Republican Debate, December 16, 2015

Forgive me for employing the sobriquet “debate” to describe this mess.  It lends too much dignity to the proceedings.  But we should move past that rhetorical obstacle quickly in the interest of conservation of time.

This was the nine Republican “frontrunners,” down to and including the “three percenters,” Rand Paul, Jeb! Bush, Chris Christie, John Kasich (!) and Carlie Fiorina (!!!).  It was, in short, a massive affront to human dignity, devoid of useful ideas or evidence of statesmanship.

EDITORIAL COMMENT: None of these people are appropriate candidates for successfully walking a dog without killing it inadvertently or selling it to a laboratory intentionally.  I wouldn’t let them anywhere near a pistol, much less the war making power of the United States of America.

The debacle, I mean debate, lasted for two hours, and all they talked about was either war or protecting the American people.  Maybe this was the fault of the questioners, who were functionaries of CNN.  The participants never tried to change the subject, though.  War against any old body and protecting the American people from specters in the wind were fine with them as subjects. 

Regarding “War,” everything that any of them said was flippant and massively counterproductive.  They were mostly concerned with war against ISIS.  Let’s take a look at a couple of their ideas.

The War Against ISIS

They all seemed to agree that there should be a war against ISIS, and that President Obama was getting it all horribly wrong.  Maybe Rand Paul was something of a voice of reason here, making one of the evenings few reasonable points that we may have pissed away enough treasure already on such pipe dreams. 

There were two major fallacies in their mostly unhinged rantings about ISIS:

1.   We need to let our Sunni Muslim allies carry the ball on the ground; and

2.   We must bomb ISIS into submission, if not out of existence.

Regarding our “Sunni Allies,” and it flatters them to be described thusly, none of the would-be presidents seemed to be aware that ISIS is a pawn in the power struggle between Sunnis (led by Saudi Arabia) and Shiites (led by Iran) that is now playing out across the Middle East.  ISIS is a pawn on the Sunni side, and I mean firmly, not somewhere out in the middle.  This is a huge misunderstanding of the basic situation for which they are prescribing murderous solutions that are doomed to failure, seemingly without a care in the world for the costs or the consequences.

Regarding “bombing them into submission,” they are equally uninformed and wrong-headed. 

Let’s consider two historical situations where that was tried.  First, against Germany in World War II; and second, against Vietnam in that huge mistaken effort that we have unfortunately forgotten the lessons of. 

Germany was a large industrial society and we tried to cow them into terrified submission with a terror bombing campaign that went on for several years.  Every city in Germany was flattened in a comprehensive manner.  None of that seemed to bother them at all.  By the end of the war, after a couple of million civilians had been killed, the German people had only been made very pissed off and resolute, and production of war goods only increased right up to the end of the war.

Vietnam was an agricultural country without much industrial capacity, much like the ISIS territories.  Carpet bombing them only made them even angrier than they had been since time immemorial against the Chinese, then the French, then the Japanese, then the French again, and then at us. The bombing didn’t seem to work at all on the Vietnamese.

Bombing alone won’t work on ISIS either, unless by “working” you mean gaining them more recruits.  The only thing that really works in situations like this is closely approaching opposing forces, on the ground, and either shooting them, or blowing them up, or bayonetting them at close range.  This, I should think, is common knowledge among informed observers. 

But it’s not knowledge of any kind for our Republican presidential wannabees!!!  Amazing, it is.  Sick, it makes me.

They’re full of stupid ideas.  Let’s have a no-fly zone!  A few of them said that.  Lots of problems with that idea, most of them bearing red star insignias.  Let’s make a safe zone!  Oh, just how would you accomplish that, pray tell?  They sounded like a bunch of morons.

War In General

None of the nine people on the stage have had any experience of war, nor of military discipline, nor have any of their children been subjected to those realities.  That did not stop them from glibly offering war at its fullest degree to any and all comers. 

