Welcome Back Peggy

Saying Hello to an Old Friend

For the first time in years, I listened to Peggy Noonan, and she made sense. I’ve always thought of her as a wise voice, offering valuable political insights during the Bush era. However, toward the end of his second term, she became stale. Instead of critiquing his missteps, she seemed to defend them, acting more as an apologist than a critical observer.

During the Trump era, her tone shifted, but not for the better. She appeared dismissive, focusing solely on criticism. Like many voices on the right, she seemed to pine for "institutional stability," using phrases like "political norms" as code for her disapproval of Trump’s approach. She was out of touch with the growing frustration among conservatives. Instead of offering insight, she and others like George Will seemed to lament Trump’s disregard for institutions without addressing the underlying reasons many on the right had grown distrustful of those very institutions. The disdain wasn’t for the institutions themselves but for how they were being wielded—often in ways perceived as hostile to their values.

Now, for the first time in eight years, Noonan seems to grasp the root of the problem. She recently argued that while institutions need correction and much in the country requires change, we must not destroy them because stability matters. On this, I agree. I respect our institutions, but we can’t ignore how they’ve been perverted. Wise leaders once recognized that weaponizing government against political opponents was destructive to the nation. We understood that censorship of opposing views, refusing to repay debts like student loans, and colleges prioritizing indoctrination over critical thinking were corrosive to society. These distortions of our institutions have created widespread dissatisfaction.

It seems Noonan now acknowledges this reality. I’m glad to hear her voice again, and I look forward to listening to her with renewed interest

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