I put this list together last night with help from a few close friends. It reflects an almost instinctual reaction that life is pretty bad right now in the USA. But on an even cursory look, I have to admit that compared to the rest of the world, the USA still has it damn good in terms of material goods.
But in terms of political dialog, respect, and basic human values, this country has a lot of work ahead. And I say that regardless of who wins this election. We have always had a lot of work. As Fannie Lou Hamer once said to the Credentials Committee of the Democratic National Convention, describing her harrowing experience of being beaten in a Mississippi jailhouse “I’m sick and tired of being sick and tired.” And yet she and others kept working, and keep working to this very day.
I hear things from my friends like “I just want to see it all burn down” and I don’t know if they have thought that joke all the way through. Burning it all down means that the weakest among us lives without any safety net. My daughter, an 8 year old, would be exposed to the ravages of the world. And if you want to see what burning it all down might look like, take a day to read The Road by Cormac McCarthy. I feel like it might change your mind.
This song list is my version of burning it all down. It’s meant to be cathartic. Burning it all down is the lazy way to start over, instead of simply burning it all down, we need to build it all back up. So I listen to the songs about destroying the world, about the world ending, about revolution and pain, but then I do something about it. Obviously voting is but one step in that process.
Stay safe out there friends. Here’s a link to the Spotify playlist if you want to listen along.
The revolution will not be televised – Gil Scott-Heron
The revolution will not show you pictures of Nixon
Blowing a bugle and leading a charge by John
Mitchell, General Abrams and Spiro Agnew to eat
Hog maws confiscated from a Harlem sanctuary.
Tales of the future – Vangelis
Your racist friend – They Might Be Giants
It was the loveliest party that I’ve ever attended
If anything was broken I’m sure it could be mended
My head can’t tolerate this bobbing and pretending
Listen to some bullet-head and the madness that he’s saying
Satisfaction – Devo
Tweet tweet tweet – Sleaford Mods
I get a shaky start to Tuesday
Sweat stains on bus windows
I don’t want ruin my coat but
That’s just the way it goes
“Cheer up you fuckin’ bastard!”
That’s all I heard him say
St George’s flag on white van
This is the human race
Paranoid – Black Sabbath
Bulls on parade – Rage Against The Machine
White riot – The Clash
All the power’s in the hands
Of people rich enough to buy it
While we walk the street
Too chicken to even try it
Search and destroy – Iggy Pop
And I’m the worlds forgotten boy
The one who’s searchin’, searchin’ to destroy
It’s the end of the world as we know it – R.E.M.
We got the neutron bomb – The Weirdoes
We got the neutron, don’t understand you don’t know what you mean
We don’t want you we want your machines
United Nations and NATO won’t do
It’s just the red, white and blue
I’m a potato – Devo
Rockets rust, attack, decay
Things fall apart while spacemen play
Now daddy zero drops his brown
Go down, go down, go downTo de-evolution
Self execution
No solution
I’m a spudgun, I’d like to shoot ’em all
We want a rock – They Might Be Giants
Everybody wants a rock
To wind a piece of string aroundEverybody wants prosthetic
Foreheads on their real heads
Bigmouth strikes again – The Smiths
Holiday in Cambodia – Dead Kennedys
Psycho killer – Talking Heads
I can’t seem to face up to the facts
I’m tense and nervous and I can’t relax
I can’t sleep ’cause my bed’s on fire
Don’t touch me I’m a real live wire
Bomb the Russians – Fear
All gone dead – Subhumans
Another Fourth of July… ruined – Big Business
One good afternoon they all climb to the hilltop
Scratching their heads
Ain’t in terms with the truths they no longer believe
“How did this happen? Where did we stumble?”
Slowly they started to see
Cold and forever their faith was divided
And sends them away from the place
They wanted to be
American ruse – MC5
Boot stamping on a human face forever – Bad Religion
Don’t ever dare to hope, he said
So I’m never let down too bad
I know there’s nowhere to go
So I’ll just stay here, instead
He knew better than to pull at a thread
They unravel like the thoughts in his head
He looked out, it filled him with dread
And this is what he said
Going underground – The Jam
What you see is what you get
You’ve made your bed, you’d better lie in it
You choose your leaders and place your trust
As their lies wash you down and their promises rust
You’ll see kidney machines replaced by rockets and guns
And the public wants what the public gets
Fuck the world – The Queers
The world (is going up in flames) – Charles Bradley
It’s killing me
Oh babe
Come on babe, get it rightGotta be
A better world
Gotta make it baby
Gotta make it right
I like the picture. Very “The Road.”
