From this past week: the Optimist; elites; regime change; moving the goal line; a new bridge; foreign affairs; immigration and the farm bill; historic day.
Optimist, 20 May. The past week's uplifting stories.
(1) Last Chance Farm: broken men, discarded horses. Life after the race track. Petula Dvorak notes the sad truth,
"As the crowds in Baltimore knock back their black-eyed Susan cocktails and place their bets at the Preakness Stakes on Saturday, they will be watching not only Kentucky Derby champion Justify but a field of future slaughterhouse meat...[A]t least 52,000 horses — many of them discarded racers — were exported
to Canadian and Mexican slaughterhouses in 2016, according to the Equine Assistance Project. The Humane Society puts the number at closer to 79,000." Only a very few "losing horses" will escape.
(2) Donating to save a life. Australian James Harrison donated blood 1,173 times, gallons and gallons of blood, saving the lives of an estimated 2.2 million babies suffering from a rare genetic disease. He earned the moniker "the man with the golden arm" and the prestigious Medal of the Order of Australia.
(3) At 37, Freddie Sherrill was homeless, a drug addict, an alcoholic, and illiterate. Now, at 65, he is a college graduate of Queen's University of Charlotte.
(4) An ear on your arm? Army Pvt. Shamika Burrage almost died when she was ejected from her car
during a crash in Texas. Afterward, when she woke up in the hospital,
she wasn’t whole. Her entire left ear was gone. That's were this story turns strange and marvelous.
And more.
Elites. Are you a "cracker barrel" or "Crate and Barrel" voter? Michael Gerson discusses the difference in perception among Americans. Today, when we have the ability (deliberate or otherwise) to avoid unpleasantness by tailoring our news so we do not have to listen to "them," there is a growing gaps in American society. Columnist Eugene Robinson examines the "offensive...and corrosive" idea that "some Americans are more “real” than others." He maintains that it is absolutely false that “ 'Real Americans' elected and continue to support President Trump, they
claim, in defiance of snooty “coastal elites” who are hopelessly out of
touch with the country. It’s a total crock."
Regime change. A Foreign Policy article about the president's recently announced withdrawal from the Iran nuclear agreement. Is it, in fact, a first step towards regime change? The author thinks so.
"...Trump, National Security Advisor John Bolton, and Secretary of State
Mike Pompeo are hoping that viol
ating the Iran deal will let them
re-impose sanctions on Iran. They hope this pressure will topple the
Islamic Republic, or lead Iran’s own hard-liners to restart its nuclear
enrichment program and provide a pretext for the preventive war that
Bolton has long advocated."
He then discusses eight instances that were less than successful.
DPRK and denuclearization. Are Kim Jong Un and President Trump "birds of a feather" specializing in bad hair and obfuscation? A DPRK spokesperson now says "...the United States must stop insisting that the North 'unilaterally' abandon its nuclear weapons program and stop talking about a Libya-style
solution to the standoff." Not to mention joint US -- South Korean joint military exercises and the apparent cancellation of the upcoming second North -- South unity meeting.
The wily Kim seems to have given President Trump just enough time to "go pubic," only to face the age old diplomatic problem: accept Kim's modifications or cancel the announced summit. As Kim surely knew, the president is wont to tweet ever so loudly about the brilliance of his latest policy maneuver, then be forced to deal with the public fallout when the plan does not play out according to his script. Diplomacy does not necessarily play out as pronouncements made in Trump's more dictatorial board room.
Crimean bridge. This past week, President Putin presided as a 14 mile-long bridge and causeway was opened between Russia and the Crimean peninsula. It was another made for TV event designed to highlight another of Putin's moves to reestablish Russian stature. An accompanying story looks back over the peninsula's long, tortured history.
Inconsistent foreign policy: America, Europe, and Iran. David Ignatius writes that the most important, but unmentioned, aspect of President Trump's foreign policy forays is his inconsistency. The trans-Atlantic alliance has been a fundamental pillar of the post-WW II world, but the president has voiced suspicion and concern about the wisdom and future of this arrangement.
"Many European leaders have stopped being polite about Trump. After a
year and a half of intermittent skirmishes, they’ve started firing back —
describing Trump as a danger to Europe’s security interest..." This last notion, Europe's changing perception of where their "security interests" lie, is crucial for America's future.
England, France, and Germany are want desperately to keep in place the inspection aspects of the Iranian agreement. "European officials say that they don’t feel comfortable siding with
Russia, China and Iran against the United States, but that the Trump
administration’s withdrawal from the deal has given them no alternative." It appears that President Trump has chosen to go it alone.
Immigration and the farm bill. Last week's blog noted the move by some House Republicans to use a discharge petition to force a vote on the fate of young DACA immigrants. Because that move was being blocked, this past week in yet another arcane move, the House Freedom Caucus banded together with other moderate Republicans and Democrats and voted down the proposed bi-annual farm bill (which included school lunch subsidies and food stamps).
House Speaker Paul Ryan is fearful of the effect an immigration vote might have on the upcoming fall elections. Like a good Speaker, Ryan is leading from behind.
