Open Source Insurgency?

John Robb makes an interesting point about the Trump “campaign”:

Trump isn’t running a campaign, he’s running an open source insurgency (see my earlier article on this) that makes him nearly immune to personal attack, and it is working. He has secured a whopping 7 points (47 to 40) lead over Clinton in a recent national poll by the LA Times/USC — despite the fact that nearly EVERYONE in the media, academic, government, and political establishment is working against him. This loss of control has infuriated the establishment, leading to increasing levels of paranoia, hyperbole, and anger (particularly in the media). In short, the establishment is starting to act increasingly like Trump does — exaggerating and amplifying everything.

He also notes that the “Trumpified establishment” (described above) will stop at nothing to prevent Trump’s election and expresses concerns about Russian hacking voting machines on election day, something I think is possible but unlikely. For one thing we have more to worry about from Chinese hackers than Russian hackers.

3 comments… add one
  • PD Shaw Link

    With a Jacksonian candidate, the anti-Jackson forces will use Jacksonian means.

  • steve Link

    If being a con man never worked, we would never have con men. For whatever reason, people are susceptible to certain types of cons. This is an especially effective one. Trump doesn’t really offer plans, he just offers himself. Some people are just scarfing it up. The believe he is a self-made man, as Dave’s council said. Private schools and being given many millions by your father equates to self-made, at least when it comes to this con. He loves America they say. This from a guy with zero history of doing anything for anyone unless he could make a profit. He offers his expertise as a business person, then hides any evidence that could demonstrate just how successful he really is, or is not.

    If this is an insurgency, I will at least have to give him credit for running a brilliant one. His timing is impeccable. After years of anti-government rhetoric on the right, years of turning the opposition into people who aren’t real Americans, the GOP was just waiting for a guy like this.

    Steve

  • The believe he is a self-made man, as Dave’s council said.

    Yes, that amused me, too. It reminded me of the old wisecrack that the best way to make small fortune in racing is to start with a large one and work down from there.

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