LAST FRIDAY, on the Seattle campus of the University of Washington, a Trump supporter shot a Trump opponent. The (non-fatal) shooting took place during a violent protest against the presence of Milo Yiannopoulos – the tech editor of Breitbart News. Violence erupted after Yiannopoulos’s opponents formed a picket-line and physically obstructed the Alt-Right commentator’s followers from entering the auditorium where he was speaking.
In a nation where “the right to bear arms” is constitutionally protected, it can only be a matter of time before such clashes escalate into a ferocious firefight – and fatalities.
What happens then is all-too-easy to predict. President Trump will denounce his political opponents as enemies of free speech and democracy. Federal, state and local law enforcement agencies will crack down hard on anti-Trump agitation. More ominously, the President’s most vociferous supporters will militarise themselves into special protection squads. Presented to the American public as “self-defence” organisations, the actual purpose of these goon squads will be to intimidate and/or terrorise progressive individuals and groups into silence.
Thus will President Trump pay homage to his mentor Vladimir Putin – whose use of “patriotic” organisations (often comprising a hard core of former soldiers and secret policemen) to shut down his political opponents is well documented. The appearance on American streets of an aggressive political militia will be the strongest proof yet that the United States has fallen under the sway of a fascist regime.
The arrival of these political thugs will force Trump’s opponents to make a choice. Either: fall quietly into line with the new realities of American political life. Or: put your own personal safety (not-to-mention the safety of your friends and family) at risk by continuing to speak out against the policies of the Trump Administration.
This choice will likely be an urgent one for members of the journalistic profession. If the Putin comparison holds true, it will not be long before at least one reporter, columnist or blogger pays the ultimate price for exposing the sins of Trump and his supporters.
If fearless journalism leads directly to murder, as is currently the case in the Russian Federation, America’s editors will feel torn between the duty-of-care they owe to their employees, and their democratic duty to defend freedom of expression. Their decision-making will, almost certainly, be simplified by their publishers, America’s huge media corporations, making it clear that the shareholders’ dividends (and the CEO’s bonuses!) are not to be jeopardised by Quixotic editors sanctioning crusades to rescue the First Amendment.
With the consequences of opposition clearly evident to the by-now-thoroughly-cowed news media, Trump’s people will invite the Fox News Network to assume the role played by the state-owned broadcasters of the Russian Federation. Fox will receive the Administration-approved editorial line on matters political and cultural, and all the other mainstream media organisations will be expected to follow its lead.
The quiescence of the American working-class during any such period of political co-ordination will likely be secured by the Trump Administration’s skilful co-optation of the American trade unions. Already, Trump has received praise from the leader of the US trade union movement, AFL-CIO President, Richard Trumka, for nixing the Trans-Pacific Partnership.
Trumka hailed the President’s actions as “just the first in a series of necessary policy changes required to build a fair and just global economy.”
Further union backing is to be anticipated as Trump ramps up his “American jobs for American workers” infrastructure programme. Few union leaders – and especially not the leaders of the steelworkers, auto and construction unions – will be willing to kill Trump’s golden, job-creating goose by standing in solidarity with the environmentalist and Native American opponents of the controversial Keystone XL and Dakota Access oil pipelines – both of which were restarted today (25/1/17) by Executive Order.
As anyone familiar with the last 50 years of American political history will attest, any eruption of American fascism was certain to feature an angry, white, working-class complexion. Ever since 1968, when all those furious blue-collar “Hard-Hats” marched off their New York construction sites to beat up defenceless anti-war student protesters, a cross-class alliance of White Christian Americans exposed itself as the most likely vector of American fascism. Nixon recognised it. Reagan primed it. Trump has set it in motion.
It sounded like a plausible scenario until I read this:
‘Thus will President Trump pay homage to his mentor Vladimir Putin’, at which I stopped reading.
Because he will actually be just be paying homage to the way autocratic morality-free zones like Trump’s Organization operate, because there is nothing wrong with paying homage to a great leader like Putin, or because Putin would never do the kinds of things Chris is painting as a potential future path for the new American President?
Or was it just to put your fingers in your ears and go :”Lalalalalaland”?
Afewknowtetruth: “…President Trump pay homage to his mentor Vladimir Putin’, at which I stopped reading.”
Hahaha…. yes, me too. Oh, enough already of the “evil Putin” schtick, commentators of the Left! Instead of uncritical repetition of the neocon line, how about you remember that Russia is a democracy, and has been since the fall of Communism. Then go read something other than Washington propaganda about what’s happening in that part of the world, what happened there in the 1990s, and why Putin came to prominence. Then come back and comment when you’re much better-informed. We the readers will benefit as well.
Looking beyond “Washington propaganda”, I checked Al Jazeera which ran this story about the March 2012 elections in Russia;
ref: http://www.aljazeera.com/news/europe/2012/03/201234174822513879.html
So, D’Esterre. I do not share your heightened enthusiasm for Putin and the election that returned him to power. There is ample doubt as to how honest and fair the Russian elections actually were, especially as journalists and political opponants have been physically attacked and many killed.
There is more I could find on the disputed Russian election, but I think you get the message.
Frank Macskasy: Best not to rely on Al Jazeera as a commentator of record. Remember where it is based and who funds it. Note also that the results of the 2012 election still stand.
Russia is a democracy; in many respects it is a much more vigorous and open democracy than ours; you’d know this, were it the case that you could watch Russian-language TV. Which is why we know about the dissent there that is inevitable in any democracy. Witness what’s going on in the US right now: plenty of dissent there too! And we’re also hearing about it.
“…especially as journalists and political opponants have been physically attacked and many killed.”
If this were indeed a tactic to silence dissent, it’s been spectacularly unsuccessful, hasn’t it!
This is possibly a reference to the murder of Anna Politkovskaya, although that was considerably before the 2012 election. Her killers were later convicted and sentenced to lengthy spells in the jug.
In case you don’t know, the people convicted of her murder were all Chechens, I believe. She’d been working there, I think, or at least working on Chechen issues. She’d made enemies, in a culture where insults are traditionally answered by murder. A bunch of Chechens organised the murder, actual triggerman was a Russian ex-cop moonlighting as a contract murderer.
Political opponents have tried to pin on the Kremlin the blame for ordering her murder; that doesn’t make sense, though. At the time, Putin pointed out that her death did much more damage to the Russian government than her work could ever do. There was no percentage in the Kremlin getting involved: Occam’s razor says that those who were convicted planned and carried out the crime all by themselves.
The Chechen conflict was an early example of jihad and jihadi terrorism, though it was not reported as such here, as far as I recall. It was a very complex and violent conflict; it’d be worth your while reading up on it. Though finding an impartial account might be a bit of an enterprise; best to avoid AJ and mainstream US media. There may well be some academic work available online by now.
D’esterre, aren’t you one of the Islamophobes who expressed prejudice against mulsim women who chose to wear the burkha? No wonder you’re a fan of Il Duce Trump, he expresses your bigotry with chilling effect.
You’re indeed correct, Theodore. D’esterre is noted for her hatred of all things muslim.
Trumka’s position is where any national union centre will likely end up if it embraces class collaborationist ideology rather than a class struggle ideology
“I met a traveller from an antique political land….”
I went to the charade that was the Anti TPP rally in Wellington called ‘ Show us your Text.’ some time ago.
