On The ‘Soft Progressive-liberal Block'
by Noirette
picked from a comment
re Ort @ 14 who wrote:
The “soft” progressive-liberal bloc in the US, individuals and organizations alike, have become so pathologically consumed with the conviction that Donald Trump is the Great Orange Satan who must be removed from office forthwith, and by any means necessary, that they hysterically embrace any public figure who opposes (opposed) Trump.
The ‘soft progressive liberal set’ - just as ‘Dems’ and ‘Reps’ - don’t really present a political ideology, framework, view-point, or even low-level adherence and/or claims. They are cover for an underlying hidden structure: informal tribes/circuits and sections in an oligarchic corporatist régime, or even something different, which I won’t go into now.
Obama ran on a non-interventionist stance and a ‘re-set’ with Russia-relations platform, for which he was awarded the Peace Prize (which is not a recommendation). Trump did the same in a more loudmouthed vulgar pointed way and was vilified and is despised ‘to the death’ for it. While impeachment and a nasty accident seem out of reach, as wildly imprudent, he is prevented from acting. By the way, Bush junior did the same which garnered him the Muslim vote which probably won him the election. Yes, study the numbers. (Setting aside hanging chads and the Supreme Court, Bush still needed a pile of votes.)
The question is, what is the aim of the resurgent hate-Russia meme, now boiling-over and turned crazed hysterical? Is it at heart contra-Trump or contra-Russia? Of course one could answer ‘both’ but that doesn’t explain ‘russiagate’ and the self-harm the U.S. is trapped in.
Another sign that the political divisions are ‘pretend’ is that the ‘Dems’, the ostensive losers re. Trump, have not behaved like a political party who loses. These generally disband, retire, fold, or make efforts at reform, re-orientation etc. Renewal may be tough but they often try. (As did the Repubs after Obama’s election, though the effort was incredibly weak.) Nothing like that is going on, because the fight is not political. It is based on tribal desperate angst at the ‘surprise’ election of an outsider who holds cards in his hands nobody can speak about.
re Ort @ 24 who wrote:
To 'True Believers', if [Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez] seems equivocal, or even confused, about the nature of (Democratic) socialism or expresses anodyne, conformist, safe positions, they will justify this as sensible reticence. AOC has to appeal to the elusive "center", and charm skeptical voters by not appearing unduly extreme or, God forbid, radical.As with Obama and others similarly situated, they pretend that once the ostensible Third Way newcomer is accepted and established, they can and will gradually disclose their true political selves, and act accordingly. Regardless of how often this scenario fails to work as hoped, they remain convinced that it's both unavoidable and prudent.
Ocasio-Cortez is merely a willing actress poster-babe (she will earn a LOT). The role is not different from prancing about in lovely swish skirts on some MSM-TV series. She was selected for her looks / background (not the best re. the background, but there aren’t many candidates, which is very hopeful imho), her naiveté, ignorance, and submissive stance. Some ‘fake’ younger figures -only women and male gays, girls are more acceptable to the general public- have to be pictured as up-n-coming Dems, in a kind of sketchy and unconvincing parade of ‘diversity’ and so on.
Posted by b on August 30, 2018 at 17:07 UTC | Permalink
next page »Russiagate has just one purpose: coverup for the crimes of operatives involved in the election manipulation of 2016 and earlier crimes such as the clinton email scandal investigation.
Nothing to do with Trump, nothing to do with Russia.
Anything else is purely peripheral.
(Of course, the Deep State has many other goals and priorities which align with Russiagate, and therefore support it fully, but the principals of Russiagate are the criminals trying to save their skin.)
Posted by: BM | Aug 30 2018 17:42 utc | 2
X~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
failed evolution -- 8/15/18
http://failedevolution.blogspot.com/2018/08/highly-suspicious-latest-poll-shows.html
Well, you have to go inside the article, read, and realize that “Biden leads Trump, 43 percent to 31 percent, and Sanders’ lead over the president is virtually the same, 44 percent to 32 percent.” (!)
Beyond that, the way this poll was conducted is actually very convenient for the corporate Democrats to promote a man of their 'caste' like Joe Biden against Bernie Sanders, towards the 2020 presidential election.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~X
Biden? Joe Biden??!! NO!!!
By then maybe Trump will have learnt something. I wouldn't vote for Biden if the election was held in hell.
Posted by: blues | Aug 30 2018 17:42 utc | 3
Noirette:
For some reason, you still believe that "outsider" Trump was democratically elected. This misunderstanding forces you into another: that his election has agitated a "tribal" deep-state.
Despite your ability to see political divisions as "pretend" and Oc.-Cortez as "a willing actress poster-babe", you (and many others!) just can't bring yourself to the logical conclusion that Trump was installed as President by a permanent Deep-State. Maybe it is just too frightening.
Here is my understanding (which I have expressed several times at MoA and elsewhere):
1) The 2016 elections were a complete farce. Trump was meant to win from the start. Sanders was a sheepdog to Hillary and Hillary threw the race to Trump via 'campaign mistakes' that no experienced politician would make and by making herself so vile/'unfit' that she lost the 'grass roots' support she needed. She:- pissed-off Sanders supporters by colluding with DNC;- she called non-urban white people "deplorables";
- she took the black vote for granted (after getting Obama's endorsement);
- she stopped campaigning in certain crucial states;
- Bill Clinton and Attorney General Loretta Lynch were discovered having a meeting "on the tarmac" of Phoenix airport; and
- rumors of Hillary's ill health were conveniently proven via a video that was taken by a mysterious eastern-european that the media was never cared to learn more about (despite it's affect on their beloved candidate).
So if anyone influenced the election (for Trump) surreptitiously, it was CIA (via MI6), FBI, Israel - not the Russians.2) Trump is a faux populist President - the Republican Obama. Trump is NOT unable to act, he is unwilling. He is a "team player", a willing participant/member of the Deep State. The pretense that he is restrained by the Deep State is easily maintained via the media focus on party and personality.
Trump has governed along the same lines as Clinton-Bush-Obama. The continuity is uncanny. There were all pro-MIC, pro-security services, pro-Israel, pro-oligarch. Each cut taxes. Each conducted wars to expand the Empire.
3) Trump was selected because of his 1) communication ability; 2) psychology (social climber, narcisst, money-motivated); and 3) name recognition (from the "Apprentice").
And his relationship with the Clintons.
4) Trump is NOT pro-Russia. He is merely playing "good cop" to the Deep-State "bad cop". This is simply a negotiating ploy.
5) Trump has very effectively distracted the public from the fact that:
>> USA conspired with other countries to wage a proxy war using an army of terrorists. AND USA CONTINUES TO PROSECUTE THAT WAR! Albeit in a more overt way.Elite stupidity and greed have caused USA to align with thuggish states and sparked a new Cold War.
Some will read this and reel. "There is no PROOF", they will cry, "that Trump was 'selected'". To which I offer Kissingers August 2014 WSJ Op-Ed, which he wrote after the Donbas rebels beat back the Ukrainian govt:
Even as the lessons of challenging decades are examined, the affirmation of America's exceptional nature must be sustained. History offers no respite to countries that set aside their sense of identity in favor of a seemingly less arduous course. But nor does it assure success for the most elevated convictions in the absence of a comprehensive geopolitical strategy.These words (in bold) presaged MAGA. And Trump was just what the doctor ordered.
The Clinton's are fans/acolytes of Kissinger and were also close to Trump. Why would oligarch Trump have traded his friendship with the powerful Clintons for an uncertain campaign for the Presidency?
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PS I had just written the above to reply to Noirette on the Week in Review / Open Thread when I noticed that b had made Noirette's comment into a post.
Posted by: Jackrabbit | Aug 30 2018 17:47 utc | 4
Search on 'Biden creepy' - Could he survive the current #Metoo environment ?
Posted by: Bart Hansen | Aug 30 2018 17:51 utc | 5
Re @BM 2
"Nothing to do with Trump, nothing to do with Russia."
Of course, you can look at it at different levels with differing breadths, and at one level the Deep State role is included within the definition of "Russiagate" and therefore will include both Trump and Russia. But the view I expressed above is more fundamental (a) in terms of how and why Russiagate came into being, (b) in terms of the main principals involved, and (c) in terms of the causality of the the main processes.
Posted by: BM | Aug 30 2018 17:52 utc | 6
Growing up in a "demographically liberal" household (by belief, education levels of parents, family income and assets) in a "conservative" area, I always marveled at how oblivious the Republican base voters were regarding their own self-interest. "How can they vote for somebody promising to slash taxes for the ultra-rich, when they are poor or middle class?" The upshot is that we were smart - believers in evolution and the authority of science, skeptics regarding nationalism and religion, tolerant of racial and 'lifestyle' minorities, and most of all, headed to college. They were not-smart - religious fundamentalists, bigots, dupes. The point is that their deficiencies were phrased in terms of intelligence and, specifically, lack thereof; while our virtues were phrased in terms of our superior intelligence and the high value we placed on learning and formal education.
Cut to the era of Trump/Putin derangement syndrome, and I am aghast at the spectacle of the smart ones - the people I've been trained since birth to recognize, almost by instinct, as smart by definition - acting and speaking in the most grossly ignorant manner possible. One of a near infinity of "for instances": Rachel Maddow making dark insinuations about Trump's proposed visit to North Korea on the grounds that that country shares a border (albeit a small one) with Russia. Rachel Maddow, by all the insignia that I was trained to respond to positively, should be on the side of the angels, and here she is sounding like Glenn Beck, only not as entertaining.