21 May, historic solo flight day. 1917: Charles Lindbergh, to Paris, 33 1/2 hour; 1932: Amelia Earhart, to northern Ireland, about 15 hours.
Thank you for reading. Hopefully May will end for you peacefully, without any extreme weather.
Wednesday, May 23, 2018
Tuesday, May 15, 2018
This week's stories of note: the Optimist; Trump and trade; George Will on today's worst person in government; a connected nation; rebellion in the US House; CIA director nominee; sanctuary state?; Trump's tariffs and savings.
Optimist, 13 May. Uplifting stories for the week. Mother's Day delayed -- 57 years; the inspiring, well-remembered teacher; the man with the life-saving golden arm; a helpful nurse for a distant birth; and more.
Trump on trade. Columnist Robert Samuelson, certainly no flaming, left-wing liberal, warns about the dangers of turning trade disagreements into trade wars. What the president, who is no economist, just a self-professed deal-maker, seems not to understand is that the US is not necessarily the deal-maker, that China, the TPP, and the European Union constitute a larger trading bloc than the US. Nor does he seem to realize (care ?) how much Americans, companies (other than his own) and individuals, will be affected by his threatened tariffs. (e.g. Boeing, Air Bus, and soy bean farmers, to mention just three)
Samuelson: "Most economists believe that more protectionism would act as a drag on the world economy. Domestic prices would increase, hampering consumer spending. Greater uncertainty for businesses might impede new corporate investment." But, as Harry Truman once famously opined, "If you laid all the economists end to end, they'd point in different directions."
Vice President Pence. George Will makes the case for Pence having succeeded in passing his president as the worst of the lot. "Donald Trump, with his feral cunning, knew. The oleaginous Mike Pence, with his talent for toadyism and appetite for obsequiousness, could, Trump knew, become America’s most repulsive public figure...Because his is the authentic voice of today’s lickspittle Republican Party, he clarifies this year’s elections: Vote Republican to ratify groveling as governing."
Certainly, but if Pence were to become president, he would at least know how our three branches operate, how to work with Congress.
10 May 1869. The east and west coasts were joined, so to speak, when the fabled golden spike was driven at Promontory Point, Utah Territory, completing the transcontinental railroad. (UT would become a state on 4 July 1896.)
House rebellion. Next week an arcane, rarely used maneuver may play out in Washington: a rebellion against the Republic leaders in the US House, to force a floor vote on four immigration bill. If, as expected, all Democratic minority members vote for the discharge petition, only 18 Republican votes would be needed to force a floor vote, very much desired by very conservative Republicans. One CO Republican (Mike Coffman, from Auora) has said he will vote "aye." (Votes in such discharge petitions are only possible on the first and third Mondays of the month when the House is in session.) Carry on Mitch?
CIA nominee, Gina Haspel. Ms. Haspel would be the agency's first female director, an actual, real life "Judi Dench, M." ("M," Ian Flemming's fictional head of British MI-6) Ruth Marcus discusses the pros and cons of Haspel's nomination. Her much storied service has to be weighed against her role in the much debated CIA's enhanced interrogation program and the destruction of the video tapes of those sessions. "Senate Intelligence CommIittee Chairman Richard Burr (R-N.C.) did not exaggerate when he described Haspel, at the panel’s hearing on Wednesday, as 'the most prepared nominee in its 70-year history.' ” Then, the absent Senator McCain weighed in (via media), calling Haspel a qualified patriot whose past actions, unfortunately, disqualified her.
CA sanctuary state. Not all Californians are loving yet another of their state's unusual callings. Conservatives are pushing back.
Lewis and Clark. 14 May 1803: America's first great exploration trek began begthe intrepid explorers' party departed from near Hartford, IL, bound for the Pacific coast.
Israel. 14 May 1948: the State of Israel was proclaimed in Tel Aviv and was immediately recognized by the United States.
Trump tariffs and savings. In a move that stunned both US and Chinese officials, President Trump appears to be taking steps to rescue TZE, a major Chinese telecom company, with operations in both the US and China. ¿Qué pasa, Dude?
Thank you for reading. Enjoy the royal wedding!
Optimist, 13 May. Uplifting stories for the week. Mother's Day delayed -- 57 years; the inspiring, well-remembered teacher; the man with the life-saving golden arm; a helpful nurse for a distant birth; and more.
Trump on trade. Columnist Robert Samuelson, certainly no flaming, left-wing liberal, warns about the dangers of turning trade disagreements into trade wars. What the president, who is no economist, just a self-professed deal-maker, seems not to understand is that the US is not necessarily the deal-maker, that China, the TPP, and the European Union constitute a larger trading bloc than the US. Nor does he seem to realize (care ?) how much Americans, companies (other than his own) and individuals, will be affected by his threatened tariffs. (e.g. Boeing, Air Bus, and soy bean farmers, to mention just three)
Samuelson: "Most economists believe that more protectionism would act as a drag on the world economy. Domestic prices would increase, hampering consumer spending. Greater uncertainty for businesses might impede new corporate investment." But, as Harry Truman once famously opined, "If you laid all the economists end to end, they'd point in different directions."
