Are you a member of the Muffled Majority?
I am.
We’re different from what Richard Nixon called “the Silent Majority” way back in 1969. While the Silent Majority didn’t say much about their hopes and fears, the Muffled Majority can’t speak at all. We don’t because it will bring contempt and abuse from ardent believers in the falsehoods spread by the former president and his followers.
History, I believe, will conclude that one of Donald Trump’s most destructive achievements was the complete obliteration of reasoned discourse between people with different opinions. While politics has always had highs and lows, political discussion is now below the level of World Wrestling Entertainment matches and more like meetings between conflicted orangutans.
When that happens, regular people are muffled. What’s the point in talking when others simply don’t listen or shout baseless conspiracy theories at you?
Worse, there is no push-back from leaders in the Republican party. Faced with Trumpism, many declined to run again. Not a lot of guts displayed there.
There was a time when I thought Senator John Cornyn could be a candidate for president. Perhaps he thinks he can do more by remaining “in the system” than by speaking out. But courage is a requirement for leadership.
I won’t vote for him again.
And what about former Senator Kay Bailey Hutchison? If Cornyn can’t speak because he is still in office, why has the senator I admired even more than Cornyn been totally silent? Why didn’t she repudiate Trump? And what about former President George W. Bush? Hardly a word.
I voted for them. They failed me. If you identify with the Muffled Majority, they failed you, too.
We’ve had a historic call for leadership and only a handful of Republicans have answered the call. Significantly, one (Representative Liz Cheney) was voted out of office and the other (Representative Adam Kinzinger) decided not to run again.
My disappointment doesn’t mean I’m now a happy Democrat.
It means I’m politically homeless. The minority left of the Democratic Party wants me to join their unending parade of victimhood. The Republican Party wants me to live in an imaginary past that never existed.
What saddens me most is that the very worst of Tea Party/Trumpism now dominates Texas politics. Governor Greg Abbott, whom I voted for, has been part of it.
I won’t make that mistake again, either.
In a recent column, I offered encouragement to young homeowners who are facing declining home values. I offered the recovery statistics for two Texas home busts. But I also warned that history may not repeat itself due to something I call “Peak Texas” — the winds that have propelled Texas for more than 30 years may be fading.
One of the factors in Peak Texas – a really big one — is the loss of business/conservative Texas. It has been replaced by a righteous, punishing religious/conservative Texas.
One reader responded by saying that we could do a lot worse than have a state run on Christian principles.
That’s a nice idea.
But it isn’t supported by the entire history of Christian governments. The Founding Fathers knew this.
In practice, Texas government now looks more like rule by the Pharisees, the religious rulers of Jesus’ time – and the only people scorned by Jesus.
It certainly isn’t rule by the most important words in the New Testament, the ones in the red ink reserved for the compassionate, loving words spoken by Jesus.
That same history is why our Founding Fathers wrote a Constitution that separated church and state. It gave all of us an umbrella of law to protect our rights and our lives.
It has been a great thing. It has also provided protection for the many good people who don’t happen to be Christians. And that’s a good thing, part of the amazing vision of our Founding Fathers.
So how am I going to vote?
Easy, I’m going to vote for the much, much lesser evil. All the way down the ticket.
Then I’m going to hope for a new political party. Not Republican. Not Democrat. I think it might call itself “The Functional Party.” That would distinguish it from our existing parties. The Functional Party would gather evidence and create reality-based policies that brought freedom, enterprise, community, health and safety to as many Americans as possible.
I can’t think of a better birthplace for that party than Texas.
Related columns:
Scott Burns, “The Joy and Terror of Homeownership,” 10/23/2022 https://scottburns.com/hang-in-for-home-ownership/
Sources and References:
Nixon’s Silent Majority Speech: The Day the ‘60s Died,” https://klru.pbslearningmedia.org/resource/23784e9a-e7c1-4be2-a64c-80aaa6e52f6e/nixons-silent-majority-speech-the-day-the-60s-died/
Nathaniel Rakich, “Congressional Republicans Left Office in Droves Under Trump. Just How Conservative Are Their Replacements,” 04/27/2021 https://fivethirtyeight.com/features/congressional-republicans-left-office-in-droves-under-trump-just-how-conservative-are-their-replacements/
This information is distributed for education purposes, and it is not to be construed as an offer, solicitation, recommendation, or endorsement of any particular security, product, or service.
Photo: Scott Burns, 2022
(c) Scott Burns, 2022
15 thoughts on “The Muffled Majority ”
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Mr Burns:
In my lifetime we’ve had 15 Presidents:
Franklin D. Roosevelt
Harry S. Truman
Dwight Eisenhower
John F. Kennedy
Lyndon Johnson
Richard Nixon
Gerald Ford
Jimmy Carter
Ronald Reagan
George H. W. Bush
William J. Clinton
George W. Bush
Barack Obama
Donald J. Trump
Joseph R. Biden
A President’s job is actually very simple: MAKE AMERICAN LIVES BETTER.
