OPINION:
Political movements and campaign slogans in this country have a long, storied history ranging from “Tippecanoe and Tyler Too” to “Black Power” to “Make America Great Again.” The Biden presidency has, however, presented us with perhaps the most curious of them all.
“Let’s go, Brandon” has become a popular mantra for frustrated Americans. It was recently branded a “right-wing slur” by left-leaning NBC News and other media outlets after the nation’s 46th president, in what was an astonishing display of lack of self-awareness, was goaded into repeating the slogan on Christmas Eve.
Let’s start the new year off with some honesty and clarity. It’s not a slur, nor is it offensive or just about Joe Biden.
“Let’s go, Brandon” is a salve for a population that looks at Washington’s aged, swampy and out-of-touch leadership. It’s a way of saying to them, “We see right through your spin.” At a time when America’s caustic politics needs some levity, the saying is a winner. It says so much without being crude.
Frankly, out of respect for the presidency, I’d much rather people chant “Let’s go, Brandon” than the expletive-laden alternative that was catching on at sporting events. The change made the slogan funny and less edgy, and more palatable for broader use. It’s also made it about much more.
“Let’s go, Brandon” is for the parent whose children are being taught that white people and America are inherently racist and that there are dozens of genders.
It’s for the invaluable staff member at the local hospital fired because of nonsensical COVID-19 mandates.
It’s about the hard-working taxpayer who watches the government give away trillions in “free” benefits that disincentivize work and billions in fraud paid for by the middle-class.
“Let’s go, Brandon” is about frustration with seemingly unaccountable deep state bureaucrats like White House Chief Medical Adviser Anthony Fauci, who treat the nation as his personal science experiment.
It’s about the cop who has watched law enforcement be villainized while criminals are set free, only to commit more crimes. It’s for the crime victim whose local prosecutor and city council has allowed lawlessness to run rampant.
It’s about the driver and the homeowner paying more for gas and oil because the government is driving an unrealistic “green” agenda.
It’s about the doctor who stood up in front of colleagues to warn of the consequences of lockdowns, masking and failing to focus on therapeutics during the pandemic, who was then publicly called a kook.
It’s a cry from the business owner who has borne the burden of increased government regulations and taxes for decades only to see their profits dwindle.
“Let’s go, Brandon” is about the senior on the fixed income watching their dollar shrink because of record inflation.
It’s the new mantra of the frustrated citizen powerless to stop millions of illegal immigrants from streaming across the border, being put on welfare and resettled across the country.
“Let’s go, Brandon” is for the bold anti-establishment college student who is tired of cultural Marxist indoctrination, who’s ready to work hard and sick of whiny, entitled classmates.
It’s a rallying cry for any American of any political stripe who sees an erosion of the values that made this country a beacon for freedom and prosperity.
“Let’s go, Brandon” symbolizes the American majority who are ready to take back their country.
The left may find offense in virtually everything, but “Let’s go, Brandon” is not offensive. In fact, it’s just the opposite. It’s a wonderful axiom that transcends party politics and gets to the heart of some of this country’s chronic problems. Problems with government overreach and a small minority attempting to fundamentally change America.
It’s not a slur, but a clarion call of real people facing the real challenges of our age.
Perhaps best of all, it was born out of the pure serendipity of American life, improbably created yet embraced by millions. Though these slogans tend to have a short shelf life in American politics, in 2022, they may prove to have a profound impact. Say it out loud and smile, “Let’s go, Brandon!”
• Tom Basile is an author, a former Bush Administration official and the host of “America Right Now” and “Wake Up America Weekend” on Newsmax Television.
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