So I have the choice of jettisoning much of my belief structure, a structure deeply associated with the most positive developments and relationships in my life, or of convincing myself that idiocy is in fact intelligence, and Rachel Maddow in fact may just be on to something there. After all, is the New York Times, New Yorker, etc. on to this Russia thing too, and aren't they bastions of smartness?
Actually, in real life I jolted awake when NATO bombed that radio/television tower in Belgrade. I've been miserable and isolated ever since.
Posted by: Martin Finnucane | Aug 30 2018 17:54 utc | 7
I would say 'contra-Russia'. Trump is just the current vessel.
Let us not forget, that under the mighty and loved O-bomber, a group of US Senators back in 2014 made Bulgaria drop South Stream with god knows what threats, whereas Brussels had previously failed (intentionally?) to do so. Guess who was the lead Senator?
RT.com: Bulgaria halts Russia’s South Stream gas pipeline project after visit by US senators
https://www.rt.com/business/164588-brussels-bulgaria-halts-south-stream/
…At this time there is a request from the European Commission, after which we’ve suspended the current works, I ordered it,” Oresharski told journalists after meeting with John McCain, Chris Murphy and Ron Johnson during their visit to Bulgaria on Sunday. “Further proceedings will be decided after additional consultations with Brussels.”
McCain, commenting on the situation, said that “Bulgaria should solve the South Stream problems in collaboration with European colleagues,” adding that in the current situation they would want “less Russian involvement” in the project.
“America has decided that it wants to put itself in a position where it excludes anybody it doesn’t like from countries where it thinks it might have an interest, and there is no economic rationality in this at all. Europeans are very pragmatic, they are looking for cheap energy resources – clean energy resources, and Russia can supply that. But the thing with the South Stream is that it doesn’t fit with the politics of the situation,” Ben Aris, editor of Business New Europe told RT….
####
See, nothing has changed. At least it looks like U-rope has learned its lesson. Not so the US. Russia hatin' is a too good 'dead cat on the table' to give up.
Posted by: et Al | Aug 30 2018 17:55 utc | 8
Just a few months to the mid-terms -- why, oh why, did the Dems waste the past 18 months with "Hillary didn't lose, the Russians stole it" ... the voting public has ZERO interest in that campaign; instead they want to heat plans about jobs, the economy. healthcare. education costs and for the other issues that the Dems and progressives fought for in the past.
Somehow, somewhere, a strong, charismatic leader has to be found to rally the true Democratic Party around messages that the party has always stood for; messages that hopefully would lead to regaining the House and Senate.
Posted by: Chet | Aug 30 2018 18:11 utc | 9
Respectfully disagree in a few places. Sorry this is long:
Repubs/Dems "reinventing" after 2008/2016 - The reinvention took place via intra-party politics: Tea party and the progressive-wing (i.e., inspired by Sanders). Both feature recognition that the main party leaderships severely twist the intention of the voters. While it is true that a lot of the electoral promises by the "new faces" are bound to be a bait-and-switch, there was and is change in the rhetoric.
Also, the issues driving US politics, from the point of view of the public at least, are largely domestic. Under Obama, foreign policy was removed from inter-party debate, and since 9/11, neither party dares question the national security
establishment. This doesn't mean that the big $$ sponsors of US politics aren't aware of foreign policy, it's just no longer part of the "debate". And the public seems to accept this.
That's why, to audiences who do put international relations first (such as probably a lot of readers of this blog), it all seems the same. It isn't, there are real challenges to the standard "corporate-friendly-centrist" Republican/Democrat pattern from both the left and the right. With the usual caveats, of course - but if you want to make the argument that
AOC or Sanders or whoever isn't "pure" enough - why don't you run for office, then? Or is it not even worth trying and we should just sit here and complain?
In my opinion, what they've accomplished is significant on its own, and even long-shot candidates (e.g. Cynthia Nixon vs Cuomo) have the effect of leading the corporate-centrist incumbent to adopt some of the challenger's rhetoric (unlikely to be realized in policy, but it is a small step nonetheless).
On the Republican side, the newcomers were so strong that a big part of Trump's purpose was to coopt them - to "stop Cruz", which he did with relative ease (and with a little help from Kasich, also in my opinion, as the states Kasich campaigned in were ones that were also competitive for Cruz). Of course Trump was mainly there to be a strawman for Clinton, but then the polls showed he could actually win. So there definitely were some shenanigans in the 2016 election, but that's another story entirely.
As for Russiagate - since most of today's US voters don't care much about foreign policy, but the all-important national security institutions do, it's probably not going away anytime soon, with the weirdest side effects. Starting with the Democrats' apparent eagerness to elevate the authority of all these former Bush administration officials - a group who are nationalist/neocon as much as anyone on team Trump, just with a slight variation in biases.
Posted by: uuu | Aug 30 2018 18:13 utc | 10
Some are now saying that "Russiagate", was an attempt to overthrow Trump if he was elected. Those proposing this view generally see the Steel dossier and Russian election interference as legitimate but believe that the Deep State used these to their own end.
IMO that is wrong-headed. Instead, it seems to me that "Russiagate" was ENTIRELY CONCOCTED, start to finish, by the Deep State (CIA-MI6 with support of key political figures). "Russiagate"
- legitimize Trump as beleaguered populist hero;The "faux populist" leadership model is very powerful and works very well with USA's inverted totalitarian form of government BUT THE LEADER MUST BE SEEN AS A "HERO". This requires:- drive anti-Russian public sentiment to mask USA/Western mistakes;
- obtain/retain a Deep-State "veto" on Trump who (like Obama) is a "team player" but not a life-long member of the Deep-State;
- created a "good cop" / "bad cop" negotiating stance.
- beating the establishment;- loyalists/apologists that excuse the inevitable betrayals ("obamabots", "trumptards").
Posted by: Jackrabbit | Aug 30 2018 18:14 utc | 11
Chet @9 - I can't tell if you're being sarcastic about what the Democratic Party has always stood for or not. If you're serious, the only thing the Democratic Party has stood for since Clinton I was moving to the right, cultivating FIRE sector (finance, insurance, real estate) campaign money, and stifling any movement to improve the lives of working people through improved single payer health care, a robust safety net, progressive and fair taxation, reducing defense spending and imperialism, or reducing the political role of oligarchs.
If, however, you were being sarcastic, then well played.
Posted by: worldblee | Aug 30 2018 18:18 utc | 12
"Somehow, somewhere, a strong, charismatic leader has to be found to rally the true Democratic Party...."
https://www.salon.com/2018/08/26/alexandria-ocasio-cortez-the-next-barack-obama/
Posted by: partizan | Aug 30 2018 18:21 utc | 13
https://www.salon.com/2018/08/26/alexandria-ocasio-cortez-the-next-barack-obama/
you'll find here all kind of classifications that liberal employs in its vocabulary. Left, hard left, centrist, right and anything in between. In the same time they are saying nothing as far as commoners are concerned.
https://www.marketwatch.com/story/40-of-americans-struggle-to-pay-for-one-basic-need-like-food-housing-or-health-care-2018-08-28?siteid=bigcharts&dist=bigcharts
Not surprisingly that's how the Ideological States Apparatuses works. If you add up into this mix a flavor of the Black Caucus you've got the Mafia (looting) State.
I read b's text not sure what it is about.
Posted by: partizan | Aug 30 2018 18:29 utc | 14
I'm (pleasantly) stunned to find that one of my long-winded comments merited consideration from Noirette and B. Vielen Dank, B.; I never expected to see "myself" above the fold, so to speak!
At US progressive-liberal sites, some self-identified "leftists" still disagree with what I may call our consensus.
The frustrating thing is that they acknowledge all of the points made in "our" post, but still insist that Ocasio-Cortez and other like her should be encouraged rather than "attacked" for her apparent shortcomings and contradictions. As usual, they deplore "the Left"'s supposed fatal flaw of engaging in "circular firing squads", and insist that fledgling candidates like AOC should be given a chance to prove her true "progressive" nature, etc. rather than being dismissed out of hand.
Reasonable people may reasonably disagree, but I continue to reject this well-intentioned tolerance as wishful thinking. I am persuaded of the correctness of the Iron Law of Oligarchy [Wikipedia entry, but a good summary].
Posted by: Ort | Aug 30 2018 18:33 utc | 15
@Ort | Aug 30, 2018 2:33:02 PM | 15
it appears at first glance that he stole everything from Aristotle.
Posted by: partizan | Aug 30 2018 18:37 utc | 16
uuu @10
I think you fail to see the importance of the international sphere to domestic politics.
USA relies on dollar hegemony. Losing that means recession and discontent; raising difficult questions.
The public may not be aware of what is at stake. But the political, financial, and military elite know the risk of failure.
They needed a guy who could communicate well to those with an inclination to fight and die for their country. Because that is the backstop to dollar hegemony - the ability and willingness to enforce it.
