Now the echo chamber resounds with the idea that no matter what he does, POTUS will still be called an asshole by the hardcore critics. The buzz around the Puerto Rico rescue effort is an example.
Tag: politics
The Russia-Blamers Think You’re Stupid
Americans never had rowdy disagreements with each other over race and religion until last year, and wouldn’t be having them now if not for those dirty, no-good Russian hackers who stole the 2016 presidential election from the second most hated candidate in history, on behalf of the most hated candidate in history, operating through subterfuge to achieve the outcome that some of us predicted months in advance, long before anyone mentioned Russian hackers.
Shut Up and Stand on Command
What makes America different from North Korea or Communist China or Thailand? In all three countries, criticism of the government is forbidden, and worship of the symbols of state is mandatory.
Privacy and Politics: The Hypocrisy of the Surveillance Statists
So long as American politicians and bureaucrats continue to put the rest of us under a magnifying glass, they deserve no sympathy when they get caught trying to hide their own actions from public view.
Which is More Unsettling?
The alternatives would appear to reduce to the following two: (1) Trump is an ignoramus and an obnoxious, repellent buffoon; and (2) he is not such a person but he plays one on TV — and on Twitter and in the presidency.
The Cure Seems Scary and Unfamiliar
Selling people what they already want is easy. Selling people what they really need, when they don’t yet know it, is a pain in the neck.
The Illusory Goal of Defeating the State through Politics
The argument for engaging in politics as a means of weakening the state’s power is undercut by the reality of political ambition. If there were politicians who endeavored steadfastly to reduce the pain and plunder inflicted by the state in all sectors, such incrementalism might have a chance of success, but such principled people do not attain power in a political system.
Cover Your Ass
First, Mitch McConnell made a speech criticizing POTUS, then POTUS tweeted some insults directed toward Majority Leader McConnell. This is an elaborate dance. Now both POTUS and MLOTSOTUS have reciprocal excuses. Congress is not moving efficiently and effectively.
Words Poorly Used, Another Devil’s Dictionary #3
Clarity — in politics, that which is to be avoided at all costs. Unnecessary — anything spouted by a former political minion who has been handed the pink slip.
What’s Wrong with the Thrive/Survive Theory of Left and Right
Many people in my circles now seem to take Thrive/Survive Theory as the default position; if it’s not true, it’s still the story to beat. But to be blunt, I find essentially no value in it. It’s not always wrong, but it’s about as right as you’d expect from chance.