Cracks

Papers make a big deal out of a squabble. Traditional conservative and right wing voters like isolationist policies. These billionaires like workers on visas because they go home when they get fired, so they have some leverage. I've actually been denied a job because I wasn't an immigrant. The boss like the power of controlling immigrants. 

MAGA doesn't have an ideology beyond wherever Trump can spot a way to grift, so I'm not surprised people might be confused about a squabble. The base being betrayed is almost boring, they will forgive him. They would rather have a betraying rapey white man than a left leaning colored woman as president. 

Corporations are trying to game everything to get the lowest wages and control workers the most. That's why they don't want national insurance, that's one of the leverage points of working. Not in New York but in other states.

BBC

Lindi Li

So Lindi Li has quit the democrats. She said she was fairly conservative before, we were just not listening. 

OK, um, I was listening to her, and I never heard it. Maybe she said it and I missed it, but I don't think she spoke about it the way she imagines she said it and to blame us for not listening well enough to her--well, won't be making that mistake any more.

Reddit seems to think she didn't like the lack of accountability of spending, which to me smacks of wanting to be more involved in decisions. So I hope she already has a job lined up, because I don't see the Republican party being more inclusive, more accountable and give her more access and power. You think there's more integrity from the republicans? 

The three days the Obama's didn't come out and endorse Harris, I guess I missed that, supposedly they were vetting other people to take over for Biden? Well, that's OK and all that. I don't think that means the USA didn't make a mistake voting for Trump. 

I don't have a problem with anyone evolving and changing. I wish her well. But I do feel betrayed. 

Quips, quotes and memes

Today's political thoughts.

"Representatives are not restricted to voting for the candidate nominated by their party, but generally do. Additionally, as the U.S. Constitution does not explicitly state that the speaker must be an incumbent member of the House, it is permissible for representatives to vote for someone who is not a member of the House at the time, and non-members have received a few votes in various speaker elections over the past several years. Nevertheless, every person elected speaker has been a member." (Wikipedia)

Saw an article to inflame, they're endlessly trying to inflame people who have imagination. 

The core of the rope a dope of the smoke and mirrors of the dumb show of the GOP is to just wreck up the place to distract from lack of leadership ability, and desire to subvert federal government--is to challenge norms, which are actually good things if you believe in collective doing good for the people. It's OK to break a few norms, but they're like narcissistic nepo babies on spring break, not really serious people. They're shadows of desire and childhood trauma. 

Trying to get beyond my hatred of Trump. His insults to the military are a corrective, we don't need such a big military, and honestly isolationism will make us less complicit with murder around the world, as a nation. I'm for downsizing the military, but not disrespecting veterans, that's just stupid. 

Most of his rhetoric is trying to create bargaining space. He mostly is out looking for a grift, he's not really into governing a country, his vision is that greed is good, selfishness is good, sort of the inverse of every spiritual teacher on the history of earth. He's also trying to avoid justice and wield power, again for self enrichment. And he's such a geezer with his comb over, his bad makeup. He paid $88 million because after he stuck his finger into Jean E Carroll, he couldn't shut up about it.  

His side man, Musk is an unelected drug addled narcissist like himself, who thinks he can slash payroll and cut costs, these one trick ponies are tiresome. Orangina is a flim flam man. He's embolden some pretty nasty characters, more puffed up borderline criminals like himself, with no sense of self or the country. There's going to be considerable resistance to anything he's trying to do, which will only embolden his rhetoric, endlessly trying to make space for his negotiations with his grifts, emoluments and emperor with not clothes moments. Tin pot authoritarian. 

Idiots on the radio suggesting he can run again--I don't think so. I will go to Washington and stop that nonsense. Is it a threat to the president if you're only threatening to stop him from breaking the law? He wants to challenge norms, this rapey fellow. The felon. 

Philosopher Slavoj Žižek on the re-election of Donald Trump & his fears for Western values

Zizek suggests that when Trump lies, people say he lies like us, he's endearing, and when Harris lied, she was straight up lying. Ordinary depravity appealed to his voters, and Democrats didn't show up for Harris. Trump had about the same votes when he lost to Biden, but Harris didn't get all the Biden votes. 

https://youtu.be/o8m13m1PS6M?si=o5aWvD0Ky2aoG-px

He talks about how Ugandha associated gay rights with western liberal democracy. 