Posted by: Jackrabbit | Aug 30 2018 18:44 utc | 18
@daenish pointed to this Podesta/Wikileaks email:
>> On Feb 15, 2015, at 10:00 PM, John Podesta wrote:
>> If you are awake call me at 202-244-5673
>>> On Feb 15, 2015 9:52 PM, "Cheryl Mills" wrote:
>>> Here is Robby's List of the top 10 or so positions:
>>>
>>> Exec Chair - Podesta
>>> States Director - Marshall
>>> Political Director - Hispanic Woman
>>> Finance Director - Dennis Cheng
>>> National spokesperson - Karen Finney
>>> Manager - Mook
>>> Digital and Technology Director - Teddy
>>> Data/Analytics - Elan
>>> Communications/Research - Jen
>>> COO - TBD
>>> Policy - Jake
>>> Strategist - Joel Beneson [thought Jim and Mandy also count]
>>>
>>> 12 positions:
>>> 4 POC (2 Black; 1 Asian; 1 Hispanic)
>>> 4 Women (assuming COO is a white woman)
>>> 6 White Men
>>> 33% diverse
>>> 33% women
>>> 50% white men
Notice the third position "Hispanic woman" ...
Also:
How Long Was Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez Planning Her Run For Public Office?
AOC was a congress intern for Kennedy, an insider. A long planned career. Tweeted of John McCain's "human decency". There is not one progressive bone in her.
"She was selected for her looks / background (not the best re. the background, but there aren’t many candidates, which is very hopeful imho), her naiveté, ignorance, and submissive stance. "
Isn't that the way everything is today? We're looking at affirmative action politics.
The 'best' never even make it to college these days and are not hired.
MAGA? Cannot happen under these conditions.
Posted by: ken | Aug 30 2018 19:04 utc | 22
Ort @15
I was going to comment like B just did.
First, I heard about Ocasio-Cortez when she won the nomination, she was hailed as progressive, having worked as barista until very recently. Things that might give the impression she's grassroots, just rank and file Dem member who decided she had enough and opted to run. If this were true, such people should indeed be encouraged - whatever their opinions, actually, and whichever party they're a part of.
Instead, turns out she's been a Congress intern. Let me be clear: no one who's ever been directly involved with Congress should ever be allowed to run, that's the mark of a probably greedy, corrupt and at the very least power-hungry person.
At this point, Western peoples should realise at long last that the only way forward requires the complete dumping of all members of parliaments and of the higher levels of party apparatus; and by "dumping", I'd actually consider advising to go for the 1793/1917 way, if it were legally sound to much such a statement.
As for the Iron Law of Oligarchy, as Partizan says, it seems to basically be a part of Aristotle's Politics; his reasoning is wider-reaching since he sees the decay of political systems in all ways, democracies, oligarchies and monarchies all ending up as shitty versions, doomed to failure and eradication, of the better early system.
Posted by: Clueless Joe | Aug 30 2018 19:18 utc | 24
b @21
Watch it, b! John Halle may just have to label you a tankie!
Posted by: Martin Finnucane | Aug 30 2018 19:29 utc | 25
"First, I heard about Ocasio-Cortez when she won the nomination, she was hailed as progressive, having worked as barista until very recently."
He, he, he, he I have a good laugh.
https://www.tabletmag.com/jewish-news-and-politics/269094/who-is-julia-salazar
"As with Ocasio-Cortez, who had worked as a bartender in Manhattan less than a year before her primary victory..."
according to article she went from far-right to far-left, claiming her Jewish origin and son. Read for yourself. yes she is something what's called the Democratic Socialists of America. Dang!
Than she is not none of it.
https://www.cityandstateny.com/articles/politics/campaigns-elections/julia-salazar-misleading-claims
but hey she is Hispanic.
Posted by: partizan | Aug 30 2018 19:33 utc | 26
Thanks for this thread b (& Noirette), especially for drawing attention to this observation which I 'knew' but had never assimilated...
"Obama ran on a non-interventionist stance and a ‘re-set’ with Russia-relations platform, for which he was awarded the Peace Prize (which is not a recommendation). Trump did the same in a more loudmouthed vulgar pointed way and was vilified and is despised ‘to the death’ for it."
Thanks again for the "Bingo!" moment.
Posted by: Hoarsewhisperer | Aug 30 2018 19:41 utc | 27
It is actually a very good comment. And it is so true.
As a collector of butterflies in my youth, You put the insect in the killing bottle, and when it id dead it is displayed on its needle in its glory for all to to see.
The Democratic party in the US is neither Democratic nor a party. It is a gang of thieves masquerading as a political party, while robbing the citizens.
I know what Comrade Lenin would have done, and so would I.
Liberals IS the class enemy!
Posted by: Den Lille Abe | Aug 30 2018 19:41 utc | 28
Underneath everyone's observations/comments lurks the basic question: Why?
Enter the Big Picture provided yesterday by Pepe Escobar who also links to and cites the controversial Alastair Crooke ideological essay I linked to last week. Part of the Big Picture is the #1 policy goal of the Outlaw US Empire--Full Spectrum Dominance of the Planet--and its recently published National Defense Strategy(NDS) related to that goal:
"The central challenge to U.S. prosperity and security is the reemergence of long-term, strategic competition by what the National Security Strategy classifies as revisionist powers. It is increasingly clear that China and Russia want to shape a world consistent with their authoritarian model—gaining veto authority over other nations’ economic, diplomatic, and security decisions."
Do please note the combination of prevarication with ideology in the above as it's reflective of the point Crooke tried to make in his piece. A strategy based upon lies to oneself is a sure recipe for defeat as you're deceiving yourself which violates the first law of war as pronounced by so many: "All war is based on deception." But then given the political-economic nature of the USA's Keynesian Militarism, perhaps this deception is aimed domestically so as to transfer even more tax dollars upwards to the 1%. So, actions must be closely observed even more than usual.
During the election campaign, it was speculated that Trump's desire to ease tensions with Russia was a last-ditch gambit suggested by Kissinger to split the Chinese-Russian alliance. So, Russiagate served to defeat that gambit while pushing China and Russia even closer together. With the Syrian regime change ploy rapidly being defeated and Ukraine going nowhere, Deep State planners were left without an oar, so the reversion to Cold War Russophobia with an occasional bout of Sinophobia thrown in for good measure--neither of which is any sort of strategy.
Another quote from the NDS:
"Today, we are emerging from a period of strategic atrophy, aware that our competitive military
advantage has been eroding."
That was realized before Putin's display of highly advanced Russian weaponry, which was announced in March, the NDS was released in January. What's amazing is "strategic atrophy" with budgets beyond $600 billion must mean a massive portion's being wasted--delivered to the 1%--such that it's corruption that's caused the erosion of "our competitive advantage." I'd opine much of the chaos we see being played-up is done to obscure interpretations like mine so that even more $$$ can be wasted, although lip service is given to improvements.
So, who/what's really in charge? Big Money rules as it has since the Civil War within the USA and much earlier when we include London and Amsterdam. Big Money's angry because it's locked out of BRI, BRICS, EAEU, and developing nations are mostly on to IMF's and World Bank's disingenuous "development" plans because it abhors the notion that it's not Top Dog. So, the dollar got weaponized and the Trade and Financial War--the Hybrid Third World War--was finally begun in earnest after earlier fits and starts. Yet it appears that the effort will fail since Big Money is finding itself trapped inside a web of its own making that's based on a fiat currency supported by Junk Economics.
Posted by: karlof1 | Aug 30 2018 19:50 utc | 29
Baalbek writes [emphasis is mine]:
Righteous indignation about the stream of lies and distortions ... is about as effective as a 1984 era Soviet citizen grumbling about Pravda’s proclivity for propaganda. When will we begin to explore creating alternatives to the ... terminally compromised mainstream media?
. . .I apologize for my frustrated belligerent tone at times. I get the sense the full implications of what is happening today hasn’t really sunk in yet, that many people who are otherwise aware still believe salvation is only a general election away. We are already in the post-democratic era and the likes of the Atlantic Council and pro-establishment forces, in conjunction with billionaire oligarchs, have veto power over elected politicians whose job it is to uphold the empty illusion that we still live in democracies.
Posted by: Jackrabbit | Aug 30 2018 20:14 utc | 30
Jackrabbit @ 4 11 18 & 19: You are spot on with all those comments, including the comments on HRC. A career politician doesn't make the "mistakes" she made unless there are
ulterior motives. HRC and DJT serve the same class of people, and they sure as hell are not
the workers.
DJT's motives for his embrace of Russia has NOTHING to do with "doing the best for America",
his motives are purely serving self interest. He owes the Russian oligarchs billions.
Posted by: ben | Aug 30 2018 21:17 utc | 31
There's this..https://www.ft.com/trumptoronto
True? you decide.
Posted by: ben | Aug 30 2018 21:31 utc | 32
Dis regard my link it's a come-on for a subscription..sorry
Posted by: ben | Aug 30 2018 21:35 utc | 33
Too Funny! Trump whines, threatens pullout from WTO again! After decades of bullying nations and impoverishing their people, other nations are using the Outlaw US Empire's WTO as a weapon against it, so Trump cries Unfair! As I wrote above, Big Money's trapped within its own web.
The "Softies" are yet another entity in the Smoke & Mirrors Fun House designed to fool and gain citizenry's consent to be robbed blind. Russians already went through that and are very wary as illustrated by the very sensitive nature of the recent Pension System Reform Debate and legislation that Putin had to solve using his political capital. As with all politicians, you won't know what you elected until you learn how your rep votes issues, although some can be anticipated by examining their past behavior as with our pseudo Democrat-Socialist.
