‘There’s a new sheriff in town’

February 18, 2025 37 Reactions

J.D. Vance’s speech to last week’s Munich Security Conference was a masterpiece of MAGA rhetoric. In his own way, the Vice-President’s boss is a powerful speaker who connects with his fans. But Vance was addressing European journalists, bureaucrats and politicians who, by and large, despise President Trump and the MAGA agenda. They were not fans.

It was a tough gig, but he succeeded. His theme was that “there is a new sheriff in town” who doesn’t give a damn what you stuffed shirts think. Vance has the eloquence and the soundbites which have been missing in American politics since Barack Obama left the White House. I must admit that I agreed with nearly everything he said.

Yes, European governments intimidate alternative viewpoints. Yes, European governments are suffocating democracy with bureaucracy. Yes, European governments are not listening to voters. Yes, European governments are hostile to pro-life activists.

It is true that a virulent anti-Christian virus has infected the heartland of Christendom. Vance even treated his European listeners to some disturbing examples. And there are many more. The Observatory on Intolerance & Discrimination Against Christians in Europe, a think tank, has documented 2,444 anti-Christian hate crimes in 2024.

However, he was making a fundamentally dishonest argument.

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Vance was speaking at a conference whose main concern was Russian aggression in Ukraine and elsewhere in Europe. On this point, the Trump Administration is vulnerable to criticism. It seems likely that Russia and the United States will talk in Saudi Arabia about the future of an independent and democratic Ukraine. And Ukraine will not be invited.

The parallels with the 1938 Munich Conference are unmistakable. At that nadir for Western democracy, Hitler, Chamberlain and Daladier dismembered Czechoslovakia – and the Czechs were not invited. “The exclusion of Ukraine from the proposed initial meeting in Saudi Arabia flies in the face of any natural justice,” says historian Sir Antony Beevor. “It is the most flagrant example of might is right’ since the Second World War, and if the US goes ahead in this direction, then it should hang its head in shame.”

O nás bez nás! O nás bez nás! said the Czechs and Slovaks on the brink of the immolation of their democracy: “about us, without us”. Now the Ukrainians must take their turn at eating the ashes of independence, a meal served up by, of all countries, the United States of America!

Under these circumstances Vance could hardly make a credible frontal assault to defend Trump’s foreign policy. So he pivoted and made a flanking manoevre which routed the enemy. He set the internet on fire with a savage attack on European anti-democratic weakness and wokeness – and sidestepped the odium of backing his boss’s anti-democratic approach to Ukraine.

It was a brilliant tactic. In his handbook on rhetoric, The Art of Always Being Right, the 19th centuryGerman philosopher Arthur Schopenhauer called it “Persuade the audience, not the opponent”:

If you have no refutation whatsoever, you can make one aimed at the audience; that is to say, you can start some invalid objection, which only an expert sees to be invalid. Though your opponent is an expert, those who form your audience are not, and accordingly, in their eyes, he is defeated, particularly if the objection which you make places him in any ridiculous light.

In any case, Vance’s real audience was not the grim-faced luminaries at the conference, but American voters. Historically contemptuous of European milquetoasts, they probably leapt to their feet as they listened to his blistering words on YouTube.

This speech is a disturbing omen of the years ahead. Trump and Vance appear to believe that Making America Great Again (MAGA) necessarily means Making Everyone Else Kneel (MEEK). It’s a time-tested formula for failure. Napoleon tried it. Tojo tried it. Mussolini tried it. Hitler tried it. Stalin tried it. In the long run, it never works.

If Trump and Vance are serious about making America great again, they should do some home renovations first.

Vance is right to insist that free speech is essential for the survival of democracy. But it is not the foundation of democracy. The family is the bedrock of civic life in a democracy. And in the 20th century Americans were in the vanguard of its destruction. In every social pathology, it was the United States which led the way: no-fault divorce, abortion on demand, the contraceptive pill, euthanasia… America lectured and Europe listened.

The touchstone for the success of the MAGA agenda should not be humiliating America’s allies abroad but turning around those dismal statistics on deaths of despair, loneliness, divorce and drug abuse back home. Fix those and America will be a City upon a Hill and a Light for the Nations. Then the world will listen. And listen gladly. Not before.

Forward this to your friends!

Michael Cook is editor of Mercator.

Image credit: JD Vance at a rally in Arizona in 2024 / screenshot The London Times

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Chantal Epié commented 2025-02-26 20:47:23 +1100

My impression is that the left tends to “scapegoat” the pro-life people (labels them all as terrorists) as well as anybody who does not like the leftist agenda, for example anyone who affirms that there are only two genders as there are only two sexes (which does not mean to vilify the trans people; after all, doesn’t the left vilify those who disagree with them?) The left wants to remove free speech, to ‘erase’ radically those who dare to express contrary views; the left has created thought crimes (can’t I think whatever I like, even bad thoughts, as long as I do not put them into practice by criminal acts?). I respect you, but I claim the right to disagree with you and to engage in healthy debates, and to be respected by you even though we disagree.
P Gr commented 2025-02-26 20:26:29 +1100

