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Among elites across the ideological spectrum, there's one point of unifying agreement: Americans are bitterly divided. What if that's wrong? What if elites are the ones who are bitterly divided while most Americans are fairly unified? History rarely lines up perfectly with the calendar (the "sixties" didn't really start until the decade was almost over). But politically, the 21st century neatly began in 2000, when the election ended in a tie and the color coding of electoral maps became enshrined as a kind of permanent tribal color war of "red vs. blue." Elite understanding of politics has been stuck in this framework ever since. Politicians and voters have leaned into this alleged political reality, making it seem all the more real in the process. I loathe the phrase "perception is reality," but in politics it has the reifying power of self-fulfilling prophecy. Like rival noble families in medieval Europe, elites have been vying for power and dominance on the arrogant assumption that their subjects share their concern for who rules rather than what the rulers can deliver. In 2018, the group More in Common published a massive report on the "hidden tribes" of American politics. The wealthiest and whitest groups were "devoted conservatives" (6%) and "progressive activists" (8%). These tribes dominate the media, the parties and higher education, and they dictate the competing narratives of red vs. blue, particularly on cable news and social media. Meanwhile, the overwhelming majority of Americans resided in, or were adjacent to, the "exhausted majority." These people, however, "have no narrative," as David Brooks wrote at the time. "They have no coherent philosophic worldview to organize their thinking and compel action." Lacking a narrative might seem like a very postmodern problem, but in a postmodern elite culture, postmodern problems are real problems. It's worth noting that red vs. blue America didn't emerge ex nihilo. The 1990s were a time when the economy and government seemed to be working, at home and abroad. As a result, elites leaned into the narcissism of small differences to gain political and cultural advantage. They remain obsessed with competing, often apocalyptic, narratives. That leaves out most Americans. The gladiatorial combatants of cable news, editorial pages and academia, and their superfan spectators, can afford these fights. Members of the exhausted majority are more interested in mere competence. I think that's the hidden unity elites are missing. This is why we keep throwing incumbent parties out of power: They get elected promising competence but get derailed -- or seduced -- by fan service to, or trolling of, the elites who dominate the national conversation. There's a difference between competence and expertise. One of the most profound political changes in recent years has been the separation of notions of credentialed expertise from real-world competence. This isn't a new theme in American life, but the pandemic and the lurch toward identity politics amplified distrust of experts in unprecedented ways. This is a particular problem for the left because it is far more invested in credentialism than the right. Indeed, some progressives are suddenly realizing they invested too much in the authority of experts and too little in the ability of experts to provide what people want from government, such as affordable housing, decent education and low crime. The New York Times' Ezra Klein says he's tired of defending the authority of government institutions. Rather, "I want them to work." One of the reasons progressives find Trump so offensive is his absolute inability to speak the language of expertise -- which is full of coded elite shibboleths. But Trump veritably shouts the language of competence. I don't mean he is actually competent at governing. But he is effectively blunt about calling leaders, experts and elites -- of both parties -- stupid, ineffective, weak and incompetent. He lost in 2020 because voters didn't believe he was actually good at governing. He won in 2024 because the exhausted majority concluded the Biden administration was bad at it. Nostalgia for the low-inflation pre-pandemic economy was enough to convince voters that Trumpian drama is the tolerable price to pay for a good economy. About 3 out of 4 Americans who experienced "severe hardship" because of inflation voted for Trump. The genius of Trump's most effective ad -- "Kamala is for they/them, President Trump is for you" -- was that it was simultaneously culture-war red meat and an argument that Harris was more concerned about boutique elite concerns than everyday ones. If Trump can actually deliver competent government, he could make the Republican Party the majority party for a generation. For myriad reasons, that's an if so big it's visible from space. But the opportunity is there -- and has been there all along.

