As Donald Trump settles into The White House, elites in the political class are beginning to recognize that democracy is not necessarily a permanent state of political organization. “Donald Trump’s candidacy is the first time American politics has left me truly afraid,” wrote Vox cofounder Ezra Klein just before the election. Andrew Sullivan argued in New York magazine that American democracy is susceptible, “in stressful times, to the appeal of a shameless demagogue.” Paul Krugman wrote an entire column on why republics end, citing Trump’s violations of political norms. But if you want to understand the politics of authoritarianism in America, the place to start is not with Trump, but with the cool-kid Founding Father of the Obama era, Alexander Hamilton.
I’m not just talking about the actual founder, though we’ll come back to him. I’m talking about the personage at the center of the Broadway musical, Hamilton.
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ReplyDeleteIf there's fear "...that American democracy is susceptible, “in stressful times, to the appeal of a shameless demagogue...” we should be damned happy that Hillary wasn't elected to extend the Obama legacy.
It's a hate whitey theater production. Popular among self hating whites and liberals. Revisionist history at it's worst!
ReplyDeletePlease put this important post -- in full -- at the top. It describes how the lib-loonies will believe anything they view as appropriate, regardless of the actual facts, if things are sufficiently distorted and presented with much praise and ado in the mainstream media. Yes, the show about Hamilton is fairly good musical theater (technically and professionally); but it is excellent political propaganda by means of distortion and disregard of historical fact.
ReplyDeleteHamilton was among the so-called Founders that preferred and argued for a semi-monarchical form of government -- even after Independence. He was involved in the slave trading industry and did not support or seek emancipation. There are other aspects of his career and politics that many of his new-found followers would regard as anti-democratic. It is interesting that he was an aggressive opponent of Thomas Jefferson, a pillar of their preferred political party
Because of this Broadway spectacular, many libs now regard Hamilton as an early Obama (or the other way around). Probably less than one-third of them had even heard of him, and those that did likely believe that the man who shot and killed him in their duel at Weehauken over 200 years ago went on to play Perry Mason on television.
If the main stream media had not gone gaga over this show and portrayed it as the Third Testament, it would have closed after a couple months. It is pure BS.
ReplyDeleteSecond the motion to put this post on top today.