The left’s self-own

The purging of the alt/dissident-right from social media, such as on YouTube, Facebook, and Twitter from 2017-2021 created a huge vacuum that was filled by civic nationalists. Strategically this has worked against the left, because civic nationalists tend to be more effective in terms of engagement and politics compared to other brands of conservatism, which are either too dull or polite (mainstream conservatism) or too ‘weird’ or extreme (the alt-dissident/right).

The left currently faces a two-pronged attack online: first from civic nationalists, and then second from the alt-middle/center, which is comprised of former liberals and disaffected liberals like Michael Tracey and Glenn Greenwald. Starting mid-2021, when inflation began to pick up, I observed that Biden began to face an avalanche of criticism online, more criticism than usual, which may have contributed to the rapid decline of his poll numbers. Biden’s attempt at redefining the meaning of recession, as well as his recent speech in Philadelphia, which in speaking from both sides of his mouth Biden called for unity while being divisive, were also widely mocked. His student loan forgiveness plan was, justifiably, criticized by liberals and conservatives alike as a big handout that punished people who already paid off their loans or being regressive.

The left faces a ‘coolness deficit’ and narrative collapse. Much like how George H. W. Bush and Carter were old, out of touch, and lost control of their presidencies after starting strong, Biden is following a similar trajectory. Biden is increasingly coming across as a senile, cantankerous old man, in contrast to the certitude and laid-back persona of Reagan or Obama, or the acuity of Bill Clinton. Covid was supposed to a layup for Biden, like how Bush capitalized on 911 to easily win a second term, but the overhyped vaccines did nothing to stop the 2021 surge of Covid, and then the stimulus checks and strong recovery in the first half of 2021 was overshadowed by the highest inflation in 3 decades.

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