49 Comments

Erick, as you've said before: "Democrats are in it to win. Republicans are in it to get paid".... How true that is. And I'd like to expand on that a bit..

Republicans love to hold OFFICE. They don't care if they're in the minority, the party out of power. In fact, that's they way they like it.... and as long as they play ball with the Democrats and don't rock the boat too much, they still get invited to the best parties and let in on all the sweetheart deals to enrich themselves. Better yet, the media will largely leave them alone. When their constituents vote them in and then demand action, they can go to their town-hall meetings, shrug and just say "Yeah, well, I'm only one person, and we don't control anything".... but then when they DO have control of all branches of government, nothing happens..

On the other hand, Democrats love to hold POWER. They will do whatever it takes to get it. When they're in power, they're dangerous. When they're out of power, they're insane... and they know they media will back them, no matter what.

Expand full comment

“It’s about the money. They do not care about you and your values.”

Do you think Abraham Lincoln was demonstrating his Christian values with blockades to starve the people of the south, and later his orders to destroy all food stores in advance of confederate troop retreat?

Or was he just committed to winning the war so then he would have the power to demonstrate his strong Christian values?

Expand full comment
Apr 18, 2023·edited Apr 18, 2023

A little more context please.

Politics is down hill from society. I expect principals, not opportunistic positioning.

The left has conviction, they will do anything to achieve their goals including prostitute themselves and lie, look no further than Karine Jean-Pierre.

They don't care about anyone unless that person is useful and when they are no longer useful the mob will trample them.

Anheuser-Busch gives money to politicians because that is their tithe to government. They are not going to stop because they get called out for wading into the culture war. They can threaten, but if Republicans take a principled stand they will back down.

Instead the leaders on the right are willing to demoralize me, not for the goal, but for the money. Except me and a lot of others have a compus. This is how you loose elections.

So, because you are lukewarm, and neither hot nor cold, I will spit you out of my mouth.

Revaluation 3:16

Expand full comment

But if the entire corporate media other than one is committed to your defeat and helping the other party win, your strategy might need to be more nuanced than just taking principled stands.

Politics is a branding war. Think Pepsi and Coke where instead of advertising the virtues of each product, the companies are instead vested in destroying each other's brand. But in this case, Coke gets 90% free advertising airtime because it is woke and the media loves woke.

So, what do you do now if Pepsi... stand on principle?

Takes money and friends to win the political branding war.

Expand full comment

Where does that lead? The right becoming the left to achieve power so they implement their agenda and suppress free speech because it is counter to the right?

The demoralization of America occurred benevolently over a 30+ year concerted effort. The right for their part was more interested in winning elections than pushing back. They fund raised off it, said they would do something, but in the end they were about the benjamins and winning.

And here we are.

The political realignment indicates those that helped bring about where we are want to undo it. The new elitist Democrats are exposed for what they are, bourgeoisie who want an oligarchy.

If you spent 30 years being duped by the DNC and finally realized you're a sucker you have the best BS detector. You see Republicans using the same tactics.

We the people are savvier than either party give us credit.

This isn't turned around in an election cycle, or two, or five. There is no candidate that is our savior.

Expand full comment

Win first, and then implement principles. Since Nixon sweated and Kennedy won, politics is a media game.

I don't think the people are savvier. I think they are too easily duped. Young people especially.

https://www.thefp.com/p/an-illustrated-guide-to-self-censorship

Expand full comment

If you can't win with principals you have none to implement.

You keep referring to Kennedy/ Nixon. Trump / Biden look like grumpy old men. Kennedy, Clinton and Obama were all in their 40's.

Expand full comment

My point about Nixon and Kennedy is that it was the first where the Presidential elections, and hence national politics, was run by Madison Ave. That first presidential debate on national TV was the beginning of media spin being the primary campaign strategy. Branding, branding, branding. Nixon looked pale, nervous and sweaty. Kennedy looked poised, cool and confident. Today it would not matter if the opposite were the truth. Whatever the media narrative, the people will eventually believe it to be the truth.

You cannot win if you don't learn to play that game. Your principles mean nothing as the media can lie and convince the voting public that you have different principles, or no principles, or evil principles.