I said to a front line cop in the nicest possible way:
” The minister of Trade is trying to tie us into private, corporate deals and you guys are trying to stop us from entering our very own ministry building. You, our police, should be facing the other way. You should be with us trying to get inside and you should help us find the paper work and protect us while doing so. I reminded him that the NZ police are charged with protecting the interests of the status quo and we, the NZ public, are the status quo. ” The cops,and his neighbours, watched me with all the inquisitiveness of a stoat watching a chicken as I was shuffled off by one of the bullshit ‘ officials’ wearing their silly little fluro vests. The official warned me not to talk to the police and I said I’ll talk to whomever I like so fuck off. Instead of her fucking off, she was joined by yet another ‘ official’ and we argued black and blue re this and that until I realised the whole show was a jack up and those not in the know were being played.
My friend, who was there, said she believed the ‘show us your text’ crew were final year political science students conducting an end of year project.
What I’m trying to say is that the above Post resonates with me and the virus extends to NZ.
With Global Warming starting to make itself known, with Global debt at 152 trillion, with dwindling natural resources and a soon to be an already over populated planet’s displacements re conflict and global warming something must give.
Using a honey bee analogy. The queen and her closest consorts will fly off and the hive’s millions of worker bees will be left to die.
“What I’m trying to say is that the above Post resonates with me and the virus extends to NZ.
With Global Warming starting to make itself known”
Which will be made worse as Trump is a self declared climate change denier, and today signed an Executive Order permitting oil pipelines to be built:
“WASHINGTON — President Trump sharply changed the federal government’s approach to the environment on Tuesday as he cleared the way for two major oil pipelines that had been blocked, and set in motion a plan to curb regulations that slow other building projects.
In his latest moves to dismantle the legacy of his predecessor, Mr. Trump resurrected the Keystone XL pipeline that had stirred years of debate, and expedited another pipeline in the Dakotas that had become a major flash point for Native Americans. He also signed a directive ordering an end to protracted environmental reviews.
“I am, to a large extent, an environmentalist, I believe in it,” Mr. Trump said during a meeting with auto industry executives. “But it’s out of control, and we’re going to make it a very short process. And we’re going to either give you your permits, or we’re not going to give you your permits. But you’re going to know very quickly. And generally speaking, we’re going to be giving you your permits.” https://www.nytimes.com/2017/01/24/us/politics/keystone-dakota-pipeline-trump.html?_r=0
Oil produces greenhouse gases when burned. Which we all should know by now.
“I went to the charade that was the Anti TPP rally in Wellington called ‘ Show us your Text.’ some time ago.
My friend, who was there, said she believed the ‘show us your text’ crew were final year political science students conducting an end of year project.”
That is unfair and uncalled for, Countryboy. “Show us your text” are made up of citizens like you and me who campaigned against the TPP. For you to insult them shows how little you know about them.
We’ve participated in anti-TPP marches, are you going to question our credentials? Motivations? Class?
Trump has climbed aboard the anti-TPP movement because it suited him. As Prof Jane Kelsey has said, it was ordinary men and women who resisted this latest attempt to further globalisation, not some misogynistic racist rich prick who lives in an penthouse apartment with bathrooms lined with gold.
If that’s your idea of a “grass roots” movement, then you’ve been inhaling.
Country boy, those organisers are committed anti-TPP activists. You’d do better to focus your critical eye on fuhrer trump, rather than committed kiwis who fought the TPP.
The fucken cards have been dealt for it for sure. The acid test for trump is when he starts paying off debt which could go good or bad for peace
Who has been trying to suppress free speech: The left
Who has been committing violent acts: The left
Who has been damaging property: The Left
Who is rebelling against the results of a free & fair election: The left
So who are the real fascists today Chris?
Steve Bonan of course. But this is America. In New Zealand we like to use the correct terms. He’s Eliot Ness
Your comment reveals an odd little black-and-white view of the world, Andrew. Things are usually a bit more complex than that.
Whatcha gonna do? Shoot us?
You haven’t read the article, have you, Andrew? It was a Trump supporter who shot a demonstrator, not the other way round. Or are you so one-eyed that your brain cannot accept anything that fits into your narrow world-view?
It would appear that he was attacked by a group of Anarchists and shot one of them in self-defence. The article does not reflect what witnesses have said took place. The instigators of violence are clearly the Anarchists, and it’s a good reminder of why you don’t go around punching strangers in America. Who knows when they’ll turn out to be armed – and often legally.
That’s a bit like ISIS taking credit for random s@$t in a pro gun country. Some people like to sprinkle political fairy dust all over
Anarchists, fascists what else can people call the “left” to suit their narrative. Chris will be able to confirm that Rodney Hide is a self confessed anarchist.
Anarchy simply means without government, fascism has lots of authoritarian rule.
So what is it you want to call those of us who can clearly see the beginnings of a fascist regime in the Trump government?
The guys flying antifa flags and dressed in black are pretty clearly black bloc. They aren’t socialists or social democrats. Plus the Disrupt J20 movement is open about the groups involved. There were a couple of socialist groupings, but most were anarchists. It’s called researching before commenting.
“Who has been trying to suppress free speech: The left.”
Not especially. Hate speech should be opposed, and alt-facts.
“Who has been committing violent acts: The left”
Check the number of attacks on Muslims in the US since Trump emerged.
“Who has been damaging property: The Left”
You mean turning over three cars? How about destroying lives? Does that count? There is really nio comparison.
“Who is rebelling against the results of a free & fair election: The left”.
We might have to wait for some free and fair elections to check this assertion.
Thanks for coming, Andrew.
Yes indeed, Andrew. The linked article below is long, but well worth the read. It provides historical evidence in support of your argument.
http://archive.is/WPrYb
The reader needs to be at least as old as I am, I suspect, to know anything at all about many of the events described. I’m certainly aware of some of the violence, from the 1960s on, but going back to 1950-ish and before stretches even me. I was a bit young to be conscious of it!
I’m not sure how well this stuff was reported. If some of it was reported at all; I’m a longtime reader of the news (before TV), and some events I don’t remember at all. And I don’t recall the tone of such reportage as there was: maybe there was an undertone of approval, given the zeitgeist of the time.
I recommend this link to everyone here, especially those who characterise themselves as “left-wing”. I think it’ll shock you, if you aren’t aware of these events.
D’Esterre;
Your quality postings are absolutely excellent. Thank you.
You can never get true understanding with a text size script or a 5min clip.
Unfortunately today, many are to quick to move on and settle for a 10 min clip or a couple of paragraphs type explanation.
The written word has to be the best way of learning/communication
because you can move through it and digest at your own speed and can
always go back over it with anything you did not understand.
Shortened concentration spans are Iam sure have been encouraged.
“The reader needs to be at least as old as I am, I suspect, to know anything at all about many of the events described.”
An added aspect to that is I believe that the 1960’s was reported to be
the pinnacle of quality and standards of education in NZ.
There seems to be a lot less an awareness to the events of history that
we were taught along with parts of the curriculum have been removed.
I note the many sitcoms/soap opera’s and message in general to kids and
youth is “don’t read books”, “it’s nerdy” or “you don’t have to nowdays”.
I used to be a ‘lefty’ for most of my life, coming from a working class background, until I read about Tavistock and the Fabian Society.
