What (the) Right Looks Like

What (the) Right Looks Like

di R. Stanton Scott
Stagione 1
What the Right Looks Like: Does Bezos Deserve His Fortune?
Last week, the Wall Street Journal published an opinion column by Marian Tupy, a CATO Institute fellow and founder of its Human Progress program, which is apparently an expanded version of his book Superabundance: the Story of Population Growth, Innovation, and Human Flourishing. CATO is a libertarian think tank that promotes deregulation and markets free of any government constraints, so it's no surprise that they support the idea that a single person could "earn," and deserve to spend a quarter-billion dollar fortune. What's interesting is his argument. He suggests that Amazon online retail services did two things to improve lives: saved each of us an average of four minutes a day by saving us trips to stores, and by forcing other retailers to improve their service. What he ignores are the social costs that came with these efficiencies, arguably external costs that should have decreased Amazon profits. These include destruction of small-town America (with a bit of help from Walmart) and causing a race to cut wages and degrade workplaces as much as possible to juice profits and stock prices. In this episode of What (the) Right Looks Like, I take a look at these costs as part of a counterargument to Tupy's position. Check it out, and don't forget to subscribe. Wall Street Journal (paywall): www.wsj.com Tupy OpEd (paywall): https://www.wsj.com/opinion/jeff-bezos-earned-his-fortune-5e57dc45?mod=Searchresults&pos=1&page=1 Marian Tupy: https://www.cato.org/people/marian-l-tupy Human Progress: https://humanprogress.org Superabundance book: https://www.cato.org/books/superabundance CATO: www.cato.org
What the Right Looks Like: Trump Corruption Jumps the Shark with J6 Slush Fund
Trump has been looting the state since his second term began. Crypto coin schemes. Frivolous lawsuits settled as a way to pay for regulatory relief. Pay to play pardons. Now he's jumped the shark with his new J6 slush fund - almost two billion dollars for cronies, including J6 insurrectionists. Yes, he wants to pay people who beat cops with flagpoles and treat them as victims of law fare because the DOJ prosecuted them and juries convicted them. Government corruption is truly out of hand, and SCOTUS smoothed the way by immunizing Trump for criminal acts while in office. Trump wants to join the ranks of the oligarchs, and this kind of corruption will help. Time to put a stop to it. This is what the right looks like, people. Government corruption facilitated by Republicans in Congress. Don't forget to subscribe!
What the Right Looks Like: With US Debt Over $39Trillion We Need a Plan!
US Government debt just exceeded 39 trillion dollars, more and 100% of America's GDP. Conservatives make a lot of noise about this...until they take power. Now that they control all three branches of government they seem to be on a mission to borrow as much money as possible for things like mass deportation and unnecessary war in the Middle East while cutting funds for health care, child nutrition, and scientific research for new medications. It's time to expand the tax base to cut the deficit and create budget surpluses so we can pay down our national debt before the interest payments alone cross the $1T annual threshold. Stan Scott outlines a bit of the history that got us here and proposes five ideas for fixing this problem, including a wealth tax on billionaires to cover the interest on the debt. Check it out, subscribe, and let me know what you think.
Karl Rove Advises Both Parties on the Midterms. Both Should Ignore Him
If you're wondering what the right looks like - that is, how they see the world as it is and what they want it to look like instead, What (the) Right Looks Like might interest you. In this second episode I start with Karl Rove's advice to both Democrats and Republicans heading into the 2026 midterms using their own words, starting this week with Karl Rove. TLDR: Democrats should move to the center, and disavow key parts of their coalition. Republicans should not defend Trump. Instead, they should attack Democrats by asking them why they oppose Trump policies. Not sure there's a difference. In any event, both should ignore him. I try to challenge Rove's narrative and dig into what’s really driving voter frustration across both parties—from rising costs and foreign policy fatigue to immigration optics and the growing disconnect between political messaging and everyday life. I don't think Democrats lose because they’re “too extreme.” I think they should stop calling Trump a fascist and start fighting his fascism, and this will win elections. And I think Republican messaging on energy and inflation can't avoid the obvious point that Trump policies caused higher energy costs and associated inflation. Trumpflation is a reality Americans cannot ignore. Democrats poll poorly because leftist extremists are unsatisfied with Democrats. Republicans poll poorly because only their extremists are satisfied. Links (paywalls): The Wall Street Journal: https://www.wsj.com Democrats in Peril, From Barcelona to Boise: https://www.wsj.com/opinion/democrats-in-peril-from-barcelona-to-boise-de31ed24?mod=Searchresults&pos=2&page=1 To Save the Midterms, Go on the Offensive: https://www.wsj.com/opinion/to-save-the-midterms-go-on-the-offensive-734a02bb?mod=Searchresults&pos=1&page=1
What the Right Looks Like, with R. Stanton Scott: Army Orientation Fact Sheet 64 - Fascism
In March 1945, the US Army distributed a discussion guide for leaders covering fascism, including whether it existed or could exist in the US. These guides were used by leaders in the field to inform soldiers and help them understand why they were fighting. In this episode, the first in a series, I read the guide and comment on parallels with American politics today. Here's a link to the Army Fact Sheet: https://archive.org/details/ArmyTalkO... In future episodes, I plan to analyze the right wing reactionary movement using primary sources such as podcasts, essays, reports, and policy documents. My goal here is to help viewers understand this movement, its goals, and methods, as well as discussing the end state they hope to achieve.
What the Right Looks Like: Conservative Responds to Karl Rove Video
Bonus
The other day I posted a video criticizing Karl Rove's advice to both Democrats and Republicans, making the point that both should ignore him. I think the midterm elections this year, and the 2028 Presidential election, will be about one thing only: Donald Trump, his policies, his lies and corruption and the US he and his supporters want to create. An acquaintance responded to a clip posted on Facebook in the typical MAGA way: insults, lies, and denial. In this short clip I break down what that looks like and ask conservatives: is this really the world you want? And if so, why? Don't forget to subscribe and leave a comment. We value your feedback.