talkpolitics | Entries tagged with recommended

Yes, the Democrats took the House, but they were supposed to. The party that is out of power almost always picks up seats in midterm elections. By no means was it a resounding, historic victory or complete repudiation of Trumpism. They will now have a slim majority that they can use to gum up Trump's legislative agenda and attempt to drown the administration in a deluge of subpoenas and investigations. That might sound reassuring, except that Trump's legislative agenda is nearly nonexistent, preferring to accomplish things largely in foreign policy, appointing judges, and through executive order or policy changes in the Executive Branch, all mostly outside of the reach of the House.

Also, if the last couple of years have shown us anything, it's that if an administration operates among a din of ethical impropriety there is only so much traction the opposition can gain by attempting to address those scandals.

( Some more thoughts... Actually many more thoughts! )

fridi

I know this is counter-intuitive, but here's my take: the Trump presidency is the end point of a road the US society has been on for over 40 years.

During this time (of Neoliberalism) democratic institutions and the rule of law have been systematically dismantled as the result of the wholesale takeover of all relevant levers of power by American oligarchs (both in industry, characterized by the rise of monopolies, oligopolies, cartels, media conglomeration, and government, as the result of influence-peddling corruption).

This process can be thought of a "creeping fascism," as the legal, societal, and technological infrastructure for an eventual fascist state was put in place.

Trump's ascension to power (however it happened) represents the tipping over (of the country) into an actual fascist state.

Within that context, I believe we've been experiencing a sort of psyops campaign at the national (and international) level; this situation has caused enormous stress on the population, to the point that people feel psychologically exhausted and overwhelmed.

I see this unprecedented anonymous op-ed in that light: as another (psyops) attack on the population.

Who does it benefit (ultimately)? Trump. Why? It should be clear by now that he will not be impeached or prosecuted.

Given that reality, and given the depravity of his administration, convincing people that he may be a little (or a lot) crazy will ultimately serve as a shield for future unconscionable actions.

tcpip

I gave a presentation on Saturday with the above title. This is a not-quite-verbatim copy of the text.

After some decades of incremental progress following the end of the Cold War, there is doubt over the future of Europe, illustrated most dramatically by the rise of ethnocentric political parties in a number of European nation-states, and the "Brexit" referendum of 2016. To understand this current situation and examination of the context of Europe is necessary, and how European unity has threatened traditional superpowers in such a way that it is in their interest to weaken this unity. For those whose political allegiance is towards individual liberties and social democracy, the fate of Europe is critical, as this is the region which has shown greatest commitment to these ideals.

Eurocentrism

Some Eurocentrism is justified, as the European peninsula of the Eurasian continental plate is central to modern world history, that is c1500 onwards. Prior to that traditional civilisations such as that of the Chinese or Arabic societies were well in advance of Europe. However, after this point, there were dramatic changes in Europe that continue to influence us today.

It is from Europe that global imperialism was initiated, along with the colonisation of the Americas and Oceania. It is from Europe that the industrial revolution was initiated, with the resulting explosion of modern technologies, population, and resource use. It is from Europe that we witness the religious wars, the rise of secularism, the enlightenment, and the scientific worldview. It is from Europe that the ideologies and revolutions of liberalism and socialism began, and eventually and the two world wars of the 20th century. Today Europe has one of the highest levels of GDP per capita (behind Oceania and North America), covering a mere 7% of land area, 11% of world population, and 33% of the world economy.

( Read more... )

I also consider the following worth reading on the subject..

This is what a no-deal Brexit will look like

Racism, Crisis, Brexit

And most remarkably...

"Ministers have drawn up plans to send in the army to deliver food, medicines and fuel in the event of shortages if Britain crashes out of the EU without a deal."

abomvubuso

"We're America, bitch!" That's how a top White House aide formulated Trump's foreign policy. The president is simply flipping the bird to the whole global order and to the whole rest of the world, which in his mind is being unfair to America, treating her as a donor and not paying the due respect to her power and greatness in return.