There was general agreement that President Obama has allowed the American military to sink to unfrightening levels of readiness and capacity to destroy.  They climbed all over one another to be the one most willing to spend whatever it took to make America terrifying again.  Carly Fiorina has been the point man for a vast increase in defense spending.  She wants, what is it, a six hundred ship navy?  Lots more ships.  More infantry divisions, more planes, more everything.  Ben Carson today suggested that we need to replace our Ohio class attack submarines, our Minuteman missiles, and our B-52s.  How breathtakingly stupid is that?  To say that all in one breath, wow, one has to wonder if he’s done the math on that or thought it through in any meaningful way.  No time line, just “we must do it.”   

But war!  These inexperienced dilatants stood there and suggested one war after another, more or less simultaneously. 

War In Particular

Russia!  This one includes ad hominum attacks against Vlad Putin.  “I’m not afraid of a guy riding a horse with no shirt on.”  One of them said that recently, I forget which one. 

They also talk about “standing up to Putin,” by putting new missiles in Poland and holding military maneuvers in the Baltic States.  (Geography alert:  that would be Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania, which were part of the Soviet Union from 1940 to 1991 or so, and which provided Russia with access to the Baltic Sea, which happens to run ice-free to the North Atlantic almost all year, unlike northwest Russia.)   

North Korea! They were briefly mentioned in a question posed to Ben Carson.  Dr. Carson vaguely (big surprise!) suggested that we do something about them, including getting other Asian countries to bother them about something and getting China to talk to them.  He didn’t go any further, and everyone else dropped the subject with a silent prayer.  North Korea is actually scary, and even this crowd of war mongers would rather just shut up, avert their eyes and cross the street, hoping for the best.

China! They were more forthcoming about China.  We must retaliate for China’s cyber attacks!  We need to push them on human rights!  There was talk that sounded like a containment policy regarding the South China Seas.  Sure, let’s do that!  We only owe them uncounted billions of dollars, and they only have the power to bring the dollar down single handed, so sure!  Let’s just jump in their shit big time!  We’re tough guys!  God help us if any of these numbskulls gets elected.

And the rest of you, out there in “the world,” which is an American playground, any of y’all motherfuckers want some?  Chickenhawks Anonymous will be happy to pay their friends for plenty of bombs and weapons, minus the kickbacks, and they’ll be delighted to send our children to get killed behind some new bullshit scheme to prove how tough they are. It’s pathetic.

Protecting The American People

This seems to consist mostly of additional surveillance of Americans, reducing the mobility and the rights of association of Americans, and eliminating more of the pesky freedoms that obviously need to be sacrificed on the altar of our security. 

The police state needs to be expanded, and refugees from pretty much everywhere need to be blocked.  That would especially be Muslim refugees, because those people are trouble.  They want to kill us!  Let’s conveniently forget that these Muslim refugees from Syria and Iraq are fleeing from conflicts that we engendered by stupidly invading Iraq with no legitimate reason at all and no plan for follow through whatsoever. 

Now it’s “you’re on your own,” which is only fair, because the message of these self-aggrandizing politicians to their own constituents is the same: “you’re on your own.”  We’re all on our own.

Final Word

If they talked about anything else it was while I was in the shower.  I didn’t sit there like a mental patient listening to every word. 

Between war and protecting us, they didn’t even have any time to talk about their real agenda, which is cutting taxes on corporations and the rich; unwinding every social program since the New Deal; deregulating business; privatizing everything; and gutting environmental protection legislation.  With a program like that, it’s better to keep it a secret and stick to fear mongering about war and terrorism.  Neither was there any mention of Global Climate Change or the problems of gun violence.  They couldn’t even find a moment to mention their precious unborn. 

All they talked about was war as they misunderstand it and wrongheaded ideas about “protecting” us from terrorists.  These ideas will only produce more conflict and more terrorists. 

War must only be resorted to when nothing less than war’s most primordial and horrifying attributes will solve the problem.  It must always be resorted to with great reluctance. 

Protecting the American people would be much better accomplished by helping to solve the social problems of the world and trying to help people achieve fulfillment and happiness.  If you just threw up in your mouth a little bit, or chocked a silent scream, or laughed out loud, then maybe we should all just give up. 

If the majority of voters have the same bad attitude as these nine hopelessly inept politicians, maybe we should just lock the door and go home.  

