“At some point the US may no longer be in a position to exploit its financial centrality as it does now. For large parts of the world that moment will be cause for celebration.” Tom Stevenson, London Review of Books, 24 March 2022.
How long before Putin’s war against Ukraine spills over a border line, perhaps Poland’s? What stance does NATO and the US adopt then? America’s political and military leaders are focused on taking every opportunity to weaken an enemy (real or perceived), whether Russia, China, Cuba, Venezuela or Iran. That’s deep in the DNA of the Pentagon and National Security state, despite the incredible failures of the architects in the White House, Senate, media, and intelligence community. Serial failures that set off a cascade of devastating consequences in Afghanistan, Iraq, Syria, Libya and Yemen. I can think of one reason for the outpouring of support for Ukraine from all over the world: the emphasis of the global media. This time an unprovoked attack was launched by Russia, not the US. In Ukraine, the media is getting stories out about civilian casualties, mass rapes, summary executions, and indiscriminate bombing, uprooted refugees, and graphic images of destruction and death. This is Putin being a sadist, we want maximum exposure of his crimes. In the case of Afghanistan and Iraq, the American military was effective in muzzling the media, hiding unpleasant facts beneath claims of classified intelligence, need-to-know, eyes only. Sources and methods. The Pentagon and State Department managed the narrative, always casting the US in the guise of noble and generous protectors, builders, deliverers of freedom and democracy. Now, I’m not claiming that we can compare what Russian soldiers are accused of doing in Ukraine with the conduct of American soldiers in Afghanistan or Iraq. Were civilians killed by US forces? No doubt. Were civilians explicitly killed as a matter of strategy? Was mass rape used as a weapon? Not to my knowledge. Did such war crimes occur? It’s certainly possible. The US military has done it before.
The war is over a month old. How much has Putin been weakened? How long can Ukraine hold out?
Watch the housing market, it’s once again completely out of kilter with reality and the needs of Americans for safe, affordable housing, a basic human necessity. Prices have soared out of all proportion with wages, not that that matters to Bank of America or Citibank or any of the hedge funds that are buying residential housing stock across the country, no Zip Code beyond their reach. Yes, the largest single owner of houses in America is a corporation. Soulless financial engineers have created another Frankenstein monster, financial instruments out of thin air, under the limp and lifeless bodies of government regulators, and a Congress deep under the duvet with the lawyers and lobbyists who work for the gain of the Finance, Real Estate and Insurance lords and dukes. 2008/09 is going to repeat. How much will the corporate bail-out and total indemnity of Capital cost the people this time? These extraordinarily cunning people never learn lessons from their failures -- they’re not required to, that’s part of running with the elite, clean slates, second and third chances. Loads of fuck-up insurance.
A recent article in the Atlantic magazine by Mark Leibovich caused a bit of stir when it suggested that Republican candidates pitted against Trump-endorsed shitbirds just call Trump a loser and then enumerate Trump’s trail of failure and broken promises. I think Democratic candidates should include the same theme in their campaigns, and then contrast Trump’s failures with what Democrats have accomplished since 2021. Here’s a list off the top of my noodle:
-Twice-impeached.
-Lost the popular vote twice, the second time by a wide margin.
-Lost the GOP the House in the 2018 midterms.
-Lost the GOP the Senate and the White House in 2020.
-Joined the ranks of one-term US presidents, including Herbert Hoover, Gerald Ford, Jimmy Carter and George H.W. Bush. Despite many catastrophic mistakes, even George W. Bush managed to be re-elected.
-Failed to build the great Trump Border Wall or make Mexico pay for it.
-Ballooned the Federal deficit.
-Got outplayed and outsmarted on trade.
-Failed to repeal and replace the Affordable Care Act.
-Completely mismanaged the Federal response to the pandemic, resulting in thousands of needless deaths.
-Lost nearly sixty legal challenges regarding the 2020 election.
-Instigated a deadly mob attack on the US Capitol on January 6, 2021.
-Stole classified information from the White House and transported it to Mar-A-Lago.
That’s what the GOP cult is running on, though they will portray themselves as lovers of liberty and free speech, low taxes, and protectors of white citizens from Mickey Mouse and Ibram X. Kendi.
What does Trump give his fans in return for their blind loyalty? Certainty in uncertain times; simple solutions to complex problems; enemies to revile and fear. Trump’s misrule did little to improve their material circumstances, they still struggle with low-wage jobs, lousy and expensive health insurance, debt, and limited prospects for social mobility. But at least they can feel superior to Muslims, African-Americans, Mexicans, Salvadorans, and so on. MAGA, baby!
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