The Senate confirmation hearing of Hegseth for DoD is so politicized, so rigged, and so unfair that it distresses me. Only one round of questioning, no pre-hearing visits by Hegseth to the offices of the Democratic members of the committee, no access to Hegseth’s FBI file except for the Chair and the Ranking Member, and a very incomplete FBI investigation. It’s a nightmare.
A very good read. I learned about vice signaling. Democrats look like losers even when they win so right now they are really miserable. GOP has become utterly shameless. We really need to wake some GOPers up if we have any chance to save this country. I am already behind at least 3 pay walls to get my news and some views. So, I cannot sign up for more.
Saying Hegseth is qualified (agnostic of character) for Secretary Defense is like saying I’m qualified as an economic advisor because I worked at Target.
"No other device manufacturer can compete with Apple on the fit and finish of its hardware. And because Apple makes its own hardware, no other tech company can truly compete with it on software."
Apple doesn't make any hardware. It hires subcontractors to make all of its hardware, especially Foxconn (mostly in China).
Samsung makes its own hardware (mostly in South Korea).
I have plenty of experience with both, and I'm currently more impressed with the fit and finish of Samsung. For software, both have their ups and downs and they are basically even.
A problem -- perhaps the problem-- with vice signaling is that if it is successful enough, it will lead to an escalation. We're not there yet. Maybe not for a while because old habit and moral sentiments die hard. And it won't be a good thing, but it has been invited.
It is a major contrast to consider the young people at the dinner Mann attended and to look at the helplessness of so many people in Los Angeles before the big fires that have killled many and destroyed peoples' homes and communities. The weather there has produced probably the most costly disaster in CA history. The lack of action to begin to stabilize the climate is such that CA cannot do it alone. We are all in this together, and Congress is doing too little.
I think Hegseth could have been stone cold drunk today and Republicans would still would've been all in because they fear retribution. He is spectacularly unqualified which I guess must be the point. I'm not sure what the plan is but it must not be good.
Vice signaling. What an interesting concept. And yes, I can see it at work. Hiring Pete Hegseth to be your gunslinger is a bit like the scrawny kid yelling "my big brother will beat you up". It's somehow comforting to know someone will look out for you and simultaneously gratifying that retribution is coming for your enemy. Or perceived enemy. Unfortunately, protector Trump is already like the Mafia. "Nice little business youse got here. It would be a shame if anything happened to it." Or you, Senator.
I see the widespread “vice signaling” in Section 2 is explained by the privileges of the modern world - and the modern USA, in particular - in Section 3.
The luxuries of today mean that people are far more likely to be shielded from the true impact of actual vice, and therefore engage in “vice signaling” as a sport because it’s naughty and fun and a vacation from always being so proper and polite. (Exacerbated when Democrats and Normie Republicans give in and do the governing.)
When large swaths of the electorate are enabled to have (relative to historical levels) comfortable lives, then they can more easily see politics as another sport on their phones and TV. And anyone who knows anything about pop culture in the last two years knows we love rooting for anti-heroes. Except Walter White wants to run the FBI, and Tony Soprano is being nominated to the Supreme Court, and not enough people believe this real enough to do something about it.
Failed leadership at an organization which he helped bankrupt, multiple extramarital affairs and dalliances, No business or governmental experience in running large organizations are the perfect qualifications for the job. Now which job were we discussing? President of the United States of America or Secretary of Defense? Seems like the applicants are interchangeable.
Oh and also the idea of a major running the DOD is laughable. Majors at the Pentagon get coffee for those who get coffee for important people. Imagine the nicknames he’ll get from his “subordinates”?
Maybe to go along with all of your wrestling analogies who wants to watch a calm, reasonable adult just doing their job in the ring. Where’s the drama in that? No, chaos sells. Drama sells. People love Tony Soprano, Walter White, Sal Goodman…people don’t want to be noble. They want to get even.
The Senate confirmation hearing of Hegseth for DoD is so politicized, so rigged, and so unfair that it distresses me. Only one round of questioning, no pre-hearing visits by Hegseth to the offices of the Democratic members of the committee, no access to Hegseth’s FBI file except for the Chair and the Ranking Member, and a very incomplete FBI investigation. It’s a nightmare.
