On the docket today: Trump cuts off military aid to Ukraine, sparks a trade war with our allies, prepares to address a gelded Congress, and hands out yet another massive grift to his cronies.
we are in a constitutional crisis and i agree with miss Glasser when she suggested trump just needs an excuse to mow down Americans~! ms Applebaum suggests that the next obstruction to democratic voices will happen online hope this blog continues. we have been we the people have been seduced by Russian and Chinese propaganda many are so seduced that rationality will be less than affective will trump flout the recent court upholding the congressional support for foreign aid will it hold
This is scary and I trust Susan's judgement (and Charlie's obviously) but I'm not clear on what Susan is implying that "we" can do. Everyone thinks that if there are massive protests Trump will end up ordering the military to shoot people this time, since Pete Hegseth certainly isn't going to stop him. If he defies the courts, what then? If the senate has rolled over I don't see what ordinary citizens can do without being jailed, bankrupted, or even hurt. Sorry to go to the dark place.
Yes, in the streets, but differently. Not going to happen the old way. Our government is gone, Dems are out of touch. Will take a different approach to match the Authoritarian strategy. Representation Party. Ask Mark Cuban.
This was an incredibly insightful discussion. Naively, I had not grasped that silence was in Democrats’ political interest if not in America’s national interest. Chilling. The total abdication of the most powerful media’s responsibility continues to be one of the most frightening developments, and it is hard to see how to counter it. There is just so much.
By the way, many of us are in the streets, just not enough of us. Keep the thoughtful discussions going. That might light enough fires.
My guess is the dropping of our Russian cyber operations was agreed to at the meetings in Saudi Arabia, and in return OPEC (Saudis and Russia) agreed to a small increase in their oil production.
Mega Ditto, Charlie and Susan! What many Americans still do not understand is that about 50% of elected Democrats in the United States are useless and worthless. A tiny number of them are left-wing versions of MAGA and no better than the Trump MAGA mullahs from a moral standpoint. And, also, many elected Democrats have a half-assed commitment to defending democracy and pursing social justice.
I do not believe this half-assed commitment to be related to any specific issue or even ideology, really. Many elected Democrats just seem to have personalities that are aversive to confrontation in general and following Trump’s second impeachment in 2021, many of them stopped taking the existential threat that Trump poses to American democracy seriously.
That may be related to the culture of Washington DC with all of the special interest money swirling around, everything looked at in the framework of Republicans vs Democrats by Democrats and their political consultants as opposed elected Democrats being committed to furthering the transcendent national interests of freedom, justice, and democracy, and an increased tolerance for depravity in American society in general. I have not yet been able to completely put my finger on it.
But outside of a very small number of sometimes esoteric issues like Trans rights, for example, perhaps the one issue where Democrats should have backed off a little bit, there was very little interest and willingness by many elected Democrats to take on powerful and big-moneyed interests during the Biden years.
That is why that despicable anti-Trans add from the Trump-Vance campaign resonated so strongly with so many voters. There was an element of truth it. In life in general, when one has a half-assed commitment to achieving something difficult,he/she tends to fail at it and look weak, ineffective, and even pretentious to outside observers in the process of failing at it.
And in electoral politics, when candidates campaign for elected office on standing up and fighting for the little guy and the oppressed like Democrats usually do and are not really committed to following on that through on it after being elected, it has the effect of sometimes causing voters who have supported Democratic candidates in the past whose overall messages they have agreed with to disengage altogether from politics or turn to a fascist thug and demagogue like Trump out of frustration. Because at least he means what he says and looks strong by speaking confidently and blustering, even if they are horrified and repulsed by much of what he is saying.
I am not in any way saying that every elected Democrat or Democratic political consultant sucks because nothing could be further from the truth. But all of the capitulation by so many elected Democrats to Republicans and big-moneyed and powerful special interests during the Biden years in particular, when they should have been fighting for what they believed in, and their indifference to and normalization of Trump’s depravity, in the way of not really attempting to to hold Trump legally and morally accountable for his unlawful and contemptible behavior on January 6, 2021 and after he left office, is a major reason American democracy may not survive for vey much longer.
generalizations are not effective thinking local control and involvement is where it starts civic responsibility we are not guestsas americans pay the bill taxes and go out to dinner
I apologize for generalizing and extrapolating so much. But I am not aware of any better way to make sense out of this horrible situation. Whenever I generalize and extrapolate, I try my best to point out exceptions to what I am extrapolating about.
This interview with Susan Glasser should be put on all the networks in place of the Trump speech tonight. Total wall-to-wall carpeting. The most clarion call from her is the most wisdom and truth-telling comes from the historians, not the pundits.
