I’m staggered by the US election result. It defies logic, morality, sensibility, and even Christian ethic. How a nation that was once “Gods Chosen Land” have plummeted so far?
Yet it was a democratic vote, and probably untainted.
I have two concerns, one I’ve expressed already.
The other, is that Trump’s acolytes will actually be the government, Trump will in short time, become a puppet of an unelected cohort of people largely untrained in government or ethic. Will they disembody the government institutions? Or Obama Care? Or social services? Unions? Will the armed Forces limit what orders they respond to?
I know all that will become apparent in a short time if he does a fraction of what’s promised.
I amazed at Australians, people that I know, who are jubilant that Trump has won. My wife went shopping and some idiot came up to her, cheering on for Trump. I can only put that down to the years of misinformation from Fox/Sky and other online pundits.
The wars fought against authoritarianism and for democracy seem now to have been in vain.
Apologies for the long, fairly off topic post, but continuing to provide a place where we can do that is a good answer to your question about what you can do going forward.
Continuing to advocate for sensible housing policy will remain an urgent priority for us, John. We need you!
I would like also to have a far better understanding of how raising tariffs will impact various industries and groups in the US, as well as the international ramifications (including our farmers? etc.?)
MAHA under Robert Kennedy Jr may yet prove revelatory, with significant economic implications. It’s a ‘watch this space’ and a possible ray of light. Another might be the appointment of the regenerative agriculture man Thomas Massie to head Agriculture (??)
I have more optimism than you about the prospects of American democracy. Too many Americans are used to rights and institutions supporting them. Compared to Germans in the late 1920s, notions of rights are far more ingrained over space and time and have become a deep cultural instinct.
An interesting quote is that the the right takes Trump seriously but not literally while the left takes him literally but not seriously. If he attempts to impose real attacks on freedom of speech, assoiation etc he will get push back from some of his own voters who believe in abortion, action on climate change, worker rights etc.
It is an open question as to how much protest swing voters (ie those who rage against the failure of the Democrats who want you to take them seriously AND literally) can be oppressed or otherwise disenfranchised to the point that they can't swing back. I doubt any attempts at oppression will be coordinated or well organised enough to be successful..
I believe the US is entering a period of one term presidencies with each side continuing to fail to solve real problems with the country.
Attempts to lock in the republican majority with right-wing courts supporting further jerrymandering and restrictions on voter rights has been happening for decades. It will get worse but it won't address an ongoing failure stop the slide of the middle class into poverty. This has reached a point where it will now be the main reason the majority will now vote against the government of the day and no more two term administrations.
The biggest threat to American democracy is the Democrat party, a right/center right party masquerading as a liberal, pregressive party of labour. Americans have never had a genuine choice between left and right. The New Deal and LBJs program where brief departures from the norm and anything like a real left-wing conciousness was cruelled over its history by an individualist frontier/settler mentality and the rise of the robber barons.
The frustration no real choice creates has been directed against the woke brigade but with all three branches of government in their control the GOP will have its work cut out redirecting blame for and distracting from the costs of the housing, cost of living and climate crises; the deaths from the next pandemic etc.
Dumb good luck good mean these things get better for the majority, but scapegoats won't be enough stop a backlash against declined living standards for the majority unless they go full fascist on voter oppression or suspend voting all together. Such scenarios are less far fetched than they once where but, deploying the instruments of this level of oppression is, I hope beyond the level organisation any federal agency is capable of, let alone ny political movement.
I said I was more optimistic than John, but that doesn't mean I am very optimistic. I would say there is a better than even chance democracy in the US survives but not much more. Mass consumption and the freedom it requires (witness absence of large Chinese middle class) will mean the economic elite will keep the current sitation in place. Notwithstanding the return to property as apposed to production as a source of wealth, upholding property rights for the few will continue to underpin a more universal set of rights for the many so big business may act as more of a buffer against fascism than it has in the past.
At times like this I will always remember a scene from Cabaret; Two of the main characters are discussing the current rise of the Nazism in a German beer garden. The professor expresses concern that they will take over, his friend the baron assures him that if they take control, they, the aristocrats will then take control of them. A couple of Hitler youth come along and start singing a rousing nationalist song. When veryone joins in the professor turns to the baron and asks: 'Do you still think you can control them?'
I’m staggered by the US election result. It defies logic, morality, sensibility, and even Christian ethic. How a nation that was once “Gods Chosen Land” have plummeted so far?
