Tag: politics

Fascist Manifesto

As I see it, The Heritage Foundation’s Project 2025 combines a Fascist Manifesto and Procrustean bed.  I cannot bring myself to read this right-wing screed.  My impression and understanding draw on admittedly limited sources.

Fascist derives from “fasces.”  In the Roman Empire, “magistrate” or magistrates were the highest government officials.  Their symbol of office was a bundle of rods wrapped with ribbon, holding an ax head, a “fasces.”  As carriers of the law, magistrates’ words were final.  (Older Americans may recall fasces on the obverse of our Winged Liberty Head dime.)

Merriam Webster defines Fascism as,
“a populist political philosophy, movement, or regime (such as that of the Fascisti) which exalts nation and often race over the individual, that is associated with a centralized autocratic government headed by a dictatorial leader, and that is characterized by severe economic and social regimentation and by forcible oppression of opposition.”

A Manifesto is,
“a written statement declaring publicly the intentions, notions, or views of its issuer.”

Wikipedia explains the genesis and function of a Procrustean bed:
“In Greek mythology Procrustes   .  .  .  was a rogue smith and bandit from Attica who attacked people by stretching them or cutting off their legs, so as to force them to fit the size if an iron bed.

The word Procrustean is thus used by analogy to describe, for example, situations where an arbitrary standard is used to measure success, while completely disregarding obvious harm that results from the effort.”

Project 2025 would strap all Americans into it’s ultra-right-wing Procrustean bed.  They alone have the truth, and the rest of us will damn-well live according to it!

The Fascist creed was articulated by M*A*S*H’s major Frank Burns,
“The way I see it, if we all don’t march in step, if we don’t do as we’re told, if we don’t follow our leaders blindly, there’s no hope of saving our freedom!”

Nazis had Mein Kampf.  The Heritage Foundation has Project 2025.

Ironically, determined to impose Project 2025 on all Americans, far-right Fascists believe that some dark, left wing, cabal, Antifa, anti-Fascist, is working to force its values on everyone.

This is not so.  Perhaps to its detriment vis-à-vis conservativism, Antifa has no organization, no structure, no manifesto.  There are no card-carrying Antifains.  Anti-Fascists share a gut level, conviction that, so long as we do not harm others, Americans enjoy unalienable rights to believe and act according to our unique values and beliefs; however bizarre and incomprehensible those values and beliefs may be to others.

Antifa is not intent on destroying American democracy.

Antifa is the bedrock of American democracy.

On Socialism

Many Americans seem to harbor half-baked impressions of Socialism.  As I  understand it, under a Socialist-leaning government the production, distribution, and exchange goods and services are guided and intended to “promote the general welfare.”  I call Socialism free enterprise with a conscience.

There is no purely Socialistic government.  Many incorporate programs which may specifically or broadly be labeled “socialistic.” 

A government’s value—socialist, capitalist, communist, anarchy, monarchy—might be gauged by evaluating its citizens happiness.

According to “World Population Review” the “Happiest Countries in the World 2025” are:

  1. Finland
  2. Denmark
  3. Iceland
  4. Sweden
  5. Israel

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   23. The United States of America

The following is culled and quoted from Wikipedia.

Finland:

The happiest country on earth recognizes a collective responsibility to ensure everyone has a decent standard of living.  To facilitate citizens’ wellbeing and mitigate suffering, Finland incorporates cradle-to-grave, government funded, programs including unemployment insurance, family aid, welfare services, childcare services, disabled services, substance abuse users’ services, a guaranteed national pension plan, employee pension plans, and national health plans based on need, not on financial means.  Universal social insurance provides income security despite old age, illness, pregnancy, unemployment, and work-related injuries.

Fins enjoy nine years of free compulsory basic, followed by three years of secondary academic or vocational education, leading to university or polytechnic tertiary (college or university) level.  Adult education may have fees in some cases.

Denmark:

Losing the Happiness Sweepstakes by and eyelash, the constitutional monarchy of the unified Kingdom of Denmark, “protects and promotes the economic well-being of its citizens based on the principles of economic opportunity, equitable distribution of wealth, and public responsibility for citizens unable to avail themselves of the minimal provisions for a good life.”

Under these precepts, Danes enjoy a high standard of living.  Denmark’s economy is characterized by extensive government welfare provisions.  A publicly funded system affords free universal healthcare to all citizens.   Under Folkstole, public education from ages 6 through college is free.  Denmark has the fourth highest ratio of tertiary degree holders in the world.  Its constitution, legislation, and policies support women’s, minorities’, LGSBQ’s, and human rights.  Denmark was the first country to recognize legality of same-sex partnership.  With strong support for trade unions Denmark boasts the world’s highest minimum wage. 