I think the old Reagan moral elites in the Republican party are blind to the reality of modern politics. They think that modeling that good Republican citizen will attract voters eventually exhausted from the alternatives. Their hate of Trump clouds their reasoning facility (ironically many also inflamed by the negative media branding which on deeper analysis does not factually define the man)... and hence causes them to ignore a profound crucible of political-media change that was the three years of Trump-Russia collusion lies and the unconstitutional collusion between government, media, academia and big tech uncovered by the Twitter files. These moral Republicans fail to get the point that the tactics are anti-Republican, not just anti-Trump.

Maybe modeling a good moral Republican helps a person sleep well at night... until they realize that they have lost the country to an enemy that only cares about winning power.

Expand full comment

I dunno.... Do you think Britain was demonstrating Christian values with blockades to starve the German people during the First World War?

Was the US demonstrating Christian values by starving the Japanese out of the South Pacific in WWII?

Expand full comment

Don’t boycott because they put a trans influencer on the can. Boycott because they put ANY Internet celebrity on the can. They should stick to selling beer -- even if it is <flinch> LIGHT beer.

Expand full comment

Funny how conservatives get dragged over the coals for boycotting companies. As a small show, our weekend tennis tournament, normally a bud light sponsor, we didn't have it. Sure, it may still have been AB, but not a bud light is sight.

Expand full comment

I suspect, Erick, that like 2016 we will not be able to have reasoned conversations with Trump supporters once again. The American people do not want The Woke. They also do not want those whose morals can be bought. Keep ringing this bell. Do not let people forget, as they so easily do, who stood by the people's principles and who stood by their own well-being. God bless and Godspeed, Erick.

Expand full comment

Bud is just one notch above water and the lite version can be used to make coffee.

I read recently that a Soros (who else) funded group gives out Social Value scores on companies on their alphabet friendly policies. That could be a reason for the program.

I find it hard to believe that a low level bureaucrat can set a policy like this without someone higher knowing about it or ordering it done.

Expand full comment

As Sundance at CTH says (almost daily): The progressive Democrats are all about power. The GOPe is all about the money.

Expand full comment

Bud Light should have known what they were getting with their marketing exec so I don’t feel sorry for them.

I have two votes - one is the ballot box and the second is my money. I try to vote for people who most closely reflect my beliefs. The list of companies and countries that won’t get my money is growing. Other people can do as they please but I will choose, not people on the left OR the right. I really don’t care what DT Jr or anyone else thinks.

Choose this day who you will serve.

Expand full comment

Truth, Eric: "...perhaps professed values are not values but price tags." I suppose it really is true that "Everyone has a price." And that's exactly why we can send a Republican majority to Washington time after time and they STILL won't drain the swamp.

Expand full comment

And Kemp doesn't want people to vote for DT in Ga., but some people do make up their own minds. Jr is wrong and Kemp is off base. I do not drink, but if I did and boycotted BL that would be my thought process. Barring any big health issues ( the sun will rise tomorrow mornining and you nor I or DT might not see it) DT will run and to the chapping chagrin will probably win. JB will not be 2024 Dem candidate. Selah

Expand full comment

To my knowledge, Kemp has never told the citizens of Georgia not to vote for Trump. Of course Georgians, including me, will make up their own minds about their choices for president.

Expand full comment

Thank you Eric for being fair and balanced. It's obvious to me that you loyalty resides in our Creator. Mine too.

Expand full comment

Sad. It needs to be put back in the horse anyway, but still....

Expand full comment

Horse ... or unicorn, at this point in Anheuser's history.

Expand full comment

Bud Light can advertise their beer any way that it wants. But free Americans can react to those ads as they wish, based on our priorities. For many of us, those priorities are not money (otherwise, we'd keep buying Bud's cheap beer) and power. The question with sire Donald has always been if winning, power and money consume him beyond any moral considerations. Donny Jr.'s instincts regarding this issue -- and his need to butt into it -- suggest we have an answer to the question. But maybe not. It would be good to hear the old man's opinion on Bud Light's messaging.

Expand full comment

Amazing to me that commenters on here speak for multitudes - or claim to. Good points today; Trump Jr. is perfecting grift day by day.

Expand full comment

It seems to me that people are a bit hesitant to be counted worthy to suffer. Since Bud Light has never been on my shopping list, I won't be hit that way, but as much as I love the Clydesdales, I will need to rethink any plans to visit the Warm Springs breeding farm this summer.

On a bigger point, it is becoming obvious to me that the Enemy is inspiring ever more creative ways to warp the language and the culture in his ongoing efforts to bewilder followers of Christ as they attempt to navigate earthly reality.

Expand full comment