The “establishment” problem

The problem with an “establishment” of any sort, in any field, is that it gets too comfortable in its assumptions, its thinking, its ways of doing things. It seems to me that is what is happening in the Republican party right now, and is part of the reason it seems so bewildered in its attempts to stop the Trump juggernaut. He doesn’t fit the “establishment” model, and so they don’t know what to make of him.

Republicans of all stripes are spending their time launching vitriolic attacks on Trump in a (so far ineffectual) effort to stop his progress to the nomination.  It doesn’t seem to have occurred to any of them yet to stop and think about WHY voters are turning out for him in such numbers.  After all, Trump is where he is now because he appeals to a lot of voters. The other presumptive Republican candidates are where they are (mostly nowhere) because whatever it is they are trying to sell, nobody is buying!

“Establishment” conservative politicians have been promising us smaller, less expensive, less intrusive government for several decades now, but when they are actually in power they grow the government.

“Establishment” conservative politicians have been promising to cut government spending and reduce the national debt for several decades now, but when they are actually in power they increase government spending and increase the national debt.

“Establishment” conservative politicians have been promising to restore American freedoms for decades now, but when they are actually in power (especially after 9/11) they have instituted the most significant and intrusive government surveillance program we have ever had, and done so largely in secret at that.

“Establishment” conservative politicians have promised to get the government out of our private lives for decades now, but when they are actually in power they have tried to use the government to impose their own religious views on the country on abortion and gay rights and similar issues.

The list could go on, but you get the drift.   The Republican “establishment” has consistently made promises they didn’t keep. Some they probably couldn’t keep, and so should never have promised in the first place. Nevertheless, I think the core problem here is that a lot of people no longer buy the tired old promises of the “establishment” people.  It’s not clear that Trump is any better, or any more honest, but at least he isn’t trotting out the same old promises that we all now know no politician is actually going to keep.

And in fact this is much of the same problem on the Democratic side, which is what feeds Bernie Sander’s appeal and explains the distinct lack of enthusiasm, even among the faithful, for Hillary Clinton.

Until some smarter-than-average politician begins to understand what is really driving voter discontent, and figures out a way to address it effectively instead of just trotting out the same old tired promises, the “establishments” in both parties are going to continue to be in trouble.