The latest Hell of Presidents honestly did a great job of describing this same phenomenon, going from Lincoln to Arthur.
You had a guy who was constrained by the demands of the political moment (Free Real Estate) who managed to leverage that demand into genuine revolutionary change. And he was empowered by a groundswell of ideological supporters, zealous converts, and economic interests who simply clocked where the wind was blowing. But then the machinery of politics took over the show, the ideologues were jettisoned in favor of compromises, and the only thing political leadership cared about was the consolidation of additional powers.
Takei is a Native American living under the Garfield administration and staunchly asserting the need for strong abolitionist Republicans, when the party has long since abandoned abolition in favor of professionalizing the administrative state. He’s been subjected to a litany of abuses under his own guys, but all he can see is the Bloody Shirt of prior opposition groups. And he’s fucking old. All he can care about is the next administration, because at 86 years old he simply isn’t going to be around to see what 2028 or 2032 or 2040 has in store.
The latest Hell of Presidents honestly did a great job of describing this same phenomenon, going from Lincoln to Arthur.
You had a guy who was constrained by the demands of the political moment (Free Real Estate) who managed to leverage that demand into genuine revolutionary change. And he was empowered by a groundswell of ideological supporters, zealous converts, and economic interests who simply clocked where the wind was blowing. But then the machinery of politics took over the show, the ideologues were jettisoned in favor of compromises, and the only thing political leadership cared about was the consolidation of additional powers.
Takei is a Native American living under the Garfield administration and staunchly asserting the need for strong abolitionist Republicans, when the party has long since abandoned abolition in favor of professionalizing the administrative state. He’s been subjected to a litany of abuses under his own guys, but all he can see is the Bloody Shirt of prior opposition groups. And he’s fucking old. All he can care about is the next administration, because at 86 years old he simply isn’t going to be around to see what 2028 or 2032 or 2040 has in store.