Lately, I’ve been intrigued by the idea — reemerging with new force within democracies — that democracy may not be the best form of government. I’d like to learn more about that.
There is a sense, especially among young people, that the fallout of this election will be apocalyptic in the sense of civil strife and stronger divisions, and stronger calls to split the US into two countries. Maybe I’m a little bit the jaded, but I just don’t imagine a giant confederate militia marching on Washington, DC, should Clinton win.
Should Trump win, my main fear is not that the country’s laws will change drastically to reflect his insane ideas, but rather that it will set the tone for day-to-day individual interactions, namely by authorizing hateful remarks and actions towards anyone who doesn’t conform to a certain skin color, gender, sexuality, or religion.
Our democracy has problems but I think that they are actually problems caused by capitalism rather than democracy. So, for example, student loans. Massive societal problem that people have to take out a huge loan to pay for school, school that they are told they need to get a job, a good job, a job that lets them consume at the same rate as their friends.
This is so ingrained in our culture that I asked Aveline this morning what she would do for work if she was rich. She said “be a park ranger because I love animals but I don’t want to see their insides like a vet.” I tol her it’s great and she should go be a park ranger and she replied “don’t be silly, park rangers don’t make enough money.” She’s 8 and she is already indoctrinated into the rat race. And now I have to unclusterfuck this thing she has in her head about earning enough money.
Money also buys influence, both directly and indirectly. A great example of directly is the war on global warming by the Koch brothers. They can literally ruin a political career by funding one candidate over another. And they control the agenda on their side of the aisle, so much so that it’s rare for a Republican to be in favor of climate change regulations.
Indirectly is a little more tricky but you can see the influence of money in the rise of the private prisons and the military. Every state wants military bases. Military bases mean jobs. Military spending goes to giant companies like Halliburton. They build their missiles and bombs in your state and that means jobs jobs jobs. States are so beholden to these corporate interests and jobs that we are basically at the same place with companies like Boeing that we were with the Sonics: they demand tax cuts, breaks, environmental breaks, and so on from the state or they will threaten to leave. And as long as there are other cities out there who are willing to bend to their demands they can get away with this form of strong arm robbery.
But the people are fed up. They are fighting back and they are winning. Tacoma citizens killed off the Methanol plant which was clearly bought and paid for well before any public announcements were made. Gay rights is now the law of the land. Black lives matter is changing the way that people think of the police and will result in police reforms. Washington is probably going to get money out of politics through citizen initiative.
As much as Trump bothers me and as much as he’s exposed the ugly side of the American people, there are a ton of really good things this country is aiming for.
And finally, I respond to young people who are disheartened by democracy that that’s EXACTLY what the corporations and right-wing politicians want. They don’t want people standing up for their rights, they don’t want people protesting pipelines, they don’t want people saying that racism isn’t ok, they don’t want people standing up to the corporations, or organizing to reduce the size of our military and prison populations, they don’t want us to stand up to the police, and they don’t even want us to vote (they have been systematically rigging elections through gerrymandering for decades, and have used every dirty trick in the book to make sure the poor and minorities can’t vote). Republicans have a vested interest in wanting us to hate our government and our democracy. Once they can get us to not trust our institutions like the police, welfare, social security, health care, education, and democracy and put all of our trust in the military then they can install a dictatorship. Democracy isn’t the best system. It can result in the tyranny of the masses. But it’s our only defense against corruption and the tyranny of the one.
Thanks for your response, Tim. There’s an NPR podcast I’ve been wanting to listen to about democracy as a failing form of government. I’m interested in hearing more about the alternatives and whether there are ones that aren’t medieval or of benefit only to the rich.
Re: Aveline, it is unfortunate that there are so many occupations of such great benefit to our environment and to the health of our minds and spirits that are so undervalued as to be legitimately unattractive for economic reasons. I’ve been educated and now teach in the humanities, and we’re a very expendable lot. My skills and knowledge aren’t all that important to most people nowadays. This isn’t a self-pity thing, but I find it worrying that the only narrative our kids are getting these days is “STEM.” I have nothing against STEM, but humanity needs to know not only what we can do, but whether it is good for us to do it. The balance has shifted completely to one side in terms of what is seen as valuable to society, and it inevitably means either pursuing as much money as you can (not considering whether or how you do so) or a STEM career. Again, nothing wrong with STEM or STEM folks, but there seems to be a need for more balance or perspective.
