Identity Politics Gone Mad, From Trump to Ayanna Pressley
American discourse is careening in an ugly, anti-individualistic direction.
President Donald Trump's awful, unapologetic "you can't leave fast enough" remarks about the four progressive Democratic congresswomen known as "the Squad" came after an also-ugly spat between said Squad and the allies of House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D–Calif.), featuring such collectivist expressions as this:
Rep Ayanna Pressley (D-MA) "We don't need any more brown faces that don't want to be a brown voice. We don't need black faces that don't want to be a black voice. We don't need Muslims that don't want to be a Muslim voice. We don't need queers that don't want to be a queer voice" pic.twitter.com/2NIj5Vvcor
— Ryan Saavedra (@RealSaavedra) July 15, 2019
We are in the grips of anti-individualist politics, right and left, lament Katherine Mangu-Ward, Nick Gillespie, Peter Suderman and Matt Welch on today's Editors' Roundtable edition of the Reason Podcast, and there are real-world, freedom-constricting implications on current and possible future federal policy. The Reason squad also discuss Obamacare litigation, the state of the Libertarian Party presidential campaign, and the eternal Butch Vig vs. Steve Albini debate.
Audio production by Ian Keyser.
'Somnolence' by Kai Engel is licensed under CC BY 4.0
Relevant links from the show:
"Trump Says Congresswomen He Told to 'Go Back' to Countries They 'Originally Came From' Should Be the Ones to 'Apologize,'" by Elizabeth Nolan Brown
"Progressives Lost Big Time on the Border Emergency Aid Bill," by Billy Binion and Shikha Dalmia
"Rep. Ilhan Omar Recklessly Accuses Lindsey Graham of Being 'Compromised,'" by Matt Welch
"It's All About the Ad Hominems, Baby," by Jacob Sullum
"Intersectionality 101," by Robby Soave
"Donald Trump's Vile Attack on Federal Judge Gonzalo Curiel," by Damon Root
"Paul Ryan Calls Trump's Judge Remark Racist, Continues to Endorse Trump Anyway," by Peter Suderman
"Donald Trump Is a Bad Person," by Peter Suderman
"House Freedom Caucus Too Busy Scolding Justin Amash To Care About Today's Bipartisan Budget Apocalypse," by Matt Welch
"Will Another Court Vote to Strike Down Obamacare?" by Peter Suderman
What are we consuming this week?
Matt Welch
- Moderated a debate between Libertarian candidates in 2020
Katherine Mangu-Ward
Nick Gillespie
- The Smallest Minority: Independent Thinking in the Age of Mob Politics by Kevin Williamson
- NBC News Tweet about man on hovercraft with a gun
Peter Suderman
