policy measures.
• Promote transparency in government dealings and appointments.
• Re-evaluate interventionist policies for long-term national interests.
• Support initiatives that bridge political divides and foster unity.