Democracy is sooooo 2012. Fukuyama had it wrong. There’s gotta be a better system…
love that pic, tim. i really miss the north pacific ocean in the spring/summer time. the wife and i used to go there just for an occasional weekend getaway; it’s still kind of cold that time of year and there’s not a lot going on to distract you from one another.
there used to be a big soccer tournament at ocean shores around early may. guys would travel from canada, walla-walla, spokane, even california. do you know if they are still doing that? it used to be some pretty good footie back in the day.
I don’t actually know. According to my research it’s not been held since 2014. If you can find out more, I’d love to know.
You left out The Who, Won’t Get Fooled Again
I’ll tip my hat to the new constitution
Take a bow for the new revolution
Smile and grin at the change all around
Pick up my guitar and play
Just like yesterday
Then I’ll get on my knees and pray
We don’t get fooled again
Don’t get fooled again
No, no
Yeah!
Meet the new boss
Same as the old boss
That’s a great song, thanks for including it.
Tim, I think you also forgot New Model Army’s Today is a Good Day:
This storm is beautiful
It breaks the breakable
It blows unstoppable
They had claimed victory
They look so stupid now
It’s ashes in their mouths
F***! https://www.theguardian.com/football/2016/nov/08/alexis-sanchez-arsenal-chile-calf-tear-injury-world-cup-qualifier
He’ll be ok, for the next Chile game. Then come back to Arsenal broken as fuck.
Yeah read that. My heart stopped when this news first hit the wire. Like I really needed that going into tonight’s election results.
How about Steve Winwood’s “Time Is Running Out” (off his first solo album):
in the future there’s no room
people standing on your toes
mother nature’s on the run
everybody’s got a gun
soldiers walking in the street
giving off a lot of heat
there just ain’t enough to eat
if you’re poor, you’ve got no meat
advertising in the sky
they like to stick it in your eye
so that it will make you buy
all the things that you don’t need
time is running out…
The money going into politics from huge companies and the wealthy seems like a huge problem.
If huge corporations make big donations to candidates they’re surely going to want something in return.
Too many politicians actively don’t want what’s in the public interest because what the public wants is not what their donors want.
So I think I would agree with you Tim in so far as democracy is workable and salvageable. However as long as politicians are free to take what are, in essence, legal bribes from wealthy individuals and wealthy companies, there is always going to be corruption in that system, and the politicians will ‘naturally’ work on behalf of the people who pay them the most.
Well, that was weird.
So trump wins
So Trump wins.
Holy shit.
In the hope of finding some silver lining, maybe this will be the kick in the ass that persuades the Democratic National Party to go back to something more akin to it’s roots.
They’ve now seen that people are, without a doubt, sick of the current status quo which serves only rich and the powerful. That the people want change. That the people are so tired of two faced liars that they will vote for someone as terrible as Trump because they think he’s honest. Because he tells them the rich don’t care and the politicians don’t care and the media is corrupt and they believe him because they know it’s true. And it doesn’t matter that he’s terrible because at least he’s not a liar about how the system works. People are so disillusioned with the system that they’re prepared to get caught in the bomb blast if it means the elite and the system and the status quo might suffer with them.
The Democratic National Party should be looking at all this and realizing how much of a mess they’ve made. How they’ve grossly underestimated the anger of the people and the people’s desire for change. How the people now see both parties as basically the same.
Maybe they’ll change. Maybe they’ll become the party of the people,if only, at first, out of a sense of self preservation. Maybe they’ll give the people a real alternative and a real choice.
Maybe something has finally gotten so bad that the next step is for it to get better.
Just FYI: making the same post six times will not get it out of the trash filter any faster. It actually makes your account look bad to the filter.
Also, any cursing goes straight to the trash.
I apologise Tim.
It was a pretty long post and when I hit send I didn’t even get a ‘post in moderation’ message. Just nothing. I don’t mean that as a dig in any way, just that I was never sure if was getting into the system, so I sort of panicked.
I usually don’t curse and when you mentioned that, I honestly couldn’t remember what might have been the reason until I saw the beginning. And I completely support your choice to limit profanity. It more often than not just gets in the way. Ill remember in the future.