For dessert today, I offer Russia's Grand Strategy Revisited published on the 24th. The Outlaw US Empire is in the midst of a Seldon Crisis but lacks the means to even recognize the spectacular mess its made for itself, much of which is quite visibly articulated in its NDS I linked to above. By every metric I've observed, the USA's citizenry from all political POVs wants a return to Reality for that's the only basis from which to address and solve the many domestic problems. Big Money refuses as its addicted to Smoke & Mirrors since that's what was used to gain its power and will now double-down.
Posted by: karlof1 | Aug 30 2018 21:38 utc | 34
ben @31: [Trump] owes the Russian oligarchs billions.
What Russian oligarchs? Trump has said he has no loans from Russia and Newsweek (very anti-Trump) only found a few questionable buyers of Trump apartments in a Florida area that's close to a Russian community.
Posted by: Jackrabbit | Aug 30 2018 22:29 utc | 35
Once the "Russian election meddling" and "Putin puppet" memes were concocted as 1) a deflection from the Wikileaks DNC meddling scandal and 2) a smear to help assure that Trump couldn't be elected, the Dems painted themselves into a corner that they couldn't get out of once Trump was elected. They had made their scurrilous charges without anticipating that Trump would win. Throwing a smear during a campaign is one thing; conducting an investigation to shore up a smear is quite another. A campaign smear doesn't have to withstand scrutiny if it achieves its effect by dominating news cycles. But once they had thrown it and Trump was elected anyway, they were forced into a position where the smear needed to be shored up with bogus investigations. The alternative would have been an admission that the smear was just a smear.
Russia derangement is a response to having to deal with an independent regional power acting on its own interests. The only thing that could have defused it would have been if the Russians folded over the Crimea and Donbas, and not shown their agency in Syria. And of course "progressives" have latched onto the new McCarthyism in their aspirations to regain power. Not that I love Trump or the Republicans, but if "progressives" wake up after election day with results showing that it backfired, it will be a great day.
Posted by: Thirdeye | Aug 30 2018 22:41 utc | 36
Jackrabbit @18,19
As you say, the as far as the public is concerned, foreign policy has fallen way down the list of "most important issues". That's why it isn't surprising that the "progressive alternative" candidates fall short in that department - it's just not a top 10 issue for scoring points in politics.
And yea, neither Hillary nor Trump are worth much in that department. FWIW, AOC at least made direct mention of anti-militarism and anti-imperialism, which is more than most others can say. I consider that a big plus.
On the issue of dollar hegemony, quick opinion here:
1. The US, or more the US+CAN+MEX bloc together, is less dependent on external trade than any of the geopolitical rivals (China, Russia, EU - take your pick).
2. IMO, Dollar hegemony is more useful as an "offensive" tool in geopolitics, (i.e., threat of sanctions, carry trade -> influence over global interest rates), than as a necessity for economic well-being of the US itself.
Not sure if you're saying it is a vital thing worth defending. My point of view is its not worth alienating the world for (completely leaving aside morality, or even considerations of consistency and future reciprocity in rule-of-law, such as it is).
Posted by: uuu | Aug 30 2018 22:44 utc | 37
The mid-terms will tell the tale. Too many seats for the borg to handle all at once.
This slow drip of revelations about just how sleazy Trump actually is does not bode well for his future as a politician. Is it all fake? He didn't do all those lowlife moves?
I just wonder what you bunch of deep thinkers will do when the truth is laid bare. And it's coming. There's gonna be so much evidence that Trump and mobbed-up Russians were as thick as thieves that I fear for your dim-witted health.
Posted by: peter | Aug 30 2018 22:51 utc | 38
People who are not represented are powerless.
So anybody claiming that it is useless to engage in politics has a very clear agenda.
To keep people powerless.
The only remedy against racism is to be represented.
The only remedy against discrimination is to be represented.
And anybody going back to Aristotle opts for slavery.
Posted by: somebody | Aug 30 2018 23:13 utc | 40
What a smorgasbord of delight, thanks to b and Noirette, as well as a main course meal from karlof1 and Pepe (I haven't yet got to dessert, but so enjoyed Pepe's tour de force - he must so enjoy crafting his continuing message. I picture him, hands off the keyboard, chortling away at the latest inspired wordplay - eat your heart out, Heraclitus!)
Oh my, who would have thought of the three monkeys "see no...hear no...do no" paperweight of my youth - Mackinder, Spykman, Mahan - I never heard of those guys before! And oh, Kissinger, you are got: "...the pre-eminent, post mod Delphic Oracle..."
I can only add that T.S.Eliot used two quotations from Heraclitus as the epigraph for his monumental "Four Quartets" which spanned experiences before and during World War Two. The second is "The way up is the way down" and the first, more difficult to translate, is:
"Though the logos is universal, the many live as having a particular understanding [of it all, or of life]."
And now, dessert!
Posted by: juliania | Aug 30 2018 23:16 utc | 41
uuu @37--
China has the biggest internal market on the planet, India being #2. The EU has a bigger internal market than USA. Eurasia combined has a market in excess of 3 billion people. Big Money fears the establishment of BRI, which is why its suddenly fighting it and using Trump's MAGA as a slogan. By seeking to stomp on most every nation's neck, the Outlaw US Empire has alienated almost every nation on the planet; very few will weep when it finally fails.
Posted by: karlof1 | Aug 30 2018 23:25 utc | 42
peter @38--
Replace Trump with Clinton in your missive and you'd be almost 100% correct!
Posted by: karlof1 | Aug 30 2018 23:27 utc | 43
uuu @37:As you say, the as far as the public is concerned , foreign policy has fallen way down the list of "most important issues".
"I didn't say that. I'm pretty sure that I've made the point that the public is deliberately misled. Polling reflects media narratives.
That's why it isn't surprising that the "progressive alternative" candidates fall short in that department.
FYI the Democratic Party has made a conscious choice to de-emphasis foreign affairs and military issues. Even most "progressive alternative" candidates within the Party will follow Party strategy.
Posted by: Jackrabbit | Aug 30 2018 23:36 utc | 45
Hmmm....anyone know what Reality Winner leaked (and was sentenced to five years in prison for)? It has something to do with Russian influence apparently. Funny how the Russiagate media never reported it. Of course you lot will claim its a forgery or something because if America is all bad, Russia must be all good. Maybe the Russians did "interfere" but not to the extent claimed by the Russiagate fanatics. Given the evidence it might even be true. But go ahead and wait to be rescued by your infallible and Godlike strongman Putin riding in on his white steed. Hey, it's a post modern world and you can make up reality as you go along.
Posted by: Temporarily Sane | Aug 30 2018 23:58 utc | 46
Somebody @40:
Your comment implies that people should continue to bang their heads against a wall.
In fact, no one has said NOT to participate in politics. To be effective, it's important to understand the reality of politics and the power structure.
Landmark Princeton University Study: Testing Theories of American Politics: Elites, Interest Groups, and Average Citizens demonstrates that US is an oligarchy not a democracy:
Multivariate analysis indicates that economic elites and organized groups representing business interests have substantial independent impacts on U.S. government policy, while average citizens and mass-based interest groups have little or no independent influence. The results provide substantial support for theories of Economic-Elite Domination ...
Posted by: Jackrabbit | Aug 31 2018 0:01 utc | 47
@ 35 asked: What Russian oligarchs?
Fair question, this link is a start, but until his financial records are public knowledge,(AKA tax returns), maybe then we'll know more. Until then,I admit my feelings are supposition. As are 80% of the opinions expressed here..
https://www.politico.com/magazine/story/2016/12/trump-russia-intelligence-need-to-know-214520
Posted by: ben | Aug 31 2018 0:16 utc | 48
Here's another take:
"Donald Trump's businesses owe $1.8bn to more than 150 different institutions, new study suggests"
Posted by: ben | Aug 31 2018 0:21 utc | 49
I watched Trump when he was up against the other Repub candidates; he loves a fight and he loves to win. I think it is possible he went into the race as a bit of a lark and once in saw it was winnable and went for the throat.
I half suspect he told Hillary in the beginning that his candidacy was all in fun; he didn't realize then that he was up against a crime cartel that reduces the Borgias to the level of the Clamperts.
He began to suspect he was up against something more sinister than he realized during their debates but it wasn't until the head of the NSA dropped by the WH that he had the full picture. So is he part of the machine, not in my book. Watch the CNN interviewer of Sununu and what happens when he refuses to criticize Trump: youtube.com/watch?v=fsIUThw0fuc&feature=youtu.be&t=3m57s
He may have luck on his side if the Repub win in November and if Repub get both houses we will see what he is made of. I hope to be pleasantly surprised.
Posted by: frances | Aug 31 2018 0:51 utc | 50
@4
I must admit some parts of your comment are brilliant. See what you can do when you put down the Trump juice? I'm addressing those who are still guzzling the Trump bullshit.
It's a Zionist-rigged duopoly. Trump is the best crowd-pleaser yet. That's why the uber-Zionist Dershowitz and uber-Neocon Giuliani were assigned to defend Trump on every outlet. The masters trotted out their finest advocates to defend Trump, but in the end it's all smoke and mirrors to suppress the suspicion that both sides are one and the same working towards a common end.