Iceland:

Reminiscent of its Scandinavian roots, “Iceland has a market economy with relatively low taxes compared to other OECD (Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development) countries, as well as highest trade union membership in the world.  It maintains a Nordic social welfare system that provides universal healthcare and tertiary education.  Iceland ranks highly in international comparisons of national performance, such as quality of life, education, protection of civil liberties, government transparency and economic freedom.”

Sweden:

Fourth in Happiness, the Kingdom of Sweden ranks fifth in the Human Development Index (HDI) of life expectancy, education, and per capita income.  Like its Scandinavian cousins, Sweden’s Nordic social system includes a welfare state, multilevel collective bargaining, universal healthcare, and tertiary education for its citizens. The Kingdom has government-funded healthcare for all citizens “although private healthcare also exists.”  

Israel:

The first four countries in our happiness sweepstakes share a common physical environment and similar cultural values.  In fifth place, Israelites inhabited a starkly contrasting physical environment and compelling motivation, Judaism!

Israel is a parliamentary democracy.  Government programs include education from primary through 12th grade, and tertiary education.  “Healthcare in Israel is universal and participation in a medical insurance plan is compulsory.  All Israeli residents are intitled to basic healthcare as a fundamental right.”  “All residents of Israel must pay insurance contributions in order to qualify for welfare.”  Welfare programs include old age pensions, disability pensions, unemployment benefits, and income support.

Socialism recognizes that we are not equal.  Each of us is born with inherent strength and weaknesses then environment kicks in.  Fate favors a few and kicks the hell out of the rest.  In contrast with a dog-eat-dog, devil-for-the-hindmost economy, is it surprising that folks are happier when we care and look after each other?

Footnote:

According to “World Population Review” the “Murder Rate by Country 2025” per 100,000 of population:

   Finland 0.9825
   Denmark 0.986
   Iceland 1.073 
Sweden 1.147
Israel 1.626 
United States of America: 5.763!

Madman in the Oval Office

President Donald J. Trump has lost his mind!  Three recent examples:

One:
Introducing Jerome Powell as his pick for Federal Reserve Chair,
November 7, 2017, President Trump said,
“As President there are few decisions more important than appointment of leaders of integrity and good judgement to hold trusted positions.  .  .  and few of those positions are more important that Chairman of the Federal Reserve.

Accordingly, it is my pleasure and my honor to announce the appointment of Jerome Powell to be the next Chairman of the Federal Reserve.  Congratulations, Jay.  .  .  .

I am confident that Jay has the wisdom and leadership to guide our economy through any challenges that our great economy may face.”

President Trump, July 16, 2025, walked back his praise for Powell and—surprise, surprise—blamed Joe Biden!

I think (Powell) does a terrible job.  .  .  .  He’s a terrible Fed Chair.  I was surprised that he was appointed.  I was surprised, frankly, that Biden put him in and extended him, but they did.  .  .  .  He’s a knucklehead.

Two:
In a speech, July 15, at Carnegie Mellon University, Donald boasted that Uncle MIT Professor John Trump taught Ted Kaczynski the Unabomber.
“My Uncle (John) was at MIT.  Kaczynski was one of his students.  .  .  .  I said, “What kind of a student was he, Uncle John, Doctor John Trump?”  He said, “Seriously good.”

There is no connection between Dr. John Trump, MIT, and Ted Kaczynski.    Kaczynski earned a bachelor’s degree from Harvard and master’s and Ph.D. from the University of Michigan. 

Three:
The Wallstreet Journal, July 17, reported that a “raunchy,” leather-bound,  book compiled for Jeffrey Epstein’s fiftieth birthday, includes text within a hand-drawn outline of a nude female, with “a squiggly ‘Donald’ below her waist, mimicking pubic hair.”

In an interview, July 15 Tuesday, Trump responded, “This is not me.  This is a fake thing.  It’s a fake Wallstreet Journal article.  I never wrote a picture in my life.  I don’t draw picture of women.”  A Google of “Donald Trump’s Drawings” reveals the President draws, quite well.  Many bear the iconic, black-sharpie scrawl.  Some are framed; some sold for charity.  There’s even a coloring book.

What began as “let Trump be Trump” mushroomed into the untold thousands of imaginings, fabrications, and bald-face lies which now threaten the survival of American Democracy.

Most puzzling and alarming, no one, not liberals, not “fake news,” point out, much less challenge, Donald Trump’s madness!

