Eliot and Eric note this week’s jackassery—tariffing McDonald Island and Heard Island off Australia, almost exclusively inhabited by penguins, and Trump’s plan for a four-mile-long military parade to mark his birthday on June 14 and the anniversary of the United States Army.
I like Eliots breakdown on today’s situations and thinking in a more positive way. Sounds to me, like Eric has been around jvl’s dark mood on everything. If we as citizens capitulate our minds….?? I for one am not doing that, I encourage everyone to stay positive and look for the ways to think of the terms in positive directions, not all dead ends.
1. If National Guard units are to be part of it, as many states as possible should refuse.
2. Counter-programming peaceful marches and demonstrations should be held as widely as possible, with people waving both US flags and anti-Trump signs. We are the ones who are patriotic and love the US as it has been.
3. As many as possible of those who attend Trump's parade should stand facing away from the parade.
Trump wants to schedule the parade for his birthday, which happens to be June 14. That's already a patriotic holiday, Flag Day. All those protests should feature the flag prominently, in an effort to show who the real patriots are.
I was born in 1960 to older parents they were 45. They serve in WWII. My mother in WAC's stateside, and my dad a commander of army troupes on convoy ships. He spent the war on the Atlantic. I have a collection of telegraph messages from various ports in Africa, and Europe. After the war he joined Social Security and worked there 30 years. He was involved in developing Medicare and Blue Cross. So I too am mourn the loss after those 80 prosperous relatively peaceful 80 years.
I had a family very active in Democratic politics. My Uncle, who was with British Expeditionary force and was at Dunkirk the first wave on Daday, and the battle of the Bulge. He then went on to be Mayor of Reading PA. He stayed involved in politics at the state and national level.
All this is to say I sympathize, and believe it will take a generation to repair the damage domestically and Internationally. I hope when we do start to repair things they do as you suggested. we need the agencies, but in different form with technology, and streamlined systems. The balance of power must be strengthened. Get rid of ridiculous Presidentilal immunity and Pardon's
I think that it will be a good thing for Republican and MAGA voters to suffer the consequences of their vote. These idiots, and they are idiots, don't seem to understand that it was the very thing that what they are having destroyed is what created our extensive and inclusive middle class. Them suffering under an illiberal, anti-constitutional Republican Party may not even change their minds or educate them, but them suffering yet another bad decision on their part is priceless.
However, I still demand that the Democratic Party replace the Clinton Democrats with FIGHTING progressives in the image of FDR.
The problem with progressives is that they agree with too many of Trump's bad ideas - e.g., protectionism, ending American world leadership, centralizing power. There is a reason why so many Bernie supporters ended up voting for Trump in 2016.
I don't see any of that. People voted for Trump in part because they said that they believed that he cared about them and did not think the same about Kamala because her messaging missed that mark. Progressives promote policies that benefit the working class, including taxing the rich to end their skim of worker wealth and so actually care, unlike the Clinton Democrats that have supported policies that eroded the middle class as shown by voting records.
How can you not see it? I'll lay out the obvious evidence.
Before Trump, America's Russia-friendly anti-NATO faction was entirely on the left. Even Obama, steeped in the blame-America Marxism of his college professors, started his presidency wanting to reduce American influence and not apply US pressure against Russia or Iran. He grew in office, and by year eight he had become less naive, but a lot of damage had been done by then.
Biden left most of Trump's tariffs in place. Even now, with Trump tariffs devastating the world economy, Democrats are going out of their way to defend tariffs as, essentially, good in moderation. And these are not even the most progressive Democrats. The real progressives are even more tariff-friendly.
I just argued online with a progressive a few days ago who attacked Reagan's attempt to devolve power to the states as racist. Progressives have long wanted to centralize power in DC in order so subordinate the states to their agenda.
With respect to policy, Trump is the anti-Reagan, more in line with the historic policy preferences of the left.
You don't know what you're talking about and your evidence is nonsense.
1. You sound like a right winger with that "blame-America Marxism of his college professors" statement that was used against Obama by the right. Obama was not nor is a progressive but an "establishment" Democrat, a Clinton Democrat, and so continued existing policies in most cases rather than changing them.
2. The Democrats are not "going out of their way to defend tariffs". Although tariffs have their place, such as helping end dumping,
3. Trump is the logical conclusion to what Reagan started, to make government small enough to drown in a bathtub such that it couldn't regulate the wealthy nor control conservative infringement on rights as is happening in every state that they control.
4. Progressives see government as a necessary control of the wealthy and so have sought to use it as such, unlike the GOP that sees fit to allow the wealthy to become oligarchs and take control of government because libertarians and conservatives see the rich as better people who should lead.
5. Trump is not progressive by any measure, he's an authoritarian who has committed treason in his willful violation of the constitution with the full support of the GOP. All should hang.
I always like this conversation and appreciate Elliot’s views, although I often think they are way too optimistic. I am so much closer to Eric’s perspective and appreciate there is often some divergent opinions, perhaps just to help my sanity.