Your link describes the true nature and goals of these people that indoctrinate by subtle stealth something that is not what it seems.
The Internet is a God send for information that we would,up to now, not
normally come across in our lifetime. What a machine.
All immediately accessible at our finger tips.
Learning takes time and repetition.
In my book, reading in quiet with no distractions beats a doco or movie
anyday.
Reading not only improves concentration but understanding concepts
and ideology is a lot easier when words or diagrams are placed there to study.
Thanks once again for that illuminating piece.
All leftists should take the time to read it.
Cheers.
Iain McLean: Thanks. It’s an excellent link, isn’t it! Shocking and darkly funny by turns.
I was discussing the contents with a relative recently. I wonder if the events about which the author writes were the driver for the growth of the culture of mass shootings which now blights US society. Said relative didn’t agree, but I do wonder if there’s a cause-and-effect relationship.
Wells Fargo an investment bank that that was shut down by US Sec for laundering Mexican drug money, also bought by Warren buffet and recently got caught in a billion dollar fraud scandal.
But when Wells Fargo was fined that stopped a billion or ten billion a year in funds, from flowing to US equity markets which kicked off the 2008 crises in 2006. So the links between drugs/crime/politics and mass shootings remain for ever twisted
Thanks D’Esterre for this link. Interesting that the writer is Jewish. Extraordinary story at the end of the piece.
Another story:
Hiram Rhodes Revels was the first black senator.
‘On November 6, 1875, Revels, as a Republican, wrote a letter to Republican President Ulysses S. Grant that was widely reprinted. Revels denounced Ames and the carpetbaggers for manipulating the black vote for personal benefit, and for keeping alive wartime hatreds:[16]’
‘Since reconstruction, the masses of my people have been, as it were, enslaved in mind by unprincipled adventurers, who, caring nothing for country, were willing to stoop to anything no matter how infamous, to secure power to themselves, and perpetuate it….. My people have been told by these schemers, when men have been placed on the ticket who were notoriously corrupt and dishonest, that they must vote for them; that the salvation of the party depended upon it; that the man who scratched a ticket was not a Republican. This is only one of the many means these unprincipled demagogues have devised to perpetuate the intellectual bondage of my people…. The bitterness and hate created by the late civil strife has, in my opinion, been obliterated in this state, except perhaps in some localities, and would have long since been entirely obliterated, were it not for some unprincipled men who would keep alive the bitterness of the past, and inculcate a hatred between the races, in order that they may aggrandize themselves by office, and its emoluments, to control my people, the effect of which is to degrade them.’
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hiram_Rhodes_Revels
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Carpetbagger
Andrew, you are ranting.
“…The arrival of these political thugs will force Trump’s opponents to make a choice. Either: fall quietly into line with the new realities of American political life. Or: put your own personal safety (not-to-mention the safety of your friends and family) at risk by continuing to speak out against the policies of the Trump Administration…”
or the third option available to Americans, AKA the second amendment, and the anti-Fascists will form a “…well regulated Militia, being necessary to the security of a free State…” and fight back. Americans are many things, but they are not pussies and thanks to the second amendment they’ll have the means to fight back. The appearance of armed fascist political militias on the street will trigger a civil war and an Ataturk military coup.
This is a good point. The genius of the second amendment is that you don’t have to go rely on the state if you’re conceal carrying. It makes you wonder why so many on the American left take their cues from gun hating Hollywood film star cry babies instead of understanding what an amazing constitution they have on hand. But, I think right now it’s Anarchists who are the thugs, and clearly the instigators of violence. No good for the American left or right will come from letting Anarchist agitators drive them to violence. I swear half of those Anarchists are really cops too.
I can see it all happening……
It happened here in NZ, once upon a time. Remember “Massey’s Cossacks” https://nzhistory.govt.nz/politics/black-tuesday/the-1912-waihi-strike
And Muldoons Pro tour rugby thugs and Red squad.
That’s right, Mosa.
Good point Priss.
It’s nothing new ..
As for the ultra – right.
Remember .. ‘ One Law for all ‘ … ‘ Maori Privilege ‘ .
How it had tapped into … ‘ The Silent Majority ‘
It’s all happened here.
Yet the silence here was deafening when Hillary Clinton/Democrats organised violent protests at Trump rallies. I guess it’s ok when the left does it?
http://www.thegatewaypundit.com/2016/10/jamesokeefeiiis-project-veritas-proven-right-by-cnn-video/
http://www.zerohedge.com/news/2016-10-17/caught-tape-clinton-funded-democrat-operatives-inciting-anarchy-trump-rallies
So you don’t support the right of citizens to protest, Nitrium? What do you say to those thousands of people who protested the TPP from Day 1?
And why the continuing, ongoing reference to Hillary Clinton? Can’t you validate Trump without pointing to someone else?
If the only way to support your favourite demagogue is by comparison to someone else, then he has nothing of value. The man is an empty shell, a caricature. And you’ve bought into it, lock stock & barrel!
Protesting is one thing, inciting violence is something entirely different. Don’t you think “our” side should be held to the same standards (i.e. why is it “fascist” when Trump supporters do it but glossed over when Hillary did it)?
What does Hillary have to do with the protestors, Nitrium? Did she organise and lead them?
Thus far, as others have pointed out, Trump supporters seem to invoke Hillary Clinton as some kind of People’s Scapegoat, as if she is required to validate Trump’s ascendency.
I’m reminded of “Goldstein” in Orwell’s 1984 – a mythical “people’s enemy of the state” needed by Big Brother as a focus for hate. Someone in the Establishment has taken that onboard very well by demonising Clinton.
I wonder how they would have demonised Bernie Sanders? An agent of Nth Korea? Links to the Illuminati? God only knows.
‘ I wonder how they would have demonised Bernie Sanders? An agent of Nth Korea? Links to the Illuminati? God only knows.’
————————————————————-
The Republicans would have awarded Sanders a different treatment ,… he would have received the old McCarthy era JFK label ‘ soft on Communism’ line.
Then out would have come all the lines about the USA’s dwindling influence around the glove, a shrinking military etc etc , … Americas failing to hold its end of the bargain with the U.N and NATO ,… USA’s interests being compromised …
Sanders probably would have been the best choice for all concerned… but the Dems chose Clinton… and it backfired monumentally. And not just for her .
And in some ways – has thrust not just the USA but world politics into a long needed reevaluation of clandestine globalist self interests… and that … if anything , is the lesson to be learned here.
I suspect you’re correct on that assessment, Katipo. The old “soft on communism/terrorism” fear, dangled in front of a gullible electorate.
We are fortunate so lone-wolf butter has committed an act of violence in the name of ISIS here in New Zealand. Key would have made a meal out of it by now, and we’d have a massive surveillance state worse than what we have now. All with manufactured consent by a fearful populace.
I agree, my choice was for Sanders as well.
As for Clinton, the more I read about her “failings”, the more my skepticism is aroused that a massive “con-job” has been created to smear her. That may not be a popular thought amongst many (especially by what I view increasingly as an “alt.Left”), but my suspicions are aroused when many of the charges are unsubtantiated; patently absurd, and seem to emanate from alt.Right and neo-con websites.