And in case there is any misunderstanding of my post, I’m in Ireland so my opinion is just that as an outsider who sees both candidates as completely undeserving of the position. It was in no way meant as an endorsement of Trump and I am the first to admit my knowledge of the American political system could be written on the back of a matchbox. If i’ve misrepresented the situation or the mood of Americans in general I will hold my hand up as someone who in fact knows very little about these things.
My only intention after reading the post was to try to put forward a reason, any reason, to have hope in a time when a lot of decent Americans I watch or follow online seem shellshocked.
Apologies again Tim. Love the blog and look forward to your further thoughts on the situation if that is something you ever decide you want to do.
Peace
I irked and surprised a lot of good folks on here when I said I hoped Trump would win. I’m not feeling happy right now if Trump wins. I was never happy about it.
I guess there was an element of ‘burning it all down’ which Tim talked about in his fantastic comment to Bunbury. The US is a world leader. THE world leader. But they are broken. Have been for a while. 15 years of incessant wars, the modern mercantilism and financial crash, indirect control over other nations and peoples which most don’t even realise.
We all deserve better leaders. Trump is not it. But perhaps finally we can get rid of the facade, the lie, that the US operates as a force of good in the world. That this system works.
As Tim says, there is so much good that people have achieved. Trump and his victory can only take that away if we let him. The ‘revolution’ is not Trump’s win. The revolution has to follow, to fix this. And I don’t mean in a blood in the streets kind of way. Just the opposite. We must reach across all sorts of divides to talk, learn, and come up with something better.
Trust me, there are days where I feel so very hopeless about my own country, even as the propaganda machine goes into overdrive to tell us the blatant lie that everything is not only ok, but is better than ever before. In fact, today is one of those days. So I understand if Americans would want to take some time to ‘grieve’ so to speak. But much as I grow cynical, I can never quite shake off the inherent optimism about people. Most people are good. We all have an inherent sense of right or wrong. It varies for individuals and societies, but we all have it. And through all the wars, excesses, upheavals, we’ve still steadily progressed along towards being kinder societies in general. There is no reason for this to not continue, as long as we refuse to let ourselves be misled, divided and lose hope.
Thank you Shard. Needed a little positive reinforcement this morning.
“I love the poorly educated” said Trump and for a good reason. 35% of the US electorate can’t name one branch of government. 45% don’t know the process for a bill to become law. I have a strong suspicion Trump is one of those 45%.
Is it any wonder then, that people get disillusioned when nothing gets done in Congress even though Obama promised them: ” yes we can”.
For an advanced democracy to work there needs to be a fairly high level of knowledge within the electorate of how the political system works, or why it doesn’t work.
Anyone who’s railed against the Wall Street induced financial meltdown should never hope for a president Trump, since deregulating Wall Street is high on his agenda. It’s simply foolish.
Anyone who cares about clean drinking water, clean rivers and lakes and unpolluted oceans, should never want a president Trump. Abolishing the EPA is also high on his agenda.
Anyone who cares about the level of discourse and depth of knowledge on issues, should never want a president Trump. Doing away with Department of Education is also high on his agenda.
Anyone who cares about these issues among many ,many others and still wanted a president Trump, is a fool.
Yes, Shard , I think you are a fool.
Your knowledge of the root of political problems in this country is very basic.
Problems that begin with unlimited money ( thanks to the Citizens United ruling) flowing into congressional and gubernatorial races to determine and redraw congressional districts in such a way that they become virtually uncontested.
President Trump will no doubt appoint another conservative Supreme Court judge to make sure this land mark ruling is here to stay.
The Koch industry has pumped hundreds of millions of dollars to elect ultra conservative representatives who will tow the anti- global warming doctrine. Like senator Inhofe from Oklahoma, who chairs the Senat’s Enviroment and Public Works Committee , and who once brought a snowball on to the senat floor to show that the global warming was a hoax.
If you care about any of these issues and many, many others, and yet, you still wanted a president Trump, then you are a fool, despite your well articulated and grammatically correct post.
Hey , but guess what?
I said this race was over when it became apparent Trump was a habitual pussy grabber , but I was way, way wrong . So I’m a fool too.
This comment was posted much earlier than my second one and for some reason disappeared.
It didn’t say it went into moderation so I just assumed it got eaten by gremlins.
I do feel pretty strongly about this, but not strongly enough to write the same sh.t twice.
Apologies if you got annoyed by the double posting of almost identical content.
