Political Theatre category archive
The View from Afar 0
Via the Las Vegas Sun, Jackie Calmes reports that she recently had occasion to go abroad. From the perspective of distance and away from 24-hour relentless cycle of headlines, she found a renewed perspective on the Trump maladministration. Here’s her list of things that stood out; follow the link for a detailed exploration of each one.
- His embarrassing and willfully provocative obsession with branding things, buildings (even adding his name to a memorial of a slain president!), bodies of water and now states.
- His antidemocratic refusal, despite his oath, to be president of all Americans.
- His pathological narcissism and companion sense of monarchical entitlement.
- His anti-constitutional undermining of a free press.
- The top-down model of incompetence and corruption in Trump’s administration.
- Trump’s traitorous bear-hug of Russia and betrayal of Ukraine, U.S. allies and the 80-year-old world order that is among the proudest legacies of the United States.
A (Hopeful) Tune for the Times 0
Warning: Language
Unchecked and Unbalanced, the Rule of Lawless Dept. 0
Via the Miami Herald, Boise State University’s Stephanie Martin observes that the Republican-controlled Congress is failing to do its job in reigning in the Trump maladministration’s violations of the law. She–er–suggests that that is not a good thing. Here’s snippet:
Trump’s influence over Republican voters intensifies these incentives. Lawmakers who oppose him risk public ridicule, primary challenges and diminished political support . Defending congressional authority may therefore carry greater immediate – and personal – political costs than allowing presidential power to expand.
The result is a political system in which a president can act in ways that may violate federal law, undermine democratic norms and encroach on Congress’ constitutional authority.
I think she is–er–understating the danger facing our polity, but I still think her article is well worth the few minutes it will take to read.
Trading Secrets 0
Heaven Trumpettes forbid that the public should learn about the stock manipulation.
At a Crossroads 0
Driftglass is not sanguive. Here’s a bit of his article (emphasis added):
It put me in mind of the lesson my father taught me through example:
I commend the entire piece to your attention.
The Disinformation Superhighway 0
Thom discusses a Russian disinformation campaign choreographed by Russia against James Talerico via “social” media.
One more time, “social” media isn’t.
Reverberations of Reality 0
Does this article remind you of anyone in the news?
“History Does Not Repeat Itself, but It Often Rhymes”* 0
At the Las Vegas Sun, Jane Larkin argues that Donald Trump rhymes with Neville Chamberlain.
Methinks it’s worth a read, but I have quibble. Chamberlain made a grave mistake, yes, but his was at actually a mistake, and an honest one. Trump and honesty–oh, never mind.
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*Mark Twain.