Reading List: January 4, 2017

Wednesday, here we are.

Anthony Bourdain is interviewed at Reason on the election and the Trump voter.

I’ve spent a lot of time in gun-country, God-fearing America. There are a hell of a lot of nice people out there, who are doing what everyone else in this world is trying to do: the best they can to get by, and take care of themselves and the people they love. When we deny them their basic humanity and legitimacy of their views, however different they may be than ours, when we mock them at every turn, and treat them with contempt, we do no one any good. Nothing nauseates me more than preaching to the converted. The self-congratulatory tone of the privileged left — just repeating and repeating and repeating the outrages of the opposition — this does not win hearts and minds. It doesn’t change anyone’s opinions. It only solidifies them, and makes things worse for all of us. We should be breaking bread with each other, and finding common ground whenever possible. I fear that is not at all what we’ve done.

But why did people vote for Donald Trump? A perplexed Hamilton Nolan used his platform at The Concourse to put out a call for answers. He got them.

I voted for Trump for one reason only. I am tired of the members of the government caring about themselves first and not governing. I do not believe most of the crap that comes out of politicians mouths. I feel like the only reason we have two main parties is so they can disagree with each other on purpose! Gay rights? Gun control? Health Insurance? Abortion? Taxes for the rich? Welfare for the poor? It don’t matter. Once these politicians pick red or blue they need to go with the company line….no matter what they really think inside. Its all bullshit. Nobody can agree on anything. What would be the point of that? You aren’t going to get (re)elected by agreeing. Every year we talk government shutdown. It’s a joke. All these guys care about is being reelected, not rocking the boat, and toeing the company line. I hate it and it disgusts me.

Ted Rall agrees with that voter to an extent — at least he agrees that the Democrats only care about themselves. At CounterPunch, Rall asks what you’ll do to resist Trump. Because the Democrats won’t do anything.

Dems even plan to try to find common ground on rebuilding infrastructure — an admirable goal that I’ve pushed for years. But Trumpism is already so extreme that Democrats ought to ask themselves whether they’re missing the fuhrer for the trees: is it possible to get behind an autobahn without endorsing the tyrant who builds it?

If they really wanted to mount a resistance to Trump, Congressional Democrats could do so with considerably more vigor.

And just to prove that point, New York Magazine’s Yashar Ali reports that the Clintons will attend Trump’s inauguration.

Two well-placed sources tell New York that over the past few weeks Hillary Clinton discussed with trusted advisers and friends whether or not she should attend the inaugural. She and President Clinton, the sources said, decided to do so out of a sense of duty and respect for the American democratic process.

Nothing matters.