I blame Tim and Trump.
Tom , not Gon. Thick fingers small I phone
We must reach across all sorts of divides to talk, learn, and come up with something better.
===
Absolutely, but why do you think a Trump America will foster the conditions where this is more possible after this election than before?
One would hope the take away for the dems from this election is that they won’t be able to get the base excited and get them to come out to vote by doing what they just did (taking millions of dollars in donations and outspending the opponent). If they have learnt this lesson, then they will switch to a more grass roots style approach (like Bernie) and be more of a party of the people rather than the donors.
On the Republicans’ side, this was a stand made by the angry rural America probably the last one as they too will shun the election once they are let down by Trump. You don’t often find candidates like Trump who are outsiders but able to fire up the base. There is also the issue of America’s changing demographics.
It will get better. It will get worse first, but it will get better.
I’m not sure these “angry rural” Americans will realize anything. Any and all misfortune had under the reign of Trump will be blamed on Democrat predecessors, and those who currently occupy seats of power in government. This is the pattern we’re seeing here, and the pattern that Trump fully endorses. Blame is always elsewhere, never within.
So I’m sorry, I’m not as optimistic as you and Shard. I don’t think there’s going to be any kind crazy civil war or anything, but I am worried about our civility and what this kind of leadership authorizes when it comes to living peaceably with people who are different from us in terms of religion, skin color, ethnicity, sexuality, and even gender.
Because sometimes we are most open to change when we aren’t able to convince ourselves that everything is alright.
Hillary represented the evil war machine, large corporates etc etc. But, she has ‘credibility’, of a sort. Trump doesn’t. He’s a pompous game show host. He’s a barefaced liar. He’s not subtle about it. America won’t be able to hide behind its lies because of a veneer. Look at Obama’s mega billion arms deal with Israel. 8 years of war every single day. But he provided credibility to America’s murderous actions. So even if Trump continues the American war industry (not sure how much anyone can stop it)at least they can’t claim to be the good guys while at it.
In this regard, Trump is an unknown, a gamble. But I didn’t want Hillary to win because I was certain that means an escalation of the war in Syria, and following that in Lebanon and Iran. (As well as Yemen and Ukraine, and tensions with China and conflict with Russia)
Trump’s America will embolden the racists to come out and party. For a while. Then they’ll lose their energy and go back to being the nobodies they were. Especially if it invigorates the rest of the population to come out, introspect, discuss, and work to fix their country.
Trump’s America will embolden the racists to come out and party. For a while. Then they’ll lose their energy and go back to being the nobodies they were.
===
What about changes to domestic laws, though? International relations? Changes in these arenas by the Trump administration would seem to have effects that outlast the momentary surge of hatred, and in effect only deepen such hatred, xenophobia, isolationism / exceptionalism by making them systemic.
I’m mostly depressed about the whole thing, as you can probably tell.
I know. It’s fair and understandable to be. But at least you don’t have to deal with the general mood being ra ra Trump by every media establishment. (Which would be the equivalent of what I have had to endure for over 2 years, even as one by one democratic institutions keep falling)
I doubt Trump is an exception to the rule of poll bound politicians not living up to their promises. He’ll still be obnoxious, but probably not actively implement anything to support the racists.
On a related, but different note. I’ve been hearing about how quite a few Hispanics in the South of the US are terrified of Trump and are planning to leave. I have sympathy for them, and I can certainly understand. But I can’t help but feel that people living in the West scare a lot easier than people in the Third World. I’m certain it has something to do with how the media portrays things, because I can see it getting worse here as our media is becoming more American owned, and American styled.
I don’t believe Trump’s victory should be cause for panic. I do not believe half the US vote went to him because he was obnoxious, racist, misogynist, and a liar. It went to him despite all that because people were frustrated enough with the status quo so as to bring about change, which they were provided hope of only through Trump. But that desire needs to be given the right direction. I’m afraid though that the liberals (non political usage) will lose sight of that in their bewilderment and sorrow, and just make it about sexism or racism as the reasons for Hillary’s loss. Hillary didn’t lose because she’s a woman. She lost because she represented a failed system. She shouldn’t have been there in the first place, and couldn’t even beat a clown who was put forward simply to make it a no contest.