This is nauseating.
A very good read. I learned about vice signaling. Democrats look like losers even when they win so right now they are really miserable. GOP has become utterly shameless. We really need to wake some GOPers up if we have any chance to save this country. I am already behind at least 3 pay walls to get my news and some views. So, I cannot sign up for more.
Saying Hegseth is qualified (agnostic of character) for Secretary Defense is like saying I’m qualified as an economic advisor because I worked at Target.
Great article JVL... the punishment is the point is solid observation. We aren't marching towards fascism... we're here.
God help our country. JVL has deep and wise words on what we are facing.
"No other device manufacturer can compete with Apple on the fit and finish of its hardware. And because Apple makes its own hardware, no other tech company can truly compete with it on software."
Apple doesn't make any hardware. It hires subcontractors to make all of its hardware, especially Foxconn (mostly in China).
Samsung makes its own hardware (mostly in South Korea).
I have plenty of experience with both, and I'm currently more impressed with the fit and finish of Samsung. For software, both have their ups and downs and they are basically even.
You're not wrong, I switched from Apple to Samsung a decade ago and never looked back.
"The absurd is the distance between what we expect and what is." --Albert Camus
A problem -- perhaps the problem-- with vice signaling is that if it is successful enough, it will lead to an escalation. We're not there yet. Maybe not for a while because old habit and moral sentiments die hard. And it won't be a good thing, but it has been invited.
It is a major contrast to consider the young people at the dinner Mann attended and to look at the helplessness of so many people in Los Angeles before the big fires that have killled many and destroyed peoples' homes and communities. The weather there has produced probably the most costly disaster in CA history. The lack of action to begin to stabilize the climate is such that CA cannot do it alone. We are all in this together, and Congress is doing too little.
I think Hegseth could have been stone cold drunk today and Republicans would still would've been all in because they fear retribution. He is spectacularly unqualified which I guess must be the point. I'm not sure what the plan is but it must not be good.
Vice signaling. What an interesting concept. And yes, I can see it at work. Hiring Pete Hegseth to be your gunslinger is a bit like the scrawny kid yelling "my big brother will beat you up". It's somehow comforting to know someone will look out for you and simultaneously gratifying that retribution is coming for your enemy. Or perceived enemy. Unfortunately, protector Trump is already like the Mafia. "Nice little business youse got here. It would be a shame if anything happened to it." Or you, Senator.
I see the widespread “vice signaling” in Section 2 is explained by the privileges of the modern world - and the modern USA, in particular - in Section 3.
The luxuries of today mean that people are far more likely to be shielded from the true impact of actual vice, and therefore engage in “vice signaling” as a sport because it’s naughty and fun and a vacation from always being so proper and polite. (Exacerbated when Democrats and Normie Republicans give in and do the governing.)
When large swaths of the electorate are enabled to have (relative to historical levels) comfortable lives, then they can more easily see politics as another sport on their phones and TV. And anyone who knows anything about pop culture in the last two years knows we love rooting for anti-heroes. Except Walter White wants to run the FBI, and Tony Soprano is being nominated to the Supreme Court, and not enough people believe this real enough to do something about it.
Failed leadership at an organization which he helped bankrupt, multiple extramarital affairs and dalliances, No business or governmental experience in running large organizations are the perfect qualifications for the job. Now which job were we discussing? President of the United States of America or Secretary of Defense? Seems like the applicants are interchangeable.
Oh and also the idea of a major running the DOD is laughable. Majors at the Pentagon get coffee for those who get coffee for important people. Imagine the nicknames he’ll get from his “subordinates”?
Maybe to go along with all of your wrestling analogies who wants to watch a calm, reasonable adult just doing their job in the ring. Where’s the drama in that? No, chaos sells. Drama sells. People love Tony Soprano, Walter White, Sal Goodman…people don’t want to be noble. They want to get even.
It’s the “The Truman Show”? We live in someone’s TV fantasy? And people want to get even…against what?