Please, Charlie, see if you can get her as a regular. BTW, my substack deals with our current malaise cum catastrophe from a historical and moral philosophy foundationl. Search, Reflections on Power Culture and Society Substack.
we are in a constitutional crisis and i agree with miss Glasser when she suggested trump just needs an excuse to mow down Americans~! ms Applebaum suggests that the next obstruction to democratic voices will happen online hope this blog continues. we have been we the people have been seduced by Russian and Chinese propaganda many are so seduced that rationality will be less than affective will trump flout the recent court upholding the congressional support for foreign aid will it hold
This is scary and I trust Susan's judgement (and Charlie's obviously) but I'm not clear on what Susan is implying that "we" can do. Everyone thinks that if there are massive protests Trump will end up ordering the military to shoot people this time, since Pete Hegseth certainly isn't going to stop him. If he defies the courts, what then? If the senate has rolled over I don't see what ordinary citizens can do without being jailed, bankrupted, or even hurt. Sorry to go to the dark place.
what we can do is support local newspapers churches and local political organizations that support democratic voices
agreed.
Yes, in the streets, but differently. Not going to happen the old way. Our government is gone, Dems are out of touch. Will take a different approach to match the Authoritarian strategy. Representation Party. Ask Mark Cuban.
Thank you for this excellent and informative interview
I like how you gave each dog their own window. 🙂
This was an incredibly insightful discussion. Naively, I had not grasped that silence was in Democrats’ political interest if not in America’s national interest. Chilling. The total abdication of the most powerful media’s responsibility continues to be one of the most frightening developments, and it is hard to see how to counter it. There is just so much.
By the way, many of us are in the streets, just not enough of us. Keep the thoughtful discussions going. That might light enough fires.
Are you?
I’m glad your dogs have a nice bed to enjoy. Their photo is a gleam of light in a dark, dark world.
Ya think?
I think they look perfectly comfortable Maybe a little blankie for each of them.
This was fantastic!
Susan Glasser is amazing!
My guess is the dropping of our Russian cyber operations was agreed to at the meetings in Saudi Arabia, and in return OPEC (Saudis and Russia) agreed to a small increase in their oil production.
I think we are in the streets…
I live in my state's capitol city. There have been protests there, most recently at noon today.
Mega Ditto, Charlie and Susan! What many Americans still do not understand is that about 50% of elected Democrats in the United States are useless and worthless. A tiny number of them are left-wing versions of MAGA and no better than the Trump MAGA mullahs from a moral standpoint. And, also, many elected Democrats have a half-assed commitment to defending democracy and pursing social justice.
I do not believe this half-assed commitment to be related to any specific issue or even ideology, really. Many elected Democrats just seem to have personalities that are aversive to confrontation in general and following Trump’s second impeachment in 2021, many of them stopped taking the existential threat that Trump poses to American democracy seriously.
That may be related to the culture of Washington DC with all of the special interest money swirling around, everything looked at in the framework of Republicans vs Democrats by Democrats and their political consultants as opposed elected Democrats being committed to furthering the transcendent national interests of freedom, justice, and democracy, and an increased tolerance for depravity in American society in general. I have not yet been able to completely put my finger on it.
But outside of a very small number of sometimes esoteric issues like Trans rights, for example, perhaps the one issue where Democrats should have backed off a little bit, there was very little interest and willingness by many elected Democrats to take on powerful and big-moneyed interests during the Biden years.
That is why that despicable anti-Trans add from the Trump-Vance campaign resonated so strongly with so many voters. There was an element of truth it. In life in general, when one has a half-assed commitment to achieving something difficult,he/she tends to fail at it and look weak, ineffective, and even pretentious to outside observers in the process of failing at it.
And in electoral politics, when candidates campaign for elected office on standing up and fighting for the little guy and the oppressed like Democrats usually do and are not really committed to following on that through on it after being elected, it has the effect of sometimes causing voters who have supported Democratic candidates in the past whose overall messages they have agreed with to disengage altogether from politics or turn to a fascist thug and demagogue like Trump out of frustration. Because at least he means what he says and looks strong by speaking confidently and blustering, even if they are horrified and repulsed by much of what he is saying.
I am not in any way saying that every elected Democrat or Democratic political consultant sucks because nothing could be further from the truth. But all of the capitulation by so many elected Democrats to Republicans and big-moneyed and powerful special interests during the Biden years in particular, when they should have been fighting for what they believed in, and their indifference to and normalization of Trump’s depravity, in the way of not really attempting to to hold Trump legally and morally accountable for his unlawful and contemptible behavior on January 6, 2021 and after he left office, is a major reason American democracy may not survive for vey much longer.
generalizations are not effective thinking local control and involvement is where it starts civic responsibility we are not guestsas americans pay the bill taxes and go out to dinner
Linda,
I apologize for generalizing and extrapolating so much. But I am not aware of any better way to make sense out of this horrible situation. Whenever I generalize and extrapolate, I try my best to point out exceptions to what I am extrapolating about.
I have seen a photo of Charlie Sykes with Susan Glasser; only Charlie seems to be holding his heart in his chest WITH HIS HAND
This interview with Susan Glasser should be put on all the networks in place of the Trump speech tonight. Total wall-to-wall carpeting. The most clarion call from her is the most wisdom and truth-telling comes from the historians, not the pundits.
Please, Charlie, see if you can get her as a regular. BTW, my substack deals with our current malaise cum catastrophe from a historical and moral philosophy foundationl. Search, Reflections on Power Culture and Society Substack.
Great job.