Political Theatre category archive
The Wall-Eyed Piker 0
The Arizona Republic’s Elvia Diaz points out that Trump’s wall keeps tumbling down, just like everything else (Trump steaks, Trump vodka, Atlantic City casinos, and almost the United States of America) that Donald Trump has been associated with. A snippet:
It’s true. The $15 billion wall, which Trump claimed over and over again that Mexico would pay for, “is no match for a $15 hand saw.”
Even cheaper tools probably would have poked holes in it.
Lies and Lying Liars 0
Psychologist Christian Hart has studied lies and liars for over a decade. He proposes a three-factor theory to explain when and why persons lie. In the light of the proliferation of perfidy in the polity, methinks his piece is worth a look.
Here are the three factors; follow the link for a discussion of each and the interplay among them.
1. The perceived utility of lying.
2. The perceived external disutility risk of lying (the probability and consequences of being detected) is acceptable.
3. The perceived internal disutility of lying (guilt, regret, shame) is acceptable.
Aside:
It seems to me that, as a corollary, if one is incapable of shame, one might have an infinite capacity for lying.
Not that anyone like that might be in our public lif–oh, never mind.
Dis Coarse Discourse 0
Canadian professor of communications Robert Danisch offers a taxonomy of linguistic toxicity, identifying seven rhetorical techniques that foment division and hostility (or, to put it another way, he reveals the Fox News playbook). In introducing his article, he points out that
What’s worse, these seven rhetorical tactics tend to beget one another and inspire a communication cycle in which emotions are amplified and conflict is escalated.
I commend his article to your attention.
The Loyalty Oath 0
Leonard Hitchcock has a theory as to why so many Republicans, when responding to polls, say that they believe Donald Trump won the 2020 election–that it’s a sort of loyalty oath to their dear leader. A nugget:
Methinks he may be onto something. Follow the link for his reasoning.
Look in the Mirror, Boy 0
Remember that the notion of some kind of inherent “American exceptionalism” is a myth most often perpetrated by those who would excuse the inexcusable. If a person or a people wish to be considered somehow “exceptional,” he or she or they must earn it.
Fatal Attraction 0
At Psychology Today Blogs, Ronald Riggio notes an oft-overlooked bit of obvious: Someone cannot be a leader without followers. He goes on to explore several reasons why persons choose to follow bad leaders–bad, that is, in the sense that they do bad things.
Here’s one of the reasons he suggests, one that I think is of particular import in the current state of our polity, where, if over half the registered voters show up at the polls, it’s considered an “overwhelming turn-out” and where puny turn-outs are common in state and local elections.
Follow the link for the rest.
(Spellink errors fixed.)
Licensed to Kill 0
Thom takes a critical look at “stand your ground” laws.
A Tune for the Times 0
From the Youtube page:
Trump loves to “go with a winner”, and he sees Vladimir Putin as a HUGE winner of late, making major real estate acquisitions with very little investment of his own, just as Trump always did. Trump can’t help but envy Putin’s incredible ability to skip legalities and jump right to the ‘moving-in’ stage. That, and Putin’s ability to look good shirtless give Trump a major case of “nipple envy”, but in a really wholesome, Christian sort of way.
The Plane Truth 0
Seth rounds up the news from his two-week hiatus.
Birds of a Feather? 0
The writer of a letter to the editor of the Portland Press-Herald sees some similarities between Shkreli and Trump.
A Tune for the Times 0
Mangy comments at the Youtube page:
As Trump becomes more and more panicked about all the damning evidence being presented about January 6th, his business, his mishandling of classified documents, etc., in order to distract, he is turning more and more to his golden oldie greatest hits collection; blaming Hillary. Truly the mark of a loser.
Mangy Fetlocks wrote a song for Larry Lazuli to sing, but Larry is too loud for any house with a sleeping baby, so Mangy sang this one himself. Larry still got something out of it. While at the Fetlocks’ place, Larry pocketed Mangy’s hot dog tongs, spark plug gapping set, and took three beers from his fridge. Here’s the lyrics Larry would have sung if he could just tone it down a notch now and then.