Sunday, April 23, 2017

He And They Are Insane


Yesterday, Donald Trump announced that he will hold a "BIG" rally to celebrate his first one hundred days in office. Henry Giroux writes that there is little to cheer about:

Rather than address climate change, the threat of nuclear war, galloping inequality, the elimination of public goods, Trump and his vicious acolytes have accelerated the threats faced by these growing dangers. Moreover, the authoritarian steam roller just keeps bulldozing through every social protection and policy put in place, however insufficient, in the last few years in order to benefit the poor, vulnerable, and the environment.

A neo-fascist politics of emotional brutality, militant bigotry, and social abandonment has reached new heights in the United States. Think about the Republican Party call to eliminate essential health benefits such as mental health coverage, guaranteed health insurance for people with pre-existing conditions, and the elimination of Meals on Wheels program that benefit the poor and elderly.

Trump's signature achievement -- if you can call it that -- has been to establish a culture of cruelty in the United States:

Under these circumstances, everyone is viewed as either a potential terrorist or narcissistic consumer making it easier for the Trump machine to elevate the use of force to the most venerable national ideal while opening up lucrative markets for defense and security industries and the growing private prison behemoth.

It's worth noting that the man Trump selected to fill the empty Supreme Court seat cast his first vote last week -- to execute a man in Arkansas.  And all the while,

the government propaganda machine has turned into a comic version of a failed Reality TV series. Witness the daily spectacle produced by the hapless Sean Spicer. Spicer dreams about and longs for the trappings of Orwell’s dystopia in which he would be able to use his position as a second rate Joseph Goebbels to produce, legitimate, and dictate lies rather than be in the uncomfortable scenario, in which he now finds himself, of having to defend endlessly Trump’s fabrications. For Spicer, the dream of the safety of Orwell’s dystopia has given way to the nightmare of him being reduced to the leading character in the Gong Show. Actually, maybe he is the confused front man for our stand-in-president who increasingly resembles the psychopath on steroids, Patrick Bateman, from the film, American Psycho—truly a symbol for our times.

Trump and his supporters are going to celebrate this? He and they are insane.

Image: Hollywood Reporter

23 comments:

Anonymous said...

I've loved since it happened, our Justice Minister at the time - who legislated the end of executions in Canada.
The Just Way. Study it people. And show yourselves approved.

The CON's south? Evil, Owen. Say it, Practice it. They must never allowed to fall back on the excuse of insanity. Here we call that Not Criminally Responsible. And they most definitely are. Criminally, morally, spiritually reprehensible. They have much to answer for. And I'm not the judge.

Only a witness.

Owen Gray said...

But witnesses must not remain silent, lovingit.

Lorne said...

It was heartening to read abut the marches for science yesterday, Owen. I haven't yet read what perverted spin the Trump acolytes are putting on it.

Dana said...

Imagine the chaos after 4 years of Trump. And as far as I can tell there's no appetite whatever for looking themselves in the mirror and admitting that they either have to get rid of this entire administration, VP and all, or face the utter certainty of bankrupt, impotent, contemptible irrelevance.

Owen Gray said...

The fact based community took a stand for sanity yesterday, Lorne. Unfortunately, I read that 96% of Trump's supporters still think he's their man.

Owen Gray said...

As I wrote in my comment to Lorne, Dana, 96% of Trump's supporters live in an alternate reality.

the salamander said...

.. elections are meant to emplace public servants in position, temporarily.. to reflect and protect the needs of people, community, culture and society. Thus we today find MP's or Congressmen elected.. and so on down the ladder, via provincial or state, or tribal, then local level. Even down to councils, school boards or club levels.

What we find now, is how political parties have decided they are the Police & Supreme Court of elections.. and thus governance. Donald Trump represents the pinnacle of this bizarre reality perfectly, as did Stephen Harper. We elect political parties now.. and the representatives at the constituent or voting levels, work as servants to the party 'leadership' as well as the 'winner' of the farcical election 'games'

Its really quite out of a dark movie or tv script that gets remade every election.. it can be part fiction, part shocking reality, mucho spin & deflection. In the case of Donald Trumph, the USA has let someone with his brain in his mouth put a crown upon his head. Trump is not a psychopath a la Stephen Harper, but a publically raving rich lunatic - a fraud and a loud one at that. Everyone must obey him.. everyone in his immediate orbit.. just like Stephen Harper. But he doesn't mak or disguise his sick views of Environment, the Citizens, Critcal Thinking or Values.. indeed he flaunts them.... They make him 'special' - and the smartest guy in every room.. Where have we heard this before.. The tale will be told.. and it waln't end well at all..

Owen Gray said...

I'm quite sure it won't end well, salamander. Trump will leave behind a lot of carnage -- a word, as I recall -- he's fond of using.

Anonymous said...

Sal,

You forgot 'dog-catcher. Very important, that. Especially in Texas.


Owen?

"But" - implies a choice. Subpoenaed. Compelled.

Always -

lovingit!

Owen Gray said...

You choose not to be silent, lovingit. Unfortunately, there are those who would. There always are.

Anonymous said...

Some can't. Some won't. And the rest?

Enablers. Co-dependers on the same mission.

I mean, Kid RocKKK? Ted Nugent?

And best of all- the ungracious Sarah Palin.

I mean, really.

Stick to making shitty music and mind-melding us with your stupidity, kids.

It is, as it does.

Owen Gray said...

Nobody claimed that celebrity and wisdom go together, lovingit. Palin is a case in point.

Anonymous said...

They're all a menace to civil society, Owen. In my books.
Palin is a "flame-throwing troll" (from someone on the 'net...)

Plenty of Words written about them too.



"The man o' independent mind

He looks an' laughs at a' that."

Sardonically? I do.

It's laugh or weep, and they don't deserve another tear from me.

Although a prayer is always in order - FFTFTKNWTD.

Owen Gray said...

Indeed, lovingit. They know not what they do.

Anonymous said...

One more important question, Owen -
Have you, or anyone else, seen or heard from thwap?
There's a huge gaping hole where his unique
(I know - aren't we all...)
voice was

thanks
lali.

Owen Gray said...

Thwap still posts at the The Galloping Beaver, lovingit. His last post was about two weeks ago.

Anonymous said...

Thanks. I did as well, recently, but haven't seen much happening there.
Love their aggregation. I highly recommend it to everyone.

Owen Gray said...

I'd like to publish your comment, Anon. But it needs to be initialed.

John B. said...

We are advised that Trump's budget will not eliminate Meals on Wheels America. It merely eliminates funding for the Community Development Block Grant program, a portion of which likely supports Meals on Wheels indirectly through its transfers to states and local levels. Those levels of government and private donors can support the Meals on Wheels and any other programs pertaining to community and economic development that they choose to. Trump has been advised that he has other priorities.

Owen Gray said...

I'm quite confident in suggesting that Trump has never received a Meals on Wheels visit, John. His priorities are based on what he knows. And he doesn't know much.

Anonymous said...

BOOYAH, Owen! ;)

He knows coin, eh? The price of gold in China.

lovingit!

Steve said...

From what I hear Trump's tax cuts will be 4 trillion (a year?) Two trillion of it debt, most going to the 1%. Totally medieval. The only thing worth celebrating is the Clinton wing of the Democratic party is not ascendant. Hopefully some kind of real opposition beyond Black Live Matter will show up.

Owen Gray said...

Trump is running true to form, Steve. The Democrats need a credible leader -- one who really does speak for working folks.