The Trump Test: Are You More Populist Than Conservative?

Are you appalled at Trump's policy but drawn to his plain speech?  He's no conservative but he is a populist.  Populism is more democratic than conservatism.  Conservatism depends on policy, not how governments surrender to change.    I must be more populist than conservative because I want a break from suck-up phony language more than I want a balanced budget.

From Commentary Magazine:   Populism has been defined as “an ideology which pits a virtuous and homogeneous people against a set of elites and dangerous ‘others’ who are together depicted as depriving (or attempting to deprive) the sovereign people of their rights, values, prosperity, identity and voice.”

The encroachment of elites on my speech and behaviour in the personal realm has been bothering me more of late than the deficits, debasing of currency, and tentacular expansion of the state in the financial realm.  Some plain talk is needed.  Maybe homosexuality isn't the greatest or even a particularly good choice.  Maybe having children isn't bad and possibly even an awesome undertaking.   Maybe making nice to nasty people won't re-set the world and might even make it a more dangerous place.   Maybe letting kids play on their own as long as they get home in time for bed isn't child abandonment and possibly even a good way to bring them up.   Trump isn't saying that but the topics he has hit on get that kind of plain talk.

Two loudmouths (National Post)

Now that the US has it's own Rob Ford, embrace it for a bit.  Trump is as much of a political genius as your typical Hollywood star who likes to pontificate in front of a microphone.  But he has the ability to change the way the wind sock of public debate is pointing.  Even the current GOP roster of candidates will speak more plainly, if only to combat Trump.    I'll be listening to the August 6th debate.  (Hoping to see Walker shine and sorry Fiorina will miss).