In just about three months, Trump has done four things that were unthinkable for a US president: he pulled the US out of the Iran nuclear deal, he met with NK dictator Kim Jong Un, he started a trade war with China, and he slapped America's closest allies with punitive tariffs.

For Europe, which was used to relying on America's support, including for its own defense, Trump is a major shock, one that has caused both anger and desperation, followed by wandering in search for a strategy for responding to the new situation. Europe now finds itself in want of a way to learn how to cope without the cosy support of the Trans-Atlantic alliance.

( Read more... )

fridi

Early morning on April 14, the US, UK and France sent a barrage of missiles to Syria. The next day, Assad's forces sent heavy fire to Homs and Hama. You know, just another day in Syria, which shows that Assad's military machine keeps working in full gear, reality on the ground hasn't changed, and the 7-year old conflict is far from solved.

"Mission accomplished", Trump bragged in Twitter (reminds you of someone?) The strike presumably hit a research center near Damascus that had been used for producing WMDs. Except, 105 missiles later, the allies' "mission" is neither clear nor an iota more achievable than before, let alone accomplished.

( Read more... )

garote

According to this survey data, In 2017 two-thirds of U.S. adults got their news from various forms of social media, the majority from Facebook. This proportion also skewed towards the less educated, the older, and the non-white demographics.

( At the same time ... )

peristaltor

In 1969, freshly elected President Richard Nixon had a position to fill on the United States Supreme Court. He approached a very successful corporate attorney from Virginia. Lewis Franklin Powell, Jr. was, at the time, in his early '60s and a multimillionaire thanks to his law practice. A Supreme Court position would add prestige to an already successful professional legacy.

His family, though, was less excited about the move from the upscale surroundings of Richmond, Virginia to Washington, DC. Powell himself was reportedly not excited about leaving his practice and by the subsequent cut in income that would undoubtedly mean. Powell respectfully declined the president's offer.

Less than two years later, though, ( something happened. )

*The original name of the group that produced a smear film against Hillary Clinton, before the now-accepted truncated Citizens United name was more universally adopted. Spell it out.

airiefairie

Trump Impeachment Articles Introduced by Six Democrats Calling for Hearings to Begin Immediately

It is hardly a surprise that just a few days after the one year anniversary of Trump's election, six Democrat congresspeople have introduced a bill that could ultimately lead to his impeachment. Now better formulated than before, although without much chance to pass in Congress. There is no surprise simply because from the moment Trump became president, the intrigue around his possible removal has started from day one.

The scandalous choice for president has made most Democrats consider extreme solutions that are by definition extraordinary. Nixon's almost-impeachment was a result of the Nixon tapes, part of the Watergate investigation - if published, they would have revealed a Nixon that was impossible to remain president. So he got ahead of the events and resigned first to avoid the humiliation.

With Clinton, the procedure was because of obstruction of justice and false testimony. He lied under oath in front of the whole country and the world - a criminal act that the impeachment procedure is clearly meant for. In Trump's case though, there is no such clear interpretation - not until a criminal act has been proven. And this yet remains to be seen.

( Read more... )

asthfghl

If you tune back to 30 years ago, you'd realize how huge the invasion of food into our lives has become today. And I don't mean the substance itself, which we used to put the emphasis on in the past. I'm talking about images of food: recipes, celebs being photographed while cooking or eating food, culinary globe-trotters sharing their gastronomic experiences from around the world, bloggers displaying their fave meals before (and often instead of) consuming them. These days, it seldom happens that a bunch of folks would sit at a table somewhere, and not bring the conversation to food (book talk used to be the fad in the days of yore; but no more).

( Ranty rant is incoherently incoherent... but you are already loving it )

asthfghl

Not so long ago, US vice president Pence visited Montenegro. his visit was related to the Adriatic summit and Montenegro's entry to NATO. There were all Balkan leaders on that meeting, but the main event was Pence of course. Fortunately, he didn't shove the Montenegrin president off his path the way Trump did earlier.