What the hell’s happening to America?

Karl Rove on January 6

At the January 31–February 2, 2024, Rancho Mirage Writers Festival, archconservative Karl Rove voiced thought about the January 6, 2021, assault on America’s Capitol, Congress, and Constitution.  Donald Trump’s fans might find the Republican icon’s transcribed comments instructive:

“If (Biden’s campaign) were smart, they would take the January 6 and go hard at it.  And they would say, ‘He wants to pardon the people who attacked our Capitol.’

“I worked in that building as a young man.  To me the Congress of the United States is one of the great examples of the strength of our democracy and a jewel of the Constitution.  And what those people did when they violently attacked the Capitol in order to stop a Constitutionally mandated meeting of the Congress to accept the results of the Electoral College is a stain on our history, and every one of those sons-of-bitches who did that, we ought to find them and send them to jail.

“And one of the critical mistakes made in this campaign is that Donald Trump has now said, ‘I’m going to pardon those people because they’re “hostages.”’  No they’re not!  They’re thugs!  Those people, some of them had automatic weapons at a hotel in Virginia hoping to  be called up.  We had people saying, ‘Where is Nancy Pelosi?’  We had people who were, you know, taking desks and siting at the desk of the Speaker of the House, and attempting to find people to bring them to justice, and saying, yelling at the police, saying, ‘Kill them.  Kill them all!’

“And so, what Trump has done is beyond me.  He could have said, ‘You know what?  I trust our jury system.  I trust law enforcement.  Anybody who assaulted the capital ought to be’—I mean he said it once or twice—but now he’s got, he’s appearing in a venue with people who assaulted police officers with an intent to take the Capitol by force.

“So, you know what?  I‘m a Republican.  I don’t want a Democrat President.  I want to have a Republican President.  But, we’re facing as a country and as citizens.  And you know what?  Everybody gets to make it, as to what kind of leadership we’re going to have, and to me it is a mistake on the part of the Trump campaign to allow the President’s impulses to identify himself with the people or assaulted the Capitol rather than people who stand for law and order.”

Behind Karl’s sincere and high-minded respect for America’s Capitol and Institutions, and his puzzlement at Trump’s failure to call for the rule of law to hold the rioters accountable—the cockroach in Rove’s rational soup—is his failure to appreciate that President Donald J.  Trump orchestrated and ordered the “sons-of-bitches” to attack our Capitol, Congress, and Constitution!

Footnote: Every January 6 “hostage” was tried in a court of law and found guilty by a jury of their peers. 

Full Immunity

On Truth Social, January 17, Donald Trump posted:
“A PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES MUST HAVE FULL IMMUNITY, WITHOUT WHICH IT WOULD BE IMPOSSIBLE FOR HIM/HER TO PROPERLY FUNCTION. ANY MISTAKE, EVEN IF WELL INTENDED, WOULD BE MET WITH ALMOST CERTAIN INDICTMENT BY THE OPPOSING PARTY AT TERM END. EVEN EVENTS THAT “CROSS THE LINE” MUST FALL UNDER TOTAL IMMUNITY, OR IT WILL BE YEARS OF TRAUMA TRYING TO DETERMINE GOOD FROM BAD. THERE MUST BE CERTAINTY. EXAMPLE: YOU CAN’T STOP POLICE FROM DOING THE JOB OF STRONG & EFFECTIVE CRIME PREVENTION BECAUSE YOU WANT TO GUARD AGAINST THE OCCASIONAL “ROGUE COP” OR “BAD APPLE.” SOMETIMES YOU JUST HAVE TO LIVE WITH IT.  ALL PRESIDENTS MUST HAVE COMPLETE & TOTAL PRESIDENTIAL IMMUNITY, OR THE AUTHORITY & DECISIVENESS OF A PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES WILL BE STRIPPED & GONE FOREVER. HOPEFULLY THIS WILL BE AN EASY DECISION. GOD BLESS THE SUPREME COURT!”

“Immunity,” from civil or criminal prosecution presupposes allegation or proof of breaking the law!  Over two-and-a-half centuries, from George Washington to Barack Obama and Joe Bidden, American Presidents “PROPERLY FUNCTION(ED)” without thought of “FULL IMMUNITY.” Because the notion of a President breaking the law remained out of the question—until now!

Regarding Donald’s worry around a President facing prosecution for malfeasance after leaving office, of 45 erstwhile U.S. Chief Executives none has been charged nor indicted—until now.

In effect, Donald’s plea for “FULL IMMUNITY” is a confession he has broken and would break the law!