Both parties fall over themselves and stab each other in the back to please the masters and love them more. That's all there is to see here. Anyone who believes America's a democracy is truly delusional.
Posted by: Circe | Aug 31 2018 0:51 utc | 51
b-
I may not have posted the link in my comment above correctly, it should have been:
https://t.co/cPKsAIappl
My sincere apologies:(
Posted by: frances | Aug 31 2018 0:55 utc | 52
IMO Russia gate is a cover for the Dems to make no change to their playbook. It also gives Trump an excuse to not deliver on some campaign promises he never intended to deliver on, much like Obama and many other Presidents. Its a great distraction keeping people from looking at the biggest foreign influence on government and elections, which is Israel
Whether intended or not Russia gate also serves to strengthen Putin at home in the face of an external threat and keep them on their neoliberal path such as cutting pensions to support their MIC in the face of the US threat, and it will allow EU members to increase their own military spending to meet Trumps demands and many of those Euros will flow to the US
IMO this is a carefully planned psyops and con game with each party playing their role and facilitating the execution of the ruling elites game plan. Sure, there are different factions and some infighting is allowed to maintain an illusion of Democracy for the proles, but the only Democracy is at the level of the ruling elite during their many private meetings of various elite groups that need not be named since they are so well known
Posted by: Pft | Aug 31 2018 1:05 utc | 53
That's why candidates like Ron Paul on the Republican side and Denis Kucinich on the Democratic side never stood a chance. They made way too much sense; they dared speak truth to power so they had to be marginalized by their respective parties so no one would take them seriously. They were literally swallowed up by the duopoly and relegated to quasi-obscurity.
Posted by: Circe | Aug 31 2018 1:06 utc | 54
Trumps campaign was so well thought out and timed that he obliterated everyone in the primaries. Is there a faction of the deep dark state behind him? Probably. The military appears to have backed Trump and the three letter agencies minus the DIA and a few others backed Hillary.
This is why we see the 95% negative coverage of Trump by media systems well infiltrated by the three letter boys and girls. Despite that he has managed to hold a decent rating in the polls and has been knocking the stuffing out of the deep state republicans in the various elections.
Now who released the famous DNC emails? I am guessing the Obama crowd did it to damage Hillary and her cronies. It knocked out her DNC head and they placed Donna Brazil in who damaged Hillary more on CNN. Why? His faction consolidates power from the aging Clinton structure and sets up the election with his candidate in 2020 which could be his significant other. They would have to think Trump to be a beatable buffoon after 4 years as they think their way is better.
By setting up Trump with the phony Russian charges they have damaged him but not among his ardent supports which are significant. As that phony story peters out they have moved to other alleged high crimes outside the special prosecutors office that can continue unhindered during the election cycle. The first phase of this was armed beforehand by Obama and Clinton bureaucrats which are slowly being pushed out.
Despite Trumps twitter feed which seems to bind his base he has deftly maneuvered and achieved many of his promised accomplishments. He has peace in Asia on his fingertips and trade deals which may turn his way on some fronts in time.
Trump has many dirty secrets he can release and one is that China has been running massive operations inside the deep state under the noses of the democrats. Many feel that Clinton has been running a drop box on her hidden server basically selling national security secrets for a donation to her foundation.
Trump may yet pull his chestnuts out of the fire.
Posted by: dltravers | Aug 31 2018 1:12 utc | 55
@24
greedy, corrupt and at the very least power-hungry person.
hmmm...that describes Trump to a T!...AND he wasn't even selected from Congress. Like the wolf would say to naive Red Riding Hood: the better to fool you, my dear!
Posted by: Circe | Aug 31 2018 1:47 utc | 56
dltravers
... he obliterated everyone in the primaries.
Nothing to see here? LOL.
... faction of the deep dark state ...
We're saved! 'factions' means debate and debate means no fascism. Oh wait ...
... deftly maneuvered and achieved many of his promised accomplishments.
Ummm... he was going to 'win' via negotiation. But now we have trade wars.
Ummm... he was going to get us out of the middle east. We're STILL in Afghanistan and Syria.
Ummm... he was going to elminate Obamacare ("on day 1", I believe). That hasn't happened.
Ummm... "drain the swamp?" Nope.
Trump has many dirty secrets he can release ...
If he had them and he was independent, he would release them.
Have you been drinking the Qanon Kool-Aid?
Trump may yet pull his chestnuts out of the fire.
Those are the American people's nuts roasting in the MAGA fire.
Posted by: Jackrabbit | Aug 31 2018 1:54 utc | 57
Jackrabbit@35
what russian oligarchs?
House of Trump, House of Putin has some interesting stuff.
The US and the UK, unlike most Western democracies, permit anonymous ownership of real estate which facilitates money laundering of roughly $ 300 billion per year in the United States alone, most of it from Russia. As a result, luxury real estate has provided a haven for Russian oligarchs
According to a BuzzFeed investigation by Thomas Frank, more than 1,300 condos, one-fifth of all Trump-branded condos sold in the US since the eighties, were sold “in secretive, all-cash transactions that enable buyers to avoid legal scrutiny by shielding their finances and identities.” The BuzzFeed article added that the total value of these condo sales—sales that match the US Treasury’s criteria for possible money laundering—was about $ 1.5 billion, a figure that actually may understate the amount of dirty money in play.
Starting in 2006, Donald Jr., executive vice president of development and acquisitions for the Trump Organization, made about half a dozen trips to Russia over the course of a year and a half. “In terms of high-end product influx into the US, Russians make up a pretty disproportionate cross-section of a lot of our assets, ....We see a lot of money pouring in from Russia.”
After a decade of litigation, multiple bankruptcies, and $ 4 billion in debt, Trump rose from the near-dead with the help of Bayrock and its alleged ties to Russian intelligence and the Russian Mafia. “They saved his bacon,” said Kenneth McCallion, a former federal prosecutor
Another Bayrock partner, the Sapir Organization, had, through its principal, oligarch Tamir Sapir, a long business relationship with Semyon Kislin, the Ukranian billionare commodities trader who was tied to the Chernoy brothers and, according to the FBI, to Vyacheslav Ivankov’s Russian mafias gang in Brighton Beach.
Trumps man Giuliani appointed Kislin to be a member of the New York City Economic Development Corporation
Kushner paid $295 million for some of the floors in the old New York Times building, purchased in 2015 from the US branch of Israili-Russian oligarch Leviev’s company, Africa Israel Investments (AFI), and partner, Five Mile Capital.
Kushner later borrowed $285 million from the German financial company Deutsche Bank, which has also been linked to Russian money laundering,
The Trumps Taj Mahal had become a favorite destination for the Russian mob because Trump made a point of giving high rollers “comps” for up to $ 100,000 a visit, an amenity that casinos often offered big-time gamblers. Later, two other Trump casinos, the Trump Castle Hotel and Casino, and the Trump Plaza Hotel and Casino, agreed to pay fines for “willfully failing to report” currency transactions over $ 10,000 and failing to comply with laws designed to prevent money laundering.
There is not a major Russian organized crime figure who we are tracking who does not also carry an Israeli passport,” said Jonathan Winer, the former money-laundering czar in the Clinton State Department.
Trump World Tower, one-third of the units on the tower’s highest and priciest floors, floors seventy-six to eighty-three,* had been snatched up, either by individual buyers from the former Soviet Union, or by limited liability companies connected to Russia or countries that had been part of the Soviet Union. “We had big buyers from Russia and Ukraine and Kazakhstan,” sales agent Debra Stotts told Bloomberg Businessweek. Ukrainian billionaire Semyon “Sam” Kislin assisted the sales effort by issuing mortgages to buyers of Trump’s latest luxury condos.
Trump Tower in Toronto. When it came to financing the skyscraper, Shnaider, a billionaire of Russian extraction, turned to Raiffeisen Bank International AG in Vienna, a bank whose affiliate has been called “a front to provide legitimacy to the gas company [US-indicted Russian crime boss Semion Mogilevich] controls, RosUkrEnergo,” according to Scott F. Kilner, deputy chief of mission for the US embassy in Austria. So it followed that it was likely that funds from the Mogilevich-Firtash money pipeline were behind the Trump project in Toronto.
Then there is the Chabad connection of the Kushners and Putin backed Russian oligarchs, but no time for that
Posted by: Pft | Aug 31 2018 1:59 utc | 58
@24
Aristotle posited that Oligarchy was the shitty version of Aristocracy. And current "democracy," as practiced with no genuine view toward the common good, would also qualify as one of his shitty versions. Just saying.
Posted by: zakukommander | Aug 31 2018 2:48 utc | 59
Pft
Thanks for the run down on possible Russian connections. Russians needing to launder money isn't exactly a straight line to the Kremlin.
And what of his rumored connections to the Italian mob? You know, they are all connected to the Pope.
I bet he sold expensive apartments to Arabs too. Does Trump have terrorist connections?
And he bragged about his Chinese customers!
Mueller?!?!
Posted by: Jackrabbit | Aug 31 2018 2:54 utc | 61
Pft
Clarifying: it's good info about the suspicions of Trump-Russian connections. I appreciate you're being helpful in providing that.
Mueller has had over a year to investigate. No doubt he can call on vast resources of US govt too. For all that effort, Mueller has not shown direct Russian govt influence (yet).