Vice President Pence. George Will makes the case for Pence having succeeded in passing his president as the worst of the lot. "Donald Trump, with his feral cunning, knew. The oleaginous Mike Pence, with his talent for toadyism and appetite for obsequiousness, could, Trump knew, become America’s most repulsive public figure...Because his is the authentic voice of today’s lickspittle Republican Party, he clarifies this year’s elections: Vote Republican to ratify groveling as governing."
Certainly, but if Pence were to become president, he would at least know how our three branches operate, how to work with Congress.
10 May 1869. The east and west coasts were joined, so to speak, when the fabled golden spike was driven at Promontory Point, Utah Territory, completing the transcontinental railroad. (UT would become a state on 4 July 1896.)
House rebellion. Next week an arcane, rarely used maneuver may play out in Washington: a rebellion against the Republic leaders in the US House, to force a floor vote on four immigration bill. If, as expected, all Democratic minority members vote for the discharge petition, only 18 Republican votes would be needed to force a floor vote, very much desired by very conservative Republicans. One CO Republican (Mike Coffman, from Auora) has said he will vote "aye." (Votes in such discharge petitions are only possible on the first and third Mondays of the month when the House is in session.) Carry on Mitch?
CIA nominee, Gina Haspel. Ms. Haspel would be the agency's first female director, an actual, real life "Judi Dench, M." ("M," Ian Flemming's fictional head of British MI-6) Ruth Marcus discusses the pros and cons of Haspel's nomination. Her much storied service has to be weighed against her role in the much debated CIA's enhanced interrogation program and the destruction of the video tapes of those sessions. "Senate Intelligence CommIittee Chairman Richard Burr (R-N.C.) did not exaggerate when he described Haspel, at the panel’s hearing on Wednesday, as 'the most prepared nominee in its 70-year history.' ” Then, the absent Senator McCain weighed in (via media), calling Haspel a qualified patriot whose past actions, unfortunately, disqualified her.
CA sanctuary state. Not all Californians are loving yet another of their state's unusual callings. Conservatives are pushing back.
Lewis and Clark. 14 May 1803: America's first great exploration trek began begthe intrepid explorers' party departed from near Hartford, IL, bound for the Pacific coast.
Israel. 14 May 1948: the State of Israel was proclaimed in Tel Aviv and was immediately recognized by the United States.
Trump tariffs and savings. In a move that stunned both US and Chinese officials, President Trump appears to be taking steps to rescue TZE, a major Chinese telecom company, with operations in both the US and China. ¿Qué pasa, Dude?
Thank you for reading. Enjoy the royal wedding!
Tuesday, May 8, 2018
This week's offerings: Optimist; new leadership; electoral college; Antarctica; the EPA, science, and GMOs; sovereign or just another group; RBG; a too powerful rocket?; John McCain; foreign policy?; May 5th; North Korea and the Non-proliferation problem; Chinese censorship; US - Mexico border; Iran.
Optimist, 6 May. This week's good stories. The very improbable child; the improbable graduation visitors; the improbable tutor; and more.
The Democrats' problem. Many Republicans (who have Trump) and more than a few Democrats, including new candidates running in 2018, want "new blood" in their leadership positions. For example, "Dan McCready, 34, who is running as a Democrat in a North Carolina district that stretches from Charlotte’s suburbs into more rural counties. 'I think we need a whole new generation of people in D.C. That’s part of why I’m running; we need some new blood.' ” McCready is one of ten who have expressly said they will not vote for Nancy Pelosi (as Speaker should Democrats regain control of the House). Ten more have expressed private reservations.
But surrendering power is never pleasant. “We will win. I will run for speaker. I feel confident about it. And my members do, too,” Pelosi told a meeting of Boston Globe reporters and editors on Tuesday. The other Democratic leaders are 77 and 78, equally viewed by many younger Democrats as "old school."
Electoral College. Columnist George Will wonders, "Does Trump even understand the electoral college?" Will relates, "During an episode of government of, by and for 'Fox & Friends,' he said: He won the 2016 election 'easily' but wishes the electoral vote system were replaced by direct election of presidents by popular vote." The column is worth readi thenng, which President Trump most likely will not do. Perhaps he did not notice, but without the Electoral College, "the current president’s 46 percent of the popular vote could not have been translated into 56 percent of the electoral vote (304) and President Hillary Clinton would be glad that the electoral college had ended."
Antarctica. This video clip examines this least explored of the world's continents and what lies ahead.
Anti-science? Michael Gerson challenges some "normal" thinking in this column, the title of which will be off putting for many readers. "Are you anti-GMO? Then you're anti-science, too." Anti-GMO "brands are guilty of crimes against rationality...the fact that there is no reputable scientific evidence that direct genetic modification — instead of slower genetic modification through selective breeding — has any health effects of any kind. None"
Me thinks Michael may have stirred the pot with this one. Even though he cites 1,000 studies by the National Academy of Sciences... Royal Society, the French Academy of Science and the American Medical Association.