Half of the former Yugoslav republics are already NATO members (Slovenia, Croatia and now Montenegro). The other half (Bosnia, Serbia and Macedonia) are either on the waiting list, or haven't made up their mind.

Macedonia seems the likeliest next addition to the alliance, especially after Zoran Zaev and his Socialists came to power. Serbia is still at a crossroads between the East and West, and Bosnia has got some internal problems and is not ready yet.

( Read more... )

halialkers

So, as was recently shown, North Korea has indeed developed ICBMs that give it the capacity now to strike US soil, specifically Alaska (not that there'd be anything of actual value beyond wildlife lost if they did).
( Iraq and North Korea: Axis of Idiotic US fixations )

( Context in all its morbid and even hilarious irony )

( The Cold War repeated as farce )

Of such morbid irony is the whim of reality, which unlike fiction needs no pretense of consistency or event A logically and neatly following from a cause that would indicate that this event could become that one.

htpcl.livejournal.com

Nice speech, Donnie. I'm sure the turban-clad towel-wearing moustached folks with the long names sitting in their gold thrones driving their Rolls Royces must have nodded a few times in agreement with you, Donnie. Now trot along, and keep feeling good about yourself.

Well, the conflicts are not going to end any time soon. Especially those involving (and/or generated by) Islam.

And who are the most frequent culprits? Or at least the ones most frequently accused for inciting the conflicts? Well, let's see. America, Russia, the Sunnis and Shia, Germany's inexplicable hospitality to migrants (actually it could be explained with their fear of being accused of Nazism again), etc.

( Read more... )

mahnmut.livejournal.com

The wheel of history turns and turns, but we the people don't seem to change too much, do we? It's as if only the stage set occasionally changes a bit around us. We've replaced the carts and wagons with cars, instead of shacks we live in shiny buildings of glass and metal, and our brains we've trapped inside plastic boxes and connected them digitally. And that's about it, as far as change goes. Everything else remains: wars, resources, politics, easily controllable masses, trade and consumption.

In the late 3rd century AD, Roman emperor Diocletian established a tetrarchy, and he appointed one Gaius Galerius to rule Egypt and Syria on his behalf. In 303, encouraged by Galerius, Diocletian burned his own imperial palace in Nicomedia, then accused the Christians for it and used the opportunity to demonize the Christian community based around Antioch. Terrible persecution ensued, torching, pogroms, beheadings, massacres of Christians (St. George and St. Panteleimon were among the more famous victims).

( This propaganda tactic has been used for centuries )

luvdovz.livejournal.com

Last time this was mentioned more than 3 years ago. And now it's becoming even more topical. I'm talking about the new gas (and possibly also oil) discoveries in the Eastern Mediterranean, which could explain a lot about the ongoing geopolitical shifts in that region.

There can be no coincidence. Two important events took place just within hours apart from each other on March 17. First the Cyprus government decided to grant drilling licenses for gas and oil to several multinational energy giants: Exxon Mobil, Qatar Petroleum, Total and ENI. On that very day, Turkey announced they'd be starting a navy exercise with live rounds just a few days later in Cypriot territorial waters, just 30 nautical miles off the SW coast of the Island of Aphrodite. Turkey said their patience was running out. Much in line with a visit a month earlier by their foreign minister Cavusoglu to the Turkish part of the island, where he warned the Greek Cypriots against any unilateral actions on the oil/gas issue.

Whoever was hoping that the gas off the Cyprus shores could serve as a platform for unification and cooperation between the two communities there, was being naive. Oil and gas are much more likely to stir up conflict, and the latest events are yet another evidence of that. The tension started to escalate instantaneously after the Cypriot move on the gas. The Greek/Turkish negotiations were halted, and the leaders of the two communities started hurling accusations at each other for this failure. Turkey used the opportunity to sharpen the tone and start issuing ultimatums and threats (they've been rather active in that regard lately).