@Emberson Fedders please define scapegoating and I will provide. I don’t think the term is a good one here, but I am willing to play your game as long as I know what we’re talking about.
Emberson Fedders commented 2025-02-26 13:14:37 +1100

Still haven’t identified anyone the left scapegoats.
mrscracker commented 2025-02-26 01:35:43 +1100

P Gr ,
I think we each live in some kind of bubble. Just from my personal experience I believe that affluence & social status allow our bubbles to become more opaque.
I “gave up” things that are negative for my New Year’s resolution & I’m not going to make an extensive list of what both the Right & Left may scapegoat but I think both sides participate in that. And yes, it can end up becoming a name calling session rather than a thoughtful conversation.
P Gr commented 2025-02-25 23:11:14 +1100

Hey Emberson, how are things over there in your bubble? Over here in mine they look very different. Maybe the term scapegoat isn’t really helpful here? You’re just listing things that the right “opposes”, not that they “scapegoat”. That term is loaded, it basically brings this discussion down to name-calling, which doesn’t really amount to an argument that can bring people around to new views.
The left, too, gets outraged with what it opposes – we can’t be right without being far-right, we can’t be in favor of controlled immigration without being called ruthless immigrant-haters, we can’t say completely sensible things that were said for the entire history of mankind without being labeled bigots, and being subjected to woke cancellation, just because the left decided to move the Overton window and wants us to be seen as extremists just by saying what is clearly center.
Emberson Fedders commented 2025-02-25 14:57:38 +1100

And other things scapegoated by the right – library books, Disney, Bud Light, Chick-Fil-A, Colin Kaepernick, Critical race theory, Dr Anthony Fauci, Star Wars, Taylor Swift, Toy Story 4, Ms Marvel, Beauty and the Beast, The Little Mermaid etc etc etc.

Perpetual outrage must be exhausting.
Emberson Fedders commented 2025-02-25 11:26:28 +1100

No one seemed to have come up with a group that the left has scapegoated.

Here is a list of groups that right has (or still does) scapegoat – Jews, black people, Muslims, trans people, immigrants, gay people, university graduates, Asian people, women (particularly feminists) and disabled people.

The last one is a worry because I suspect Musk and his henchman are going to use this scapegoat to severely restrict access to Medicare (which was always one of MAGA’s stated goals).
mrscracker commented 2025-02-25 07:11:18 +1100

I agree that scapegoating isn’t the best word choice. And I believe in accountability also.
Julian Cheslow commented 2025-02-25 06:27:23 +1100

I would say there are certain groups/people that are making things worse for everyone else. The Private Equity industry for example, seems to be rich people laying off workers and destroying companies just to make a bit more money.

So scapegoating might be the wrong word, but I think there are people taking more and more while leaving everyone else to dry. And those people should be held accountable.
mrscracker commented 2025-02-25 04:49:14 +1100

That’s an odd question Mr. Cheslow. Does anyone deserve scapegoating?
Julian Cheslow commented 2025-02-25 03:57:21 +1100

Who do leftists scapegoat that don’t deserve it?
mrscracker commented 2025-02-25 03:00:38 +1100

I’m a big fan of Saturday mornings, Mr. Fedders.
I do believe every side has its own scapegoats no matter the ideology. It’s just a feature of our nature to ascribe our own deficiencies to the actions of another. I think it’s more a fallen human nature thing than a political one. And we tend to see that more clearly in those on an opposing side & less on our own.
Emberson Fedders commented 2025-02-24 09:57:12 +1100

What night was good, Mrs Cracker. I’m always a fan of Sunday evenings!

But I disagree about both sides of the aisle. Scape-goating is a right-wing thing. Fear of the other is a substitute for policy. Far as I can see, the left always has a plan.
mrscracker commented 2025-02-23 23:57:02 +1100

That works for both sides of the aisle too, Mr. Fedders.
I hope you are having a blessed day- (or night actually .)
🙂
Emberson Fedders commented 2025-02-23 12:29:58 +1100

Only the right uses scapegoats, because they must cover for the fact they have no policies treat help regular people.
mrscracker commented 2025-02-22 07:53:25 +1100

Everyone has their own scapegoats. Mr. Cheslow.
Julian Cheslow commented 2025-02-22 06:07:04 +1100

So when trans people have the identifications of passports forcibly changed, and are erased from the history of the Stonewall riot are they supposed to suck it up to find common ground?

Like for all the talk about Democrats being too heavy-handed in talking about diversity, Republicans are the ones who vilify trans people at every turn for example. Republicans decided to make them a target when statistically they are a minority that aren’t harming risk & working class people(also there are plenty of working class people who are migrants, member of the LGBT community, or otherwise also part of there scapegoated groups)
mrscracker commented 2025-02-21 23:10:34 +1100

I think both sides of the political aisle have scapegoats Mr. Fedders. People need to attempt to find common ground and effect good rather than being manipulated by narratives and fighting amongst themselves.
Outrage and anger get more clicks and revenue but it really damages our society.
Julian Cheslow commented 2025-02-21 14:35:19 +1100

At this point I don’t worship any politician and thinks demands should be made of them rather then the other way around, but I feel like Bernie(and politicians like him) did a good job of talking about class issues without blaming vulnerable minorities the way Republicans do.
Emberson Fedders commented 2025-02-21 12:39:17 +1100

I can understand why people voted for Trump. You are right, Mrs Cracker, in that they are undervalued and ignored. They feel that the entire system is weighted against them and their chances of succeeding in America are very, very low. Of course they are angry.