Sovereign nations? The specific issue is health care. The more important general question: Will Native Americans continue to be part of what have been traditionally sovereign nations? "The Trump administration contends that tribal members should be considered a race, not a political class, as courts have always viewed them, and should not be exempted from state regulations..." That is, can tribal members be required to meet state guidelines in order to receive medical care?
"According to the Supreme Court, tribal citizenship is not a racial classification, it is a political one. When it comes to tribal members, the U.S. government is dealing with the citizens of another nation."
RBG. The film about the Supreme Court's associate justice who has become an icon, a model of how we would all like to be at 85! [Justice Ginsburg's outspokenness] has not endeared her to those who believe Supreme Court justices should be read and not heard." But, like those demanding workouts, she'll continue on. The late Justice Scalia, her most improbable friend on the Court, is no doubt smiling warmly.
Elon Musk and the Falcon 9. Good science or another potential Challenger on the launch pad? NASA is concerned about Musk's use of a new powerful "load-and-go" technology in launches involving astronauts. One previous L-A-G rocket blew up on a Kennedy launch pad; thankfully, only a multi-million satellite was lost.
John McCain (R, AZ). Columnist John Van Drehle writes,
A mist on placid waters, no doubt. Never one to pull his punches, McCain's forthcoming book ..."delivers his final message without obsessing on the current incumbent of the White House: “Trump, Donald J.” gets fewer lines in the index than a nearby entry for “torture debate,” for example. On the other hand, there is little ambiguity in his contrasting description of himself: “Not an isolationist, protectionist, immigrant-bashing, scapegoating, get-nothing-useful-done Republican."
Here is a link to the solemn Naval Hymn, Eternal Father (performed by the US Naval Academy Glee Club at the USS Arizona Memorial, Pearl Harbor, Honolulu, Hawaii) The hymn will no doubt be played at McCain's funeral in the National Cathedral. A life well lived, Captain!
Foreign policy, or just a whim? Columnist Anne Applebaum, like others, notes a lack of thoughtful, systematic planning at the State Department, nor, for that matter, at Commerce. "There is no longer a predictable process for decision-making, or even a process at all: Everything comes down to what the president feels like on a given day...[For example, when] Trump...suddenly declared that he wanted to withdraw all U.S. troops from the Korean Peninsula; this may be what motivated Seoul to seek an agreement with North Korea," Sometimes, policies can even be changed/reversed at a given time on a given day.
In a PBS News Hour segment (Tuesday, 1 May), author Ronan Farrow expresses similar views as he talked about his new book, War on Peace: The End of Diplomacy and the Decline of American Influence. He talks about the so-called "Mahogany Massacre," the "wholesale dismissal of long time foreign service experts at the State Department, people who were [not] political appointees... [W]hat whistle-blower after whistle-blower told me was, they feel there is a culture of denigrating expertise." (A "mahogany massacre" because of the old style wood paneling found in many rooms/offices at "Foggy Bottom," aka the State Department.)
5 May: Cinco de Mayo, celebrated in many locations. Did you know that 5 May 2018 is also the 200th anniversary of the birth of Karl Marx? This Economist article discusses what Marx got right -- and wrong. Ironically, "[t]oday’s only successful self-styled Marxist regime is an enthusiastic practitioner of capitalism (or 'socialism with Chinese characteristics')." Yet, "The sheer volume of commentary [occasioned by his 200th birthday] is evidence of something important." Variously characterized as "brilliant thinker and writer, sponger (off Engels)", described by a Russian revolutionary contemporary, Michail Bakunin, as "ambitious and vain, quarrelsome, intolerant and absolute…vengeful to the point of madness."
Why all the fuss? First, the power of his ideas; second, of his personality; third, the paradox: his failed ideas are finding a new lease on life. "Globalization and the rise of a virtual economy are producing a version of capitalism that once more seems to be out of control."
PDRK and the NPT. The Economist looks at both issues: North Korea and the looming 12 May deadline for the Iran agreement, especially in light of the upcoming summit (?) between Kim Jong Un and President Trump. " Sadly, much as [the Economist]...wishes for a nuclear-free North Korea, a lasting deal remains as remote as the summit of Mount Paektu [an active volcano on the PDRK - Chinese border]." Three attendant problems: (1) the Kims are serial cheats; (2) the impending end within 3 years of the US - Russia nuclear arms limitation agreements; and (3) "...the critics of arms control overstate its aims so as to denigrate its accomplishments."
Former Director of the National Counter-terrorism Center, Nicholas J. Rasumssen presents a lucid overview of how we have gotten to this point and what will probably be necessary to carry this initiative to fruition.
David Ignatius asks, "Should Kim get the credit for the Korean detente?" Kim "...has relentlessly pursued a dual strategy: to obtain a usable nuclear weapon, and then pivot toward dialogue and modernization of his economy. He sought his nuclear deterrent with almost reckless determination, but he has been surprisingly nimble in making the turn toward diplomacy." (The so-called "byungjin line." “The denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula is the behest of our leader” and “must be carried out . . . without fail.”
