Well, I don't necessarily disagree with what Ms Cheney has to say.
And yet, when I observe what has happened with the right (the conservatives) in countries like Germany (the CDU/CSU) and Spain (basically the PP, the PNV, and UPN) and France, where they have imposed on themselves (because they have no legal obligation to do so) a series of "red lines" and "cordons-sanitaires" against what they perceive to be unacceptably or excessively radical parties (like the VOX party or the AfD or even the more palatable elements in the RN/FN in France), as opposed to places like Italy (especially Italy under Giorgia Meloni), Argentina (now under Javier Milei) or Sweden, where the enitre right (the conservatives) presented united coalitions in elections or run-off elections, I cannot but be apprehensive of any attempt by the Republican Party to imitate the former countries instead of the latter.
Because in countries like Spain or Germany (not France and Britain though), the mainstream, center-left parties have absolutely no problem with making coalitions and forming regional and national governments with extremist left-wing parties such as the German Greens or in Spain, where the current government is a coalition of the extreme left, the center left, the separatist left and the regionalist right. And also the has absolutely no inclination to make compromises with the center right at the expense of the far left. This has resulted in permanent, left-wing minority or bare plurality governments (with the usual policy results) with little to no chance of their being replaced by conservative (that is, right-wing) governments. And this while the mainstream, center-right parties, left out of power, do nothing but lose support in favor of more radically conservative ones, meaning that the red lines and cordons-sanitaires do not even achieve their intended objective.
Moreover, the Democrats (the American Democratic Party) shows some of the same tendencies of holding on to their extreme left-wing factions (and these factions hold on to the Democratic Party as well) that European center-left parties do. I would hate for the United States needlessly to have to endure the consequences of the policies people like Mr. Biden implement, just because some (by no means all) of his foreign policies are correct, and some of the foreign policies on the right seem unacceptable in the short term. It's not worth it.
Off topic, but I saw the notice that the Bulwark is going to San Francisco and there was no comment section so I'm leaving my comment here.
The Bulwark has already been to the east coast (NYC once and D.C. twice), the gulf coast (NOLA), and the west coast (Seattle, San Diego, LA, and now SF) so how about coming to the north coast? Maybe for the Republican convention in Milwaukee or the Democratic convention in Chicago next summer?
It's not hard to find. Just follow the shoreline up Maine to the St. Lawrence and over to the Great Lakes.
Taylor Swift. Sorry, Charlie! Someone who so fully exercizes power *over* the music industry is consequential. No Colonel Tom Parker for her. No Saul Zaentz.
The Economist ran an excellent article on December 7, "Israel and Palestine: How Peace is Possible". It's behind a paywall, but worth the effort for anyone who can take advantage of any kind of free article offer:
Last thing- my policy is NOT to buy books - but get from library - I ran out to Barnes and Noble to buy Oath and Honor on Dec 5 - I think I got the last copy. The cashier looked to be 25-30 years old. I asked her if she knew who Liz Cheney was- she said 'No". After brief explanation she said she would possibly read - then she said she does vote and NOT FOR TRUMP - YA -- hope I inspired some civic duty - meanwhile one of my best friends who lives in NYC - didnt know who Liz Cheney was either - not just an generation thing I guess
Michael - thanks for your reply - I have to admit - I was ignorant about a lot when I was in my 20s and 30s - (now also) with the young woman who checked me out - I tried to inspire her to read Liz cheney and she said she would
Great story! I do all my reading on Kindle now. Reading books is a real pleasure; being able to bring my library around the world with me wherever I go is priceless.
Charlie - loved your interview and also the discussion with AB Stoddard - yesterday
Liz Cheney is a hero! Her book is astonishing- and I thought I knew everything about Jan. 6. I believe Kevin (our Kevin ( Ha ha) resigned because of LC book - How come no one seems to be connecting that dot? Thanks for all you do!
I'm only on Chapter 11 of her book, but god, she is brilliant. Yes, the crimes are gobsmackingly alarming, and we're in trouble. But her clear thinking and knowledge of the law and Constitution are so refreshing, not to mention her sense of duty and oath. The writing is powerful. Look. I'm going to say it. Liz Cheney should be President. It's not even close. We should be drafting her to be President. She is the antidote to just about everything. We'll never get a better opportunity to fix this.
