The J.D. of “Hillbilly Elegy” fame was a CL, not a Reactionary. He didn’t support Trump, and he didn’t call for tariffs or limits on illegal immigration. He put the blame for the struggling workers in Ohio and Kentucky on the personal failings of the workers themselves and on the government for its ham-handed interventions in their lives. Less government and more personal responsibility were the solutions to the regional problems.
The J.D. of 2024 promoted WASP culture and “legacy Americans.” He distinguished between the descendants of people who were here during the Civil War, who are real Americans, and the rest of us, who should just shut up and let the first group run the country. This America is based on soil, not adherence to creeds.
The J.D. of “Communion” is a conservative Catholic who thinks that Americans should have more kids than they can afford. This is, of course, a creed–just not one based on adherence to the Declaration and the Constitution.
From a political perspective, the evolution of J.D. creates two serious problems. First, the positions I have just described do not command the support of a majority of Republicans, let alone general election voters; and second, they are mutually exclusive. If J.D. faces serious opposition during the 2028 primaries, you can rest assured that these potential weaknesses will be exposed and exploited to the hilt.
How will J.D. respond? By relying on Trump–the power that dissolves all logical contradictions–to persuade the electorate to ignore it.