Another Australian devotee here -- and brooding over whether Australia should politely abandon the now eminently questionable AUKUS Program (of which DJT appears/appeared unaware) and reconsider (if it has not already) its antique nuclear weapons "project", seek its own appropriate partners (NZ, Canada, UK, France, Germany -- as amended, the Scandinavians -- as amended, even India???, Pakistan????) and, perhaps, anticipate the oncoming rush.
Putin plays Trumpelstiltskin like a violin, & probably enjoys much pleasure in both Trumpelstiltskin's stupidity, & the American people's for electing him. He might even harbour some affection for the voters of America now, considering they did something to themselves that Russia has been trying to for decades.
As for us Aussies being upset about our penguins getting tariffed, it pales into insignificance compared to AUKUS with the new America. Handing over hundreds of billions of taxpayer dollars to a convicted felon President, who your SCOTUS says is immune from anything done that's declared 'official' is insane. It turns a bad deal for Australia into a terrible deal.
Why was it a bad deal to begin with? The subs are too big for much of our coastline, & we were handing over all the money with no guarantee at all of receiving anything. Hundreds of billions handed over for zilch return! The nail in the coffin is Trump thinks it's a great deal 🤣 That's before you get to the alliance part with a country that can no longer be trusted as a partner.
Once again, an excellent job gentlemen. Please have John Sullivan on again (Midnight in Moscow). I wonder if he thinks Trump is a Russian asset. That could be a very interesting discussion.
So the existential manifestation of the human condition continues: a little good news and lotta bad news. When's dinner?
In all seriousness, I do appreciate these conversations. I learn so much about current world situations that I would never be privy to unless I had the same access to the publications and personal acquaintances as Mr. Cohen and Mr. Edelman. Thank you, gentlemen, for your service to the American public.
I agree with Eliot that our situation has some similarities to the world economy in 1913. There was quite a bit of international trade. All that was ruptured by the beginning of the Great War(as it was known).
With respect to the 1619 project veracity -- can you provide links to the scholarship that points out problems with that history -- and having come in late to that conversation, can you reiterate what the objective is in pointing this out now -- is it to give some legitimacy to what Trump is doing vis-a-vis history? or what?
No SOTR this week? I miss my weekly dose of doom and gloom!
I like Eliots breakdown on today’s situations and thinking in a more positive way. Sounds to me, like Eric has been around jvl’s dark mood on everything. If we as citizens capitulate our minds….?? I for one am not doing that, I encourage everyone to stay positive and look for the ways to think of the terms in positive directions, not all dead ends.
On Trump's parade, 3 suggestions:
1. If National Guard units are to be part of it, as many states as possible should refuse.
2. Counter-programming peaceful marches and demonstrations should be held as widely as possible, with people waving both US flags and anti-Trump signs. We are the ones who are patriotic and love the US as it has been.
3. As many as possible of those who attend Trump's parade should stand facing away from the parade.
Trump wants to schedule the parade for his birthday, which happens to be June 14. That's already a patriotic holiday, Flag Day. All those protests should feature the flag prominently, in an effort to show who the real patriots are.
I was born in 1960 to older parents they were 45. They serve in WWII. My mother in WAC's stateside, and my dad a commander of army troupes on convoy ships. He spent the war on the Atlantic. I have a collection of telegraph messages from various ports in Africa, and Europe. After the war he joined Social Security and worked there 30 years. He was involved in developing Medicare and Blue Cross. So I too am mourn the loss after those 80 prosperous relatively peaceful 80 years.
I had a family very active in Democratic politics. My Uncle, who was with British Expeditionary force and was at Dunkirk the first wave on Daday, and the battle of the Bulge. He then went on to be Mayor of Reading PA. He stayed involved in politics at the state and national level.
All this is to say I sympathize, and believe it will take a generation to repair the damage domestically and Internationally. I hope when we do start to repair things they do as you suggested. we need the agencies, but in different form with technology, and streamlined systems. The balance of power must be strengthened. Get rid of ridiculous Presidentilal immunity and Pardon's
I would be interested to know which books on WWI Eliot would recommend.
I think that it will be a good thing for Republican and MAGA voters to suffer the consequences of their vote. These idiots, and they are idiots, don't seem to understand that it was the very thing that what they are having destroyed is what created our extensive and inclusive middle class. Them suffering under an illiberal, anti-constitutional Republican Party may not even change their minds or educate them, but them suffering yet another bad decision on their part is priceless.
However, I still demand that the Democratic Party replace the Clinton Democrats with FIGHTING progressives in the image of FDR.
The problem with progressives is that they agree with too many of Trump's bad ideas - e.g., protectionism, ending American world leadership, centralizing power. There is a reason why so many Bernie supporters ended up voting for Trump in 2016.
I don't see any of that. People voted for Trump in part because they said that they believed that he cared about them and did not think the same about Kamala because her messaging missed that mark. Progressives promote policies that benefit the working class, including taxing the rich to end their skim of worker wealth and so actually care, unlike the Clinton Democrats that have supported policies that eroded the middle class as shown by voting records.
How can you not see it? I'll lay out the obvious evidence.
Before Trump, America's Russia-friendly anti-NATO faction was entirely on the left. Even Obama, steeped in the blame-America Marxism of his college professors, started his presidency wanting to reduce American influence and not apply US pressure against Russia or Iran. He grew in office, and by year eight he had become less naive, but a lot of damage had been done by then.