In other words, the nuclear program was first and foremost meant to guarantee regime survival. Kim now has a workable bomb and seems willing to more on. If correct, Trumpian bluster will have to be toned way down, even held in abeyance. Again, not one of the president's long suits.
The one obvious answerable trivia question: What do Mr. Kim and Mr. Donald have in common? Most visually: bad hair.
China and "Peppa Pig." Columnist Josh Rogan writes "[T]hen they came for Peppa Pig." (He is recalling Martin Niemȫller's famous essay "First they came for the socialists....[T]hen they came for me—and there was no one left to speak for me.") Now is about how Chinese censors have added the British TV cartoon character, Peppa Pig, to their list of "bad guys," right along with Winnie the Pooh. (Does the latter looks too much like Chinese president Xi Jinping?)
Rogan opines that this seems to relate to "...the government’s insecurity about any cultural phenomenon it can’t control....part of its greater effort to control the behavior of its citizens. Combined with blanket surveillance, intrusive monitoring and a new Orwellian social credit score system, the Chinese Communist Party links loyalty to success in all aspects of Chinese life"
He continues, "As part of its global foreign influence campaign, the Chinese Communist Party is exporting that censorship and punishing U.S. companies and citizens that step out of line.." Total loyalty above all else! Should that strike a chord at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue in Washington, D.C.?
US - Mexico border. Five myths: (1) the border is out of control; (2) a wall will stem opioid epidemic; (3) enforcement does not curtail illegal crossings; (4) terrorists are exploiting a porous border; (5) US laws are weak, Mexico's are strong. To which I would add: (6) the border is "there." No, not necessarily. In many places, especially along the Rio Grande river, the border moves constantly, both the US border and a TX land owner's boundary shift constantly. Today, it is TX; a week from now, it may be further inland, or even back into Mexico.
The Iran "deal." For better or worse, but in accordance with his long-standing campaign promise, President Trump has withdrawn US participation in the Iranian nuclear agreement.
Thank you for reading.
Optimist, 6 May. This week's good stories. The very improbable child; the improbable graduation visitors; the improbable tutor; and more.
The Democrats' problem. Many Republicans (who have Trump) and more than a few Democrats, including new candidates running in 2018, want "new blood" in their leadership positions. For example, "Dan McCready, 34, who is running as a Democrat in a North Carolina district that stretches from Charlotte’s suburbs into more rural counties. 'I think we need a whole new generation of people in D.C. That’s part of why I’m running; we need some new blood.' ” McCready is one of ten who have expressly said they will not vote for Nancy Pelosi (as Speaker should Democrats regain control of the House). Ten more have expressed private reservations.
But surrendering power is never pleasant. “We will win. I will run for speaker. I feel confident about it. And my members do, too,” Pelosi told a meeting of Boston Globe reporters and editors on Tuesday. The other Democratic leaders are 77 and 78, equally viewed by many younger Democrats as "old school."
Electoral College. Columnist George Will wonders, "Does Trump even understand the electoral college?" Will relates, "During an episode of government of, by and for 'Fox & Friends,' he said: He won the 2016 election 'easily' but wishes the electoral vote system were replaced by direct election of presidents by popular vote." The column is worth readi thenng, which President Trump most likely will not do. Perhaps he did not notice, but without the Electoral College, "the current president’s 46 percent of the popular vote could not have been translated into 56 percent of the electoral vote (304) and President Hillary Clinton would be glad that the electoral college had ended."
Antarctica. This video clip examines this least explored of the world's continents and what lies ahead.
Anti-science? Michael Gerson challenges some "normal" thinking in this column, the title of which will be off putting for many readers. "Are you anti-GMO? Then you're anti-science, too." Anti-GMO "brands are guilty of crimes against rationality...the fact that there is no reputable scientific evidence that direct genetic modification — instead of slower genetic modification through selective breeding — has any health effects of any kind. None"
Me thinks Michael may have stirred the pot with this one. Even though he cites 1,000 studies by the National Academy of Sciences... Royal Society, the French Academy of Science and the American Medical Association.
Sovereign nations? The specific issue is health care. The more important general question: Will Native Americans continue to be part of what have been traditionally sovereign nations? "The Trump administration contends that tribal members should be considered a race, not a political class, as courts have always viewed them, and should not be exempted from state regulations..." That is, can tribal members be required to meet state guidelines in order to receive medical care?
"According to the Supreme Court, tribal citizenship is not a racial classification, it is a political one. When it comes to tribal members, the U.S. government is dealing with the citizens of another nation."
RBG. The film about the Supreme Court's associate justice who has become an icon, a model of how we would all like to be at 85! [Justice Ginsburg's outspokenness] has not endeared her to those who believe Supreme Court justices should be read and not heard." But, like those demanding workouts, she'll continue on. The late Justice Scalia, her most improbable friend on the Court, is no doubt smiling warmly.