Posted by: Jackrabbit | Aug 31 2018 3:04 utc | 63
@57
JR, ben was right on that point. I would put it this way: Trump is owned by Zionist Russian Oligarchs with dual citizenship. Haaretz has an article Know your oligarch: A guide to the Jewish billionaires in the Trump Russia probe.
It would be great if the Mueller probe exposes how minor Russia collusion is compared to Zionist collusion. Ergo the big prizes for Israel and status quo for Russia under Trump.
I suspect that most still pushing the Trump illusion here are Zionists who care squat about party and American democracy but are really pleased with what Trump is doing for Israel i.e. MIGA and the Zionist American collusion that is growing exponentially with each successive American President. Trump is their man and he's being well-supported by Zionists even here disguised as Russia lovers, populists and Hillary haters. Let's not forget how many Russians are Zionists: over one million in Israel, not to mention Soviet Jews from former Soviet territory. So the numbers are much greater. An army of hasbara on the web.
Let's just say there's a huge incentive to sell the Trump illusion and push the Trump juice around here. It's concealed hasbara masquerading as Trumpism, plain and simple! Shameless pretense and very transparent.
Posted by: Circe | Aug 31 2018 3:18 utc | 64
At Jackrabbit 4
Thanks for this, Your post should have been up on the top not Noirette's with all due respect to both posters. I can't take these comments 'The deep state is in scare mode' serious anymore, it's the average Qanon follower who thinks Trump is now going to go after pedophile democrats, wait for it, any moment now. Trump is not going to be impeached and he is doing exactly as he's told. Nothing more, nothing less. He rants about what is already known to the majority of his voter base, that the media is controlled and propaganda, that secret is out in the open for an increasing number of people and the CIA knows this, so you put another layer of deceit on top, which is Trump.
Posted by: Alexander P | Aug 31 2018 3:21 utc | 65
I'm not surprised by what is happening to the USA after Trump's victory. The American oligarchy is not homogenous: there are a plethora of interests at the top.
But, in my opinion, what offends the elite the most is that Trump is eroding America's soft power, its image to the rest of the world, its allies and enemies. Remember: this is not 1946 anymore, the USA can't keep its alliance through infrastructure investment a la Marshall Plan, so appearances are as important as ever.
Now, as I've already stated many times here in this blog, there are three main orientations/doctrines in the American elite: 1) establishment/mainstream/Wolfowitz Doctrine/Russophobia, which states Russia is the threat to the USA because it inherited the USSR's nuclear arsenal and kept 90% of its territory and people 2) "Clash of Civilizations"/Sinophobia, which states China is the new enemy because it is a big and represents the culture of the "East", against the culture of the "West". This is Trump's doctrine, possibly (probably) infused to him by Steven Bannon, and 3) The Chicoms, which states China is both the cultural/commercial main rival and the successor state of the USSR (as the torch-bearer of socialism in the world). These orientations clash all the time, so one time one is dominant, another time another one is dominant etc.
The main contradiction, though is between the American nationalist impulse and the inexorable movement of capitalism to dissolve national barriers. We are witnessing the dissolution of the Manifest Destiny, the ideology which states the American national interests are equal to those of world capitalism.
So, in a desperate move to keep the MD alive and reverse Mackinder's prophecy (that Eurasia is the natural center of human civilization), the Americans need a way to balkanize Russia. See, for example, this article of 2014, where an Ukrainian ideologue connected to the West (through Radio Free Europe/Liberty), revives Brzezinski's 1997 plan of dissecting Russia in 8 parts (of which only 3-4 would be sovereign countries):
(Redrawing the Map of the Russian Federation: Partitioning Russia After World War III?) https://www.globalresearch.ca/redrawing-the-map-of-the-russia-federation-partitioning-russia-after-world-war-iii/5400748
I see that JR has finally come around to recognising Trump that 'great white hope' is just another deep state front man.
We'r seeing some progress !
hhhhhh
Posted by: denk | Aug 31 2018 3:30 utc | 67
Mr Jackrabbit
I did not say we were saved.
I did not say his agenda is compete totally nor a success totally nor did I say it could be complete in a few years if ever completely.
I did not say were were saved by a faction of the deep state. Believing that would end is a fools paradise
I said MANY not ALL of his accomplishments are complete and considering the opposition one thing complete is a miracle.
We have trade wars but Mexico settled, Canada is back on the table and Europe has TODAY made a generous offer that he turned down.
He is negotiating with the Taliban and pulled out of Southern Syria. Do you expect a microwave dinner? Is it going to happen in just two short years?
Do not expect it all in a few days. I never said that. The journey to change is long and the deep state will never go away.
I do not give a rats backside about MAGA but the turmoil is entertaining and watching the LEFT wine and the old Republicans moan is very entertaining.
Posted by: dltravers | Aug 31 2018 3:44 utc | 68
AP @ 65 said in part;"Trump is not going to be impeached and he is doing exactly as he's told. Nothing more, nothing less."
I agree totally with that sentence. Wish it wasn't so, but with the grip the aristocracy has on the U$A, I can't see any other reality.
As stated by an earlier poster, " Anyone who believes America is a democracy is delusional."
Posted by: ben | Aug 31 2018 3:49 utc | 69
JR
There's a difference between direct Russian gov influence and finding Trump linked to Russian financing; lots of it. The real question is who benefits and who benefitted already? Definitely not Russia; only in so much as the military is not involved, but then Russian Zionists are not interested in military aggression on Russia. So who benefitted? Israel, and I'm sure Mueller already has the answer. The question is: will he come out and state in his report who benefitted from the massive Russian oligarchy investment in Trump? I doubt it. Besides,Trump has Israel's favorite lawyer Dershowitz doing damage control for him. His ass is covered.
Posted by: Circe | Aug 31 2018 4:06 utc | 70
dltravers
I understand your point of view. But I've made a case (starting @4) that Trump, and Obama before him, are basically front-men. To the Deep State, your attachment to one party or one political personality is a lever to work you (and others that have the same affiliations/beliefs). You (and others) have to understand that you're being played before you can actually change anything for the better.
Hope that helps.
Posted by: Jackrabbit | Aug 31 2018 4:06 utc | 71
Posted by: frances | Aug 30, 2018 8:51:13 PM | 50
(Trump's just for a lark candidacy)
I agree with your perspective, but am quite confident that he had contemplated and resolved the "do-able?" issue during the decade or more BEFORE he entered the race. He had ready-made answers to ALL of the anodyne drivel he'd be obliged to endure and refute from the moment he first opened his mouth as a candidate.
Posted by: Hoarsewhisperer | Aug 31 2018 4:35 utc | 72
@65
Here is a scenario in which Trump might be impeached:
If Trump were impeached Pence would become President. Trump came into power because he wanted to tear up the Iran deal and Hillary wanted to keep Obama's deal with Iran. Zionists have been pushing for a U.S. strike on Iran for years. Bush wouldn't do it; Obama got the deal; Hillary wasn't going to tear up the deal, so Trump was their man. Now, it's possible that Zionists fear Trump won't go all the way on Iran; but no doubt Pence would.
Maybe now that Trump gave them Jerusalem and tore up the deal; Pence will finish the job that Trump might not have the stomach for. If this is the case, then Trump might be impeached or something will surface in the Southern District that will give way to an indictment against him. It's very possible that if Zionists are sensing hesitation on Trump's part they will turn on him before the election and put Pence in his place. Pence was also handpicked by them and now with Bolton and Pompeo in place the way is paved for an attack on Iran.
There is another possibility however. If Trump's Presidency is threatened with impeachment; it's possible also that Trump will resort to wag the dog and attack Iran before to have Congress rally around him.
It's going to come down to Iran, because after Syria; Iran was the next target with Zionists and Neocons.
Posted by: Circe | Aug 31 2018 4:52 utc | 73
Alexander P
Thanks. They don't make it easy to connect the dots!
I recognized and blogged about the similarities between Trump and Obama from April 2017. But only about 2 months ago did I link Kissinger's Op-Ed and MAGA despite my recognition AT THE TIME that what Kissinger proposed was, as I have called it elsewhere, a 'declaration of war'.
This is what I wrote shortly after Kissinger's Op-Ed was published in August 2014:
My reading is that Kissinger is asserting that the US can and should do whatever it takes to keep the US preeminent – even if that means ignoring allies and/or the post-war international structure (UN, UNSC). That exceptional! message comes through loud and clear despite his ‘triage’ formalism. And it is a message that is comforting to the elite who read the WSJ (before a holiday weekend), though it should give Joe Sixpack nightmares if fully understood.There is a lot more there which would take much longer to unpack. But I’ll point to one more thing: Note how he forms an equivalence between all the troubles that the ‘West’ now face, and ignores US/Western actions that have contributed to these conflicts by conflating them. NC readers understand this via Merschemer’s (in today’s links) work on Ukraine and many links regarding ISIS (like this one).
This comforting message [from Kissinger] is needed because the Ukraine gambit has failed miserably – as many independent oberservers [sic] predicted– and a deeper conflict with Russia (possibly extending to others) is now in the cards. Like the true neocon that he is, Kissinger has doubled down on Nuland’s obnoxious and misguided “f*ck the EU” with an exceptional! “f*ck the World”.
God help us.
Posted by: Jackrabbit | Aug 31 2018 4:55 utc | 74
Circe @73
I wrote about the possibility that Trump may not want to be a war President when Cohen and Manafort were convicted.
