“The future of American politics is increasingly less defined by “left vs. right” and increasingly defined by “populist vs. establishment.” Due in large part to social media, the citizenry of the United States has become awake to the true goals of the permanent ruling class: ideological projects and profit. Only time will tell if these blocs will hold and unite in concrete action rather than in rhetoric, or if traditional political conceptions will prevail. The real divide is no longer between left and right, but between the people and those who claim to rule in their name. And that horseshoe is closing fast.” From J.D. Hester at antiwar.com:
The American public watched in shock and awe as the democratic socialist mayor-elect of New York City, Zohran Mamdani, and the right-wing populist President Donald Trump had a “chummy” visit in the White House. Some have cited this bewildering bond as an example of “horseshoe theory.” The horseshoe theory posits that the edges of the Overton Window, meaning the so-called far-right and far-left factions of the political spectrum, have more in common with each other than they do with the center.
There is certainly some evidence for this. In Congress, Reps. Thomas Massie and Marjorie Taylor Greene successfully forced the release of the Epstein files in a stunning move of bipartisanship. In the media ecosystem, paleoconservative-leaning figures like Tucker Carlson have found common ground with progressive commentators from The Young Turks, Cenk Uygur, and Ana Kasparian, on free speech, criticism of Israel, and economic populism. Even Nick Fuentes, one of the most radically right-wing voices in America, has stated that he would work with the left to end Israel’s grip on the US government. However, a similar phenomenon has occurred in the establishment, centrist factions of both the Democratic and Republican parties.
During the 2024 election, former Vice President Dick Cheney endorsed Kamala Harris for president. The idea that a diehard neoconservative, whom many consider a war criminal, would one day endorse a progressive Californian Democrat would have been unimaginable 20 years ago. However, proponents of military adventurism have increasingly found a home in a Democratic Party committed to providing endless support to Israel and Ukraine. So, when Dick Cheney died on November 3rd, it was unsurprising that Kamala Harris was one of the guests present at his funeral, which, ironically, occurred a day apart from the aforementioned Mamdani-Trump meeting.
Clown World is a wildly entertaining Circus Maximus.
A Golden Age of belly laughs.