Can the House morons please do a background check before voting someone in as speaker of the house. WTH. Fatigue or not understanding policy voting history is a BS excuse.
I wish more people were aware of just what Flynn is still doing. It’s an insurgency he wants, his civil/race/holy war. He’s literally, and I do mean literally, building an “army of digital soldiers”. He even has a handbook to train them. Full of things her learnt from studying the ISIS, the Taliban etc. They are “baptising” the new “faithful”.
He doesn’t even need trump to help. They’re having huge events all over the country and his movement is growing. We should all be alarmed but I hope the authorities are aware of how dangerous he and his minions are.
I wish she had addressed (and perhaps she does in the book) why her colleagues capitulated so readily to Mr. Trump? Are her comrades ferocious partisans or frightened bureaucrats? Do they fear for their livelihood or their lives? Would she care to speculate about the reasons for the scarcity of moral fiber in the GOP? Two people who will tell the truth over the many, many that now repeat lies every day of their public life is not a great track record. Is the current GOP selecting out for the worst in human leadership or are those the only people in the pool?
David - I think its a billion dollar question re: the GOP being so scared of trump-- I can't understand why losing with NO GRACE - is considered American - just the opposite
This great capitulation to everything we were raised to think was abhorrent has yet to be reckoned with. It set in motion the engines of mere ambition that are fueling the drive to fascism. The gatekeepers left their posts and now the hordes of mediocre also-rans are rushing to fill the vacuum.
Is Tuberville’s continuing hold on promotions in the military (now just 5 star generals) about letting Trump replace the generals up for promotion with his guys?
That was one of my contentions in a letter to my Senators asking them to find a way to make progress on the promotions. It's a continuation of the insurrection.
Personally I've been shocked by the attitude of young people towards the Jews. However upon reflection, it makes sense that there would be some of this going on. It has been 78 years since the end of WW2 and 75 years since the establishment of Israel. Most people alive today have no memory of the holocaust. It is part of history now just like the Jewish ghettos in Europe in the middle ages (another atrocity). What this means is that Israel is going to have to re-evaluate some of its policies towards the Arabs as public opinion in the West won't tolerate the bombing of civilians and commission of war crimes as justification for Hamas' criminal assault.
Just imagine what the situation would be if Eisenhower hadn't insisted on a detailed photographic of the Holocaust, because he was wise enough to foresee that there would be deniers years late.
Eisenhower also forced Israel to withdraw after its attack on Egypt in the 1956 Suez Crisis, so genuine concern for a victimized population is perfectly compatible with curbing the aggression of a warlike nation. There is a profound difference between being a Jew and being a Jewish nation. The true test of morality is not what happens to you when you are weak, but what you do when you have power.
"Never again" has to mean protecting every group or it has no moral meaning at all.
Students being young and without power have always rooted for the oppressed and the outcast...currently that position is held by Arabs in Gaza and LBTQ+ When they are informed of Muslim attitudes in Gaza and West Bank toward LBTQ+ ( lock them up,Stone them, send them to the psychiatric Hospital) they are not so gung ho on freedom for Palestine.
So there are attitudes like those in the US until the 1990's? That is a reason to justify the abuse, impoverishment and killing of Palestinians, let alone denying them freedom? I could not disagree more.
Why no reporter has gotten to the truth around why on Jan 7 so many Republicans were against and done with trump but within weeks had turned the tide is just frustrating to me. Something happened, was said, or provided in exchange for their continued support of him. This was a group, organized effort on their part, when will people talk?
I'm thinking that we should change the way we describe the relationship of trump with his minions. All of the players in this (including trump) describe the relationship in terms of "loyalty". This is misleading. The real term should be "subservient". So a sentence should read: "Michael Cohen was subservient to trump" instead of "Michael Cohen was loyal to trump". It adds clarity.
Well, I don't necessarily disagree with what Ms Cheney has to say.
