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The document discusses the 1991 Louisiana gubernatorial election where David Duke, a right-wing populist, and Edwin Edwards, a left-wing populist, received the most votes in the primary over the establishment Republican and Democratic candidates. Duke ultimately lost in the runoff due to high black voter turnout brought on by fear campaigns against him. The document argues this showed that in a crisis, there is little difference between left and right populism, as both aim to redistribute wealth from the middle class to elites through taxes and spending. It also criticizes the establishment for questioning Duke's sincerity as a Christian while accepting promises of reform from the corrupt Edwards.
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- 1. that resorted to questioning the sincerity of Duke's conversion to Christ ianity-even c hal- lenging him to name his 'official church." Even my old friend picked up 55 percent of the white vote; he lost in the runoff because the fear campaign brought out a massive out- pouring of black voters. But -- an instructive metaphor for what will eventusally the fate be of Establishment Conserva- tism.) A left-wing populist, Doug Bandow par- note the excite- former Governor Edwards is a ticipated in this ment; politics in long-time Cajun crook, whose cabal in the Wall Louisiana rose motto has been the rollicking Street Journal, from the usual laissez les bon temps roulez which virtually torpor that we ('let the good times roll"). He flipped its wig in have been used has always been allegedly anti-Duke hyste- to for decades hated by businsssmen and by ria, to the extent of and brought out conservative elites. But this attacking Duke for a turnout rate- was crisis time; and in crisis being governed by 80 percent-that the truth is revealed: there is self-interest(!)- hasn't been seen no fundamental difference be- presumably in since the nine- tween left-wing populism and contrast to all other teenth century, the system we have now. Left- politicians moti- when party poli- wing populism: rousing the vated by deep de- tics was fierce- masses to attack 'the rich," votion to the pub- ly partisan and amounts to more of the same: lic weal?! It took a ideological. high taxes, wild spending, lot of gall for One point massive redistribution of Bandow to do this, that has nowhere working and middle class in- since he is not been noted: pop- comes to the ruling coalition a sacramental ulism won in of: big government, big busi- Christian (where Louisiana, be- ness, and the New Class of one can point out cause in the first bureaucrats, technocrats, and that the person under attack primary the two winners were ideologues and their numerous was not received into the sac- Duke, a right-wingpopulist, and dependent groups. And so, in ramental Church), but a pietist Edwin Edwards, a left-wing the crunch, left-wing popu- one, who is opposed to any populist. Out in the cold were lism-phony populism-disap- sort of official creed or liturgy. th,e two Establishment candi- peared, and all crookery was So how can a pietist Christian dates: incumbent Governor forgiven in the mighty Edwards challenge the bona fides of Buddy Roemer, high-tax, high- coalition. It is instructive that another one? And in a world spend "reform" Democrat em- the Establishment professes to where no one challenges the braced by the Bush Adminis- believe in Edwards' teary Christian credentials of a tration in an attempt to stop the promises of personal reform Chuck Colson or a Jeb dread Duke; and the forgotten ('I'm 65 now; the good times Magruder? But logic went out man, Clyde Holloway, the offi- have mellowetj"), while refus- the window: for the entire Es- cial Republican candidate, a ing to believe in the sincerity tablishment, the ruling elite, good Establishment conserva- of David Duke's conversion. was at stake, and in that sort of tive, who got only five percent They said1in the 60%when battle, all supposedly clashing of the vote. (Poor Human they gently chided the violent wings of the Establishment Events kept complaining dur- Left: 'stop using violence, work weld together as one unit and ing the campaign: why are the within the system." And sure fight with any weapons that media ignoring Clyde enough it worked, as the former might be at hand. Holloway? The simple answer New Left now leads the re- But even so: David Duke is that he never got anywhere: spectable intellectual classes. 6 January 1992 LICENSED TO UNZ.ORG ELECTRONIC REPRODUCTION PROHIBITED