It’s not easy to change a law in the U.S. In recent years, the filibuster has become a part of the process so it takes 60 senators to pass a bill. Trump is not going to be able to go to the white house and suddenly ban all Muslims from entering the US. That’s simply not going to happen. As a matter of fact, my guess is he won’t even need to. If he can just put some of the displaced workers in Ohio and PA to work, they won’t care about much else. He used xenophobia as a tool, but the underlying issues are economic. Much like the Brexit situation.
Foreign relations is the part that scares me. He is so unpredictable and volatile. He will probably try to re-negotiate NAFTA but he will run into headwinds there too. Mexico accounts for a chunk of US exports and vice versa. Let’s see how much “tough negotiating” he can do there. I am hopeful that US – Russia relationships can improve. You never know, but it’s true that Hillary was much more hawkish that Obama. One of the only things that both Hillary and Trump agreed on during the first debate was that nuclear threat was the no. 1 threat in the world but nobody batted an eyelid. Everyone was focused on all the drama. It’s scary that Trump will soon have America’s nuclear arsenal at his disposal and had expressed willingness to use it, but I feel he says a lot of things for the shock value. There is indeed a lot to worry about, but I think Congress will keep him in check – and while the situation is far from ideal, we may not become the dystopian society that so many are fearing.
Shard
You are an ideolog and a fool who’s knowledge of Amercan politics is basic at best.
America doesn’t need a revolution but rather an evolution of its political system.
Taking money out of politics would be a good start but this isn’t going to happen under Trump who’s Supreme Court nominees will most certainly uphold the Citizens United ruling.
Trump’s candidacy, on the face of it ,proved that you can win the presidential election while being outspent by your opponent only because the media provided him with billions worth of free publicity.
However, on the state level the hundreds of millions of dollars spent by the Koch industry and others like them ensures that gubernatorial and congressional races are heavily tilted towards republicans.
More money = more wins in politics just like more money = more titles in football.
For someone who’s railed against the out of control Wall Street, sugesting even for a second Trump was a better option, is another example of your ignorance.
Deregulating the financial sector is at the top of Trump’s list you fool.
For someone who cares about the environment and the issue of global warming , to sugest Trump should win ,is another example of your backwards logic.
Dismantling the EPA is another priority of Trump’s.
Securing a decent level of political discourse with certain knowledge of issues is paramount in a complex democracy.
Trumps overtures into abolishing the Department of Education should go along nicely with keeping the electorate dumb and uninformed.
“I love the poorly educated ” – said Trump and for a good reason.
35% of the electorate can’t name a single branch of government , and 45 % don’t know how a bill can become a law.
Is it any wander people who voted for Obama , trusting his slogan ” yes we can”, became disillusioned with his cabinet when he couldn’t push through even the most popular legislation.
Your hopes for a more peaceful and less hawkish foreign policy is based on nothing other than Trump’s vague promises. Wait till Gingrich becomes the Secretary of State to see what happens with those.
Do us all a favor and stop spewing your nonsense on subjects you have little idea about.
But hey, you know who else is a big fool?
Me, since I predicted Trump losing it big weeks ago. So you are in good company here 🙂
Thanks for that. I never claimed to understand US domestic politics. I really don’t and frankly, it doesn’t interest me near enough to get into it properly. So if all that you say is true about his domestic policies, I’ll go along with it. I just get the sense that there has been growing frustration among the people at the way things are. If they are uneducated, who’s to blame? I never said they took the right course of change. Merely the only one that was presented to them. Or at least they hope.
I know and said as much that Trump’s ‘foreign policy’ (I’d rather not use that term to describe their warmongering) promises are just that. And as I said to give hope to some, pre election statements mean very little. The proof will be in the pudding. This is just juxtaposed against a much worse choice. A definite ‘hawk’ in Hillary. With those two as my only options, I pick the chance at lesser war than the certainty of increased war.
And like I said, even if Trump continues down Pax Americana as it is, the US at least loses its claim to being in the moral right, when the best they could elect is Trump. They lose a weapon in their propaganda keeping up support for their illegal and inhumane ‘foreign policy’.
PS. I don’t believe in ‘revolutions’ in the traditional sense. So I agree with you. My use of the term was explained, I thought.
Trump won because reality>>symbolism. The *reality* of economic and social devastation in the rust belt overwhelmed the theoretical risk of his racist/sexist speech and inexperience/volatility. It even blotted out the reality of his membership in the 0.01% club.
