Vance’s Lens

New in PN: JD Vance — Political heroin dealer

"It is as if, in Vance’s mind, he has transformed Springfield’s Haitian community into the 'hillbilly' dystopia he portrayed years ago in his book." https://t.co/kVNM225IqE

— Aaron Rupar (@atrupar) September 25, 2024

Not really a transformation;” more like an easy substitution.

The “hillbilly” dystopia is something Vance conjured out of whole cloth to raise himself by his bootstraps above his upbringing and his family. I understand the feeling. My grandfather I was named for was an alcoholic and a used car salesman. My other grandfather was a failed farmer who, in my childhood, ran a ditch digging machine (before backhoes) for the City of Dallas. Inauspicious roots, IOW. But I’m not ashamed of my families. I love them, on both sides. Vance seems to be ashamed of his roots.

He went to Yale, he went to Silicon Valley, he connected with Peter Thiel, he learned the language and culture of, frankly, a bunch of assholes. Doesn’t seem like that was too hard for him. He’s been living in that story a long time. Shifting the characters from “hillbillies” to “Haitians” is really just swapping labels, to him. Nothing had to change at all. It’s all about having someone to stand on, so he can feel taller.

No wonder he and Trump get along.

What, you think Musk or Thiel are any different? I can’t see the difference at all. Standing on people’s shoulders, and then pissing on those people, is what they do. The names of who they piss on, really doesn’t matter.

What really matters is who’s doing the pissing, and why they feel entitled to.