This Trump Speech Was the Ultimate Loyalty Test

在这一集的《埃兹拉·克莱因秀》中，克莱因和他的编辑亚伦·雷迪卡剖析了特朗普总统在国会联席会议上的讲话，重点分析了其关键主题、修辞策略及其对美国政治的影响。雷迪卡首先表达了对美国政治出现裂痕的感受，强调了赤裸裸的谎言的常态化、共和党坚定不移的支持以及民主党难以有效应对的困境。他认为游戏规则正在被重新协商，但各方之间缺乏富有成效的对话。 克莱因接过了关于特朗普不诚实的讨论，指出这不仅仅是虚假信息，更是一种忠诚度测试，旨在将整个系统划分为支持特朗普的人和不支持特朗普的人。这种策略旨在迫使个人为了政治权宜之计而牺牲他们的正直和道德，进一步巩固特朗普的统治地位。雷迪卡指出，虽然这些言论常常脱离现实，但它也暴露了特朗普政府内部的矛盾，特别是其将经济承诺与政策相协调的能力不足。 随后，讨论转向了政府的经济议程，其中包括大规模减税、增加国防开支（包括“金色穹顶”导弹防御系统）以及关税。雷迪卡认为，这些政策是不可持续的，最终将损害经济，导致不确定性和潜在的衰退。 对话转到了“觉醒主义”的论调。克莱因和雷迪卡考虑了特朗普如何定义和使用这个术语。克莱因指出，虽然特朗普攻击多元化、公平和包容性倡议，并迎合那些反对媒体所呈现的“觉醒主义”的选民，但这个问题在日常对话中基本缺席。雷迪卡认为，特朗普的核心关注点更多地在于忠诚和进贡，而非基于种族或性别的传统等级制度。他强调，特朗普对美国的愿景围绕着统治地位展开，不仅在国内，而且在全球范围内。 讨论转向了特朗普对创建统治文明的关注，他希望“夺回”巴拿马运河，以及他建议格陵兰岛可能成为美国的一部分。克莱因和雷迪卡都认为这让人想起一个逝去的时代，可能是杰克逊式民主和麦金莱时代的混合体，两者都强调对环境的统治和一个受保护的美国经济。 两人接着分析了特朗普尤其是在国际经济方面的观点，以及它与当前现实的差异。克莱因批评了特朗普认为关税足以吸引企业来美国的观点，认为这种做法忽略了全球供应链的复杂性，并最终使国内生产更加昂贵。 讨论转向了罗伯特·F·肯尼迪 Jr. 在他未来的政府中被任命到一个有权力的职位。克莱因和雷迪卡谈到了他对疫苗，特别是对新冠疫情的怀疑态度。雷迪卡指出，就像特朗普团队中的许多其他人物一样，人们普遍认为他想要控制这个系统，而不是摧毁它。 最后，克莱因和雷迪卡讨论了民主党在有效反对特朗普方面面临的挑战。克莱因解释说，民主党正在努力争取人们关注他们的信息，并且缺乏影响政府行动的筹码。他认为，对特朗普的最终制约将是他政策与现实之间的碰撞，以及公民社会的崛起和世界对特朗普的反作用。

In this episode of the Ezra Klein Show, Klein and his editor, Aaron Redica, dissect President Trump's address to a joint session of Congress, focusing on its key themes, rhetorical strategies, and its implications for American politics. Redica opens by expressing a sense of rupture in American politics, highlighting the normalization of bald-faced lies, the Republican Party's unwavering support, and the Democratic Party's struggle to respond effectively. He argues that the rules of engagement are being renegotiated, but without productive dialogue between parties. Klein picks up on the discussion of Trump's dishonesty, pointing out that it's more than just misinformation; it's a loyalty test intended to divide the system into those who support Trump and those who do not. This strategy aims to force individuals to sacrifice their integrity and ethics for the sake of political expediency, further solidifying Trump's dominance. Redica notes that while the rhetoric is often detached from reality, it exposes the contradictions within the Trump administration, particularly its inability to reconcile its economic promises with its policies. The discussion then shifts to the administration's economic agenda, which includes massive tax cuts, increased defense spending (including a "Golden Dome" missile defense system), and tariffs. Redica argues that these policies are unsustainable and will ultimately harm the economy, leading to uncertainty and potentially recession. The conversation moves toward the rhetoric of wokeness. Klein and Redica consider how Trump frames and uses the term. Klein notes that while Trump attacks diversity, equity, and inclusion initiatives and appeals to voters who are opposed to "wokeness" as it is presented in the media, the issue is largely absent from daily conversation. Redica argues that Trump's core concerns are rooted more in loyalty and tribute than a traditional hierarchy based on race or gender. He emphasizes that Trump's vision of America revolves around dominance, not just domestically but also on a global scale. The discussion turns to Trump's focus on creating a dominant civilization, his desire to "retake" the Panama Canal, and his suggestion that Greenland could become part of the United States. Klein and Redica both see this as reminiscent of a bygone era, potentially a mixture of Jacksonian democracy and the McKinley era, both of which emphasize domination of the environment and a protected American economy. The two then analyze Trump's perspective on international economics in particular and how it differs from current realities. Klein criticizes Trump's belief that tariffs are sufficient to attract businesses to the US, arguing that this approach ignores the complexities of global supply chains and ultimately makes domestic production more expensive. The discussion turns to the appointment of Robert F. Kennedy Jr. to a position of power in his future administration. Klein and Redica touch on his skepticism towards vaccines and the COVID-19 pandemic in particular. Redica notes that, like many other figures in Trump's orbit, there is an overarching sense that he wants to control the system instead of destroying it. Finally, Klein and Redica discuss the Democratic Party's challenges in effectively opposing Trump. Klein explains that Democrats are struggling to gain attention for their message and lack the leverage to influence the administration's actions. He suggests that the ultimate check on Trump will be the collision between his policies and reality, as well as the rise of civil society and the world acting back on Trump.