I differ with you in that I think it would be Trump's choice. If Trump wants to hand the reigns to Pence (friend of McCain), he just needs to pardon Cohen and Manafort - then resign (knowing that he would be impeached if he didn't).
Posted by: Jackrabbit | Aug 31 2018 5:05 utc | 75
Mr. jackrabbit,
I agree completely. Trump is backed by a faction of the deep state. If I had to pick factions I would pick Trumps. We do not have much of a choice.
8 years of Hillary on top of 8 years of Bill (no pun intended) on top of 20 years of Bush (8 as VP under Reagan plus the other terms of the squad) is just enough.
Obama's mom was a lifelong CIA officer. That is why he was living on embassy row when he was a kid in Indonesia. They got people in the pipe to be president. Obama was one of their long term projects. Both sides have this tutelage thing going where they pick out young people and mentor them as they show the traits needed that they are looking to build and enhance into a person. If they show that they will follow orders and have the right mindset they then support them and place them into various positions.
Trump was not one of them but he was the right guy at the right time and knew they players, especially the Zionists. I am convinced that his backers war gamed his candidacy with AI.
Of course, This is part speculation and part fact based on a hell of a lot of reading and experience.
Posted by: dltravers | Aug 31 2018 5:05 utc | 76
I don't see Russia in the crosshairs; it would be too risky anyway. I see Iran next on the agenda.
Posted by: Circe | Aug 31 2018 5:05 utc | 77
Noirette, you are trapped in the Ort Cloud of Red- versus Blue- Galactic Koolaid, in which somehow we are stress-positioned and waterboarded every single day by the Three Fakirs and the Elephant.
In the case of the first person, whose hand landed on the trunk, said "This Trump is like a snake". Actually, the Deep Purple Mil.Gov UniParty is more like an anaconda, constricting the life out of its thralls.
For another one whose hand reached its ear, 'It seems I am a fan of Trump. MAGA!' Well, of course you are. Your No Taxes for the Rich have created an elephantine $890B Deficit, and now Trump is forced to 'cancel' the Deep Purple Mil.Gov UniParty salaries and benefits increase. Of course, in the next 30 days he will 'unwillingly' sign the next -$1,500B Omnibus Debt Bill Two, restoring those salary and pension raises.
As for another person, whose hand was upon the elephant's leg, said, 'Trump is a pillar like a mighty tree-trunk in the forest.' The power behind the throne that makes him a pillar, are the pillagers, the IMF/WB and ECB and Fed and former-Soviet financial Mafiya busy extorting and destroying nations around the globe. Now it's Argentina.
So you'll forgive me for rubbing my pantsleg, but your Red- versus Blue- Teen Spirit is like watching John Travolta in Grease. You know the Deep Purple Mil.Gov UniParty is going to devour the USA, but it's much more exciting to call it disco.
Saying the demise of the world's financial state is 'failed populist socialism', and Trump is a real patriot, is like the NAZIs saying the deplorable conditions of the death camps are because the inmates are not taking enough showers.
Posted by: Chipnik | Aug 31 2018 5:19 utc | 78
@ Noirette who wrote:
"
The ‘soft progressive liberal set’ - just as ‘Dems’ and ‘Reps’ - don’t really present a political ideology, framework, view-point, or even low-level adherence and/or claims. They are cover for an underlying hidden structure: informal tribes/circuits and sections in an oligarchic corporatist régime, or even something different, which I won’t go into now.
"
I am intrigued by the "....or even something different, which I won’t go into now." part and encourage you to share your thoughts but let me go back to the rest of the cover as you call it for the hidden structure. I offer a friendly upgrade to your "oligarchic corporatist régime" characterization by adding monotheistic religion which says all the tribes are not informal in your mix. I think they were/are the brainwashing outlet before mass media and still account for the core faith based delusion so many have and extend to other facets of their lives....so they don't have to take personal responsibility is my life-experience call.
Unrelated, but want to add my fervor to the calling out of ongoing war criminal Henry Kissinger. I am not one to focus my ire on too many individuals, wanting us all to focus on the structure, BUT, there are reasonable exceptions to all rules and Henry K deserves a special place in everyones hell including his own.
Posted by: psychohistorian | Aug 31 2018 5:20 utc | 79
JR
Trump is not going to pardon Cohen or Manafort unless it benefits Trump. Trump is all about HIM. The only reason he'd do it is to avoid criminal indictment.Trump will not stick his neck out for anyone if it will end his Presidency. If Manafort and Cohen have something on Trump; he's doomed. I don't see how Manafort has the guts to risk another prosecution especially with the fear that Trump won't be able to pardon him. Trump will only pardon him if he knows Manafort knows something and Manafort doesn't act on fear to spill it first. In that case Trump will choose the lessor of two evils: resignation over indictment and then the pardon will confirm he committed a crime; because he won't rescue Manafort or Cohen for any other reason. If Manafort holds out under such tremendous pressure is a pretty big IF. Of course there is the possibility that Manafort knows nothing, will be prosecuted and so Trump will let him rot in prison rather than assuming risk for himself.
Posted by: Circe | Aug 31 2018 5:51 utc | 80
JR
One more thing: if you suspect he's not a war President then imagine how his Zionist handlers see it. If he can't deliver Iran; they'll turn on him and find a way to replace him with Pence or let him finish his first term and then replace him.
Posted by: Circe | Aug 31 2018 6:03 utc | 81
JR is spot on; The Orange Buffoon and the "witchhunt" against him (just like the "Qanon" Hollywood-style drama-thriller) are smoke and mirrors to keep the peasants occupied with bullcrap, while the cleptofascists are done robbing you blind...
The simple truth is that all "western" societies and democracies are hijacked by (((Transformer Borgs))) and, contrary to what (((snake-oil salesmen))) in $5 000 suits tell you, there is no way out of this mess through a ballot.
Posted by: LXV | Aug 31 2018 6:26 utc | 82
he, he, he, we are: self-delusional, we suffer from cognitive dissonance, intellectually dishonest feel free to add anything to it.....
Posted by: partizan | Aug 31 2018 7:01 utc | 83
The mess that is the dem party and the rethugs party whose slide into irrelevancy has only been temporarily halted by agent orange's success must be considered in toto rather than the usual method of examining each individually and then praising one and condemning the other, or vice versa.
Those who imagine the entire dreary conglomeration are making minute planned strategies and bringing them successfully to life have either never been close to a large human endeavor over an extended period or, if they have, they became too distracted by the bells and whistles to pay close attention to the actual for real machinations of humans who get a gig 'by right' in an established powerful instrument of velvet gloved oppression.
It is the end of the road for the duopolistic amerikan empire party. The disparate pieces comprised as they are of incompetent time servers whose life of privilege & accompanying lack of criticism/brown nosing by each piece's circle of apparatchik wannabes causes them to wrongly conclude they are more capable than they actually are, just cannot fit together.
Consequently, and absolutely par for the course, the half smart and all mean drongos make the error of believing that it is their actions which have caused any success and others mistakes that have been at the root of all failures. "But we (the royal we natch) have genuine talent" - so they believe.
None of these types understand in the slightest what they are doing.
However rather than yet another critique of the latest dem flash in the pan - too much reaction from the chatterers has made the job of sieving through her droppings sheer tedium, lets consider something which both major factions of incompetent time servers have been yapping about all week. That is the John McCain fest. Not the miserable old c*nt itself, nor the hypocrisies attached to this celebration of a prime example of the 3rd rate fool now promoted into sainthood, but the actual mechanics of the McCain death inspired orgy of wailing & gnashing with its ineffective outcome for both major factions of the elite, the traditional "cut a deal with the MSM old guard, and the more recent "F*ck the media lets just make it up as we go along then publish it ourselves on social networks", more recent-guard.
Neither have succeeded in their primary aim however it is doubtful whether that reality will ever be acknowledged. No matter. People know what they felt and the vehemence of the mealy-mouthed criticsm of those who failed to agree with McCain's shiny new halo has ensured that most will obstinately cling to their view of McCain much longer than the fork tongues of the media will prefer.
It has become obvious that led by McCain himself as it was, McCain's death and the subsequent week of celebration was planned in detail over the last 12 months or so. McCain whose position as ancient guardian of the rethug party's 'soul' (irony alert) was rendered to rubble the instant agent orange won, so has been in open conflict with the trumpists since the kick off of the 2016 rethug primary, had decided to make his death into a middle finger aimed squarely at agent orange. This has been a total failure - just more preaching to the choir.
Even DC town bike Joe Biden who attempted to bring histrionics about, of all things 'gentlemanly behaviour' into the mix, had zero cut thru.
Apart from the rather obvious incongruity of shouting and emoting on the use of etiquette whilst bipartisanly selling citizens down the river, Biden's presence merely confirmed to any wavering rethug true believers that the entire week was a dem ploy and that McCain had indeed been a traitor.
If one bothers to glance through the reams of verbiage on McCain the man, altho he may have started off the week described as a humanitarian hero, (chokes back bile), pushback from readers and viewers
across the spectrum of amerikan delusion shifted the focus away from such lofty claims within 24 hours, reducing the valedictories to either a weak-arsed defense of a charlatan or more often a sort of agreeing with critics but damning them with faint praise type stance, a nothing but a waste of space result for the sainthood nominators.
