The amazing Redwood is the tallest tree in the world. They can soar to heights in excess of 350 feet, over 100 meters. Contrary to common sense, redwood is a softwood, a relatively flexible, porous material. They are able to grow so tall and live so long because trees combine strength with flexibility.
Hank Green recently released a video with his unique take on the recent reelection of Donald Trump. In a brilliant analysis comparing Trump’s rise in the age of social media to that of Martin Luther in the age of the printing press, Green balances the advantages and very real disadvantages of populist movements throughout history and into today.
In 1517, the Church was corrupt and stagnant, a victim of its own impenetrable power. The theses that Luther nailed to the church doors, most people agree, were warranted. It is good that the Church is no longer selling indulgences. It is good that people can read the Bible in their native languages. It is good that the Pope no longer chooses political leaders. But the Reformation was an era of extreme violence and instability. Religious wars spanned the continent for hundreds of years. Protestants and Catholics were killing each other in Ireland the year I was born.
Hank Green believes in the institutions of the United States. He believes in the free press, in the FDA, in the police. Like 16th century Catholics terrified of a million different churches that all reject one another’s teachings, he fears a world without a reliable central authority.
Snake oil salesmen thrive in an unregulated market, and snake oil can kill people. But what is worse, snake oil salesmen running rampant, or strong federal regulations that permit or even promote snake oil?
Not too long ago, it was the left wing that criticized high fructose corn syrup, seed oils, and red 40, all of which have not just federal approval but federal subsidies. If the government were not involved, they would be common rather than what they are, ubiquitous. If there is a legitimate role for the FDA, it would be to limit things that we know are bad for health, and Trump’s government promises to do that.
Not too long ago, it was the left wing that criticized the excesses of the military industrial complex, that protested for peace. Trump’s government promises to end the war with Russia before we start fighting it.
Everyone opposes waste, bloat, and inefficiency. Trump’s government promises to set one of the most productive human beings on the face of the earth the task of reducing it.
Call me conservative, I hope this much-needed stress testing revitalizes rather than destroys the institutions. But when, despite our best efforts, a tree dies, everything that makes it strong remains. What it loses is the flow of moisture that allows it to sway in the wind. A dead tree may continue to stand indefinitely, but no one need be shocked when a stiff breeze causes the trunk to snap.
