Tag: Donald Trump

The Trump/Bernie charade

Time and again now, in personal dealings, on Facebook, on radio and TV, I am seeing self-imagined intelligent people saying derogatory things about Donald Trump.

On the other side of that coin are the same type people saying kind things about Bernie Sanders.

It is media manipulation, writ large. You’re being diddled, folks. Statements by Trump and Sanders are being magnified by news media and entertainers and aimed at target audiences.

Trump’s (scripted) comments are for reactionary right wingers, a significant portion of the population. His intemperate remarks on immigrants, foreigners in general, building walls and anti-trade agreements are calculated to get a rise out of that crowd. He’s fake.

Sanders’ (scripted) remarks are for deluded liberals and progressives. His incantations are for policies that he surely knows will never see light of day in our business-run country: public-sponsored health care and higher education, anti-trade agreements and taxation of oligarchs. This is all calculated to get a rise out of the NPR/PBS set. He’s fake.

Reactionaries and liberals and progressives are being herded in opposing camps for one purpose: the selection and then election of Hillary as the next president. It is classic divide and conquer. Yes, the office of president has no power, but public opinion can create problems for the rulers, and so has to be maneuvered into submission.

The Trump/Sanders gambit is immensely clever. It was masked in a hoard of candidates, all of whom dutifully stepped aside when ordered to do so, leaving us with what we see now: Two shills and Hillary. (I doubt very much that reported vote counts in primaries are even close to accurate.)

The American public is polled incessantly, our attitudes and ideas constantly held under the microscope. If you want to see some of this polling, which is not published, consult the Council on Foreign Relations.

The purpose of the polling is only for management purposes. The oligarchs and their puppet politicians exist in a sphere far to the right of public opinion, but they do need to know and understand their enemy, the American public. So the job of media is to be sure Americans feel an effective blowing off of steam through elections, but realize no change in public policies.

It is herd management, nothing more. Public policy, after all, is none of our damned business.

President Trump?

The idea of a President Trump does not scare me. The whole field is made up of buffoons fronting for hidden oligarchs. None of them have the ability to work with Congress or foreign leaders or to be effective economic or military strategists.

But who cares? It is not in the job description, which merely calls for an actor, and effective speaker, a ribbon cuttter and baby kisser. Presidents who wield power effectively and command more than fake respect … we haven’t had one of those since Nixon … not that I admired the man, but he did seem to have genuine talent.

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Fake Rodeos

Ah, so discouraging to watch as we endure yet another election contest, as if … after November, nothing will change. Nothing. Party politics has no effect on public policy, foreign or domestic. Those policies set to be implemented in the coming months will happen as if no election happened at all. There will be faux legislative battles, random court decisions, more manipulation of behaviors via fake terrorism, but mostly our governance is by edict and without reference to public opinion in any form.

What effect activists might have, those who take public officials and corporations to court, is minor, and about all we have left. But what else is there to do but act locally? If they could, our leaders would dispense with elections entirely, but they are apparently seen as necessary to foster the illusion of self-governance.  Continue reading “Fake Rodeos” →

Our fake republic

imageIt occurred to me last night as we discussed American politics … once in office whoever wins has no real power. The parade is already in motion, its destination determined by other, more powerful forces. Politicians are nothing but baton twirlers. (Think of the scene in the movie Animal House where the lead baton twirler in the parade is bumped aside and replaced. That is a nice metaphor for our presidential elections.)

If the Democrats need a sheepdog to keep them in the game, this year Bernie Sanders, then why not the Republicans too? The slate of candidates is comprised of dull, witless automatons, one of whom will take on the role of leader. None inspire enthusiasm or confidence, but they are all we get.

Sanders and Trump inspire crowds, keep people in the game. They are both sheepdogs.

Why could I not see this before? I think I suffered from the illusion that the Republican base, even though like Democrats dumb as a kettle of fish, did not need revving up to stay in the game. But of course they do!

Election outcomes do not matter, but the fact that we have elections does. That is the key – so long as we believe we have democratic rule the state of the union is solid. Our fake republic stands.

What’s with Trump?

I rarely dabble in party politics anymore, especially since being burned by “The One” in 2008, the fake “community organizer.” In general, Democrats leave me with that not-so-fresh feeling, while Republicans tend to be incredibly stupid, or at least pretend to be so for the sake of gathering votes. It is a carnival of whores.

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