More research required…
Allow me to assist, Frank. If there’s one thing I’ve found lately, it is that the Sam Harris worshipping alt.Right dudebros of YouTube don’t like the alt.Left Abby Martin. Here are a couple of her Empire Files – which, as always, are far more well researched than the works of her nemesis Sam Harris
Abby Martin on Hillary Clinton:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PV_PLCC6jeI
Abby Martin on Hillary Clinton’s campaign manager, John Podesta (note: focuses on John Podesta as a Washington D.C. lobbyist; this is not concerned with #pizzagate conspiracy theories):
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9fat63bqvG8&t=6s
https://www.democracynow.org/2016/12/27/headlines/obama_signs_defense_bill_establishing_anti_propaganda_center The Countering Disinformation and Propaganda Act is pumping a lot of fake news into the public domain and keeping afloat spin doctors that should have gone belly up but aren’t. Just thought I’d leave this here for you.
“What does Hillary have to do with the protestors, Nitrium? Did she organise and lead them?”
What does Trump have to do with the protesters Frank? Did he organise and lead them?
See, you can’t have a double standard for this stuff. Trotter calls out Trump supporters for doing what they think is their leader’s bidding (their is no video AFAIK that Trump is literally calling out for violent action), but remained utterly silent when Hillary supporters did the same sort of things.
Madonna said she wanted to bomb the Whitehouse. Is that ok, because it’s a voice from the left? Where is TDB outrage citing, say, Stalinism coming from the left? It comes across as hypocritical.
So,Nitrium, where do you stand on Trump’s declared intention to return to waterboarding and forced rendition to black bases? Because Trump has stated he intends to pursue those policies.
Forget what any one else says on this. Trump is wrong. Torture or what ever the fuck PC nerds want to call it, works for the same reasons the court system works
Investigate
Prosecute
Sentence
When you investigate all suspects with torture they will assassinate you. So trump is wrong. The presumption of innocence is fundamental to any legal fraternity or it turns into a complete farce and no one has ever defended stupid successfully in all of history, because there ideas die with them.
The u,s.a govt or cia is still doing kidknapping and much much worse torture than water-boarding …..
They get proxies to do it …… towards the end of this Doco you get some info on the https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TN4Sn5u_pK0
Hillary is a war criminal regarding Libya in particular and Wikileaks shows her pushing for war ….. which she got to the great expense and many deaths of Blacks, women, families and people of Libya.
” Clinton knew the claims about Qaddafi issuing Viagra to troops for rapes were bogus.
But, perhaps, the most troubling revelation is that Secretary Clinton was being explicitly told that the Libyan rebel forces were conducting racially charged massacres of black Africans under the rationale of labeling them “foreign mercenaries.”..
http://www.obv.org.uk/news-blogs/black-genocide-libya-why-silence
Libya is a war torn failed state now infested with Isis now ….
This is what it was like pre- clinton, Obamas war for freedom campaign ….
“Women in Libya are free to work and to dress as they like, subject to family constraints. Life expectancy is in the seventies. And per capita income—while not as high as could be expected given Libya’s oil wealth and relatively small population of 6.5m—is estimated at $12,000 (£9,000), according to the World Bank. Illiteracy has been almost wiped out, as has homelessness—a chronic problem in the pre-Gaddafi era, …..”
http://www.counterpunch.org/2011/08/31/the-top-ten-myths-in-the-war-against-libya/
All gone now ….
Trump is a rich narcissist for whom I have very low expectations
Hillary is a proven war criminal with blood all over her …
…. And did I mention the fascists/nazis who Hillary and the usa support in the Ukraine …. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8-RyOaFwcEw
Real nazis …. shoot, strangle, burn, kill type nazis.
Not donald trump type wankers ….. real nazis.
Hillary don’t care who dies …. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8veOzd39VWI
A few idiots turned violent, hundreds of thousands, millions of people marched all around the world the NEXT day, peacefully.
go usa and hillary
http://theantimedia.org/emails-prove-hillary-knew-libyan-rebels-were-conducting-ethnic-cleansing-supported-them-anyway/
https://levantreport.com/2016/01/04/new-hillary-emails-reveal-propaganda-executions-coveting-libyan-oil-and-gold/
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bmYZ_kWHk3Q
Still banging on about Clinton, Nitrium?
You remind me of the Nats continually blaming the previous Labour government when their policies fail to deliver promised results.
Tell us, as an apologist for Trump, when will your man-in-the-white-house take responsibility for his actions, words, and policies? Any time soon?
Not at all. This is about continuous Trump bashing but forgetting to look in the mirror.
I disagree, Nitrium.
It is not “Trump bashing” when he targets minorities, muslims, and treats women like flesh. It is not Trump bashing that he has appointed Republicans, far-right wingers, neo-cons, business tycoons, et al, to his cabinet.
It is not Trump bashing that he denies climate change and has authorised two new pipelines.
Neither is is Trump bashing that he has canned funding for NGOs that offer information to women in other nations about abortions and contraceptions – meaning an inevitable rise in unwanted pregnancies.
It is not Trump bashing that he intends a massive escalation to build up the US military (whilst freezing other Federal hiring of staff) anmd at the same time provoking China.
So far this has been a very right-wing government. His utterances, appointments, and executive orders all point to the inescapable conclusion that Trump’s cloak of being an “anti-establishment rogue” is a charade and has successfully hoodwinked many into supporting him.
I have blogged against Key and his right-wing, neo-liberal government since July 2011. I see no reason to treat Trump and his right-wing regime any differently.
In fact, more than ever, I believe that the One Percent oligarchy that has ruled the US since Day One is as strong as ever and have taken a whole new approach to governing.
Next step; tax cuts for the rich and cuts to Federal social services.
I’ve seen it all before here in New Zealand with our own very popular “smiling assassin”.
Remember how populist he was?
Populism isn’t necessarily a negative – Michael Joseph Savage was a badass populist of the kind we need more than ever!
The shame of it is that the DNC is incapable of looking in the mirror.
After 4 years of being traumatised by Trump I’m sure the DNC will convince the voters to turn out and vote for Hillary or Cory Booker whoever the Coprates want, and Americans will find themselves back to square one, just even worse.
The PC / Left faces a major problem. It cannot examine it’s own philosophies too closely or it will find fundamental contradictions. So it resorts to shouting people down.
It says it supports feminism yet will not criticise Islam and its repressive misogynies.
It claims to be in favour of democracy yet will not accept the result of a free & fair democratic election.
It favours protectionism regardless of the fact that neoliberalism is eliminating global poverty.
It accuses sceptics of being anti-science ‘climate deniers’ yet will not accept scientific evidence that GMOs are safe and are feeding millions who would otherwise starve.
It talks about the rights of children yet favours ‘late term’ abortions.
Some people need to take a hard look in the mirror!
There’s a lot of truth there, ANDREW but for one thing…
Neo liberalism is the CAUSE of global poverty in this time.
Globalist neo liberalism and the ones who utilize institutions to implement it such as the Bilderbergers, Council on Foreign Relations, Trilateral Commission , Club of Rome and the like…
These and other groups are but mere lower tiers of a Globalist agenda – one which can be traced directly back to banking family’s such as the Rothchild’s – and they in turn can be traced directly back to being not only Freemasons but active practicing Illuminati proponents…
The Rothchild’s … whose ancestors were fervent advocates of Frankish Political European occultic Zionism. And whose family was there at the Illuminati takeover of European Freemasonry at the Congress of Wilhelmsbad 1792 in Germany …
( see : Jacob Frank and other sources http://www.jewishideasdaily.com/887/features/sympathy-for-the-devil/
Truth about The New Word Order This Video Blocked in 51 Countries : https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rhhR9sA_GrA)
And which has NOTHING whatsoever AT ALL to do with either the Jewish religion nor democracy nor whether a movement is either ‘ Right ‘ or ‘ Left’ – or whether ones ancestry is Jewish or not.
