Geoff > Status Update

I think Bannon's calling all the shots now - Trump's only a front.

Civil liberties can vanish within a second - don't be fooled by the apparent security of democratic checks and balances. During The Emergency imposed by Indira Gandhi in India in 1975, things went downhill very fast. Then it was 21 months of pure terror.

Nandakishore wrote: "I think Bannon's calling all the shots now - Trump's only a front"

True. By "Rump" I think we need to understand the entire republican party. The entire party's been compromised at this point. No credibility.

No credibility outside the party but it has quite a few supporters within.

Mike wrote: "Democrats have 46% of the power in the Senate, 43% of the power in the House, and 4/5ths the Supreme Court. That's not meaningless, just low."

Hmmm....it is low....but you knownwhay they say about underdogs....and if Republicans distance themselves from Trump...all the better
.

from medium.com. This is a very disturbing article which delves into, among other things, a recent purchase by unknown party of a huge stake in a Russian oil company - also the Bannon stuff and other shit.

https://medium.com/@yonatanzunger/tri...

My bomb shelter is on some friends land in northern Arizona very remote besides lots and lots of books I would like to have a print out of this entire comment feed so future generations will know we feared the end coming but had no ideal it was really here

Nathan "N.R." wrote: "Nandakishore wrote: "I think Bannon's calling all the shots now - Trump's only a front"

True. By "Rump" I think we need to understand the entire republican party. The entire party's been compromis..."

Exactly. And of course Donald J Motherfucking Trump has no business appointing a supreme court justice. It's like having Ronald McDonald appoint a fucking supreme court justice. But it won't be blocked. Everything will go through. Nothing will be opposed enough to be halted. Anyone who stands up will be fired, it they are fireable. It's the beginning of the end of any kind of value system America historically prided itself on. Those "good hard working folks" in the midwest? Turns out they're fascists, and they're coming for me and you. Everyone should definitely read the link Nandakishore shared about the Emergency in India.

Herman wrote: "My bomb shelter is on some friends land in northern Arizona very remote besides lots and lots of books I would like to have a print out of this entire comment feed so future generations will know w..."

Aw, super jealous of your remote land. I need to spy out some remote land for myself somewhere... Saskatchewan is looking better and better these days.

Herman wrote: "My bomb shelter is on some friends land in northern Arizona very remote besides lots and lots of books I would like to have a print out of this entire comment feed so future generations will know w..."

My wife and I had the "what if..." conversation last night over dinner. Easily the most terrifying talk we've ever had. When might it be time to, say, flee the country with a copy of something by Walter Benjamin under my arm and a pocket full of morphine tablets? I got curious about Bannon yesterday so I decided to visit Breitbart to see just how bad it is for myself. If you've not yet done this (and you possess and iron constitution) it might be worth it to do so. The "news" stories are thinly veiled fascist editorials and--MY GOD--the comments...the comments. Wall-to-wall white supremacy, Holocaust-denial, antisemitism, racism, homophobia, xenophobia...it will open your eye like a gate.

Yeah, ATJG, one of the saddest, of many sad things to come out of this election, is the realization that, whatever modern American values are, I certainly don't share them, or comprehend them. Sure sure - only 19% of the population voted for him, etc. (and however many more didn't feel it was important enough to vote) but to allow things to come this far signifies a bankrupt, reprehensible culture. I have never been more sure this is not the place for me to thrive. I keep dreaming of brighter futures in unknown foreign lands.

ATJG wrote: " I decided to visit Breitbart"

I have been visiting regularly since the election, though I still wish someone would create a site that mirrors it somehow so I can look without giving it ad revenue!

The comments are indeed horrific - and their gloating tone these days makes them even worse.

The interesting thing Brietbart does with its headlines is add pejorative prefixes to anyone saying or doing anything off-message. It allows immediate dismissal of any dissenting voice.

They also don't seem to understand the different between signing an executive order saying, for example, we are gonna totally, bigly defeat ISIS (and you have to come up with a plan in 30days or else), and actually, you know, successfully "defeating" ISIS in a manner which does not (a) create more problems; and (b) smash the shit out of the region with no concern for civilian life etc...

What I'm saying is the rise of Trump signifies the complete disintegration of morals. We can no longer make a claim to being a moral society.

The argument is probably that we have been an amoral or immoral society for a long time or forever, but this has to be some kind of apotheosis.

Do we set up a De=Rump=ification council today? Or is there some proceduralism that has to happen first?

The first step, I assume, would be impeachment. Those proceedings have already started, yes? Or is it just my naive optimism?

Nathan "N.R." wrote: "Do we set up a De=Rump=ification council today? Or is there some proceduralism that has to happen first?

The first step, I assume, would be impeachment. Those proceedings have already started, ye..."