Biden left most of Trump's tariffs in place. Even now, with Trump tariffs devastating the world economy, Democrats are going out of their way to defend tariffs as, essentially, good in moderation. And these are not even the most progressive Democrats. The real progressives are even more tariff-friendly.
I just argued online with a progressive a few days ago who attacked Reagan's attempt to devolve power to the states as racist. Progressives have long wanted to centralize power in DC in order so subordinate the states to their agenda.
With respect to policy, Trump is the anti-Reagan, more in line with the historic policy preferences of the left.
You don't know what you're talking about and your evidence is nonsense.
1. You sound like a right winger with that "blame-America Marxism of his college professors" statement that was used against Obama by the right. Obama was not nor is a progressive but an "establishment" Democrat, a Clinton Democrat, and so continued existing policies in most cases rather than changing them.
2. The Democrats are not "going out of their way to defend tariffs". Although tariffs have their place, such as helping end dumping,
3. Trump is the logical conclusion to what Reagan started, to make government small enough to drown in a bathtub such that it couldn't regulate the wealthy nor control conservative infringement on rights as is happening in every state that they control.
4. Progressives see government as a necessary control of the wealthy and so have sought to use it as such, unlike the GOP that sees fit to allow the wealthy to become oligarchs and take control of government because libertarians and conservatives see the rich as better people who should lead.
5. Trump is not progressive by any measure, he's an authoritarian who has committed treason in his willful violation of the constitution with the full support of the GOP. All should hang.
I always like this conversation and appreciate Elliot’s views, although I often think they are way too optimistic. I am so much closer to Eric’s perspective and appreciate there is often some divergent opinions, perhaps just to help my sanity.
Another Australian devotee here -- and brooding over whether Australia should politely abandon the now eminently questionable AUKUS Program (of which DJT appears/appeared unaware) and reconsider (if it has not already) its antique nuclear weapons "project", seek its own appropriate partners (NZ, Canada, UK, France, Germany -- as amended, the Scandinavians -- as amended, even India???, Pakistan????) and, perhaps, anticipate the oncoming rush.
Walsh J. (1997) "Surprise Down Under: The Secret History of Australia's Nuclear Ambitions", The Nonproliferation Review, Fall 1997, pp.1-20 -- https://www.nonproliferation.org/wp-content/uploads/npr/walsh51.pdf
Harris M. (2022) "Mentor and student: how Ernest Rutherford and Mark Oliphant changed nuclear physics", Physics World, 2 Dec 2022 --
https://physicsworld.com/a/mentor-and-student-how-ernest-rutherford-and-mark-oliphant-changed-nuclear-physics/
Reynolds W. (1998) "Rethinking the Joint Project: Australia's Bid for Nuclear Weapons, 1945-1960", The Historical Journal , Sep., 1998, Vol. 41, No. 3 (Sep., 1998), pp. 853-873 -- https://www.jstor.org/stable/2639906
https://www.mup.com.au/books/australias-bid-for-the-atomic-bomb-paperback-softback
Putin plays Trumpelstiltskin like a violin, & probably enjoys much pleasure in both Trumpelstiltskin's stupidity, & the American people's for electing him. He might even harbour some affection for the voters of America now, considering they did something to themselves that Russia has been trying to for decades.
As for us Aussies being upset about our penguins getting tariffed, it pales into insignificance compared to AUKUS with the new America. Handing over hundreds of billions of taxpayer dollars to a convicted felon President, who your SCOTUS says is immune from anything done that's declared 'official' is insane. It turns a bad deal for Australia into a terrible deal.
Why was it a bad deal to begin with? The subs are too big for much of our coastline, & we were handing over all the money with no guarantee at all of receiving anything. Hundreds of billions handed over for zilch return! The nail in the coffin is Trump thinks it's a great deal 🤣 That's before you get to the alliance part with a country that can no longer be trusted as a partner.
Once again, an excellent job gentlemen. Please have John Sullivan on again (Midnight in Moscow). I wonder if he thinks Trump is a Russian asset. That could be a very interesting discussion.
Aussie fan signing in for duty! #notalltrumps
I enjoyed this so much. Thank you.
So the existential manifestation of the human condition continues: a little good news and lotta bad news. When's dinner?
In all seriousness, I do appreciate these conversations. I learn so much about current world situations that I would never be privy to unless I had the same access to the publications and personal acquaintances as Mr. Cohen and Mr. Edelman. Thank you, gentlemen, for your service to the American public.
I agree with Eliot that our situation has some similarities to the world economy in 1913. There was quite a bit of international trade. All that was ruptured by the beginning of the Great War(as it was known).
Very valuable discussion. My thanks to you both.
With respect to the 1619 project veracity -- can you provide links to the scholarship that points out problems with that history -- and having come in late to that conversation, can you reiterate what the objective is in pointing this out now -- is it to give some legitimacy to what Trump is doing vis-a-vis history? or what?
Do you think that in some way, he is pushing the notion that the military will bend to his will just like everyone else.
100%