It utilizes all manner of religions , political movements as tools. It is NO SECRET that while Marx , Trotsky , Lenin , Stalin were all Jewish , – more importantly they were ALL Political Frankish Occultic Zionists – and ALL were Freemasons.
And it is this absolute lack of knowledge and refusal to learn of peoples own history that allows them to play right into the hands of this globalist long term plan , … of what George H W Bush senior was referring to time after time when he spoke of the ‘ New World Order ‘.
They are like easily guided beasts who lack the ability to perceive and instead act only on instinct and the immediate emotional stimulus of the present.
Its there for ALL to see – especially with the advent of the internet. There are NO excuses to be ignorant of this any more.
And it is this same vicious globalist New World Order that now hates nationalists like Trump with a burning vengeance.
The uncomfortable fact for those attacking neo-liberalism is that it’s working.
We are conquering poverty on a global scale! 🙂
Take a look at this excellent article from the Economist:
http://www.economist.com/news/leaders/21578665-nearly-1-billion-people-have-been-taken-out-extreme-poverty-20-years-world-should-aim
and this one from the Guardian:
https://www.theguardian.com/society/2013/mar/17/aid-trade-reduce-acute-poverty
You may argue that it’s not happening fast enough and it’s not happening equally right across the world, but we are definitely making progress.
No, Andrew, neo-liberalism is leaving many in poverty, with precarious work (or no work at all), and a massive wealth inequality. Which is precisely why Trump was elected (it sure as heck wasn’t his wisdom or boyish charms) by a disenfranchised, fearful Working and Middle classes.
You can parrot the “greed is good” mantra as long as you like. It won’t work here. Tell it to the families living in cars and garages.
Fun fact time :
‘ a 2010 study published in Science magazine determined that Neanderthal DNA is 99.7 percent identical to modern human DNA (a chimp’s is 99.8 percent identical).’
Cheer up though , people …
We did manage to invent the wheel first ,….
Or did we ?
No Frank.
You still don’t get it. This is why Trump was elected:
http://blogs.spectator.co.uk/2017/01/trump-how-did-this-happen/
Lolz. The boom in neoliberalism is attributed to the rise in bonds. That’s code for borrowing the ladder from up behind you.
Checked bond prices lately? They’re tanking. Your illusionary wealth has scrapped its last barrel
Thanks for confirming that Trump was elected because of stupid
Since the early 1980’s the policy of the U.S has been to enforce a unipolar hegemony over the rest of the world.In particular, Russia has been seen to be the only country to be capable of being an impediment to this realisation.Any countries that could conceivably be allies of Russia have received violent attacks from the U.S and Nato allies.ie Serbia,Syria, and Iran.Countries showing an independence have been vilified or physically attacked, or both.ie Iraq,Afghanistan ,Libya,and China.In this context we have unverified information about Russian hacking,Russian doping,and Russian interference in the U.S election put about by the usual suspects.The credulous like Chris trotter don’t get it.
Sigh. “As anyone familiar with the last 50 years of American political history will attest, any eruption of American fascism was certain to feature an angry, white, working-class complexion.”
Description of shooter:
Asian male
50 years old
5’7″ 190 lbs
Glasses, no facial hair
Yellow cap and black jacket
See YT link below, appears at appx. 5.22 in the news bulletin studio cross…
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Iv1k7hZV0ds
Quite clear from every video on this I’ve seen that Anarchists with no interest in the political process were the aggressors. The fact that one of them ate a bullet is pretty sad, but it’s America – why the hell would you attack a stranger in a country with conceal carry laws?
Further, non/violent protest has been ongoing since Ferguson in 2014 up to water protectors to day defending against the Key Stone access and Dakota Access pipeline and. It the woman’s march for reproductive justice.
http://www.nature.com/news/scientists-join-massive-protest-against-trump-1.21345- joining the woman’s March 200 climate scientists with numbers pouring in as they are trying to protect Climate data held in US government servers-https://www.inverse.com/article/25184-scientists-backup-climate-change-data-donald-trump
http://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/americas/donald-trump-what-new-us-president-done-signed-executive-orders-white-house-meetings-mexico-border-a7545371.html – In the past week trump has has carried 7 controversial debates including but not limited to
Abortion
Trade
Environment
Federal freeze
War with press
Obama care
And controversially a limited freeze on financial aid to Israel – https://on.rt.com/81fj
The pace of change is unprecedented. No POTUS has ever been able to solo this many debates in 1 week and it’s caught every one off guard and citizens of all kinds are rallying in different parts of America in there continued fight to protect life,love and Liberty.
That’s a good point. It’s Obama who stood by and did nothing as the state unleashed riot cops on a peaceful coalition of left/
progressive/environmentalist/first-nations protesters over the Dakota pipeline. I guess the Anarchists in their cynicism didn’t judge the first-nations’ cause worthy enough for violent mass attendance and provocation like they have with the inauguration and post-inauguration protests.
He didn’t just stand by, he singed off on the Keystone access pipeline then quickly jumped to the Dakoda access pipeline. But all this belies US intentions to rival Russia GAS PROM in Europe. Because Russia supply’s pretty much 70% of natural gas, 100% to Ukrain filtering across to about 30% to the UK. Any aggression towards Russia will have the effect of turning the gas off to Europe bringing about a new dimension to the term don’t attack Russia in the winter. So if you want aggression against Russia you better have an alternative heat source because Europe gets cold.
I just hope Frank can make some sense out of all of this in a digestible way, because it’s just ridiculous spending on illusionary wealth. People like me who forecast trends can make a buck out of all this but if your not accustomed to fundamental analysis and complex regulatory regimes then they lose, and there’s a shit load of losers (I mean losers as a term of interment) that need major up skilling.
I must say the blogs coming out of TDB in 2017 are masterpieces. I’m still a bit Gaga over Trotters from Langley with Love blog. I got the tired old standard good with that one. WEKA’s tears was glorious. For smart people, the authors at the standard say some really dumb shit
Oh totally, Biden had them all excited about the idea of exporting to Europe for a while . I take it you read Pepe (Escobar) then?
Would agree there is a lot of Intellectual Yet Idiot Class presence over there at TS. Too much time in political circles.
Your anecdote re. Gazprom and European addiction to Russian energy is very much familiar from Pepe Escobar, the Saker, etc. Also reminds me of a post by Dmitri Orlov from a while back. He pointed out that long before Hitler or Napoleon invaded Russia, peasants would vacate their houses for a week or so in winter and return to a home free of the lice, fleas, and rodents which had infested it. Knowing how to see off invaders in this manner didn’t take the work of a military academy.
Interesting you mention working in forecasting. I’m in research (commercial). Can’t get anywhere with beltway thinking.
