Dan Henninger has written a fascinating new column in which he digs deeper into something Michelle Obama said recently. Simply put, the Left appears to believe that “what you say” is what matters whereas others believe that actual results are much more important.
Michelle Obama and other Democrats disconsolate since the election about the loss of hope in American politics leave the impression they believe that giving people the rhetoric of hope, lifting them with words, is more important than delivering results, which some might call change.
For example, when Mrs. Clinton promised free public-college tuition, Democrats seemed to think this sort of inchoate, grandiose promise would somehow strike voters as “offering hope,” and that this impassioned commitment alone–to hope–should be enough to validate their politics. But it doesn’t, not anymore.
Once past the voting, politics is about public policies, whose real-world effects either sustain or diminish hope. Hope is the helium-filled balloon of politics. Governing in office is the gravity that pulls it back to earth.
Related: In this podcast, Henninger discusses his column with John Batchelor.
Excellent point! Clearly this is what happened with the election of Trudeau over Harper.
In other words, “virtue-signalling”, that great emotive act by the chattering classes to reassure themselves of their own wonderfulness:
1. The First Lady hashtags her concern over the girls abducted by Boko Haram.
2. Nearly 200 girls are still being held to this day.
3. But job done at the White House!
Lest you think I’m picking on Americans here, Canadian virtue-signalling – as you would expect from a country so smugly self-absorbed and detached from the real world as we are – is second to none!
Go Canada!
Ah… Yes… The Hopey and Change bubble. The Obama blimp.
95 million out of work, 4.6% employment lies, probably more like 21 percent unemployment.
2 million refugees displaced in Libya, Syria, Africa, and will soon be moving into Europe.
Warmer weather and its gonna get real funky over there.
Looking into my Crystal Ball it says Civil War followed by Prince Charmin’s Holocaust.
Europe rid themselves of the Jews, now they have a great exchange program.
Ah… Yes… The Hopey and Change bubble. The Obama blimp.
Thank God Trump is in Flyover.
Prince Charmin tells us to have more tolerance.
https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2016/dec/22/prince-charles-rising-intolerance-risks-repeat-of-horrors-of-the-past
For sure.
Proclaiming your great virtue is far more gratifying than having any.
Human nature, so much easier to tell everyone what a great guy you are,than to practise what you preach.
Especially wonderful,to progresssive folk, is bragging yourself up,while putting everyone else down.
The money quote from the “Emperors New Clothes” nails this habit .
Those who cannot see the virtue of me,are obviously unfit to hold positions of authority.
Course virtue signalling requires a highly mobile lifestyle, as even the slowest of people eventually recognize the scam.
Grifters need to move on to find new people to “help”, otherwise they might get mistaken for some kind of social parasite.
And we couldn’t have that, now could we?
I was at a financial forum the other day. Broad range of ages and financial well being. What struck me was the almost universal lack of fundamental financial knowledge.
In an era where the vast majority of people sell their time in the form of a wage, a depreciating wage at that, one would expect that people would educate themselves as much as possible.
It is almost a reflex response to defer the actual ‘thinking’ to a paid professional with a serious conflict of interest.
The ONLY virtue ever signaled by Obama was government dependence. Food Stamps. Illegal benefits, child support to single mothers with a 6th grade education, Fake solar companies, Huge subsidies to Elon Musk, plane loads of unmarked cash flown to Teheran … Obama phones … ad nauseum.
Problem is … “government dependence” is really dependence on ME! And I’ve already GOT all the dependents that I CHOSE to make.
All Obama ever had to offer was socialist bullshit.
Hopey-changey, Moochelle is crying about having no “HOPE” really I think that is a typo what we now have is no “DOPE”
Barrack will be outa the “house built by slaves” pretty quick, he is still trying to make mischief in the UN against Israel with his pal Kerry, ain’t working, but hey they tried.
What a clueless, classless performance by these bullying, race focused posers, no wonder their supporters are unable to act normally when they encounter people they don’t agree with.
As far as the pursuit of happiness goes, what conservative types want is a hand up liberal’s want a hand out.
Slightly O.T. I attended a conference at V.I.U. on Vancouver island, about 300 folks involved in the Trades Program, instructors and support staff along with the University Program Directors.
The question we were asked was “where do you get your news from”
There were three choices Main stream Media TV , Radio , or Internet we were able to vote with our cell phones.
MSS media 8%, Radio 20% , Internet 48% .
MSS is dead we just need to bury it I don’t give a damn what Peter Mandsbridge thinks
I quiet my office job and now I am getting paid 126 Dollars hourly. How? I work-over internet! My old work was making me miserable,so I was forced to try-something different. 4 years after. ..I can say my life is changed completely for the better! Check it out what i do..
GOOD LUCK…………… http://tiny.cc/y0a9ey