Don't you think it would be nice, some great statesman to arrive on the scene, to drive the stake of impeachment into the heartless heart of Donald J. Trump? Some Churchill or Mandela or King? Maybe JZ or Eminem can rally the rest of America. The charges won't stand on their own, because the Republicans will sit on the charges and grab their pockets so the people don't shake up their loose change of billions and take back our hard earned money
Not Churchill. He had a good moment in 1940 etc. but w.r.t. much of the rest of his career there's *much* less to be enthusiastic about.
Btw, happened recently to run across this from an FDR press conference of Feb. 23, 1945:
"Q. This idea of Churchill's [i.e., hanging onto the Empire] seems inconsistent with the policy of self-determination?
The President: Yes, that is true."
And in the same press conference FDR calls Churchill's attitude on this "mid-Victorian." Not that FDR favored immediate independence for, e.g., Indochina, but rather trusteeship "to educate them for self-government."
You could perhaps find the entire press conference online or in the Public Papers of the Presidents series, but the excerpt reprinted here is revealing in itself: W.A. Williams et al., eds., America in Vietnam: A Documentary History (1985), pp.31-32.
p.s. And before you tell me that Indochina was French, not British, yes I'm aware of that. But the press conference excerpt strays into the question of colonies more broadly, and also why the British (or at least Churchill) didn't like the idea of trusteeship for Indochina even though it wasn't theirs.
"The charges won't stand on their own, because the Republicans will sit on the charges and grab their pockets so the people don't shake up their loose change of billions and take back our hard earned money"
Keep the ruling class happy with their tax cuts, and they will back up Trump
Yes, good that Mueller is going after his financial records; that's where the crimes are. But notice, there still is no real evidence (or apparent interest in finding such evidence) that the Russians hacked the DNC and Podesta (an "attack on our elections" according to Rachel and pundits everywhere), which was the ostensible reason for the investigation. Bait and switch? Fine with me. As far as collaboration around elections go, Mueller et al would be better served to look at Israel and Saudia Arabia, but they get a pass. Corruption all around.
LFC: thank you for reminding us about Churchill; a more savage, racist statesman, one would be hard pressed to find.
My point is we need a leader to press the case and rally the cause. Now is no time for business as usual. I don't know why I picked Churchill as my example. He had leadership potential despite his flawed policies. Who would you nominate to lead the beleaguered free world? Hopefully someone who is alive ad American and a democrat
Isn't it about time that term, "the free world," was consigned to the garbage can in which it has always belonged? And should it continue in use, why should it be hoped that someone who is "alive a[n]d American" would lead it? I'll go along with "democrat" as long as it's a small "d".
You're getting distracted from my main point is that we need somebody to stand up against Trump and lead the way- by free I just mean anti fascists You're not helping by your nitpicking with terms, though there is a time and place for that.
I'd just like someone either internationally or nationally to throw him out and have some kind of coalition. I don't think containment is working enough
We can leave political correctness for another day, can't we.
Of course you'll disagree with this "your enemies enemy is your friend" and we're both against him and he is a clear and present danger, do you understand the grave threat we are facing?
"And if it is a despot you would dethrone, see first that his throne erected within you is destroyed. For how can a tyrant rule the free and the proud, but for a tyranny in their own freedom and a shame in their own pride?"
Social movements, as much if not more than leaders, may be our only hope. Dave Lindorff wrote and interesting article saying it's time for a mass movement to defend against social security, medicare, medicaid. http://bit.ly/2iZTCw8
But my biggest fear is an attack on N. Korea, especially given that a "wag the dog" response may be Trumps preferred way of dealing with Mueller and that McMaster stated that the potential for war with N. Korea "is increasing everyday." Moreover, Trump has rejected China’s proposal that North Korea would halt its nuclear weapons programme if the US and South Korea would suspend military activities in the region.
It's time to organize something around this issue specifically, I believe. A revival of the Friday listing of actions?
Professor Wolff:
ReplyDeleteDon't you think it would be nice, some great statesman to arrive on the scene, to drive the stake of impeachment into the heartless heart of Donald J. Trump? Some Churchill or Mandela or King?
