The cover illustration of May 11’s New Yorker magazine is titled “Red, White, and Kinda Blue.” It features George Washington looking glum. His jaw is propped disconsolately on his hand in a melancholy pose with his elbow resting on a bar; he nurses a sad martini; an ashtray full of cigarette butts smolders in front of him; in his mouth is a party horn he’s given a desultory puff of ironic celebration; the look in his eye is one of sadness and ennui.The great man is unhappy with America’s condition as it reaches this year’s milestone. His illustrator muses that perhaps there is consolation that “climate catastrophes are still somewhat infrequent … you’re free to express your opinions, as long as you keep your voice down and remember who you’re talking to … [and] with any luck, the midterms will bring a ray of hope for the 251st Fourth of July, and beyond.”We are meant to understand that the Founding Fathers subscribe to today’s left-wing fantasies about global climate disaster and tyranny in America. They yearn for Democrats to win in November’s elections and in 2028. They groan that Donald Trump is president.
Over on the other coast, the Seattle Times went out of its way recently to run a skeptical article about whether it was appropriate to cheer for the USA in the World Cup, given the awfulness of Trump. This reflects leftists’ sense that they must deprecate their country and also oppose anything Trump does so as to avoid implying that their country isn’t going to the dogs. This imperative overrides any other consideration.
