monitoring Trump and relevant contemporary events

A reminder that Larry Kudlow has been chosen to be Trump's chairman of economic advisers and why that is such an incredible pick.

Of course, what then came down the pike was something far, far worse than a recession.

That is a rather patronizing attempt to trivialize the concerns of a very large, complex group of people. However it is appropriately consistent with the repeatedly expressed views of the person you are addressing. Were the targets chosen differently it might even be a violation of the doctrines of political correctitude.... even in Canada.

The irony here is that with just a few changes in words and phrases it could in a similar way characterize Blatham's endless struggle with "movement conservatism".

The 'war industry' is doing quite well in Russia, the Middle East, increasingly large areas of Central Africa, as well as in North Korea nad China.

Well I won't make a donation for any coloring books or therapy dogs... But I will make a substantial donation if it goes for their ticket to get the **** out of this country. I'll even throw in a ******* latte... May I suggest a warmer climate like maybe Somalia or Syria.

Thanks george, I'd somehow missed that post by ehBeth

Yes, fear does work. A seminal point in the emergence of the armaments industry was the decline of the demand for steel when the huge railroad boom began to dwindle (tracks were down, boxcars built) and manufacturers like Krupp decided to create new markets for cannons. Their trick was to go to nation A and warn them that neighbor nation B was going to buy some, so nation A better get some too. As you noted in another post, there is soooo much money to be made in war - armaments sales, logistics, rebuilding etc.

And creating an atmosphere of fearfulness has significant political advantages, if short term, for those seeking power. And it's also another big money maker for those agents promoting such fears. Limbaugh makes about $70 million a year playing this game and he is only one of thousands.

and America.

Thank you for making my point.

A putz with ears

I love your use of this notion. One really never sees people on the right take it up and wield it, that's so rare.

You wanna have a real and careful discussion on that or am I wasting my time in even imagining we could manage that?

Read it here

You're welcome. However was THAT really your point? I had a different impression.

Its an open and free forum. You can address any aspect of all this in any way or moment your like , and I can do the same.

I just read Remnick, good article as usual.

These caught my eye -
a first clip:
But having no experience in a given field seems to be, in the Trumpian universe, the greatest of virtues. The contempt for experience (as a marker of “élitism”) is parallel to the contempt for science, for fact, for restraint, for consideration, for decency, for a sense of the past.

another quote from Remnick's article:
“What can you say about Trump?” Avishai Margalit, an Israeli philosopher and co-founder of Peace Now, told me. “Everything is an outlier. No one can predict anything. It’s not as if there is a deviation and you try to explain it. Everything is a deviation. You cannot rationalize it. It’s a family business, and they treat the White House as a family business, like Don Corleone. He doesn’t feel that he has to please anybody. You bully everyone and see what happens. The only thing you can say about Friedman’s appointment is that it’s not as if some other Ambassador would make a big difference. It doesn’t matter. There is no peace process, though Friedman may escalate things. The Palestinians have given up in any case. They have lost hope in any solution, and this is another nail in the coffin.”

On Hannah Arendt, I've read about her over the years, but not read the book. I should.

OK, I'll give it a try. Let's start here.

What is your understanding of the origins of the phrase "political correctness" and how do you perceive it as an increasingly popular notion held on the right? Or if you'd prefer, I can begin with that.

The US defense budget is close to $600 billion.
China is second, and they don't even spend half of the US coming under $300 b.

I really like Remnik. Smart man (and in other contexts, funny as hell).

Your first quote there is accurate. It is the same phenomenon (though on steroids) of what Palin was doing and why her base was so enthralled with her use of "common sense" - which contained within it a severe opposition to the learned or educated or sophisticated. This is an old characteristic in American culture (an other cultures as well). But of course it does elevate (for those who find it a proper representation of reality) contempt for those things and people Remnik lists.

The second quote is interesting too. "Everything is a deviation". This relates to what I just wrote in that there is a real pride taken by these folks in deviation from norms, that is, previously held norms or norms held by others (seen to be in positions of power or privilege). Many saw Palin as a deviation that was refreshing because it was a deviation. That was the point. Trump is, of course, far worse in this because he's much smarter and has been effectively playing this "I'm cool because I'm violating norms" forever. If or where he doesn't deviate (as understood in this framing) he risks the loss of his standing with his audience. So everything has to become a deviation.

Amazing what can be done when your population is frightened. Or not so amazing. Fear wins for the war industry again.

Some years ago, I wrote a letter to Paul Krugman asking for reference to any economic studies that might have been done on how deeply the US economy was reliant upon the war industry but I didn't get a reply.

Here's a quote from the Arendt piece that ties in nicely with what we've been talking about.

I'll confess I haven't read Arend's book. However I am very well versed in the history of the rise of totalitarianism in the 20th century, starting with the Leninist revolution in Russia and continuing through the struggle between Communist and Nazi totalitarian hopefuls in Germany, the Rise (and subsequent fall) of Mussolini and Hitler, the Maoist revolution and domination of China, and the post WWI domination of a Soviet Empire that ended circa 1990.

Just what were the salient and consistent elements of totalitarian rule in that unhappy era?
=> The suppression of competing political views parties, and organizations
=> The suppression of religion and any set of standards, doctrine or beliefs that might compete with or limit those of the state,
=> The centralization of all political & economic power in the state and suppression of any autonomy in local government or civic organizations.
=> The widespred seizure of private property by the state and the largely direct control of all economic activity by the state (This was done very directly, and inefficiently, by the communists, and more indirectly, and efficiently, by the so calles Fascists.
=> The imposition of state control of all media, public education and sources of information.

In all cases the result was the same: the state controlled every aspect of social & economic activity - all actors independent of direct control by the state,.whether social, economic or moral, were eliminated. That, of course is the essence of what is meant by the term, "Totalitarianism".

I suspect ( but don't really know) Blatham may be suggesting that the dark forces of movement conservatism, that he appears to see now ascendent in the Uuited States are moving us closer to Arend's model.

Happily for him under Trudeau Jr, Canada is exempt from all that danger. He need worry only about the unsavory eminations that might waft across the border from Seattle.

In fact what is happening in the United States is quite the opposite. We are moving towards less central government control of social and economic life; fewer bureaucraticly imposed regulations and more democratically enacted limitations on that stuff; towards more diverse voices in public media, more local independence and initiative in education, and other important areas of life. It's all a bit disorderly, lacking the monotonous uniformity well-regulated by authoritarian seers (often mislabelled as intellectuals) who are sure only they know what's good for everyone else. However it is somethng far more creative, productive and beautiful than anything their feeble constructs can create (or ever has done).

One of the truly remarkable (to me at least) features of contermporary political life is just how quickly the memories and lessons painfully learned in that miserable, totalitatian era, at the hands of power seeking authoritarian promising justice and a fair "distribution" of wealth (as opposed to its creation) by them for all, have been forgotten. It turned out they demanded a very high price for their services ( life and freedom) and delivered only poverty and tyranny in return.

Happily most of it is now gone, swept into the dustbin of history. A few sad but comical vestiges and ghastly recreations remain - Cuba and Venezuela are examples, but sadly many fail to see the obvious implications ( indeed some very deluded folks see them as a remedy).
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Why not read the Arendt piece that's been linked link