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Trump: 67 increments this week
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nigelswift
8112 posts

Trump: 67 increments this week
Mar 26, 2017, 06:35
"Experts in authoritarianism advise to keep a list of things subtly changing around you, so you’ll remember. Here's week 19":

https://www.facebook.com/amy.siskind/posts/10212172854221705
dhajjieboy
913 posts

Re: Trump: 67 increments this week
Mar 26, 2017, 13:41
Oh that scamp !
What will he do next ?
phallus dei
583 posts

Edited Mar 26, 2017, 13:46
Re: Trump: 67 increments this week
Mar 26, 2017, 13:45
Typically, authoritarianism includes greater state surveillance, fawning praise by the media, and an unwillingness by the common people to speak out against the "leader" for fear that they will be socially ostracized (or worse). All those traits describe America under the Obama administration, not Trump.

The examples the author provides reflect nepotism, incompetence, and American politics-as-usual, not authoritarianism.
dhajjieboy
913 posts

Re: Trump: 67 increments this week
Mar 26, 2017, 14:04
Hey !
How's that Marxist thingy workin' out for ya?
phallus dei
583 posts

Re: Trump: 67 increments this week
Mar 27, 2017, 03:14
dhajjieboy wrote:
Hey !
How's that Marxist thingy workin' out for ya?


In terms of giving me a coherent framework through which to critique the world, quite well. Thanks for asking.
Locodogz
Locodogz
254 posts

Re: Trump: 67 increments this week
Mar 27, 2017, 09:29
"nepotism, incompetence, and American politics-as-usual"

Phew, thats OK then.....!?!?!
phallus dei
583 posts

Re: Trump: 67 increments this week
Mar 27, 2017, 13:02
Locodogz wrote:
"nepotism, incompetence, and American politics-as-usual"

Phew, thats OK then.....!?!?!


Objectively speaking, it's too early to tell if Trump is incompetent or not, though the biased article certainly portrays him that way. For the sake of argument, let's say that Trump is a complete buffoon. That's still qualitatively better than the alternative we were offered. I'd much rather have an incompetent leader in charge of the world's number one rouge state than an authoritarian psychopath. Hopefully Trump will be so "incompetent" that he will bring down the Empire.
nigelswift
8112 posts

Edited Mar 27, 2017, 13:23
Re: Trump: 67 increments this week
Mar 27, 2017, 13:22
Locodogz wrote:
Hopefully Trump will be so "incompetent" that he will bring down the Empire.


I'm intrigued.
What do you mean by that and crucially what will be the consequence?
phallus dei
583 posts

Edited Mar 28, 2017, 13:35
Re: Trump: 67 increments this week
Mar 28, 2017, 13:25
nigelswift wrote:
Locodogz wrote:
Hopefully Trump will be so "incompetent" that he will bring down the Empire.


I'm intrigued.
What do you mean by that and crucially what will be the consequence?


I think a better direction for the world would be one that is genuinely multi-polar, where the big countries (such as US, Russia, China, an independent Europe (free of American domination), and maybe Brazil, India, etc) are each strong enough to pursue/protect their own interests in the global arena. This would inevitably force increased levels of compromise for the "greater good." I think the sorry state of the world since the collapse of the Soviet Union, and especially since 9/11, have definitively shown that having only one superpower is a recipe for disaster.

One of Trump's main campaign promises was friendlier ties to Russia, and the end to global trade agreements such as NAFTA and TPP. The Russian initiative seems blocked, at least for the moment. But maybe ending the globalist trade initiatives will still be pursued. I believe that through such policies, America's super-power status will inevitably decline. It will be forced to act like a "regular country" instead of simply using political and economic pressure to force weaker countries to follow its example.

The option above is if Trump and his cabinet are capable enough, and his opponents are weak enough, to pull it off. Option number two is simply a continuation of Trump's policies so far - he tries to do things, can't, the media throws a fit, Trump responds in a way that pisses off the elites even more. This option, which I call the "Trump is incompetent" scenario, still has the positive outcome of reducing American prestige on the world scale, while directing most of the attention of American elites at impeaching Trump. Such a domestic focus also gives the rest of the world more time to breathe, and plot ways to free themselves from American domination.

When I advocate for the death of the Empire, I mean an end, or at least a considerable weakening, of American imperialism. An America rid of the toxic belief in "American exceptionalism" would still be an important (and hopefully positive) force in the world.

Like Johnny Rotten, I find Trump thus far to be "A joy to behold."

http://www.torontosun.com/2017/03/27/johnny-rotten-on-trump-a-joy-to-behold
dhajjieboy
913 posts

Re: Trump: 67 increments this week
Mar 28, 2017, 14:06
Yup...
I'm convinced.

NOT.
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