The industry is in huge structural decline so I’m retail trading out of an old dairy that used to be an old rug factory, you can still see wires and pullies were people would drope money in a bucket to pay for stuff and the guy up stairs would pull the string and bucket up stairs. But you can still find the old rugs around pubs and so on so there was real craftsmanship there.
And quite right about Gazprome, can’t recall when I started spelling it phonetically for the benefit of other people. They either think it’s a dance move or I’m making it up. The switching is difficult and we have little that can measure up to Gazprome at this point. Even Warren Buffets check book isn’t enough. Eastern Europe can’t afford not to buy, but Russia can’t afford not to sell. That’s not a winning position and it can only get worse over time as more suppliers get in.
Russia has been heavily diversifying internally though.
On top of it, this is timed in the vain hopes that it’ll end before Russia can pretty much force this to shut down when it gets back to mid-fall and it’s a buy, freeze, or get screwed over in whatever rushed deals to replace it they can hammer through.
And Europe has interconnected, is building LNG terminals and diversifying. It doesn’t change the short term either way because if the EU is familiar with one thing, it’s paperwork. I think that the USA actually has lots of friends; the relationship can be a little strained, but we really do genuinely like each other. Even with France, we behave more like old friends who love to rag on each other than real enemies and Belarus would likely stick up for Russia, a lot of people in those more authoritarian countries(add China) admire Putin. They don’t like Russia, they just admire Putin.
Henry Kissinger once said the US doesn’t have friends, they have interests.
And the US surely isn’t our friend, either
I find you are turning into a political chameleon , Chris…
A) ( ” With the consequences of opposition clearly evident to the by-now-thoroughly-cowed news media, Trump’s people will invite the Fox News Network to assume the role played by the state-owned broadcasters of the Russian Federation.” )
———————————————————————————
* Was it not you , and others like Martyn that fed us a constant diet of railing against and bemoaning a biased global MSM that guarded and protected the likes of John Key and other global elites , and that the amalgamation in NZ of our media which would ensure a wall to wall propaganda machine for not only the National party,… but more importantly larger economy’s and those global elites that ensured working people simply became chattels… for as we know… one powerful advantage capital has over labour in a globalized , free market is that labour lacks the ability to be mobile as does capital… and is the very strength of neo liberalism itself.
Hence the neo liberals lust for free trade deals. So much easier to electronically move money around than it is for workers to relocate. Hence an easy way to drive wages down.
You seem to support this process, Chris…
———————————————————————————
B ) ( ‘ Trump Administration’s skilful co-optation of the American trade unions. Already, Trump has received praise from the leader of the US trade union movement, AFL-CIO President, Richard Trumka, for nixing the Trans-Pacific Partnership.
Trumka hailed the President’s actions as “just the first in a series of necessary policy changes required to build a fair and just global economy.”
Further union backing is to be anticipated as Trump ramps up his “American jobs for American workers” infrastructure programme. ‘ )
———————————————————————————
* I’m reminded of the lyrics of Billy Bragg … ” which side are you on boys, which side are you on ” … lyrics that YOU yourself included in one of your posts … in fact basing one of your whole articles on those very words.
There is a peculiar and obvious double standard emerging with many of your and other Liberal Progressives posts around the world as of late , … which is product of the schism created by the very movements you once supported – yet now use as a weapon and tool to lambaste those same movements – to support the very things you once decried…
Your historical references to the 1913 Great Strike and Massey’s Cossack’s and the opinion you held of NZ always being a society in deference to authority… where the govt of the day deputized farmers to migrate to the city’s on horseback and use physical force against striking urban workers…
It was used in context to the treatment of workers – particularly if I recall in regards to the recent Talley’s strike… and then was extrapolated to the larger issues of neo liberal hegemony against workers worldwide…
NOW , … however … we find you creating an emotive little scenario ( particularly with reference in harking back to the days of your youth in invoking the heady days of the protest / civil rights movement over the Vietnam war… ) … whereby unions are now NOT the oppressed , nor the vulnerable – , but the willing and self interested thugs and uneducated , unthinking masses ready at moments notice to take to the streets reminiscent of Hitlers Brownshirts…
Are you ,… no more than a mercenary political animal yourself, Chris Trotter?
Are you , – and other Progressives ,- guilty as charged in using the poor, the unions , the homeless , … as nothing more than pawns to further your own political agenda?
Is that not the charge that is being brought against the sheer impotence , the hypocrisy , the double standards of the Progressive Left and Global Media currently as we speak ?
Is it not for all these reasons and more that worldwide there have been mass movements of the populations , – tired of the glaring lies, deceit and propaganda of globalist self interest and manipulations – tired of the globalists deceitfulness in using those parading all the trappings in word of claiming to be ‘ Left’ or ‘ Progressive ‘ – and yet were nothing more than the opposite wing of the same globalist agenda ?
Those Blairites who rushed to war to massacre millions whilst under the guise of being a ‘ Left’ Labour govt , – acting in full approval and in willing tandem with an American President from the ‘ supposed ‘ exact opposite end of the political spectrum…
Murder and war and killing is the same , Chris Trotter ,- and it observes NO flags.
And you conveniently forget … this current President has committed and is responsible for no mass war crimes , has cut off the very conduit ( by defeating Clinton and the Clinton Foundation ) for access to and supply of American arms to ISIS – the very group Obama’s administration claimed they were ‘ fighting’ to bring back a state of ‘democracy’ in the middle east…
No Chris,… the establishment is in a rage over Trump.
They have lost a lucrative business when Trump won. The largest arms deal in history worth over $80 billion and responsible for the deaths of hundreds of thousands has been cut off and severed.
I take aim also at those emotive anti – Trump organizers as well . Do they secretly like blood?
AND DO they like that blood in container loads , to be emptied onto the streets of the world , indiscriminate of which streets so long as not their own ?
… Do they support the neo cons now , … with their vast war machine and their vast profits? … or did they always do so surreptitiously and that nothing has changed at all concerning them barring the mask they present to the world to always be on the side of globalist machinations ?
Are these anti Trump demonstrators comfortable with all these facts and willing to admit that all their beliefs have been nothing more than a hypocritical ruse and agenda using the poor, the unions and the homeless as their convenient weapons ?
Yet painting themselves still that they are the ‘ caring ‘ people of the ‘ Left’ ?… and of the world ? … the voices of reason and compassion ???
That they now turn full circle against the very people , – organisations they once claimed they supported – to rally around the globalists paid for and financially backed anti Trump campaign ?
It is no wonder Brexit occurred. It is no wonder that Trump won the election.
And it is no wonder the ‘ Progressive Left ‘ … in this country fails so badly. It is said that NZ is traditionally behind the rest of the world by 20 or so years – despite the advent of modern communications.
If that is so it goes a long way to explain the kind of social and economic conditions the poor experience currently in this country , – and the reasons for it – and it also goes a long way in predicting both the future and demise of these same sets of self interested globalists both on the ‘ Right ‘ and on the ‘ Left’ in this country and their futures…
Katipo, you do realise Trump has stated he intends to spend billions on re-arming the US military? According to one report;
Ref: http://edition.cnn.com/2016/09/06/politics/donald-trump-defense-spending-sequester/
So I’m not sure where you get the notion that Trump has cut military spending. He has not. He intends to increase it.