Yet it was a democratic vote, and probably untainted.
I have two concerns, one I’ve expressed already.
The other, is that Trump’s acolytes will actually be the government, Trump will in short time, become a puppet of an unelected cohort of people largely untrained in government or ethic. Will they disembody the government institutions? Or Obama Care? Or social services? Unions? Will the armed Forces limit what orders they respond to?
I know all that will become apparent in a short time if he does a fraction of what’s promised.
I amazed at Australians, people that I know, who are jubilant that Trump has won. My wife went shopping and some idiot came up to her, cheering on for Trump. I can only put that down to the years of misinformation from Fox/Sky and other online pundits.
The wars fought against authoritarianism and for democracy seem now to have been in vain.
John, I don't think you can do much more than what you are already doing, unless you were prepared to enter politics.
Apologies for the long, fairly off topic post, but continuing to provide a place where we can do that is a good answer to your question about what you can do going forward.
Are you still working on a book? I thought you have some interesting things to say about how capitalism has changed in the new era of cloud capital.
I've been thinking about that, it may be the right choice.
Continuing to advocate for sensible housing policy will remain an urgent priority for us, John. We need you!
I would like also to have a far better understanding of how raising tariffs will impact various industries and groups in the US, as well as the international ramifications (including our farmers? etc.?)
MAHA under Robert Kennedy Jr may yet prove revelatory, with significant economic implications. It’s a ‘watch this space’ and a possible ray of light. Another might be the appointment of the regenerative agriculture man Thomas Massie to head Agriculture (??)
I have more optimism than you about the prospects of American democracy. Too many Americans are used to rights and institutions supporting them. Compared to Germans in the late 1920s, notions of rights are far more ingrained over space and time and have become a deep cultural instinct.
An interesting quote is that the the right takes Trump seriously but not literally while the left takes him literally but not seriously. If he attempts to impose real attacks on freedom of speech, assoiation etc he will get push back from some of his own voters who believe in abortion, action on climate change, worker rights etc.
It is an open question as to how much protest swing voters (ie those who rage against the failure of the Democrats who want you to take them seriously AND literally) can be oppressed or otherwise disenfranchised to the point that they can't swing back. I doubt any attempts at oppression will be coordinated or well organised enough to be successful..
I believe the US is entering a period of one term presidencies with each side continuing to fail to solve real problems with the country.
Attempts to lock in the republican majority with right-wing courts supporting further jerrymandering and restrictions on voter rights has been happening for decades. It will get worse but it won't address an ongoing failure stop the slide of the middle class into poverty. This has reached a point where it will now be the main reason the majority will now vote against the government of the day and no more two term administrations.
The biggest threat to American democracy is the Democrat party, a right/center right party masquerading as a liberal, pregressive party of labour. Americans have never had a genuine choice between left and right. The New Deal and LBJs program where brief departures from the norm and anything like a real left-wing conciousness was cruelled over its history by an individualist frontier/settler mentality and the rise of the robber barons.
The frustration no real choice creates has been directed against the woke brigade but with all three branches of government in their control the GOP will have its work cut out redirecting blame for and distracting from the costs of the housing, cost of living and climate crises; the deaths from the next pandemic etc.
Dumb good luck good mean these things get better for the majority, but scapegoats won't be enough stop a backlash against declined living standards for the majority unless they go full fascist on voter oppression or suspend voting all together. Such scenarios are less far fetched than they once where but, deploying the instruments of this level of oppression is, I hope beyond the level organisation any federal agency is capable of, let alone ny political movement.
I said I was more optimistic than John, but that doesn't mean I am very optimistic. I would say there is a better than even chance democracy in the US survives but not much more. Mass consumption and the freedom it requires (witness absence of large Chinese middle class) will mean the economic elite will keep the current sitation in place. Notwithstanding the return to property as apposed to production as a source of wealth, upholding property rights for the few will continue to underpin a more universal set of rights for the many so big business may act as more of a buffer against fascism than it has in the past.
At times like this I will always remember a scene from Cabaret; Two of the main characters are discussing the current rise of the Nazism in a German beer garden. The professor expresses concern that they will take over, his friend the baron assures him that if they take control, they, the aristocrats will then take control of them. A couple of Hitler youth come along and start singing a rousing nationalist song. When veryone joins in the professor turns to the baron and asks: 'Do you still think you can control them?'