I'm proud to say my congressman, whom I voted for, Jamie Raskin, is involved in setting up impeachment procedures.

Geoff wrote: "I'm proud to say my congressman, whom I voted for, Jamie Raskin, is involved in setting up impeachment procedures."

I love this country!

From 1975 to 2015 number of Americans killed on US soil in terrorists attacks by nationals of the seven banned countries are as follows:

Iran 0
Iraq 0
Syria 0
Yemen 0
Sudan 0
Somalia 0
Libya 0

Whereas numbers of Americans killed by citizens of the following countries are:

Saudia Arabia 2369
United Arab Emirates 314
Egypt 162

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KTtLQ...

Nathan "N.R." wrote: "Geoff wrote: "I'm proud to say my congressman, whom I voted for, Jamie Raskin, is involved in setting up impeachment procedures."

I love this country!"

I mean, we'll see how far they get.

Jibran wrote: "From 1975 to 2015 number of Americans killed on US soil in terrorists attacks by nationals of the seven banned countries are as follows:

Iran 0
Iraq 0
Syria 0
Yemen 0
Sudan 0
Somalia 0
Libya 0

Wh..."

Yep. And Trump has business interests in a number of the countries where the ban wasn't implemented.

The system we already have was working fine.

I oppose DJT's executive order, clearly for the dictatorial nature of the order, but why not include Saudi Arabia of all M.E. countries? I agree, seems like a business decision shaped in the form of 'protecting United States citizens.

Nathan "N.R." wrote: "Just wanna know if it's still too early to cry "Fascism!!" Should I be concerned about Trump rolling over the Justice Dept or anything like that? Should I be concerned about what happened over the ..."

I think Bannon on the NSC is the most concerning change I have seen yet. You can call and urge Senators not to confirm this though.

Geoff wrote: "Nathan "N.R." wrote: "Do we sIet up a De=Rump=ification council today? Or is there some proceduralism that has to happen first?

The first step, I assume, would be impeachment. Those proceedings ha..."

Um....if they impeach Trump (which I am all for)...we'll then be stuck with Pence!!

The moment they find that Bannon cannot get through easily, I suspect a national emergency will be declared using some "trumped up"(!) excuse, and they will try to suspend the Bill of Rights.

Catherine wrote: "Um....if they impeach Trump (which I am all for)...we'll then be stuck with Pence!!"

Yeah, Pence is bad (especially for women & lgbt folk), and he's more reliable than Trump for rubber-stamping the GOP's agenda, but he's not a raving lunatic, so we can fight him. And he's also dumb and un-charismatic and was too unpopular to get re-elected in his own state, so his chances in 2020 wouldn't be too great especially if Dems can get someone smarter/savvier who can call out the GOP on their horrible and backwards policies. I'll take Pence over Trump any day.

Jacob wrote: "Yeah, Pence is bad (especially for women & lgbt folk), and he's more reliable than Trump for ..."

definitely. i don't think pence would have much chance in a general election, either, and i don't see him trying to entirely dissolve the system of checks and balances.

Trump's reign of terror has begun. He said during the campaign that families of terrorists will be "taken out." He's done it. A little girl is killed among other people, apparently none of them part of al-Qaeda or any other terrorist group.

https://www.theguardian.com/world/201...

Even if we accept that it was a genuine mistake, it shows that US intelligence gathering is extremely inadequate and cannot be relied on for fighting terrorists. Like in Pakistan tribal areas and in Afghanistan they drone crowds only to find out it was a wedding ceremony or some other gathering.

This transcript of his Black History Month speech is...well..its certainly something...

http://theconcourse.deadspin.com/a-fu...

Jibran wrote: "Trump's reign of terror has begun. He said during the campaign that families of terrorists will be "taken out." He's done it. A little girl is killed among other people, apparently none of them par..."

Mistake or not, innocents are being killed. Sadly not new; sadly only the beginning. I do believe Obama at least felt compassion for the innocents; I feel like Trump struggles to recognize there is even a humanity outside of himself and his immediate family.

Jonathan wrote: "This transcript of his Black History Month speech is...well..its certainly something...

http://theconcourse.deadspin.com/a-fu..."

Holy shit! That's almost impressive in how weird/dumb it is.

Jonathan wrote: "This transcript of his Black History Month speech is...well..its certainly something...

http://theconcourse.deadspin.com/a-fu..."

It hurts my brain reading transcriptions of Trump talking.

Frederick Douglass is an example of somebody who’s done an amazing job and is being recognized more and more, I noticed.

