Two concurrent D.C. conferences reveal that movements framing a clear enemy and staging viral moments outcompete technocratic coalitions focused on process tweaks. NatCon’s anti‑liberal crusade drew senators, cameras, and shareable clips; Abundance 2025 drew policy wonks to discuss permitting. The contrast suggests reformers need a moral narrative and visible conflict, not just white papers.
— It implies that policy agendas like housing and energy reform won’t scale politically without a compelling foe and story, shaping how coalitions organize and message.
Matthew Yglesias
2025.10.17
57% relevant
Yglesias argues films avoid portraying the boring, iterative work of negotiation ("guys in costumes having meetings") and instead favor hero/villain spectacle, which aligns with the idea that attention economics rewards stunts and moral clarity over process—shaping public expectations of politics.
Emily Jashinsky
2025.10.09
55% relevant
The article depicts a choreographed push to brand Trump as 'peacemaker‑in‑chief'—including scripted lines ('one war a month') and rushing announcements—emphasizing optics and credit over substantive detail, consistent with attention‑first politics.
Mary Harrington
2025.09.09
70% relevant
Portraying politics as 'light entertainment'—with a Strictly‑style performance at a party conference—illustrates how spectacle and vibe are being used to mobilize voters, aligning with the claim that movements need a compelling foe and showmanship, not just policy white papers.
Jerusalem Demsas
2025.09.09
100% relevant
Kevin Roberts (Heritage) declaring the enemy is 'liberalism or enlightenment rationalism or modernity,' versus Abundance’s low‑profile panels on permitting reform.