Tucker Carlson Touts an Unlikely Ally as He Slams 'Libertarian Zealot' Republicans
Fox News host Tucker Carlson slammed Republican politicians on Wednesday for what he says is an abandonment of the economic nationalism their base voted for in 2016 in order to appease the donors to whom they are beholden.
“In Washington, almost nobody speaks for the majority of voters,” Carlson said on “Tucker Carlson Tonight.”
“You’re either a libertarian zealot controlled by the banks, yammering on about entrepreneurship and how we need to cut entitlements. That’s one side of the aisle. Or, worse, you’re some decadent trust fund socialist who wants to ban passenger cars and give Medicaid to illegal aliens. That’s the other side,” he continued.
“There isn’t a caucus that represents where most Americans actually are: Nationalist on economics, fairly traditional on the social issues.”
Carlson began the segment by quoting a section of Democratic presidential hopeful and Massachusetts Sen. Elizabeth Warren’s “Plan for Economic Patriotism” and asking his right-leaning audience if they disagree with the statement.
Here’s what @TuckerCarlson last night extensively quoting and praising @ewarren‘s economic plan, contrasting it with the inability of the GOP to defend US workers because they’re in servitude to the Koch Brothers, corporatism & libertarian economic theory pic.twitter.com/QljYNBonFc
— Glenn Greenwald (@ggreenwald) June 6, 2019
“I’m deeply grateful for the opportunities America has given me. But the giant ‘American’ corporations who control our economy don’t seem to feel the same way,” Warren’s plan read.
“They certainly don’t act like it. Sure, these companies wave the flag — but they have no loyalty or allegiance to America.”
The plan went on to describe how American companies, even iconic brands such as Levi’s and General Motors, have been shutting down their U.S. factories in lieu of cheaper, foreign labor.
“These ‘American’ companies show only one real loyalty: to the short-term interests of their shareholders, a third of whom are foreign investors. If they can close up American factories and ship jobs overseas to save a nickel, that’s exactly what they will do — abandoning loyal American workers and hollowing out American cities along the way,” the statement continued.
“Politicians love to say they care about American jobs, but for decades those same politicians have cited ‘free market principles’ and refused to intervene in markets on behalf of American workers.
“The truth is that Washington policies — not unstoppable market forces — are a key driver of the problems American workers face. From our trade agreements to our tax code, we have encouraged companies to invest abroad, ship jobs overseas, and keep wages low. That’s why our government has to care more about defending and creating American jobs than ever before — not less. We can navigate the changes ahead if we embrace economic patriotism and make American workers our highest priority.”
Carlson argued that Republicans in Congress aren’t able to protect American industries because doing so would “alienate the libertarian ideologues” who are the financial backbone to most GOP campaigns.
“Imagine a politician who wanted to make your health care cheaper, but wasn’t ghoulishly excited about partial-birth abortion.
“Imagine someone who genuinely respected the nuclear family and sympathized with the culture of rural America, but at the same time was willing to take your side against rapacious credit card companies,” Carlson said.
“Would you vote for someone like that? My gosh, of course you would. Who wouldn’t? That candidate would be elected in a landslide. Every single time.
“Our leadership class remains resolutely libertarian: committed to the rhetoric of markets when it serves them; utterly libertine on questions of culture,” he continued.
“Republicans will lecture you about how payday loan scams are a critical part of our market economy. Then they’ll work to make it easier for your kids to smoke weed because, ‘hey, freedom.’
“Democrats will nod in total agreement,” Carlson added. “They’re on the same page.”
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