The tense used here weirdly makes it sound like he thinks Douglass is still alive

Pulled this down off the shelf the other night: The Eloquent President: A Portrait of Lincoln Through His Words

For some reason I cannot quite fathom German ZEIT ONLINE magazine published an article about Hitler today. It's called "Wait Calmly" and describes the wait-and-see attitude in Germany and elsewhere shortly after Hitler seize of power.

(English translation)
http://www.zeit.de/wissen/geschichte/...

Jonathan wrote: "This transcript of his Black History Month speech is...well..its certainly something... "

Distribute transcripts. Boycott videos.

Matt wrote: "For some reason I cannot quite fathom German ZEIT ONLINE magazine published an article about Hitler today. It's called "Wait Calmly" and describes the wait-and-see attitude in Germany and elsewhere..."

Yeah, good point of comparison - Though I remember writing an essay during my MA on this stuff where I criticised the common view that one only had to read Mein Kampf to know precisely what Hitler intended to do, just as one only has to listen to Trump's speeches and Bannon's articles to do the same. It is very easy to say that sort of thing with hindsight...but, as we can see, being in the middle of it all it is not that simple...

I am also reminded of those who would incredulously wonder why many Jews remained in Germany, instead of running for the hills as soon has he took power - one of the many responses is simply that such extreme behaviour from a "modern" state just seems so unlikely...there are checks and balances in place etc...it won't be allowed to happen...etc etc etc

US visa officers at the embassy in India seem to have understood Trump's executive order correctly.

Two Kashmiri Muslim athletes denied US visa due to 'current policy.'

"We had local government recommendation and also the invitation and verification letter from the New York snowshoe federation. But as soon as a lady visa officer at the US embassy in Delhi read our names, she went inside a cabin and came back after a few minutes. She said she was sorry, but that she could not help us due to the current US policy," he told the BBC.

http://indianexpress.com/article/spor...

http://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-in...

Matt wrote: "For some reason I cannot quite fathom German ZEIT ONLINE magazine published an article about Hitler today. It's called "Wait Calmly" and describes the wait-and-see attitude in Germany and elsewhere..."

Yes, why would they do that? Is it some kind of anniversary perhaps?

God, they're already targeting important environmental regulations, including one limiting methane release during oil and gas drilling. Methane is one of the most harmful greenhouse gases; having excess methane in the atmosphere ups the warming increases exponentially.

Geoff: it looks like I got your comment late. I would say I "feel your pain" but right now Feb 1 I'm feeling too much of my own. :( All I can say is "So so sorry world."

I was stunned yesterday when an ex-CERN friend told us that he and his wife are just about to move to California. He's apparently been offered a job there that was too good to pass up.

Oh well... out of the fire, into the frying pan, or however it goes...

Banking on the secession movement, perhaps?

I think it looked like a really good job, simple as that.

Geoff wrote: "God, they're already targeting important environmental regulations, including one limiting methane release during oil and gas drilling. Methane is one of the most harmful greenhouse gases; having e..."

And speaking of methane, as you know there's gigatons of it buried in the Arctic permafrost. And they say the Arctic may be headed for a winter this year that's 20-30 degrees above normal.

As a professional in HSE (Health, Safety and Environment), I have to say that I believe we have passed the tipping point as far as global warming is concerned. I may be able to pass out my remaining years in relative comfort - but I am worried for my son, the kind of world we are bequeathing to him and his generation.

Manny wrote: "Matt wrote: "For some reason I cannot quite fathom German ZEIT ONLINE magazine published an article about Hitler today. It's called "Wait Calmly" and describes the wait-and-see attitude in Germany ..."

I am reading about Hitler's takeover of the Reichstag and the Nazification of Germany. The parallels are striking... but I keep on seeing Bannon as Hitler, not Trump.

Yes, Bannon is the ideologue. He's the one with the program.

Manny wrote: "Yes, Bannon is the ideologue. He's the one with the program."

Hitler also used Hindenerg and Von Papen as fronts while he coolly completed the coup. All the time, poor Von Papen thought he was the guy in control, it seems.

I just read a book on the Anatomy of Fascism. It is hard to say whether we will wind up an authoritarian oligarchy like Franco's spain or Putin's Russia or whether Bannon wants to go full blown fascism. It usually starts out authoritarian but fascist crave strength, violence and machismo and conquest. We may get a full blown Gotterdammerung.

Indira Gandhi proceeded in the same way in India in 1975, but she was an iron lady, totally in control of all her minions and did not have any ideology other than total authoritarian power. So we ended up as a totalitarian state for 21 months. But there never was a hint of fascism.

The current Indian government, in contrast, is run by a party with a fascist ideology. However, they can't aspire to grab power because India is too diverse. So they are slowly feeding fascist philosophy to the masses through media and cultural institutions; also stoking Islamophobia in parallel. I would consider them more dangerous than general authoritarian rule, as the damage is likely to be more lasting.