And yet, when I observe what has happened with the right (the conservatives) in countries like Germany (the CDU/CSU) and Spain (basically the PP, the PNV, and UPN) and France, where they have imposed on themselves (because they have no legal obligation to do so) a series of "red lines" and "cordons-sanitaires" against what they perceive to be unacceptably or excessively radical parties (like the VOX party or the AfD or even the more palatable elements in the RN/FN in France), as opposed to places like Italy (especially Italy under Giorgia Meloni), Argentina (now under Javier Milei) or Sweden, where the enitre right (the conservatives) presented united coalitions in elections or run-off elections, I cannot but be apprehensive of any attempt by the Republican Party to imitate the former countries instead of the latter.
Because in countries like Spain or Germany (not France and Britain though), the mainstream, center-left parties have absolutely no problem with making coalitions and forming regional and national governments with extremist left-wing parties such as the German Greens or in Spain, where the current government is a coalition of the extreme left, the center left, the separatist left and the regionalist right. And also the has absolutely no inclination to make compromises with the center right at the expense of the far left. This has resulted in permanent, left-wing minority or bare plurality governments (with the usual policy results) with little to no chance of their being replaced by conservative (that is, right-wing) governments. And this while the mainstream, center-right parties, left out of power, do nothing but lose support in favor of more radically conservative ones, meaning that the red lines and cordons-sanitaires do not even achieve their intended objective.
Moreover, the Democrats (the American Democratic Party) shows some of the same tendencies of holding on to their extreme left-wing factions (and these factions hold on to the Democratic Party as well) that European center-left parties do. I would hate for the United States needlessly to have to endure the consequences of the policies people like Mr. Biden implement, just because some (by no means all) of his foreign policies are correct, and some of the foreign policies on the right seem unacceptable in the short term. It's not worth it.
Good on you both....I'm very interested in how
1.) the 'no labels map of improbability' has changed, assuming it has, or
2.) what has to happen for no labels to be considered a good investment.
Off topic, but I saw the notice that the Bulwark is going to San Francisco and there was no comment section so I'm leaving my comment here.
The Bulwark has already been to the east coast (NYC once and D.C. twice), the gulf coast (NOLA), and the west coast (Seattle, San Diego, LA, and now SF) so how about coming to the north coast? Maybe for the Republican convention in Milwaukee or the Democratic convention in Chicago next summer?
It's not hard to find. Just follow the shoreline up Maine to the St. Lawrence and over to the Great Lakes.
If you hit Canada you've gone too far.
RE: cheap shot #2: https://open.substack.com/pub/popehat/p/stop-demanding-dumb-answers-to-hard?r=17kz67&utm_campaign=post&utm_medium=web
Taylor Swift. Sorry, Charlie! Someone who so fully exercizes power *over* the music industry is consequential. No Colonel Tom Parker for her. No Saul Zaentz.
The Economist ran an excellent article on December 7, "Israel and Palestine: How Peace is Possible". It's behind a paywall, but worth the effort for anyone who can take advantage of any kind of free article offer:
https://www.economist.com/leaders/2023/12/07/israel-and-palestine-how-peace-is-possible
"New Palestinian leadership is needed"
Last thing- my policy is NOT to buy books - but get from library - I ran out to Barnes and Noble to buy Oath and Honor on Dec 5 - I think I got the last copy. The cashier looked to be 25-30 years old. I asked her if she knew who Liz Cheney was- she said 'No". After brief explanation she said she would possibly read - then she said she does vote and NOT FOR TRUMP - YA -- hope I inspired some civic duty - meanwhile one of my best friends who lives in NYC - didnt know who Liz Cheney was either - not just an generation thing I guess
Absolutely disgusting: the ignorant and disinformed people who have the right to vote in this 🇺🇸. Public education in this country has failed.
Michael - thanks for your reply - I have to admit - I was ignorant about a lot when I was in my 20s and 30s - (now also) with the young woman who checked me out - I tried to inspire her to read Liz cheney and she said she would
Great story! I do all my reading on Kindle now. Reading books is a real pleasure; being able to bring my library around the world with me wherever I go is priceless.
Charlie - loved your interview and also the discussion with AB Stoddard - yesterday
Liz Cheney is a hero! Her book is astonishing- and I thought I knew everything about Jan. 6. I believe Kevin (our Kevin ( Ha ha) resigned because of LC book - How come no one seems to be connecting that dot? Thanks for all you do!
