16 Comments
User's avatar
Liam Comer-Weaver's avatar

If Vance has an anti-liberal ideology and wants to dismantle liberal democracy, my question remains, to what end? He's never articulated a vision for what he actually wants the country to look like. Rather, he's railing against existing institutions because he knows that people are unhappy with them.

I don't think he deserves the benefit of the doubt that this serves some larger political mission. Cynicism, in this case, is appropriate. Until proved otherwise, the most likely case is that he is seeking power for power's sake, and he doesn't have a coherent underlying belief or value system that is driving his behavior.

John Hardman's avatar

I agree, “soullessness” is the phrase that came to me after reading this. He uses his intellect and legal training to concoct soul-stealing devil’s contracts. He certainly answers the question if it’s better to be loved or feared.

It seems America is exploring its Jungian “shadow” and Vance was beckoned from our dark depths. He certainly is displaying ugly aspects of ourselves that we have historically denied. For better or worse, these demons of our collective psyche have been summoned forward and given our highest priority. Can we summon our “better angels” to meet this challenge?

Jay H's avatar
Mar 8Edited

He thinks liberalism does more harm than good—it’s as simple as that. He’s misguided, as are all of the reactionary opponents of Liberal Democracy. They usually have legitimate criticisms—it’s not hard to criticize—but what they don’t have, are more humane alternatives.

Illiberal regimes always feel great at first—for those who believe that the leadership’s goals are their own. But sooner or later, an illiberal regime starts attacking its supporters.

Anthony Dlugos's avatar

Well written!

I preface this by saying I find Vance to be a loathsome individual, but if the proverbial gun is put to my head, yes, I would choose Vance over Trump. But ONLY over Trump.

Fascism is in the gut, it isn't ideological. That's Trump's strength as a fascist and Vance's weakness. Fascist rank and file are not interested in ideological consistency. At the margin, Vance's attempt at that will cost him support.

Bonnie Osborn's avatar

If I were Usha, I'd divorce him so fast he wouldn't know I was gone yet, take those kids as far from him as I could get them, along with as much of his earthly possessions as I could lay hands on. Get out, Usha! His Christian Fascism is obviously more important to him than you or his children! Think of them. To have a father who would embrace those who deem his own children as less than! Scarred for life already. Like an Antebellum slave owner beefing up his profits by contributing his own genetics

Thomas Martinson's avatar

Vance is in no recognizable way a Catholic. He's one of many evangelicals who have decided to convert to using the name but are divorced from its tenets. He's likely to be excommunicated at some point.

Lillian Holsworth's avatar

Vance is 1st & foremost a phoney- he attaches himself to whatever Fascist- Alt right mind set that will promote him the best.

Vance is a apprentice of Theil & Curtis Yarvin: the Techno Nazi group is part of Vance's pathway of ' Ruling '& not governing.

Vance also has a deeply embedded world view of The KKK.

All in all , Vance will try his Psuedo Democracy & double speak to destroy our Democracy that he does Not want to thrive in any way.

L.D.Michaels's avatar

Vance is an opportunist and a scoundrel. Even Trump can't stand the guy.

Joshua Katz's avatar

Despite him being somewhat articulate, I have trouble ascribing any genuine philosophy to Vance. He seems like it's all in service of internet memes. Not that I don't think he's dangerous - fascism is an aesthetic or a meme, not an ideology. But the idea that he's some sort of deep thinker, as opposed to someone able to ape deep thinking, just isn't persuasive to me.

Eric Clayton's avatar

Because like all anti-American anarchists he is against reality and laissez-faire capitalism. Everyone should be against every form of evil insane statism anarchism democracy dictatorship and every form of evil tyranny. The only legitimate form of government is a laissez-faire capitalist Constitutional Republic only and e everyone else is an evil anti-American insane criminal.

Alexander Turok's avatar

>But, she continued, instead of following “the natural intellectual trajectory of a man who has opted to marry the daughter of immigrants, a woman who’s a practicing Hindu, has mixed-race children and a mixed-religion family to become a poster child for a Reaganesque shining city on the hill, an open society conservatism, he is the opposite.

It's very common for white nationalists to have non-white wives.

Jay H's avatar

I draw a connection between JD Vance’s lack of explicit support for Usha, and Ted Cruz’ willingness to allow Trump to insult his wife.

Peter Smith's avatar

Vance is just offering what everyone in the mainstream wants: government involvement in every aspect of our lives. There are no alternative ideas to this in the discourse.

Ideology is important and the whole issue today is that no one has any ideology outside of authoritarianism in some shape or form.

Mitchell in Oakland's avatar

As Trump fumbles Iran, Vance (and his friends) will go after the Jews.

Ian Douglas Rushlau's avatar

The word you're searching for is fascism.

Fascism is not an ideology, it is a worldview- a constellation of beliefs, attitudes and reactions, a way of sorting people into the deserving and undeserving.

This is Vance's worldview. He is a fascist.

Neither mysterious nor complicated.

Now ask yourself- what sort of person votes for fascists?

Answer- other fascists.

Vladan Lausevic's avatar

The horror show of far-right collectivism