I’ve got a bad feeling about this
We…might be in a lot of trouble…
All posts in Politics
We’re On A Road To Nowhere
Chris Hedges is such a Pollyanna: Systems of governance that are seized by a tiny cabal become mafia states. The early years—Ronald Reagan and Bill Clinton in the United States—are marked by promises that the pillage will benefit everyone. The later years—George W. Bush and …
Create Your Own Adventure
The Covid-19 pandemic’s been going on for 2 years. Most of us have more than a little fatigue…we’re tired of restrictions, tired of doomsayers. We want “normal”, whatever that means. Indications are that the dominant variants are less virulent. Treatments must be improving, given that …
Welcome, My Friends, To the Grift That Never Ends
Three e-mails from Donald Trump, this morning: Ostensibly from Jim Jordan, subject: “I need help”. Much more self-aware than I realized. I hope he can get it while incarcerated. One from 45, himself, all about how he’s fighting Big Tech (fear, fear, fear!), and how …
The Secrets To His Success
Plenty’s been said about President Trump’s methods of messaging, much by Trump, himself: “Good publicity is preferable to bad, but from a bottom-line perspective, bad publicity is sometimes better than no publicity at all. Controversy, in short, sells.” “My leverage came from confirming an impression …
So Long, And Thanks For All the Pessimism
As I’m looking at what’s happening that’s noteworthy for voters, I’m increasingly pessimistic. Here’s what we’re seeing: Politics as rancorous tribalismGrowing up in Sacramento, I was a fan of the Oakland Raiders…from the Ken Stabler days through the Lester Hayes/stick’m days, and thereafter. When Bill …
Government Inefficiency May Be A Feature
This tweet got me thinking… Operating a for-profit business makes it more likely that your business will make decisions to profit-maximize. As a result: You may not be operating equitably—you will offer priority service or allegiance to those who will maximize your profit You may …
Fascism Loves Your Opinion
The headline on this article is compelling. But how can we reason with people who see the same data, and come to these conclusions?
Yes, fascism thrives on destroying objective truth. But it’s folks like Andrew Torba who are actively trying to kill the notion of expertise. They want truth to be a personal choice. They want you to grant “authority” based on your feelings, rather than by recognizing expertise.
Seems Like Lots of Us Could Use a Refresher
Dale Carnegie’s legendary book, How to Win Friends and Influence People, describes how to accomplish just what it says. It’s remarkable to realize how, in the last few years, people seem uninterested in doing either of these, if they can just defeat people and make …
The Most Superlative Lies
Donald Trump frequently describes things as “like never seen before” and “the best” and “the worst”. He pairs it with fabrications—that he’s responsible for the best something in our nation’s history (when he’s neither responsible, nor is it the best). Recently, Senator Ron Johnson, who …