I’ve been on political hiatus since the election. You might not have noticed out there in the real world of pricey eggs, Tesla terrorism, plummeting markets, transgender athletes, and airplanes loaded with shackled Venezuelan nationals zipping across the sky, but it’s true. In fact, the last thing I said that was even remotely political was a short post on the day after the election that went like this:

“So after pulling off the greatest political upset of all time in 2016, Trump has just engineered the greatest political comeback of all time in 2024. And it looks like Republicans will occupy both chambers of Congress to get his agenda rolling, along with a Supreme Court already stocked with his appointees. Anyone who has ever read my essays and books knows I am not a fan. But he won. Both the electoral and the popular vote. America has spoken. Now it’s time to move forward. Trump is no traditional Republican. He’s the ultimate wild card. These next four years are going to be interesting. While I’m worried about how his second term will affect the judicial system in the long run, I am happy for the J-Sixer who lives in my unit who is now in line for an immediate pardon. I am happy for American businesses. Happy for the economy. Happy for those war-torn nations on the other side of the world that he has promised to bring peace. But most of all I’m happy for those of you who have wished and wanted and waited for this since he last left office. My friends. My family. You know who you are. I love y’all regardless of who is in the White House. Stay safe out there. There is no them. Only us.”

Many things have changed in the whirlwind first two months of this second Trump administration. And it would be easy for me to write a scathing disquisition on the policies that I find revolting. I’m sure I will at some point. But for now I’m resisting my reactionary tendencies, listening to a lot of Brian Kilmeade and Bill O’Reilly on the local Fox News affiliate as a counterbalance to my normal NPR diet, and trying to get a full grip on that slippery thing we call “The Truth.”

One thing I do find fascinating about this pivotal moment in history is how my brothers and sisters on the Left are currently wandering the political wilderness, licking their wounds, fighting amongst themselves, seeking a sign, awaiting a hero to emerge and point the way forward. Josh Shapiro? Wes Moore? John Fetterman? Gretchen Whitmer? Pete Buttigieg?

Whoever it is needs to speak directly to blue collar American males. No matter how you feel about Donald Trump, I think we can all agree that he’s done a masterful job at making it unmanly—if not downright un-American—to vote Democrat. It’s no coincidence that he was receiving standing ovations at UFC fights, Nick Bosa of the 49ers was doing the Trump dance after sacking opposing QBs, Hulk Hogan, Kid Rock, Dana White . . . All the alphas were backing Donald.

I’ve been banging this drum for years. Long before the current wave of eggheads and pollsters and pundits started pontificating about this phenomenon in the aftermath of the 2024 election. The following are links to just a few of the essays I’ve written on the subject, dating back to 2018 . . .

Manhood
A Final Appeal
Help Is on the Way

There are other labels and perceptions that Democrats will have to overcome during the next four years as well. Regardless of who they anoint as their fearless leader, there are some tough questions they are going to have to ask themselves. About class and race and gender and labor and the economy and the environment and education and the direction this nation is headed. They appear scattered at the moment. Lost. Adrift. But then so did Republicans on January 7th, 2021.

These next few essays will be examining the Left and the Right and where we’re going from here. Guaranteed to offend. My apologies in advance 🙂 Wishing you momentum.

—March 23, 2025

[This essay is the first in the Continental Rift series. See Continental Rift II…]