Elon Musk and the Falcon 9. Good science or another potential Challenger on the launch pad? NASA is concerned about Musk's use of a new powerful "load-and-go" technology in launches involving astronauts. One previous L-A-G rocket blew up on a Kennedy launch pad; thankfully, only a multi-million satellite was lost.
John McCain (R, AZ). Columnist John Van Drehle writes,
In a matter of months, maybe weeks, maybe days, the president of the
United States will try to speak for the nation on the death of Sen. John
S. McCain III. At 81 , McCain has been the model of stoic virtue in
reckoning with his terminal brain cancer, so this prediction will
neither surprise nor offend him. “What is your life?” asks the Book of James, Chapter 4, verse 14. “You are a mist that appears for a little while and then vanishes.”
A mist on placid waters, no doubt. Never one to pull his punches, McCain's forthcoming book ..."delivers his final message without obsessing on the current incumbent of the White House: “Trump, Donald J.” gets fewer lines in the index than a nearby entry for “torture debate,” for example. On the other hand, there is little ambiguity in his contrasting description of himself: “Not an isolationist, protectionist, immigrant-bashing, scapegoating, get-nothing-useful-done Republican."
Here is a link to the solemn Naval Hymn, Eternal Father (performed by the US Naval Academy Glee Club at the USS Arizona Memorial, Pearl Harbor, Honolulu, Hawaii) The hymn will no doubt be played at McCain's funeral in the National Cathedral. A life well lived, Captain!
Foreign policy, or just a whim? Columnist Anne Applebaum, like others, notes a lack of thoughtful, systematic planning at the State Department, nor, for that matter, at Commerce. "There is no longer a predictable process for decision-making, or even a process at all: Everything comes down to what the president feels like on a given day...[For example, when] Trump...suddenly declared that he wanted to withdraw all U.S. troops from the Korean Peninsula; this may be what motivated Seoul to seek an agreement with North Korea," Sometimes, policies can even be changed/reversed at a given time on a given day.
In a PBS News Hour segment (Tuesday, 1 May), author Ronan Farrow expresses similar views as he talked about his new book, War on Peace: The End of Diplomacy and the Decline of American Influence. He talks about the so-called "Mahogany Massacre," the "wholesale dismissal of long time foreign service experts at the State Department, people who were [not] political appointees... [W]hat whistle-blower after whistle-blower told me was, they feel there is a culture of denigrating expertise." (A "mahogany massacre" because of the old style wood paneling found in many rooms/offices at "Foggy Bottom," aka the State Department.)
5 May: Cinco de Mayo, celebrated in many locations. Did you know that 5 May 2018 is also the 200th anniversary of the birth of Karl Marx? This Economist article discusses what Marx got right -- and wrong. Ironically, "[t]oday’s only successful self-styled Marxist regime is an enthusiastic practitioner of capitalism (or 'socialism with Chinese characteristics')." Yet, "The sheer volume of commentary [occasioned by his 200th birthday] is evidence of something important." Variously characterized as "brilliant thinker and writer, sponger (off Engels)", described by a Russian revolutionary contemporary, Michail Bakunin, as "ambitious and vain, quarrelsome, intolerant and absolute…vengeful to the point of madness."
Why all the fuss? First, the power of his ideas; second, of his personality; third, the paradox: his failed ideas are finding a new lease on life. "Globalization and the rise of a virtual economy are producing a version of capitalism that once more seems to be out of control."
PDRK and the NPT. The Economist looks at both issues: North Korea and the looming 12 May deadline for the Iran agreement, especially in light of the upcoming summit (?) between Kim Jong Un and President Trump. " Sadly, much as [the Economist]...wishes for a nuclear-free North Korea, a lasting deal remains as remote as the summit of Mount Paektu [an active volcano on the PDRK - Chinese border]." Three attendant problems: (1) the Kims are serial cheats; (2) the impending end within 3 years of the US - Russia nuclear arms limitation agreements; and (3) "...the critics of arms control overstate its aims so as to denigrate its accomplishments."
Former Director of the National Counter-terrorism Center, Nicholas J. Rasumssen presents a lucid overview of how we have gotten to this point and what will probably be necessary to carry this initiative to fruition.
David Ignatius asks, "Should Kim get the credit for the Korean detente?" Kim "...has relentlessly pursued a dual strategy: to obtain a usable nuclear weapon, and then pivot toward dialogue and modernization of his economy. He sought his nuclear deterrent with almost reckless determination, but he has been surprisingly nimble in making the turn toward diplomacy." (The so-called "byungjin line." “The denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula is the behest of our leader” and “must be carried out . . . without fail.”
In other words, the nuclear program was first and foremost meant to guarantee regime survival. Kim now has a workable bomb and seems willing to more on. If correct, Trumpian bluster will have to be toned way down, even held in abeyance. Again, not one of the president's long suits.
The one obvious answerable trivia question: What do Mr. Kim and Mr. Donald have in common? Most visually: bad hair.