It should be no surprise that in synchronicity with the dem, wet rethug veiled pops at agent orange, that the man himself (teh aforesaid orange fellow) also stumbled heavily in his attempt to demonstrate faux deference to McCain whose purpose was to enable Don the drongo's attempt to denigrate McCain. The today half mast, tomorrow fully flying, wait no, half mast is what we said to the minions carry-on should leave no doubt in anyone's mind that the trumpists are as equally incompetent as the neolibs they replaced.
Couldn't manage a brothel on a troop ship is an apt description for both cadres of dipsh1ts.
Yes they do cause a lot damage to a lot of decent people, but neither clusterf**k is able to effectively energise and implement the type of permanent destruction they long to inflict upon the rest of us.
Posted by: Debsisdead | Aug 31 2018 7:04 utc | 84
"The simple truth is that all "western" societies and democracies are hijacked by (((Transformer Borgs)))"
No by Cthulhu
Posted by: partizan | Aug 31 2018 7:07 utc | 85
George Orwell - 8 December 1944
http://www.telelib.com/authors/O/OrwellGeorge/essay/tribune/AsIPlease19441208.html
FOR years past I have been an industrious collector of pamphlets, and a fairly steady reader of political literature of all kinds. The thing that strikes me more and more—and it strikes a lot of other people, too—is the extraordinary viciousness and dishonesty of political controversy in our time. I don’t mean merely that controversies are acrimonious. They ought to be that when they are on serious subjects. I mean that almost nobody seems to feel that an opponent deserves a fair hearing or that the objective truth matters as long as you can score a neat debating point. When I look through my collection of pamphlets—Conservative, Communist, Catholic, Trotskyist, Pacifist, Anarchist or what-have-you—it seems to me that almost all of them have the same mental atmosphere, though the points of emphasis vary. Nobody is searching for the truth, everybody is putting forward a ‘case’ with complete disregard for fairness or accuracy, and the most plainly obvious facts can be ignored by those who don’t want to see them. The same propaganda tricks are to be found almost everywhere. It would take many pages of this paper merely to classify them, but here I draw attention to one very widespread controversial habit—disregard of an opponent’s motives. The key-word here is ‘objectively’.
Posted by: partizan | Aug 31 2018 8:12 utc | 87
LXV @ 81
Well done you just absolutely nailed it ! And your link is a must read. That's the best appraisal of current affairs i'v seen yet !
We need to be pro active, not reactive ! When we know the truth we can try and predict and keep ahead of what will happen next ! And not fall for the trap of blaming the people telling us what will happen next ! If your doctor tells you you have cancer don't shout at him and tell him he caused it. listen to him and try and cure it !
You have cancer ! It's called Fascism you need to be watching what's happing on the streets of Germany now it is about to spread to your streets. Your govenment is behind it. And you need to be on the side of love not hate or nationalism!
Posted by: Mark2 | Aug 31 2018 8:52 utc | 89
Trump's base is evangelical voters regardless of economic class. (Thou shalt not lie, nor commit adultery immediately spring to mind. I'm sure there are others in the top 10 but none spring to my unchurched mind at the time of writing).
Whether you like the appelation or not, supporting Trump puts you squarely among the league of white nationalists, AKA racists.
https://www.cookpolitical.com/analysis/national/national-politics/getting-know-white-voters
[A]mong white evangelicals, college-educated men and non-college educated men give Trump equally impressive job approval ratings (78 percent and 80 percent respectively). But, among white men who aren’t evangelical, the education gap is significant. Those without a college degree give Trump a 52 percent job approval rating, while just 40 percent of those with a college degree approve of the job he’s doing.
Meanwhile, among women, if you remove evangelicals, white women with and without a college degree have the same (very low) opinion of the president.
White evangelical women without a college degree give Trump a 68 percent job approval rating, while those with a degree give him a much lower, though still positive 51 percent approval rating. Meanwhile, Trump’s approval among white, non-evangelical women without a college degree is 35 percent, just five points higher than the 30 percent approval rating he gets from white, non-evangelical college-educated women.
Posted by: donkeytale | Aug 31 2018 12:36 utc | 90
@89DT Who say's "Whether you like the appelation or not, supporting Trump puts you squarely among the league of white nationalists, AKA racists."
What a total load of BS.... See Partizan @86. This kind of statement is akin to the usual drivel and moronic supposition spouted by MoA's resident Natzifetishist.
Posted by: Tannenhouser | Aug 31 2018 12:54 utc | 91
In other "soft progressive liberal news", or maybe this one is tilted more centrist Republikaaner, the Oklahoma state teachers union won another victory in this week's primaries, ousting 15 of 19 hardliner GOP state senators who were against such socialist policies as raising fracker taxes to fund satanic socialist evility such as new text books for school kids. Currently, OK history text books end at the election of GW Bush.
Say, maybe there is still something about class based organizing and union strikes? And if it works in Oklahoma (and Kansas), my dog, think of what class based organising could accomplish on the coasts where there are, y'know, lots more people, soft progressive people.
Posted by: donkeytale | Aug 31 2018 13:07 utc | 92
Tannenhauser, drivel surely, yet how is that statement incorrect? I used clear albeit misspelled language of which Orwell would surely approve.
So, what you're saying is you don't enjoy your company among white racists? Or what, since your thoughts are impossible to glean from your ad hom attack, of which I'm sure old Georgie boy would disapprove. LOL.
I would love to see Orwell's take on the Donald, btw.
Posted by: donkeytale | Aug 31 2018 13:15 utc | 93
AOC's recent sanctimonious claptrap about McCain was the Big Reveal for me. Some radical. She's ready to cash in.
Posted by: RenoDino | Aug 31 2018 13:15 utc | 94
The GOP is an amalgamation of white evangelicals shading their racist reaction to Obama through anti-immigration politics plus the traditional spineless business party faction who enjoy the tax cuts and the judges and who are just as racist but also understand expoitation of dark skinned immigrants is necessary elixer for keeping their business expenses down.
As a result, to the extent Trumpists succeed in keeping out immigrant workers at the bottom end of the wage scale, we see economic stagnation for many businesses (which also employ white Americans in relatively higher paying "sales", "management" and "technical" jobs) and continued inflation, which is the dirtiest "i" word to businessmen and shareholders.
Posted by: donkeytale | Aug 31 2018 13:44 utc | 95
Reading the MoA comments is like drinking from a fire-hose. Bookmarking useful news sources, following links and then thinking about this stuff is a lot of work! Thanks guys.
Posted by: TheBAG | Aug 31 2018 13:53 utc | 96
@ 35 asked: What Russian oligarchs?
Trump’s real estate turnaround, from teetering on bankruptcy to subsequent success, was largely due to his accommodation of questionable sources of funding. In other words he ran a money-laundering operation for dirty money.
The so-called ‘Russian oligarchs' were almost exclusively composed of what can best be described as the Jewish Mafia operating in the former Soviet Union. The following article provides many details of what transpired and who the 'players’ were.
While the media is constantly playing the Russian Mafia card, it shows a curious lack of interest in connecting some blindingly obvious dots. In almost every instance the 'players’ were Jewish who made their fortunes looting the resources of the former Soviet Union.
The Curious World of Donald Trump’s Private Russian Connections
www.the-american-interest.com/2016/12/19/the-curious-world-of-donald-trumps-private-russian-connections/
(tangentially, this also leads to the question of : How exactly did a tiny oppressed minority end up acquiring the lion’s share of the looted resources of many former Soviet countries? Ukraine being the most obvious example; where in 2014 it was estimated that approximately 85 -90% of the economy was controlled by a handful of oligarchs who all just happened to be Jewish.)
Posted by: pantaraxia | Aug 31 2018 14:02 utc | 97
Apologies, the link didn’t register properly. The correct link is:
The Curious World of Donald Trump’s Private Russian Connections
https://www.the-american-interest.com/2016/12/19/the-curious-world-of-donald-trumps-private-russian-connections/
Posted by: pantaraxia | Aug 31 2018 14:07 utc | 98
@DT. To suggest that because one supports the POTUS they are rascist is just BS, and you know it. Unlike yourself I did not attack YOU, I attacked your statement as the pure drivel bs that it is, was and ever will be.
Adhom indeed..... I would be interested in what Orwell had to say about POTUS as well.
Posted by: Tannenhouser | Aug 31 2018 14:20 utc | 99
Tannenhouser, ok fair enough. Thanks for clarifying your comment. I didn't mean to say every Trump supporter is racist but that every Trump supporter stands among racists and supports a racist.
You will have a very difficult time dissuading me from the obvious (to me) notion that white racial resentment is by far the largest motivation of Trump's appeal just as the conservative demonisation of the Democratic Party isn't because Democrats are socialist Pelosi acolytes or whatever BS they toss out but because the Democrats are increasingly the party of minorities.
And yes, I believe the actions of the GOP leadership (as well as the Democrat leadership) are actually class-based while racism is the GOP pitch to distract the white working class into voting against their class interests. Same as it ever was.
Posted by: donkeytale | Aug 31 2018 15:52 utc | 100
The comments to this entry are closed.
I read "On the Soft Progressive Liberal Rock" and immediately Soft Machine and even Italian Progressive-Rock stalwarts such as PFM came to mind and then I re-read the title... and calmed down.;-) LOL. Always wear reading glasses.
Posted by: SmoothieX12 | Aug 30 2018 17:15 utc | 1