The billing of London-born former Chelsea boss Hayes against England’s Dutch manager Sarina Wiegman – arguably the best two bosses in the women’s game – had generated more buzz in the build-up than the players on the pitch, despite it being a rare encounter between the two top-ranked sides in the world. Hayes enjoyed her return to familiar shores but felt the US lacked the “killer piece” after they looked the likelier side to make the breakthrough. Elite meeting of the minds 🌟 pic.twitter.com/R4d8EArqTp — U.S. Women's National Soccer Team (@USWNT) November 30, 2024 Asked what was going through her mind during the national anthem, Hayes said: “I was definitely mouthing (it), and Naomi (Girma) and Lynn (Williams) could see that I was struggling with where to be and all that. “I got to the end of the anthems and I thought, ‘that’s so ridiculous. I’m proud to be English and I’m proud of our national anthem, and I’m also really proud to coach America’. “Two things are possible all at once. I don’t want to fuel a nationalist debate around it. The realities are both countries are really dear to me for lots of reasons, and I’m really proud to represent both of them.” The Lionesses did not register a shot on target in the first half but grew into the game in the second. US captain Lindsey Horan had the ball in the net after the break but the flag was up, while Hayes’ side had a penalty award for a handball reversed after a VAR check determined substitute Yazmeen Ryan’s shot hit Alex Greenwood’s chest. Hayes, who left Chelsea after 12 trophy-packed years this summer, said: “I’ve been privileged to coach a lot of top-level games, including here, so there’s a familiarity to being here for me. “It’s not new to me, and because of that there was a whole sense of I’m coming back to a place I know. I have a really healthy perspective, and I want to have a really healthy perspective on my profession. “I give everything I possibly can for a team that I really, really enjoy coaching, and I thrive, not just under pressure, but I like these opportunities, I like being in these situations. They bring out the best in me. “You’ve got two top teams now, Sarina is an amazing coach, I thought it was a good tactical match-up, and I just enjoy coaching a high-level football match, to be honest with you. I don’t think too much about it.” Hayes had travelled to London without her entire Olympic gold medal-winning ‘Triple Espresso’ forward line of Trinity Rodman, Mallory Swanson and Sophia Smith, all nursing niggling injuries. Before the match, the 48-year-old was spotted chatting with Wiegman and her US men’s counterpart, fellow ex-Chelsea boss Mauricio Pochettino, who was also in attendance. England were also missing a number of key attackers for the friendly including Lauren Hemp, Lauren James and Ella Toone, all ruled out with injury. "This shows where we are at and we need to keep improving. It is November now. This is good but we want to be better again. We have to be better again." 👊 Reaction from the boss ⬇️ — Lionesses (@Lionesses) November 30, 2024 Wiegman brushed aside suggestions from some pundits that her side were content to settle for a draw. She said: “I think we were really defending as a team, very strong. We got momentum in the second half, we did better, and of course both teams went for the win. “So many things happened in this game, also in front of the goal, so I don’t think it was boring. “We wanted to go for the win, but it was such a high-intensity game, you have to deal with a very good opponent, so you can’t just say, ‘Now we’re going to go and score that goal’. “We tried, of course, to do that. We didn’t slow down to keep it 0-0. I think that was just how the game went.”Middle East latest: An Israeli strike on a Gaza hospital kills a teen in a wheelchairNEW ORLEANS (AP) — Louisiana Gov. Jeff Landry celebrated a political win Thursday as he signed into law sweeping tax measures passed by lawmakers that include reducing the individual income tax to 3%, cutting corporate taxes and raising the state sales tax. He also approved an array of proposed constitutional changes to go before voters in March. “Y’all have instituted generational change,” Landry said of a bipartisan group of lawmakers standing beside him at the Capitol in Baton Rouge. “They opened the door for a new era here in Louisiana, an era where every working citizen in this state gets to keep more of their hard-earned money.” Javascript is required for you to be able to read premium content. Please enable it in your browser settings.

Friends, colleagues remember former state Rep. Mary MurphyNoneLekki Textile and Garment Special Economic Zonem project located in the Eyin-Osa area of Epe, Lagos State will generate 5,000 direct and over 20,000 indirect jobs when operational. The Managing Director of Nigeria Export Processing Zones Authority (NEPZA), Dr Olufemi Ogunyemi made this known over the weekend while disbursing cash compensation to the seven Eyin-Osa families that contributed the 240.09 Acres of land for this Federal Government project. According to the statement issued by NEPZA Head, Corporate Communications Dr. Martins Odeh, Mr Ogunyemi said the community would be continually regenerated, adding that the benefits that would accrue from the gestures would spill over to several generations. Represented by Mrs Chika Ibekwe, Director of Zone Operations, he added taht the beneficiaries including families of Olayinka Salami, Aderenle village; Muhammed Balogun; Bashorun Seidu; Iyanda; Matanmi Mobolaji; as well as the Agara Onileyan respectively. “The space will generate 5000 direct and over 20,000 indirect jobs for the country, just as it will serve the export markets of the South-West region. “There are many benefits to gain from the SEZ, including employment generation, especially to the local community, opportunity for backward linkage, improvement of infrastructure network around the project, and others too numerous to mention now,’’ he said. Dr Ogunyemi further said that the development was in line with the goals and objectives of the Federal Government’s Economic Recovery and Growth Plan (ERGP). He however stated that the current administration of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu was not just interested in attracting Foreign Direct Investments through the Free Trade Zone Scheme but was also interested in the development of all the host communities. “This exercise is to commence the application of the Authority’s new concept of Community Social Regeneration in order to open new chapter of cooperation and mutual understanding to foster unhindered progress of the free trade operations across the country. “NEPZA has since re-aligned its mandate with the administration’s economic policy to deliver the Renewed Hope Agenda of the president. “NEPZA will not shy away from leading the country on the path of economic growth. The Lekki Textile and Garments SEZ project is already attracting investment interest to this remote area of Lagos.’’ Dr Ogunyemi said. Dr Ogunyemi also explained that the federal government had taken steps to replicate the economic scheme across the six geopolitical zones, adding that more states should leverage on the speedy development potentials of the scheme. According to him, the Lekki Textiles and Garment SEZ will also serve as hubs for Information and Communication Technology (ICT), Agro-industries, as well as world class sports and community development centres. On his part, Alhaji Muftau Shittu, President, Eyin-Osa United Kingdom Development Association (EUKDA), the umbrella association for the host community, said that the area had been occupied by their forefathers for over 500 years. He said that at the beginning, the enclaves and villages that constituted the community had lived in peace practising economic activities such as farming, hunting, fishing, brewing of hot drinks and timber lumbering. Shittu however, said that trouble started in mid-year 2003 when groups of land grabbers started claiming ownership of Eyin-Osa lands from the original and rightful owners. According to him, in May 2008, without due diligent information, the lands were expropriated to Lekki Free Trade Zone and the journey for adequate compensation with Lagos State Government began. “We are delighted today for this humane approach of the federal government through NEPZA. The community can only imagine this good gestures as most of the earliest promises were not kept. We now have a NEPZA management and government that are serious in regenerating the Eyin-Osa land. We are happy to cede the total of 240.09 acres to NEPZA for the purpose of the economic emancipation of our land. We pray that this cooperation and the steps to regenerate our people becomes permanent”.

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