Here are two ways of saying essentially the same thing, that come from a pair of human history’s greatest minds.
As we work our way through the 21st Century, we’re running into the effects of the widening chasm between the amoral rich and the desperate poor: environmental collapse, the decay of our educational system, widespread corruption made possible by a two-tiered justice system, and authoritarianism.
Most of us have run across companies like “4Patriots,” that sell survivalist products like food supplies and power generators that are made to get us through the coming civil war (to be waged to take our country back), or perhaps natural disasters that leave the unprepared vulnerable to starvation or freezing to death.
But offerings like this make us think: If this product were of honest value, why would they be targeting it only to so-called “patriots” = Trump-supporters = hateful idiots? If it were a truly good idea, wouldn’t educated people want it as well?
American conservatives, as represented by the Republicans, once stood for something that, while it might have been cruel, elitist, and retrogressive, was at least defensible.
Now, it’s the party of sleaze, of overt criminality.
It’s possible that Clarence Thomas lies on the top of the dung-heap, given his position on the U.S. Supreme Court (vs. Congress, where corruption is routine and less destructive).
If you or I were John Roberts, we would take immediate action to remove Thomas. Looks like that’s not happening, however.
The meme here comes from a study published in Smithsonian Magazine, demonstrating that “lower” life forms take far better care of one another than do human beings. Concern for others seems to be inherent in most life forms–just a bit less for ours.
Especially in the United States, less so in the rest of the developed world, the vast majority of those who live like kings couldn’t care less about the war-torn, hungry, and impoverished.
In fact, the idea that this planet will soon cease to support a decent quality of life for any but the wealthy is a complete snooze.
At left we have a statement, which, though it may not have set the world on fire, was sent by a sane and decent human being.
Contrast that with what we have below, from a man whose principal claim to fame is now roundly regarded as the “Big Lie.”
The good news is that Trump is as likely to come back into human civilization as the bubonic plague. His support is eroding, and that’s even before we have indictments for the stolen documents, January 6th, and the election tampering in Georgia.
I’m not saying that this country is finished with its bout with hateful ignorance and lunacy, but we’re very close to ridding ourselves of the orange sociopath.
U.S. Supreme Court Chief Justice Warren Burger was at the top of the American legal pyramid when I was a teenager in the early 1970s.
His perspective that the (mis)interpretation of the Second Amendment to the U.S. Constitution, at the behest of the gun lobby, that provides unlimited freedom to bear arms is “one of the greatest pieces of fraud every perpetrated on the American people” is most certainly the position for which he’s best remembered.
Here’s the problem: Burger made his point 50 years ago, when some semblance of integrity and intelligence still remained in American political life. Almost all of that is gone now.
This is true for all of us at some level, but it seems to be especially pronounced in right-wing U.S. politics since the emergence of Donald Trump on the scene in 2015.
Aristotle wrote a great deal on the subject of when to discontinue a friendship, or, in other words, where loyalty must be withdrawn.
Spoiler alert: like the rest of the ancient Greek philosophers, and all others coming after him, Aristotle wouldn’t have been a Trump supporter, continuing to stand behind a man who was clearly distinguishing himself as a criminal and conman.
Earlier, I wrote a post based on a conversation with a conservative friend who bemoaned the fact that Republicans are having difficulty establishing a message that resonates with American voters.
It’s true that most voters approve of what the Democrats are doing re: protecting government functions that they consider to be important.
But it’s also true that the GOP has a huge problem with a big, heavy dude known for criminality and his orange skin tone and hair color. As long as Trump is a dominant force in U.S. politics, we can expect the GOP to struggle.
The real problem is this: Americans aren’t what we used to be. We’re not as sharp, nor are we as dedicated to earning our fortunes with good, honest, hard work. But we still draw the line somewhere. We had a presidential term of fraud, extortion, seditious conspiracy, and treason, and we’ll be God damned if we’re going to sign up for another four years.
Here’s something I just heard an extremely right-wing friend say: Traditionally, Republicans have enjoyed more solid and coherent messaging to American voters than their Democratic opponents. Now this seems to have reversed itself, to the chagrin of conservatives who are concerned about their chances in taking over the White House in 2024.
It’s gratifying to hear this from someone who’s voted Republican his entire life. I was afraid that the GOP narrative (obstructing the forceful attempt of the “radical left” to attempt to implement “socialism”) was somehow communicating effectively.
Apparently, the majority of voters want a government that protects Social Security, women’s rights, quality education, healthcare for all, the environment, etc., even if this means higher taxes for those earning more than $400K annually.
