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06.13.2016 1

America needs to teach Bret Stephens a lesson

BretStephens

By Don Todd

Bret Stephens, deputy editorial page editor of the Wall Street Journal was recently interviewed on CNN regarding Donald Trump. In that interview Stephens expressed a desire that Donald Trump be “the biggest loser in presidential history.” He went on to state that he wouldn’t vote for Trump so that “Republican voters will forever learn their lesson that they cannot nominate a man so manifestly unqualified to be president in any way, shape or form.” He then opined that Republicans need to learn the lessons of McGovern in 1972, referring to McGovern’s loss of forty-nine states in the presidential election that year.

The breathtaking arrogance of Mr. Stephens is typical of the so-called #NeverTrump crowd. He apparently believes that Americans love to be lectured by their intellectual and social betters.  This is his idea of persuasion. Forget the fact that Mr. Trump has received more primary votes than any Republican in history and listen to Mr. Stephens. After all he has been to all the best schools, knows all the best people and goes to all the best parties plus he has won some journalism prizes given to him by other journalists of his ilk. Why would we listen to the great unwashed stupid voters rather than him? You can almost feel his pain.

One is reminded of the Marie Antoinette quote, “Let them eat cake.” The only difference being we do not know for sure that she ever said that but we have it on tape that Stephens said what he said.

What comes through in the statements of Mr. Stephens, Bill Kristol and George Will is their absolute contempt for the Republican voter. As Anthony Codevilla author of “The Ruling Class” points out, “Republicans Brahmins have the greater reason to fear. Whereas some three fifths of Democratic voters approve the conduct of their officials, only about one fifth of Republican voters approve what theirs do. If Americans in general are primed for revolt, Republican (and independent) voters fairly thirst for it.”

He also opines, “The 2016 election is simple; the person who runs on the platform ‘Who do they think they are?’ will win.”

Mr. Trump is running on three major issues: (1.) enforce current immigration law; (2.) negotiate better trade deals; and (3.) install an America first foreign policy.

Mr. Trump’s opponents cannot argue with him on these issues on the merits since it appears the voters agree with him. Because of that they resort to self-righteous name calling.

Fortunately as “fake but accurate” Dan Rather and Lyin’ Brian Williams found out the media landscape has changed. The public no longer must rely on their reports. In fact the public no longer believes them. Their prejudices are so obvious they have become ineffective. According to a Gallup poll, trust in the media is at a historic low.

Here is an example as to why that is.

On WMAL last month The Daily Mail‘s David Martosko noted the difference between reporters who cover Hillary Clinton versus those who cover Donald Trump: “Having spent time in…both the Hillary and the Trump bubble, I will tell you that…the reporters who are following around Hillary — a lot of them are Hillary fans. They’re just in awe of her….with the Trump people, it’s a feeding frenzy…[they] are the most aggressive ones; the ones who they hope will dig up the one piece of dirt that will…kill the Trump monster.”

So if Mr. Trump wins, Brett Stephens and all his fancy pants cohorts lose.  And that is a good thing.

Don Todd is Director of Research at Americans for Limited Government.

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