( Read more... )

htpcl.livejournal.com

~~Herkese merhaba~~! Greetings, all! I'mma occupy you with this Turkish issue once more. The Sultan keeps being on top of the news these days, so I figured I could tune in as well, what with living just next door to him, and being able to personally smell the scent coming out of his smelly ass.

See, Erdogan was, at least on paper, democratically elected. Sure, the election was partly rigged, in that he had conveniently removed most of the serious opposition to himself well in advance. Still, he wasn't supposed to be a dictator - at least not of the Kim type. Let's not succumb to populist temptations and media propaganda and try to view things a bit more impartially (which admittedly is not that easy, given the emotional charge of the current political situation). Erdogan is not exactly Satan, he may have some redeeming qualities, like his pragmatism (which may've remained in the past, granted - but more about that a bit further down). The one thing that sticks out about him is his determination, I'll have to give him that.

Also, he was, at least initially, a genuine reformist. By the way, and this is a little-known fact particularly in the West, he actually initially expanded women's rights - and for a time, the freedom of the press as well. As shocking as it may sound to those who've only been fed what the Western media deign to serve to us all. He also led Turkey towards the EU, he created a middle class where none existed, and he vastly improved the social system of his society. Those are all things that have hugely contributed to his success at home, and to his popularity. During his rule, the Turkish economy grew and expanded almost exponentially for many years in a row, where it had always lingered in the backstage before. We shouldn't ignore any of this if we want proper context about Turkey. Because when I'm reading most analyses these days, they all seem to have converged around the notion that he's a malevolent despot who's leading his country towards collapse.

( And that`s where the good stuff ends )

abomvubuso.livejournal.com

We talked about the connection between the Trump phenomenon (if I can call it so) and the Kardashian phenomenon. I heard a few opinions, including the one that there are different people with different views on those two phenomena, and the ones worshiping hollow celebrities, are not necessarily the same who then go and bash Trump for objectifying people (hence, no hypocrisy here). While that may be true for many, I think we should look at the bigger picture.

Unfortunately, I'm afraid the issue goes way beyond mere diversity of views. It's about culture - and some media have admitted it themselves. It's a culture that's being shaped for years and decades, the likes of both Trump and the Kardashians being the end product of that process. We can't just bury our heads in the sand about it, and dismiss the issue with simple explanations like, "well, some hate him/her, some like him/her, that's life". That won't make the above-described process go away in any way whatsoever.

( Brace yourselves for a unusual rant )

mahnmut.livejournal.com

Here's a slight off-topic fun survey to distract us for a bit from the gloom and bile surrounding this election. Now that we've established both presidential candidates are the most unpopular possible presidents in recent US history (at least since such rankings have been in place), I'd like to know your opinion on the opposite: who in your mind were the most beloved rulers throughout history? And not just US history, but of the whole world. I mean, enlightened, pragmatic, wise philosopher-kings and emperors, erudite and thoughtful prime ministers, presidents, efficient chairpeople or any such other famous leaders who've actually made good on their promise and led their country and people to a better future, as opposed to bringing it to ruin and strife, and were extremely popular at their time because of it?

The list could be really long. And I'm sure each of us has their own perspective, stemming from the culture and history of the place they live in. So let's stick to 4-5 suggestions per person. I'm all ears!

My nominations:

1. Trajan of Rome, for bringing the Roman Empire to its apex, turning it into a paragon of culture and civilization that shaped the world for millennia, and developing an extensive and efficient welfare system for his people
2. Frederick II of Prussia, for vastly increasing Prussia's wealth and influence, and turning it into a hub of culture and learning, and a great military power
3. Catherine II of Russia, for transforming her country from a backward Asian giant on clay feet into a full-fledged modern European multinational empire and a world power
4. Abdullah II of Jordan, for using the tools of absolute monarchy to do profound reform, and turn his country into a reliable pillar of stability and a cornerstone for the peace effort in a region otherwise torn by eternal conflict
5. Abraham Lincoln, for leading his young nation through times of great peril in a way that paved the road to a truly modern global power

dexeron.livejournal.com

The so-called "alt-right" is an American political movement described as containing elements of nativism, white-nationalism (sometimes including separatism or supremacy,) a belief that Christianity is a core and essential element of "Western Civilization," as well as sometimes antisemitism and neo-reactionary opposition to Democratic forms of government. While this kind of movement is certainly not unique to the U.S., its popularity is, and that demands some examination.