The corporate Democrats were paid to look the other way and to ‘distract’ the electorate with identity politics. This began with Governers Gore and Clinton collecting Wall Street donations through the DLC and marginalizing traditional Democrats like Dick Gephardt. They called it triangulation and after the demoralizing defeats to Ronald Reagan the party was willing to get in bed if it could return them to power.
The elite were shocked because they had wilfully blinded themselves to what was going on in the heartland. Why was the Access Hollywood tape more shocking and a bigger story than declining lifespans due to rising suicide, alcohol/drug abuse rates?
To be clear, I don’t think Trump will solve these big problems, but I understand why people thought he would be less constrained in making an attempt. I don’t blame people who find themselves in desperate times and reach for desperate measures. I blame the elites, but I fear that we will all reap the whirlwind.
Jeremy’s right. It all comes down to money. Mussolini said that fascism should be called corporatism because that’s what it is (or something to that effect). We’ve been heading down this road for a few decades. The redistribution of wealth to the already wealthy courtesy of Reagan, the shifting of taxes onto the backs of the middle and working classes, deregulation of banking and insurance companies (thanks Bill), Citizens United, an endless unjust oil war based on a lie, the market crash and a slight of hand to redirect the rage to social issues and, voila, a President-elect Trump is the natural consequence.
We absolutely must get private money out of our elections. I don’t see a Republican House and Senate overturning Citizens United. We may just have to wait 4 more years to do so.
More important to me, what of our values? Our collective morals? Why are the things that are said and done by politicians, actors, singers and athletes acceptable? Why does someone caught in the act of raping a girl behind a dumpster only serve 3 months in prison? Why does someone get to continue to serve in the US Senate once he’s been caught bribing his girlfriend’s parents by giving them jobs? Why do banking execs avoid jail for turning a blind eye questionable practices that bring the world’s economy to the brink of disaster? Why do professional athletes get to keep playing after getting video’d beating their girlfriends/wives? I mean, what the hell is going on with this society?
End rant. I’m just so disheartened at this moment.
In darker times, a little despair is not entirely unhealthy.
Everything Is Broken
Broken lines broken strings
Broken threads broken springs
Broken idols broken heads
People sleeping in broken beds
Ain’t no use jiving
Ain’t no use joking
Everything is broken.
Broken bottles broken plates
Broken switches broken gates
Broken dishes broken parts
Streets are filled with broken hearts
Broken words never meant to be spoken
Everything is broken.
Seem like every time you stop and turn around
Something else just hit the ground
Broken cutters broken saws
Broken buckles broken laws
Broken bodies broken bones
Broken voices on broken phones
Take a deep breath feel like you’re chokin’
Everything is broken.
Everytime you leave and go off someplace
Things fall to pieces in my face
Broken hands on broken ploughs
Broken treaties broken vows
Broken pipes broken tools
People bending broken rules
Hound dog howling bullfrog croaking
Everything is broken.
– Bob Dylan, Nobel Laureate
And on the other side of despair there is hope and faith in just 3 chords and an indelible melody:
Every Grain Of Sand
In the time of my confession, in the hour of my deepest need
When the pool of tears beneath my feet flood every newborn seed
There’s a dyin’ voice within me reaching out somewhere
Toiling in the danger and in the morals of despair
Don’t have the inclination to look back on any mistake
Like Cain, I now behold this chain of events that I must break
In the fury of the moment I can see the Master’s hand
In every leaf that trembles, in every grain of sand
Oh, the flowers of indulgence and the weeds of yesteryear
Like criminals, they have choked the breath of conscience and good cheer
The sun beat down upon the steps of time to light the way
To ease the pain of idleness and the memory of decay
I gaze into the doorway of temptation’s angry flame
And every time I pass that way I always hear my name
Then onward in my journey I come to understand
That every hair is numbered like every grain of sand
I have gone from rags to riches in the sorrow of the night
In the violence of a summer’s dream, in the chill of a wintry light
In the bitter dance of loneliness fading into space
In the broken mirror of innocence on each forgotten face
I hear the ancient footsteps like the motion of the sea
Sometimes I turn, there’s someone there, other times it’s only me
I am hanging in the balance of the reality of man
Like every sparrow falling, like every grain of sand
Words and music by the same Nobel Laureate
Michael Moore on why Trump will win…
Thanks 1NiltotheArsenal. I was listening to Every Grain of sand for some glimmer of hope last night and escape the despair that we will not hear the Chimes of freedom for a long time