Post-Trump

The alienation of the “fly-over zones” is evident. The dynamic of the hollowing out of the hinterlands is irreversible under current post-industrial conditions. The ongoing malaise in the “red states” will take many forms. Trumpism was one.

He wasn’t a fascist, he was an inept economic nationalist. He was full of bluster, but not much force. In four years he never managed to:
. get Roe v. Wade revoked
. get the wall built (with Mexico paying)
. get our troops out of Afghanistan (with a settlement)
. repeal Obamacare
. achieve peace in the Middle East
. reverse the trade deficit

Nixon was so terrible and Reagan was so terrible and Bush was so terrible and Trump was so terrible. But those are micro-level deplorables, while the trajectories of The System sail along at 35,000 feet. This time, post-terrible, we’re not hearing much about Hope and Change. Because we’re now post-hope. And will be until the thing finally starts to lose altitude . . . eventually coming back down to earth.

Post-Greatness.