But to then vote Republican, especially this MAGA crowd, in the belief that they are interested in fixing the problems? I simply cannot understand.

At every turn, whether it be increasing the minimum wage, making prescription drugs cheaper, improving access and reducing costs for healthcare, providing support for the poorest members of the community, MAGA has voted against it.

Instead, as Mr Cheslow points out, they just find a segment of the population that is even lower than the working poor and get them to direct all the anger, their frustration, at them.
mrscracker commented 2025-02-21 06:17:00 +1100

I saw this in the news today & thought it was interesting:

“Former Biden administration official Pete Buttigieg said that the Democratic Party’s approach to promoting diversity was too heavy-handed and led to the election of President Donald Trump.

“What do we mean when we talk about diversity? Is it caring for people’s different experiences and making sure no one is mistreated because of them, which I will always fight for? Or is it making people sit through a training that looks like something out of Portlandia, which I have also experienced,” Buttigieg said.

“And it is how Trump Republicans are made,” Buttigieg added."
************

I think it’s about more than that particular example but he’s on the right track. The GOP used to be parodied for being out of touch in their own bubbles. Now it’s often the other way around.
If anyone reading this outside the States is unfamiliar with the tv series Portlandia, I highly recommend it. It’s very funny. I think you can find episodes on YouTube. My favorite was about the couple in the restaurant enquiring where the chicken on the menu came from & the series of events that followed.
:)
Julian Cheslow commented 2025-02-21 05:20:28 +1100

I have complaints with Democrats but Republicans aren’t offering better solutions for working class folks. They offer boogeymen and scapegoats while giving the rich tax cuts.
mrscracker commented 2025-02-21 01:37:04 +1100

People who feel valued & listened to don’t believe in that sort of nonsense in the first place Mr. Cheslow. That’s the whole point I think. And blue collar Americans certainly aren’t held in great esteem today by the Democrat Party.
I’m not a died in the wool member of the GOP but the Democrat Party left me behind decades ago. Neither party gets it right 100%. Things have shifted & the GOP is now taking the place the Democrats held in my childhood.
If the Democrats tried listening to rural & working class voters instead of mocking them, they might gain back some ground.
Julian Cheslow commented 2025-02-20 23:23:23 +1100

Propagating the idea the migrants were eating people’s pets did nothing to help struggling/working class Americans. And the dude admitted to lying about it.

Republicans act like they are for working class people but there policies generally favor the rich. And instead of curtailing the influence of corporations and the ultra wealthy, they direct the anger of white working class folks to scapegoats like migrants, LGBT people, etc. And Vance has proven to be no different in this regard
mrscracker commented 2025-02-20 23:02:41 +1100

Surely some people in those failing parts of the Rust Belt felt happy about having thousands of folks from another culture thrust in their midst. Haitians should be a boon to any community. If they’d been brought where we live no one would probably notice. But the powers that be in Ohio and wherever there are struggling, demeaned working class Americans just seem to be out of touch and tone deaf to the needs of their constituents.
When people feel listened to, respected and valued they are less likely to resent that attention being given to others.
Emberson Fedders commented 2025-02-20 16:47:37 +1100

The Haitian controversy was about whipping up a moral panic, invoking the fear of the ‘other.’ There was nothing new or original about it.
The people of the struggling Rust Belt town themselves said these immigrants were a huge boon to the community.
mrscracker commented 2025-02-20 14:40:12 +1100

JD Vance from what I’ve seen doesn’t begrudge opportunities for others.
The Haitian controversy was more about bringing a large number of people from a different nation and culture to small, struggling Rust Belt towns. Relocation to Florida where there are established Haitian communities and a better economy would have made much more sense.
Emberson Fedders commented 2025-02-20 11:16:20 +1100

He doesn’t want anyone to use those opportunities. That’s the whole point. He has power and wealth. He wants to preserve it for himself and his ilk.

Note how not a single policy position he takes, or his administration is enacting, will help other poor Americans go from hillbilly to Senator to Vice-President.
Julian Cheslow commented 2025-02-20 08:39:54 +1100

Well Vance certainly didn’t seem to appreciate the Haitian migrants in Springfield using those opportunities
mrscracker commented 2025-02-20 05:24:11 +1100

" He’s a multi-millionaire. Why would he smash up a system that he has massively benefitted from?"
**********
Exactly, but perhaps not in the way you meant it Mr. Fedders. I think most folks who have risen up from backgrounds like JD Vance very much appreciate the opportunities our system can provide. Not the political swamp system, but the ability to go from hillbilly to senator to Vice President.