as his Tuesday New York Times column.
He begins by remind us of Ronald Reagan’s constant repeating of the story of the “welfare queen” where Reagan totally distorted and exaggerated what was a minor case of welfare fraud, and quotes Paul Krugman as noting of Reagan
“He never mentioned the woman’s race, but he didn’t have to.”
Blow writes
So, then as now, economic anxiety and throbbing xenophobia were convenient shields behind which brewing racial animus could hide.
He reminds us that Reagan was the first to use the phrase “Make America Great Again.”
As to the notion of “compassionate conservatism,” Blow reminds us it was first offered by conservative Democrat Jim Jones of Oklahoma, shares with us how that gentleman phrased the notion, then responds
But in truth, there was no compassion to be had in that conservatism then — and definitely not now.
We get Vernon Jordan’s reaction to the notion, and are told that while Reagan at least operated “under a veneer of positivity and hopefulness” there is none of that in Trump who “has pursued a blatant appeal to anger and hostility with his talk of a nation in decline.”
Yes, Blow tells us, Jack Kemp and George W. Bush at least attempted a compassionate conservatism, but that idea is now dead, killed by Trump and his minions.
I would say that regardless of what may have been at least partially true before, in our time “compassionate conservatism” is now an oxymoron.
Then comes the heart of the column, for which we have been prepared by the material to this point. In four relatively short paragraphs, Blow eviscerates what the Trump administration is doing:
Trump is rushing headlong into Muslim bans and mass deportations, wall building and Obamacare dismantling. Indeed, it feels like the campaign promises Trump is keeping have to do with cruelty and those he’s flip-flopping on have to do with character.
For instance, it is now abundantly clear that Trump had no intention whatsoever of draining the swamp in Washington. He is simply restocking it to his liking.
This is why I have no patience for liberal talk of reaching out to Trump voters. There is no more a compromise point with those who accept, promote and defend bigotry, misogyny and xenophobia than there is a designation of “almost pregnant.”
Trump is a cancer on this country and resistance is the remedy. The Trump phenomenon is devoid of compassion, and we must be closed to compromise.
The rest of the column essentially reiterates the notion of resistance, of not compromising with what Blow clearly delineates as evil.
This is yet again pointed stuff.
It is consistent with how Blow has reacted to the Trump phenomenon.
Trump is a cancer on this country and resistance is the remedy.
There is no wiggle room in that statement, nor should there be.
The Trump phenomenon is devoid of compassion — look how long it took him to say anything about the rise of anti-Semitism and of the attacks on Jewish Community Centers, and remember both his anti-semitic dog whistles during the campaign and his omitting mention of Jews in his statement commemorating the Holocaust. And can you think of any time he has said anything even approaching conciliation about those who follow Islam?
bigotry, misogyny and xenophobia
The “new” executive order will, according to the gentleman (Miller) caught flashing White Power hand signs be essentially the same as the last.
I find it hard to disagree with this Blow column.
I suspect when you read the entire thing — as you should — you will as well.