China and "Peppa Pig." Columnist Josh Rogan writes "[T]hen they came for Peppa Pig." (He is recalling Martin Niemȫller's famous essay "First they came for the socialists....[T]hen they came for me—and there was no one left to speak for me.") Now is about how Chinese censors have added the British TV cartoon character, Peppa Pig, to their list of "bad guys," right along with Winnie the Pooh. (Does the latter looks too much like Chinese president Xi Jinping?)
Rogan opines that this seems to relate to "...the government’s insecurity about any cultural phenomenon it can’t control....part of its greater effort to control the behavior of its citizens. Combined with blanket surveillance, intrusive monitoring and a new Orwellian social credit score system, the Chinese Communist Party links loyalty to success in all aspects of Chinese life"
He continues, "As part of its global foreign influence campaign, the Chinese Communist Party is exporting that censorship and punishing U.S. companies and citizens that step out of line.." Total loyalty above all else! Should that strike a chord at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue in Washington, D.C.?
US - Mexico border. Five myths: (1) the border is out of control; (2) a wall will stem opioid epidemic; (3) enforcement does not curtail illegal crossings; (4) terrorists are exploiting a porous border; (5) US laws are weak, Mexico's are strong. To which I would add: (6) the border is "there." No, not necessarily. In many places, especially along the Rio Grande river, the border moves constantly, both the US border and a TX land owner's boundary shift constantly. Today, it is TX; a week from now, it may be further inland, or even back into Mexico.
The Iran "deal." For better or worse, but in accordance with his long-standing campaign promise, President Trump has withdrawn US participation in the Iranian nuclear agreement.
Thank you for reading.
Wednesday, May 2, 2018
This week's topics: the Optimist; when the circus comes to town; travel ban & more; mass killers and publicity; fraternity problems, again; decency deficit; Macron and Trump; Korea.
Optimist, April 29. The unusual, often heart-warming stories.
1. VA adopts a new, state-prescribed course for 9th and 10th graders, at their own insistence and with their help: mental health. The story notes, "It will be up to Virginia’s Board of Education to determine how the mental health mandate is carried out, but, under the law, the board must consult with mental health experts and update state standards."
A note about student activism for other state departments of education and Ms. DeVos in Washington: When state legislatures are hidebound regarding raising taxes, students can raise their voices to demand change.
2. A children's book about differences and courage: their father, their Hero at Home.
3. Amanda Agana, a Naval Academy midshipman from Ghana with a childhood very unlike her fellow students, a past with lessons for her teammates at Annapolis.
4. The "hard" safety net. In the darkness, 13 long haul drivers in Detroit slowly crept beneath an underpass to form a safety net of sorts, as state police negotiators talked a would-be suicide off the highway bridge.
The circus that is Washington. Columnist E.J. Dionne discusses what does not get done amid the cacophony of President Trump's "...incoherent spoken and tweeted outpourings...and the daily outrages...[that] leave little time for serious debate about policy or meaningful dialogue about our larger purposes."
Jennifer Rubin notes that President Trump's warning that he will not be played by Kim Jong Un, begs the question of whether or not that has already happened with his back and forth approach to diplomacy; "he’s the easiest of marks for anyone with a red carpet and a batch of insincere compliments."
Truly, is unfair to ask, "Would any another world leader who so publicly ranted, raved, waffled, and carried on not be summarily dismissed?"
Just a travel ban? On Wednesday, 25 April, the USSC heard arguments on the 3rd iteration of President Trump's travel ban. American University's Amanda Frost says there is a very important, second aspect to the case, nationwide injunctions. The Trump's administrations contention: A court can do no more than protect individual plaintiffs from the government’s unconstitutional policies; those who do not have the capacity to file similar lawsuits are out of luck.
Mass killing and publicity. Last Wednesday, Washington Post columnist David Von Drehle discussed the conundrum involved in the notion of a free press vs. the thought that mass killers should not be rewarded with what they crave: publicity.
Syracuse and Penn State. Boys will be boys? In response to the most recent fraternity gone-wrong story (at Syracuse University), columnist Kathleen Parker wonders (to rephrase her title as an interrogatory), "Is decent society unraveling in front of us?" The earlier, much-reported drunken frat incident at PSU turned physically lethal. According to Syracuse's Chancellor Kent Syverud, his university's more recent frat party was wantonly “appalling and disgusting on many intersecting grounds”, all visual and verbal. How to handle these young men? Parker notes that "[In] America, even knuckle-dragging quadrupeds are granted due process." And, depending on the circumstances and the skill of their attorneys, judgement may well be substantial or amount to little or nothing at all.
Decency vs. today's usual politics. Against a backdrop of Washington name-calling, columnist Ruth Marcus discussed how two acts of personal kindness in the US Senate seemed so out of sync.
Macron and Trump. The American press had their own impressions, but France's Le Monde ("a double-edged visit") and Le Figaro ("on the edge of brutality") preferred to dwell on the frank tone and opportunist substance of President Macron's address to Congress. From all appearances, Congress understood and enjoyed Marcon's remarks.