Interestingly, one of Trump’s recent Executive Order was a freeze on hiring any new Federal workers except for the military;
ref:http://www.theblaze.com/news/2017/01/23/trump-executive-order-freezes-federal-employee-hiring-except-for-the-military/
Make no mistake, this is a military build-up, and it will provoke a new arms race between the super-powers. And deliver massive profits to the arms industry.
Indeed he has pledged to increase military spending .You are right.
It is not a massive military build up designed for any pre emptive strike . However,… much of that would also incorporate the sheer size of the American military – and the colossal amounts needed just for its maintenance.
I’m not sure if you have misquoted or taken out of context something I said about the $80 billion arms deal.
The $80 billion arms deal I was referring to was the same deal mentioned in the John Pilger interview with Julian Assange .
It was in that interview that the Wikileaks founder stated that among the volume of e mails intercepted was one in particular that demonstrated that the govts of Saudi Arabia, Morocco and Qatar in particular were channeling vast amounts of finance through the Clinton Foundation and purchasing arms from American arms manufacturers to which these purchased arms were then redistributed back into the hands of ISIS.
Here is the link to that interview and is one of the most damning pieces of evidence against the Clinton’s and the Clinton Foundation – no matter how one tries to paint it.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k9xbokQO4M0
( short version – just over 2 minutes )
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_sbT3_9dJY4
( Long version – full interview )
* I would also like to clarify something. My political views are shaped by those who at least attempt to try to remain honest and without guile and do the right thing for humanity out of a genuine respect and set of values. For all races and country’s and peoples.
That is not always possible in politics. Sometimes immense pressures and painful decisions have to be made unfortunately that can force a political leaders hand , within and without the system – often to the personal disappointment of that leader.
We all get that.
However , there is a vast difference between the above , .. and leaders who actively and intentionally deceive the voters in what they really stand for, …leaders who indulge in clandestine political deals that impoverish either their own nationals ( local example : John Key ) or those of other country’s – right through to deliberately engaging in activity’s that are layered under secrecy that ultimately lead to the deaths of hundreds of thousands of innocent men , women and children.
Hilary Clinton falls into the last category. As does Obama and the Washington political establishment / military industrial complex . I have already demonstrated that in another recent post in TDB.
And though someone may claim they are Left or Right or somewhere in between – if they are indulging in that type of activity they deserve to be outed.
It doesn’t matter who does it.
Wrong is wrong.
I’m not enjoying this – I don’t enjoy seeing this sort of hypocrisy , – its dispiriting. Its even more dispiriting to have to go against voices who have expressed the values I also accept and I have a lot of respect for . Both on TDB and The Standard.
But blowed if I’m just going to be a herd animal and blindly follow along just because someone says they are one thing while at the same time ignoring the gross and murderous hypocrisy such as Clinton was involved in.
Or because she was a Democrat.
Who knows ?… when Trump has racked up the same sort of serious offending as Clinton , Obama, Albright , Blair , Bush junior and Bush Senior , Kissinger and a whole long list of others Ill have a crack at Trump as well.
For sure there is trillions of upwards flow into the stock markets and I question Trumps honesty around wages. A vital component of wages will come from Trumps infrastructure spend. But the animal spirits have been reinvigorated. I fail to understand in this light why New Zealand is advertising itself as a bolt hole for American business men when short term business trends have never looked better. I question the pundits who made, and when they made this forecast the mythical pitchforks. If Trump fails to pass his first budget or is delayed in any way preventing infrastructure spends then soldiers will go where trade stops flowing but not before.
‘ Make no mistake, this is a military build-up, and it will provoke a new arms race between the super-powers. And deliver massive profits to the arms industry.’
—————————————————————————
* Interesting as it would seem Trump and Putin seem to be working towards a closer relationship.
* Trump has also indicated the possibility of withdrawing from the U. N – and by default also NATO.
* If that happened then funding and supply of troops and logistics to NATO to perform war games in an intimidating fashion on Russia’s doorstep would be cut – by which NATO would then lose a considerable amount of its ‘ teeth ‘ to do so…. which is exactly what Trump promised in the election campaign – much to the chagrin of country’s in Europe and like Japan… that ‘ these country’s would now have to put more back into their own defense’…
* So that cancels out war with Russia … so who’s left?… China. And Trump has indicated economic measures in that quarter – not military ones. He has railed against China’s currency manipulations – not its military expansionism . It may be a build up is required to demonstrate it means ‘ business’… to which war with China will not happen . Far too much at stake there. The solutions will be economic and diplomatic. Regardless if there is an initially tense political environment . Trump will not risk any regional and global destabilization in any military responses with China.
* So possibly it could indicate joint operations ( or at least funding or assistance ) in the middle east ,… with Russia. Against ISIS. Saudi Arabia is one of America’s ‘ allies ‘… and oil rich. Yet supports ISIS because of Sunni versus Shiite politics. Russia has a lot of oil. And looks as if there may be some sort of future interdependence in that quarter developing…without the Sunni/ Shiite middle eastern tensions… while at the same time placating Israels pressure to be seen to be ( at least in the public’s view ) working in their interests as well…
* Trump often stated ‘ we should have kept the oil ‘ if they were going to go into Iraq… ( even though he thought the whole adventure was madness .. ) as it turned out…. ISIS got the oil … for awhile at least… and used it to finance operations and procure armaments etc…
* Trump , along with other commentators has mentioned Iran … as moving in on Iraq . Doubtful if in a military sense. More realistically ,… it will be by other means , trade , diplomacy … to have a stake in Iraq’s oil… if that were to happen, we can expect an outlet for American / Russian bases to then be placed in Iraq… justified as keeping stability in the region,… but reality because of the oil…
Some ideas , then … some farfetched, others perhaps less so… but if you were a recently elected President who has at times found themselves offside with the military industrial establishment … yet wishes to placate their wishes without actually starting or being involved in a war … this just might be some of the thinking behind it .
There’s a difference here for me. Spending money on your own military vs selling $60bn of gear to Saudi Arabia which Obama knew would be spent subjugating Yemen and supplying foreign radicals in Syria. Fair enough if you’re anti-war enough not to care about the comparison, but for myself and plenty of others the difference is important. Of course it is early days – will Trump turn out to be as sleazy as Obama in his pursuit of geopolitical gains? I’m watching things as they develop.
So what will Trump intend to do with his increased military build-up? SIt and hold hands in a circle-jerk? No, Mr Jones, when a fascist begins a military build-up, it usually ends badly.
It’s going to end badly from the Islamic state, the Al-Nusra Front, and their allies.
Beyond that, I think it’s best until we have more evidence of how he actually conducts himself in office to avoid sounding like Rick from the young ones screeching “fascist” at every passing conservative.
I get it, the American left, which isn’t very left wing in my opinion, threw everything it had at him but lost, and foreigners with opinions on things and stuff also don’t like him, also threw everything they had at him, and made no difference. But screaming fascist because the other guy won sounds petulant rather than informed.
This article is a classic example. None of the facts emerging from the Milo shooting match what Chris Trotter has wishfully read into it, and his entire article therefore stems from a devotion to the literature of George Orwell and some scatterings of collective memory in the early-mid 20th century rather than a real reading of the facts.
We don’t have to like that he won, but we don’t get to call him whatever we want in order to make ourselves feel better about it. Unless we want to be thought of as childish losers, of course.