I'm only on Chapter 11 of her book, but god, she is brilliant. Yes, the crimes are gobsmackingly alarming, and we're in trouble. But her clear thinking and knowledge of the law and Constitution are so refreshing, not to mention her sense of duty and oath. The writing is powerful. Look. I'm going to say it. Liz Cheney should be President. It's not even close. We should be drafting her to be President. She is the antidote to just about everything. We'll never get a better opportunity to fix this.
Can the House morons please do a background check before voting someone in as speaker of the house. WTH. Fatigue or not understanding policy voting history is a BS excuse.
Unfortunately, Johnson's priors are viewed by his caucus as features, not bugs.
I wish more people were aware of just what Flynn is still doing. It’s an insurgency he wants, his civil/race/holy war. He’s literally, and I do mean literally, building an “army of digital soldiers”. He even has a handbook to train them. Full of things her learnt from studying the ISIS, the Taliban etc. They are “baptising” the new “faithful”.
He doesn’t even need trump to help. They’re having huge events all over the country and his movement is growing. We should all be alarmed but I hope the authorities are aware of how dangerous he and his minions are.
I wish she had addressed (and perhaps she does in the book) why her colleagues capitulated so readily to Mr. Trump? Are her comrades ferocious partisans or frightened bureaucrats? Do they fear for their livelihood or their lives? Would she care to speculate about the reasons for the scarcity of moral fiber in the GOP? Two people who will tell the truth over the many, many that now repeat lies every day of their public life is not a great track record. Is the current GOP selecting out for the worst in human leadership or are those the only people in the pool?
David - I think its a billion dollar question re: the GOP being so scared of trump-- I can't understand why losing with NO GRACE - is considered American - just the opposite
This great capitulation to everything we were raised to think was abhorrent has yet to be reckoned with. It set in motion the engines of mere ambition that are fueling the drive to fascism. The gatekeepers left their posts and now the hordes of mediocre also-rans are rushing to fill the vacuum.
Is Tuberville’s continuing hold on promotions in the military (now just 5 star generals) about letting Trump replace the generals up for promotion with his guys?
That was one of my contentions in a letter to my Senators asking them to find a way to make progress on the promotions. It's a continuation of the insurrection.
Personally I've been shocked by the attitude of young people towards the Jews. However upon reflection, it makes sense that there would be some of this going on. It has been 78 years since the end of WW2 and 75 years since the establishment of Israel. Most people alive today have no memory of the holocaust. It is part of history now just like the Jewish ghettos in Europe in the middle ages (another atrocity). What this means is that Israel is going to have to re-evaluate some of its policies towards the Arabs as public opinion in the West won't tolerate the bombing of civilians and commission of war crimes as justification for Hamas' criminal assault.
Just imagine what the situation would be if Eisenhower hadn't insisted on a detailed photographic of the Holocaust, because he was wise enough to foresee that there would be deniers years late.
Eisenhower also forced Israel to withdraw after its attack on Egypt in the 1956 Suez Crisis, so genuine concern for a victimized population is perfectly compatible with curbing the aggression of a warlike nation. There is a profound difference between being a Jew and being a Jewish nation. The true test of morality is not what happens to you when you are weak, but what you do when you have power.
"Never again" has to mean protecting every group or it has no moral meaning at all.
Students being young and without power have always rooted for the oppressed and the outcast...currently that position is held by Arabs in Gaza and LBTQ+ When they are informed of Muslim attitudes in Gaza and West Bank toward LBTQ+ ( lock them up,Stone them, send them to the psychiatric Hospital) they are not so gung ho on freedom for Palestine.
So there are attitudes like those in the US until the 1990's? That is a reason to justify the abuse, impoverishment and killing of Palestinians, let alone denying them freedom? I could not disagree more.
Why no reporter has gotten to the truth around why on Jan 7 so many Republicans were against and done with trump but within weeks had turned the tide is just frustrating to me. Something happened, was said, or provided in exchange for their continued support of him. This was a group, organized effort on their part, when will people talk?
I'm thinking that we should change the way we describe the relationship of trump with his minions. All of the players in this (including trump) describe the relationship in terms of "loyalty". This is misleading. The real term should be "subservient". So a sentence should read: "Michael Cohen was subservient to trump" instead of "Michael Cohen was loyal to trump". It adds clarity.