Long time foreign affairs columnist, David Ignatius, asked Macron if he found Trump trustworthy. "Yes, I trust him very much," he answered, "because I want him to move, 'to be a protector of multilateralism and Western values.' " In other words, Ignatius say, "Macron trusts Trump to the extent he thinks he can maneuver him."
Korea. From all appearances last Friday's North - South meeting played out well -- as far as it went. Undoubtedly, North Korea, with its nuclear warheads and ICBMs, feels it can deal from a new position of strength. Thus, the upcoming "summit" with President Trump may have become even more important. Unfortunately, progress may well hinge on whether or not Kim Jong Un realizes that for President Trump, he, Kim, is still "Little Rocket Man." Don't try to upstage the "Big Rocket Man."
It is well to remember that any formal peace treaty ending the Korean war will also require the signatures of both the US and China (but not Russia). Like world disarmament, North Korean denuclearization will take time and international effort, both of which President Trump has little aptitude or patience for.
Thank you for reading.
Optimist, April 29. The unusual, often heart-warming stories.
1. VA adopts a new, state-prescribed course for 9th and 10th graders, at their own insistence and with their help: mental health. The story notes, "It will be up to Virginia’s Board of Education to determine how the mental health mandate is carried out, but, under the law, the board must consult with mental health experts and update state standards."
A note about student activism for other state departments of education and Ms. DeVos in Washington: When state legislatures are hidebound regarding raising taxes, students can raise their voices to demand change.
2. A children's book about differences and courage: their father, their Hero at Home.
3. Amanda Agana, a Naval Academy midshipman from Ghana with a childhood very unlike her fellow students, a past with lessons for her teammates at Annapolis.
4. The "hard" safety net. In the darkness, 13 long haul drivers in Detroit slowly crept beneath an underpass to form a safety net of sorts, as state police negotiators talked a would-be suicide off the highway bridge.
The circus that is Washington. Columnist E.J. Dionne discusses what does not get done amid the cacophony of President Trump's "...incoherent spoken and tweeted outpourings...and the daily outrages...[that] leave little time for serious debate about policy or meaningful dialogue about our larger purposes."
Jennifer Rubin notes that President Trump's warning that he will not be played by Kim Jong Un, begs the question of whether or not that has already happened with his back and forth approach to diplomacy; "he’s the easiest of marks for anyone with a red carpet and a batch of insincere compliments."
Truly, is unfair to ask, "Would any another world leader who so publicly ranted, raved, waffled, and carried on not be summarily dismissed?"
Just a travel ban? On Wednesday, 25 April, the USSC heard arguments on the 3rd iteration of President Trump's travel ban. American University's Amanda Frost says there is a very important, second aspect to the case, nationwide injunctions. The Trump's administrations contention: A court can do no more than protect individual plaintiffs from the government’s unconstitutional policies; those who do not have the capacity to file similar lawsuits are out of luck.
Mass killing and publicity. Last Wednesday, Washington Post columnist David Von Drehle discussed the conundrum involved in the notion of a free press vs. the thought that mass killers should not be rewarded with what they crave: publicity.
Syracuse and Penn State. Boys will be boys? In response to the most recent fraternity gone-wrong story (at Syracuse University), columnist Kathleen Parker wonders (to rephrase her title as an interrogatory), "Is decent society unraveling in front of us?" The earlier, much-reported drunken frat incident at PSU turned physically lethal. According to Syracuse's Chancellor Kent Syverud, his university's more recent frat party was wantonly “appalling and disgusting on many intersecting grounds”, all visual and verbal. How to handle these young men? Parker notes that "[In] America, even knuckle-dragging quadrupeds are granted due process." And, depending on the circumstances and the skill of their attorneys, judgement may well be substantial or amount to little or nothing at all.
Decency vs. today's usual politics. Against a backdrop of Washington name-calling, columnist Ruth Marcus discussed how two acts of personal kindness in the US Senate seemed so out of sync.
Macron and Trump. The American press had their own impressions, but France's Le Monde ("a double-edged visit") and Le Figaro ("on the edge of brutality") preferred to dwell on the frank tone and opportunist substance of President Macron's address to Congress. From all appearances, Congress understood and enjoyed Marcon's remarks.
Long time foreign affairs columnist, David Ignatius, asked Macron if he found Trump trustworthy. "Yes, I trust him very much," he answered, "because I want him to move, 'to be a protector of multilateralism and Western values.' " In other words, Ignatius say, "Macron trusts Trump to the extent he thinks he can maneuver him."
Korea. From all appearances last Friday's North - South meeting played out well -- as far as it went. Undoubtedly, North Korea, with its nuclear warheads and ICBMs, feels it can deal from a new position of strength. Thus, the upcoming "summit" with President Trump may have become even more important. Unfortunately, progress may well hinge on whether or not Kim Jong Un realizes that for President Trump, he, Kim, is still "Little Rocket Man." Don't try to upstage the "Big Rocket Man."
It is well to remember that any formal peace treaty ending the Korean war will also require the signatures of both the US and China (but not Russia). Like world disarmament, North Korean denuclearization will take time and international effort, both of which President Trump has little aptitude or patience for.
Thank you for reading.
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