The stunning reversals by formerly reliable leftist celebrities have been stunning but also logical. Comedian and talk show host Bill Maher continues to advocate for socialist-style economic governance, but his commitment to classical liberalism has resulted in his speaking out in favor of science in his opposition to the transgender insanity from fellow leftwingers, and his embrace of the free exchange of ideas drives his rejection of cancel culture.
Similarly, multi-billionaire Elon Musk had always considered himself to be left-of-center, but as America’s political center has shifted to the left with the Democratic Party’s base sprinting wildly to the radical fringe, the former hero of environment-minded, government-loving do-gooders has now become a pariah to Democrats thanks to his unwavering support of free speech and fundamental rejection of wokeness.
And then we have Joe Rogan.
Anyone following Rogan’s numerous recent controversies but who are unaware of his past could be excused for concluding that Rogan is a right-of-center, pragmatic conservative. But he’s not. Not only has Rogan regularly aligned with the Democrat Party, but he’s also steadily resided on its left-most stanchions. In the lead-up to the 2020 presidential election, for instance, Rogan didn’t just endorse a Democratic candidate; he went all-out and backed socialist Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-VT).
Like a good leftist, Rogan has been vocal in his support of social safety nets for those in poverty, he’s been consistently pro-abortion, and he’s done plenty of trashing of former president Donald Trump. Yet while issues such as taxation, gun control, and climate alarmism have indicated that Rogan’s liberalism may have moderated, there is one topic more than any other that illustrates Joe Rogan’s straying off of America’s leftwing reservation: the government response to COVID.
In a recent episode of his podcast The Joe Rogan Experience, Rogan discussed the governmental tyranny during the pandemic while engaging in a back-and-forth with NFL quarterback Aaron Rogers, and Rogan made a stunning concession in the process. According to The Hill:
“Rogan added that now that the pandemic is over, ‘people are going to recognize that some serious errors were made and not repeat those.’
‘That’s the best you can get out of it. But as far as compensation for all those people that were forced to close their businesses and keep their doors shuttered and lost everything they’d worked for decades to build. Now they’re … they’re just going to be angry,’ he shared.
Green Bay Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers, a guest on the podcast, then asked Rogan what he would tell those people, and Rogan replied: ‘Vote Republican’”.
That’s quite a turnaround for a formerly self-professed Bernie Bro.
Jordan Case writes at The Blue State Conservative.