There are these weird political counter winds that are confusing to me.

strawmen

“It is a persistent folly of progressive thought to believe that wars do not achieve meaningful political consequences.” (Atlantic, Eliot A. Cohen)

Strawmen are a favorite of political essay, making fun of an idea line.

I feel maybe progressive, but I wouldn’t deny there aren’t meaningful results from war. What I don’t agree is that lives lost are needed for political change, I’d rather wage peace. There is no final war that solves forever. We need to learn to not war. Treat every life as precious, not needed for sacrifice.

"After suffering terribly on October 7, Israel has pulverized Hamas, ending the threat it posed as an organized military force. The challenge it now faces in Gaza is a humanitarian and administrative crisis, not a security one. Israel has likewise shattered Hezbollah in Lebanon, forcing it to accept a cease-fire after losing not only thousands of foot soldiers but much of its middle management and senior leadership. Meanwhile, Vladimir Putin’s brutal but botched war of conquest in Ukraine has undermined his other strategic goals. In Syria, Russia’s one solid foothold in the Middle East, the war in Ukraine has leached away Russian forces, depriving it of the ability to influence events."

That's one way of looking at it. Could we also be against all deaths, the thousand on October 7th, and the over 40K since then? I'm sorry but Abrahamic religions of Judaism, Islam and Christianity are too into war. 

Who's denying there isn't meaningful change. Don't you think you should quote someone identified as progressive saying that? Is the meaningful change worth the lives sacrificed? Cohen seems to say yes. Lets sacrifice others lives for our own survival and existential sense of safety. There is no safety even when you win the wars. Not to the dead people, even on your side. Death is a negative outcome.

What he's not getting is that Iran isn't waging war to win, Russia is not waging war to win, they're waging war by a thousand cuts, to disrupt and keep unity and common purposes at bay. Russia is not the enemy, Iran is not the enemy. The enemy is inside us, such that we need to war. War is just the internal conflict inside us, that is externalized. Cloak it in macho practicality for action all you want.

Cohen seems to enjoy that the tide may have temporarily turned and yet he admits, "Although wars may eliminate one set of problems or strategic circumstances, they usually create a new set."

Cohen seems to have a political agenda in putting down Biden: "The Biden administration’s calls for a cease-fire in Syria were pointless and ineffectual. Along with its failure to anticipate the collapse of our Afghan allies in 2021, and its inability to do more in Ukraine than provide enough weapons to prevent Kyiv’s defeat, it shows what happens when strategic thought withers into good intentions and wishful thinking."

How about we cease to participate in negative outcomes, and see the negative side of war?

He seems to think Trump will be more decisive. Indeed, the Jewish people in my neighborhood love Trump, voted for him, name their children Elon. 

He ends, "The events of the past weeks may yet lead Trump to conclude that this is really not the best time to begin a witch hunt for wokesters in the U.S. military. And, if he is confirmed as secretary of defense, Pete Hegseth may yet learn that female pilots can drop bombs with the best of them."

How could Cohen write a book with this title? The Hollow Crown: Shakespeare on How Leaders Rise, Rule, and Fall. His insight seems to fail him, as he can both see the folly of war and then loses that insight in a zeal for "action". 

Archive of article

Syria and Iran

NY Times article:

"For decades, Iran has expended much blood and money in support of Syria’s president, Bashar al-Assad, helping him survive a civil war that threatened his dynastic rule. Iran operated military bases, weapons warehouses and missile factories in Syria, which it used as a pipeline for arming its militant allies across the region."

"Now, just as Mr. al-Assad needs help to repel a rapid advance by rebel forces, Iran is heading for the exits. On Friday, the country started evacuating its military commanders and personnel, as well as some diplomatic staff, according to Iranian and regional officials."

"It is a remarkable turnabout: Iran not only appears to be abandoning Mr. al-Assad, its closest Arab ally, but also relinquishing everything it had built and fought to preserve for 40 years in Syria, its main foothold in the Arab world."

Memes, graphics, images, info

Because my reposting of white hot memes saved democracy...