As stated above, while the adherents of "alt-right" philosophy would deny that it has any one specific definition, it's become clear that it is, if not fundamentally aligned with, at least friendly with white nationalism and christian dominionism, and is at least somewhat hostile to democracy. This presents a problem: the vast majority of American citizens reject these things (or at least their most overt manifestations.) Most Americans were raised to believe in the ideals of the Enlightenment, the ideals held by the Founding Fathers: ideals of democracy, equality of race and gender, and freedom of religion. Admittedly, the U.S. has not always adhered to these ideals perfectly (sometimes not at all,) but they have always been held up a goal, an ideal to strive towards, and our understanding of them has only broadened over the centuries. In the early twentieth century, it likely would not have been hard to find folks who'd agree, at least in part, with the philosophy espoused later by the Nazis. Today, it would be much harder to find people willing to agree with that.

Enter the alt-right. The alt-right is facing a problem: most folks reject what they are offering, when it's presented openly and honestly. Most Americans do not want nativism, white nationalism (or white separatism,) neoreactionism, or dominionism.

The alt-right has a solution to this problem.

( 16 points. )

( Cognitive Dissonance )

( What does this have to do with the alt-right? )

( Sunlight )

abomvubuso.livejournal.com

"Clinton is candidate for president, they're airing Tarzan in the theatres, and everyone's playing Pokemon. Welcome to 2001". That's the caption below a cartoon that's been circulating the webs lately. And all three of these statements are still valid today, in 2016. Just like 15 years ago, the Pokemons are again the latest fad - this time through Pokemon Go.

Most of us must have noticed by now that some folks tend to wander around, looking into their cellphones while they walk. Not all of them are texting or Facebooking (sic?) Many are actually hunting for pokemons. You know, those fabled creatures - water, fire, electric little thingies that look like foxes, turtles, kittens, little dwaggins or just weird-shaped clouds. They came to life back in the 90s, but the new smartphone version is now re-conquering the world once more. Last month Pokemon Go beat the previous record with 21 million active subscribers daily, and it was installed on 5% of all Android devices in the US just within the first 2 days of its existence. Fierce ink-spilling and spittle-spewing ensue on the matter. The debates are still raging in places as far away apart as Oz, NZ, Asia and the Euros. After this terrific start though, the question arises, is this going to be another huge success, or the umpteenth balloon that is sure to go bust pretty soon?

( Pokemon here, pokemon there... )

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Talk Politics.

A place to discuss politics without egomaniacal mods

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Failed States

DAILY QUOTE:

"Someone's selling Greenland now?" (asthfghl)

"Yes get your bids in quick!" (oportet)

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June 2025

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Talk politics.

A place to discuss politics without egomaniacal mods.

Entries tagged with recommended

Democrat soul-searching urgently needed!

Re: The anonymous White House Resistance op-ed

The Future of Europe: Brexit, the EU, and More

Trade, and other wars

A hundred missiles, zero strategy

Access to news via social media

To Understand Money in US Politics, Start Here

Does impeachment really solve anything?

Comedo, ergo sum.

The US wants the entire Balkans

Everything old is new again:

Who really created the modern jihad?

The big chemical lie

The scramble for the Mediterranean (revisited)

More on this Erdogan guy

Let's face it. Everyone created Trump.

Most beloved rulers

The Cognitive Dissonance of the Alt-Right

Catching Pikachu

Credits & Style Info

Links

June 2025

Summary