Some have; a few, much better. Many haven’t, and the recent trend line not only threatens our Democracy, but tyranny and fascism seems favored by an increasing and alarming number of politicians.
America isn’t perfect; far from it. In fact, our Founders challenged us to “form a more perfect Union!”
I believe a moral, ethical, and legal pathway exists that will enable “We the People” to attain this noble goal. This is a pathway that I wish to share, so please go to ~~~~~~~~~~~~>
http://www.maximizeyour401k.com/
and tap on the three bars in the top right hand corner. Then open the 6th tab in the pop-up table of contents, with the title being . . .
Imagine a More Perfect Union
The Hamilton narrative
Please read this narrative. My prayer 🙏 is that America will continue to be worthy of God’s Blessings.
Dear Mr. Burns,
Couldn’t agree with you more on the current political chaos/disfunction. Politicians punish the the poor and middle class. Time to invest in health, education and r and d. Rising tide….
On another note, our oldest grandson will graduate from college this year. I gave him an option for his birthday. Regular gift amount of $100.00 or open a Vanguard index fund and I’ll match. Sent him copies of your relevant columns.
Your advice helped me, I hope he will take your advice as well.
Your grateful fan, Esther
Mr. Scott Burns,
May God continue to bless you with wisdom and good health.
Blessings-
Craig H. Vittitoe
Scott, the ugly rhetoric started way before Trump. Go back and read some of the ugly things said about George W. by the liberals. Also, Hillary Clinton’s remarks going back to the 90ties. You bash Trump and Trump voters but the Democrats are equally adept at slander and lies.
If standing up against the murder of unborn children is wrong in your view, then maybe you should go back to the Bible and do some real research. God severely judged people for the practice of child sacrifice.
The Bible is a book that multitudes of people like to swear by but believe THEIR interpretation is the only correct one. That’s one, just one, of the reasons the founding fathers made separation of church and state a cornerstone of our Constitution.
Absolutely 100% in agreement. Let’s hope enough people will agree and take action to form a third party.
Trump is a product of democrats whining, pro-abortion, immigration, social engineering, wealth redistribution, and like policies. A lot of people that voted for Trump did so as a protest against do nothing, professional politicians like many republicans and democrats. The Republican Party does not like Trump, but they are going after his voters, so they will generally not denounce him. (However, one has to remember that Trump’s personal beliefs and BS is apart from his support for conservative principles and philosophy.) I believe this is what is really going on. They will vote for Trump again, as I believe Biden has shown great incompetence. Hopefully, the republicans will find a nominee that can implement conservative principles with a softer touch than Trump would. Otherwise, it will be Trump again and he could win again, given the economic conditions we are facing. Biden says everything is “great”, well it’s not.
I have been following you for nearly 30 years. Keep up the good work!
With over 300 Republican candidates supporting the “stolen election” lie, it’s difficult to believe that Republican behaviors will improve anytime in the near future. Sadly, that will likely result in a spiral of ever-worsening political behavior. The language used in so-called political discussions today is accusatory and inflammatory, basically shutting down rational discussion. Trump enabled this giant leap downward.
There are three good questions that we can ask ourselves when we consider ANY political candidate:
1) Is this the kind of person I would like my grandchildren to admire and emulate?
2) Will this person attract, and retain, the best people to support his work while in office?
3) Will this person bring out the best in people?
I hope we have a President like that one day. However, about 50% of the people will always find the President, or his opponent, to be a scoundrel. So, you vote for the one that is the best choice. I’ve never voted for anyone to become a “Saint”. I’ve supported many of my bosses over the years that I would not want my children to emulate. However, many of them did get the best out of their people and did the job the were paid to do. I understand your dislike for Trump, but what is your alternative if he were the candidate and you support conservative principles?
I can’t imagine any circumstances under which I would vote for Trump. It goes back to the character issues that he so abundently presents. A man without principles doesn’t know how to support principles.
Mr. Burns,
I couldn’t agree with you more. I find myself voting for the lesser of bad candidates. I believe in America as a democratic union that over time has corrected its swings right and left. However, the swing seems to be a new direction. I admire Liz Cheney and her continued fight to open eyes. Thank you for your column and staying un-muffled.
Happy Birthday, Mr. Burns! May you have many more – always in good health accompanied with much happiness!
Thank you!
Sir: It seems to me that from the establishment of this country, politics has been virtually a “blood sport”, including the ultimate of such, the Civil War. I think the Founders visualized the elected leaders of this country to do their job and then move back to their original pursuits, and thus failed, in my opinion, to seriously consider the topic of term limits. As a result, politics has become an “occupation” which many office holders view through the lens of power, prestige and, yes, the acquiring of wealth in some instances. Of course, term limiting elected office holders would have some negative consequences, but by removing their almost daily attention on and pursuit of “the next election” their focus, hopefully, would be on their task at hand. which should be to work for the betterments of their constituents and this country The initiation of such an action would require input from and approval of current office holders, an unlikely occurrence.
Thank you for your perceptive views and opinions and especially for your long-standing excellent financial counsel.
Thank you Scott. Your couch and the advice has always been a good home-base for one to rest.