Maybe JZ or Eminem can rally the rest of America.
The charges won't stand on their own, because the Republicans will sit on the charges and grab their pockets so the people don't shake up their loose change of billions and take back our hard earned money
@H. Berman
ReplyDeleteNot Churchill. He had a good moment in 1940 etc. but w.r.t. much of the rest of his career there's *much* less to be enthusiastic about.
Btw, happened recently to run across this from an FDR press conference of Feb. 23, 1945:
"Q. This idea of Churchill's [i.e., hanging onto the Empire] seems inconsistent with the policy of self-determination?
The President: Yes, that is true."
And in the same press conference FDR calls Churchill's attitude on this "mid-Victorian." Not that FDR favored immediate independence for, e.g., Indochina, but rather trusteeship "to educate them for self-government."
You could perhaps find the entire press conference online or in the Public Papers of the Presidents series, but the excerpt reprinted here is revealing in itself:
W.A. Williams et al., eds., America in Vietnam: A Documentary History (1985), pp.31-32.
p.s. And before you tell me that Indochina was French, not British, yes I'm aware of that. But the press conference excerpt strays into the question of colonies more broadly, and also why the British (or at least Churchill) didn't like the idea of trusteeship for Indochina even though it wasn't theirs.
ReplyDelete"The charges won't stand on their own, because the Republicans will sit on the charges and grab their pockets so the people don't shake up their loose change of billions and take back our hard earned money"
ReplyDeleteKeep the ruling class happy with their tax cuts, and they will back up Trump
Yes, good that Mueller is going after his financial records; that's where the crimes are. But notice, there still is no real evidence (or apparent interest in finding such evidence) that the Russians hacked the DNC and Podesta (an "attack on our elections" according to Rachel and pundits everywhere), which was the ostensible reason for the investigation. Bait and switch? Fine with me. As far as collaboration around elections go, Mueller et al would be better served to look at Israel and Saudia Arabia, but they get a pass. Corruption all around.
ReplyDeleteLFC: thank you for reminding us about Churchill; a more savage, racist statesman, one would be hard pressed to find.
I'll stand up for Churchill.
ReplyDeleteWithout him and Stalin, also far from a saint, the Nazis might still be lording over Europe and my whole family (Jews) would have been gassed.
My point is we need a leader to press the case and rally the cause. Now is no time for business as usual. I don't know why I picked Churchill as my example. He had leadership potential despite his flawed policies.
ReplyDeleteWho would you nominate to lead the beleaguered free world? Hopefully someone who is alive ad American and a democrat
Isn't it about time that term, "the free world," was consigned to the garbage can in which it has always belonged? And should it continue in use, why should it be hoped that someone who is "alive a[n]d American" would lead it? I'll go along with "democrat" as long as it's a small "d".
ReplyDeleteRobin M
ReplyDeleteYou're getting distracted from my main point is that we need somebody to stand up against Trump and lead the way- by free I just mean anti fascists
You're not helping by your nitpicking with terms, though there is a time and place for that.
I'd just like someone either internationally or nationally to throw him out and have some kind of coalition. I don't think containment is working enough
We can leave political correctness for another day, can't we.
Of course you'll disagree with this "your enemies enemy is your friend" and we're both against him and he is a clear and present danger, do you understand the grave threat we are facing?
"And if it is a despot you would dethrone, see first that his throne erected within you is destroyed. For how can a tyrant rule the free and the proud, but for a tyranny in their own freedom and a shame in their own pride?"
ReplyDeleteSocial movements, as much if not more than leaders, may be our only hope. Dave Lindorff wrote and interesting article saying it's time for a mass movement to defend against social security, medicare, medicaid.
ReplyDeletehttp://bit.ly/2iZTCw8
But my biggest fear is an attack on N. Korea, especially given that a "wag the dog" response may be Trumps preferred way of dealing with Mueller and that McMaster stated that the potential for war with N. Korea "is increasing everyday." Moreover, Trump has rejected China’s proposal that North Korea would halt its nuclear weapons programme if the US and South Korea would suspend military activities in the region.
It's time to organize something around this issue specifically, I believe. A revival of the Friday listing of actions?