James January-February 2025 web - Flipbook - Page 52
most committed of liberals or Democrats no longer trusted what they
were being told. Biden’s post-election
pardon of his son shocked no one but
just reinforced in voters’ minds that
little they heard from him or his White
House was true.
The secret that is not so secret is
that among average Americans— not
journalists or professors or political
activists— Trump has become “cool.”
No one is hiding their vote for Trump
this go around. As soon as Trump won,
signs and bumper stickers that many
were afraid to display before the elec9. Two assassination attempts and no tion started springing up everywhere.
real answers, details, or action against
It is no longer “cool” to want to
those who failed at their job made
defund the police. It’s rapidly becomTrump a superhero and led many a
ing “not cool” to allow a biologically
voter to question who was behind
born male high school or college
both attempts and why. Even Mark
athlete to pummel their female oppoZuckerburg said Trump’s defiance
nents because they now identify as
after the first attempt made him a
a woman. It’s not “cool” to open the
“bad ass.”
border or for governments to pay for
long-term hotel stays for those who
10. Trump was at the top of his game.
crossed illegally. In essence, much of
He chose the perfect candidate for
what seemed fine in the early years of
vice president, persuaded powerful
the Biden administration is no longer
assets like Elon Musk and Robert
acceptable to most Americans.
Kennedy, Jr. to join forces and took his
Of course, everything changes and
case to the podcasts, and people lookthe Trump wave of today could come
ing to the future, rather than an Oprah crashing down again. If we are honbroadcast of the 1990s.
est, his re-election after his first term
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looked like a cakewalk until Covid
reared its brutally ugly head. But this
time he is inheriting inflation fueled
by mindboggling spending via Biden’s
ironically named “Inflation Reduction
Act.” Trump inherits wars and open
conflicts that never took place when
he was in office. From nearly antiquated air traffic control systems that have
suffered from neglect to federal office
buildings in D.C. where few show up
for work, Trump and his team will
have lots to deal with.
So, let’s get one last thing clear.
Trump will never stop with his
retweets of memes, or his nicknames
for opponents, or his off the cuff remarks. It may be hard to understand
for those who live in the past or yearn
for some future most Americans don’t
want. But to put it bluntly, it is why he
is a billionaire and has been elected
President twice… and we aren’t and
haven’t. And most of us, in the crazy
world we now live in, wouldn’t want to
be either one.
