I share some thoughts on JD Vance being selected as Trump’s running mate. One thing we can say is that, for better or worse, this is the most exciting pick he could have made. People with unorthodox ideas and without the approval of mainstream institutions have more of an opportunity to have a cultural and policy impact than before. This is far from an unalloyed good, but the variance in possible outcomes is much wider than before.

I discuss Vance as the true successor to Trumpism, in the sense of adhering to a politics that is centered around extreme rhetoric but moderate policies. Other topics covered include the triumph of rural white identity politics; anti-globalization as the center of the conservative soul; and the contradiction between Vance getting support from both the Tech Right and conservatives who are more hostile to free markets.