Example: NZ navy is getting new frigates soon. National are in government, and they’re right wing. Do you therefore think they’re fascists and are buying them to engage in imminent naval warfare?
Nope. More like a waste of taxpayers’ money whilst poor families live in garages, cars, or pack three families to a house.
That’s a waste.
The only “warfare” is a right-wing government carrying out neo-liberal policies that are, in effect, covert class war.
Mind you, if you’re a family without a roof over your heads, terms like “fascist”, “populist”, “right-wing”, et al, become rather meaningless.
I think that’s the evil ingenuity of neoliberalism right there – the precariat doesn’t have the luxury of splitting such hairs
It’s should b commen knowledge now that Trump intends a Hittler style purge of ISIS all over the world. But he’s going to do it on the cheap. Locals will provide manpower and Intel in exchange for US fire power. Iv written quite a bit about this all over TDB and don’t feel like going on about it any more
Please explain, in your infinite wisdom, what Trump has done that is WORSE than the Chinese dictatorship? You are not even remotely left-wing. Chris Trotter is a chardonnay socialist who has clearly lost the plot.
Yet, Castro, aside from a personal dig at Chris – whop had raised valid points – I notice you don’t actually address anything he has said.
As for not being “remotely left-wing” – I know Chris’ background. I know nothing about you. In fact, a few of your comments seem to verge on ‘agent provocateurism’.
Trump has restated his intention to bring back torture. The use of torture is one of the recognised sign posts of a fascist regime. The other is the suppression and outlawing of public protest. Already some Republican dominated states have begun to enact legislation to do just that.
https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2017/jan/25/trump-executive-order-torture-black-sites-guantanamo-bay
https://theintercept.com/2017/01/19/republican-lawmakers-in-five-states-propose-bills-to-criminalize-peaceful-protest/
Basha Assad’s Syria was preivously the number one destination for CIA flights of Special Rendition, before they were canceled by the Obama administration.
With Trump’s raproachment with the Syrian regime, the dictator will be pleased to earn some foreign currency for agreeing to outsource some of the CIA’s wet work again.
https://www.hrw.org/news/2015/12/16/syria-stories-behind-photos-killed-detainees
http://www.albawaba.com/news/rendition-syria-torture-468616
Original programme
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Another hallmark of fascist regimes is censorship.
Breaking Bad-Ass-Lands
http://www.stuff.co.nz/world/americas/88760631/badlands-national-park-defies-donald-trumps-orders-then-eerily-deletes-its-climate-change-facts
Go Trump. The best president yet.
Dave, only if you think banning protest, censoring climate science, kidnapping and torturing people without trial, are good policy.
The majority of the world’s people looks on appalled and repelled.
What would you all say if NZ started speaking like Trump?
– Legalizing cannabis (granted not Trump)
– Rejecting the TPP (granted dead-in-the-water)
– Restricting immigration
– Bringing back jobs to NZ
– Building needed infrastructure
– Encouraging medication to become generic ASAP
I mean, Trump talks about putting ‘America First’ – well, we even have a party here called NZ First. I think a lot of people are buying into the deceptive anti-Trump narrative coming out of the ignorant American MSM.
Yeah, I agree. Once people realise that they have been lied to for years by the MSM and that Trump seems to be doing stuff that people like, the mood will change. Gotta say, I’m loving the feeling of optimism coming out of the USA right now. Real people are feeling listened to at last.
Then your optimism is misplaced, Cosmicray. Trump is creating fear, uncertainty, and revulsion at his bigotted policies. If that’s “optimism,”, it’s the same optimism that Germans must’ve felt in 1939.
“Optimism”? Like the “optimism” from Nazi Germany prior to WW2? How did that work out for the German people six years later?
https://treaties.un.org/doc/publication/ctc/uncharter.pdf – Article 107
“Nothing in the present charter shall invalidate or preclude action in relation to any state which during WW2 has been an enemy of any signatory to the present charter, taken or authorised as a result by the government having responsibility for such action.”
If I’m reading this right. All nazi fundamentalists lost the right to be assaulted in the face along time ago. #MakeRacistsAffraidAgain
Secretary for Labour in the Clinton Admin ’93—’97 Robert Reich said of Trump recently, that he talked to a associate in the GOP, the general consensus seemed to be get what they want out of Trump and then let him implode under his own stupidity.
He is not one of them, he is an outsider.
I would hope that America doesn’t go down that road that Chris outlined but it could easily happen.
The media need to stand firm on the absurdities that are puked out on a regular basis and focus on the issues.
If Trump does make progress with the infrastructure plans the increase in GDP could be off set by a lack of decent wages paid to the workers, as outlined in the linked article.
http://www.cnbc.com/2017/01/25/heres-why-the-trump-rally-wont-last-says-former-us-labor-secretary.html
http://www.rense.com/general37/fascism.htm This sets out what the author calls the 14 Defining Characters of Fascism.
The scariest thing is that so many of these characteristics can be seen in a government that is barely a week old.
The following report lists the number of state agencies suffering under presidential censorship and gagging orders.
Starting with the attempts to massage the reports of the innaugeration crowd sizes. In particular a phone call from President Trump to the National Park Service, NPS, Director Michael Reynolds criticising the NPS for publishing the unflattering photos of the crowd sizes compared to previous innaugerations, and the much bigger Womens March the next day.
http://www.msn.com/en-nz/news/world/trump-pressured-parks-chief-for-photos-to-prove-media-lied-about-inauguration-crowd-%E2%80%93-report/ar-AAmiVtU?li=BBv6TfA&ocid=spartanntp
Only a matter of time:
….And probably much quicker than Chris Trotter thinks.
President Trump has signed an executive order to restart the XL pipeline canceled by the Obama administration after massive protest action. These protests powerful protests were led by the 350.org group, supported by the Sierra Club, America’s biggest and most influential environmental organisation.
There can be little doubt that massive protests will again erupt at Trump’s restarting of the XL pipeline.
To get the XL pipeline through, Trump will either have to ban all protest, or call out his right wing supporters (via tweet) to violently suppress them.
Both the actions of a fascist leader.
Violent riots around the XL pipeline started by Trump’s “goon squads” will lead to state intervention and the banning of protest by that means. ie under grounds of keeping the peace.
However it happens…
The banning of public protest was also one of Hitler’s first executive actions.
The suppression and banning of public protest, around issues of public concern, like war and peace for instance, is the hallmark of all repressive and fascist regimes.
The use of street gangs, and paramilitary groups, (ie the Brown Shirts in Germany) to help enforce these bans is also reminiscent of what Chris Trotter talks of here.
Where war and peace were the big dividing issues of the ’30s.
Climate change is the big dividing issue of our time.
The Second World War was the the most deadly conflict in human history, resulting in over 60 million deaths.
Unchecked climate change is set to result in billions of human deaths.
As well the almost certain deaths of billions of human beings, the destruction of large part of the biosphere due to climate climate change will see habitat destruction and mass extinction for many species of plants and animals and even the death of whole ecosystems, like coral reefs and rainforests for instance. Not to mention the cryrosphere at the poles and all animals and plants reliant on these ecosystems.
In effect a very changed world to the one we live in now.
A regime has been installed in the US that has made it its mission to oversee this destruction in the interest of the making profit and generating growth. It will need all the techniques and tactics of totalitarianism to enforce this anti-human and anti-life program through, against the opposition of the American people.
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