January 6 and Regime Narrative

If you are an  unrepentant wrecker and saboteur like me -- but not an armed insurrectionist, oh no! -- you marvel at the ability of our beloved ruling class to run the Narrative.

If only, you think.

For over two hundred years, our intellectual and educated friends have glorified revolution and rebellion against the eevil ruling class, whether powdered French aristocrats or greedy bourgeois merchants and capitalists and white racists.

And in 2020, of course, we had a glorious ruling-class approval of riot and looting in the aftermath of the publicized death of petty thief and drugged-out George Floyd.

But now, we are to believe, the riot and penetration of the Capitol on January 6, 2021 was the worst thing ever. Right up there with Pearl Harbor and 9/11, according to Vice President Harris.

Yep. when you are the ruling class you get to set the Narrative. And all the regime apologists fall into line, repeating the meme of  day. And great fun it is, as the sainted Rush Limbaugh would illustrate with a tape of half-a-dozen media celebrities parroting the Party Line of the day.

Truth is, you can't beat the Ruling Class Narrative. If the Narrative says that climate change and systemic racism are the two worst things ever, then that's the way it is. There is not a lot you can do about it until the Narrative collides with reality, Big Time.

For instance, I don't think that climate change goes the way of the dodo until we have major electric system blackouts from wind and solar failure, and ordinary people rise up in helpless rage at their sky-rocketing energy bills.

And systemic racism? Maybe it takes a combination of East Asian Tiger Moms that want university places for their children and Latinos that just want jobs, homes, and health care. Oh, and blacks that, at some point 50 year too late, realize that They Was Robbed by ruling-class anti-racism.

But in the short term, I suspect the January 6 Narrative is going to be left in the dust by barreling inflation reflected in crazy supermarket prices and sky-rocketing gas bills and electricity bills.

As a wise Democratic operative once said: "It's the Economy, Stupid."

See, I think that if we had a wise ruling class it would operate according to Rule One: The Economy. Rule Two: Cool Your Jets.

Thus it would keep all the activist rubbish down to a dull roar. Yes, there would be teensy subsidies so college professors and liberal ladies could buy electric cars. But the average guy could still fill up his pickup truck for less than an arm and a leg. Yes, liberal activists would peacefully protest and DEI administrators would make a good living from systemic racism. But the average person wouldn't find out to their horror that their kid was being taught "equity" in grade school. In other words, the sensible thing is an America where nice liberal ladies can pat themselves on the back as they shop at Whole Foods and buy fair-trade coffee, while average people shop at Kroger and buy Dunkin' Donuts coffee. For a whole lot less.

But a ruling class can never do this. That's because of the basic truth of politics, that politics needs an enemy. So ruling classes instinctively identify and lead their followers to war against some enemy. It's in the genes.

And wars tend to bleed the country dry, of young men and of prosperity.

If you go to war, you'd better win. If you come up with anything less than glorious victory, dear ruling class, you will probably get replaced. And a lot of victories can look like something less than glorious to the ordinary person. For instance, the whole COVID thing is starting to stink, and if you are an ordinary person and your ordinary job or ordinary business got hammered by the Laptop Class, you may be just a little bit angry.

So go ahead, ruling class, have a big party to mourn the horror of January 6.

But don't forget to keep your powder dry, and don't forget Rule One: The Economy.