So I just got back from a very fine meeting on the future of the family in D.C. Going to our nation’s capital, which is mostly the home of young, smart, and ambitious people, reminds me of how old I’m getting. So did George Will’s nice column today on Frank Sinatra, which presents the fundamental alternatives as the urbane lyrics of “Summer Wind” and the ridiculous vulgarity of the Rolling Stones’ hit about “can’t get no.” George should have gotten one of his smart young assistants to come up with a more contemporary and telling example, while acknowledging that the fairly young singer with the ridiculous stage name Lady Gaga was the best performer on the outstanding Grammy show honoring Frank’s songs. And I’m starting to notice that is somewhat trendy for young people these days to love those songs. There’s a very recent Berry grad (Greg Robbins) who sings them quite expertly at local bar, and he draws a huge crowd of all adult ages. Some (not me!) even drink Jim Beam and smoke (outside, of course).

I was looking for a prelude that had nothing to do with anger. Obviously everyone must express his or her anger with Donald Trump’s most recent fascist policy proposal. One thing to be angry about, in my opinion, is that his transgressive behavior seems to be mostly a stimulus package for Hillary Clinton’s campaign, and it’s certainly serving the elite “brand” that being a Republican is a hate crime. I still think that Trump remains too “inauthentic” to hate. I’ve heard his campaign compared with the hilarious Mel Brooks play/movie The Producers. The producers come up with a show that’s ridiculously offensive — “Springtime with Hitler in Germany” — because they will clean up if it closes immediately. But it catches on, contrary to their death wish. It’s a little interesting to wonder what frontier of common sense and common decency Trump will cross next. His supporters are seem to be reveling in his wild ride to nowhere because they can’t get no satisfaction from the Republican (and Democratic) establishment. They seem to admire the man who will say anything calling out men and women who seem overly scripted and say nothing.

Glenn Reynolds makes the good point that, while it’s a bit much to call Trump a fascist, we have to remember that typically fascists fill a political void that comes when most politicians seem weak, ineffectual, and dishonest, especially when they seem unable to speak candidly about the issues of greatest concern.

Damon Linker has explained why most Republican opinion leaders couldn’t support Trump if he were nominated. That’s true, of course. I couldn’t either. But it’s highly unlikely he will be nominated. I’m still thinking said leaders should be wondering a lot more about what they can learn from Trump’s unexpected and almost, it seems, unwanted success. Those who connect the Trump and Sanders campaigns are far from completely wrong.

It Trump actually wins in Iowa because his supporters show up in unpredicted numbers, then stopping Trump will, in fact, become the most urgent concern.