Unwinding Diversity

Mr. Romney campaigned to "take back the White House."  From whom, exactly? 

Why, from that 'Boon, of course, that 'Bun, that Jig, the Witch Doctor in Chief, that Kenyan Anticolonialist.  The strong subtext was: can't y'all see this?  The man is Black!!!

How'd that work out for him?  Eighty-eight percent of the people who voted for Mr. Romney were White people.  Didn't work out too well in the long run.  Not enough of them anymore. 

And those Red State/Blue State maps, very interesting, no?  The Red States, if I may be blunt, were mostly those states not famous for intellectual rigor, mostly intolerant of cultural diversity, intolerant, in truth, even of White people from Blue States, hostile to education in general and educated people in particular, not, indeed, noted for their cultural achievements at all, states that contribute mostly food items or natural resources to the nation's prosperity, if they contribute anything at all. 

President Obama's win was a small victory for diversity in America, and that is a good thing.  Not a clear victory though, with so many people voting for xenophobia.  Let's face it, if Mr. Obama had been a White man named Barry Wilson, and all else  being equal, Romney would have been lucky to win seven states. 

So What Happens If This Willard Guy Gets Elected?

The details depend on what happens in congress, I suppose.  But some things are clear.


The National Security State . . . 

. . . continues to grow.  Drone strikes?  Check.  Extrajudicial killings and imprisonments of Americans and others?  Check.  Warrantless surveillance?  Check, with budget increases and more intrusiveness. 

And it goes on, this list.  We're not hearing much about it, but the drug war is being militarized.  That is to say, our military is being used increasingly in the drug war.  Look up "Columbian planes shot down over the Caribbean." 

All of these budgets, mostly secret, will go up under Willard, and our famous freedoms will become even more illusory.


The So-Called Safety Net

Social Security will be saved under President Willard!  Medicare too.  New Deal, shmew deal, we got your New Deal right here.  ("Personal Responsibility")

Anti-poverty programs, and anything else that the Koch brothers don't like, will suffer.

Vouchers anyone?


Regulation of Business

Corporations will be favored over the environment and workers' safety.  Anyone not see that one coming?  Banks will be freed up to do what they do best: "create value." 


Taxes

Look up JCX-53-06 if you want to see your new tax plan.  This was a proposal from the Joint Committee on Taxation in 2006, when, if you recall, President W had a mandate from the people (in his own mind).  (jct.gov/publications)

The plan was "to  broaden the individual income tax base and lower individual income tax rates."  It's all there, Willard Wannabe's plan to "reduce tax rates across the board" and "close loopholes."  You should look up the loopholes that they plan to close, the odds are that you are benefiting from them right now.

The effect will  be that rates for the most prosperous will come down, and the dollar amount that they pay will also come down, money will be put in their pockets.  Rates for the poor and middle class will come down too, but their overall contribution, in individual dollars paid, will go up due to the lost deductions.   Yes, it's a sure thing, the "percentage" of income to be charged will be reduced, but the actual dollars paid will go up.  The tax burden will be further shifted to the middle class and the poor, because, after all, there are so many more of them, and they don't create anything of value.  Something similar would probably happen under Willard whatever happens in congress, because Democrats are such spineless losers.


A New, New Pearl Harbor

Here's how much I don't trust Willard and his 1990's style, Neocon advisers.  When all of this spending on "defense" and all of this tax cutting keep the economy in the shits and the National Debt, and budget deficits, going up, something will have to be found to explain why it's not the Republicans' fault.  Merely blaming it all on President Obama will not be enough.  So I'd start looking for a scapegoat pretty early on, pro-active defense is always best.  W's excuse for everything was 9-11.  What will Willard's be?  My money's on Iran, one way or the other. 


The Best Part, No, Really!

It'll probably look almost the same if President Obama pulls out a win.  A couple of unfortunate things are cut in stone right now.

1. The National Debt is not going anywhere;
2. Budget deficits are going to continue;
3. Tax revenues will continue to stagnate;
4. The National Security State will not be reduced anytime soon;
5. Globalization will continue to favor corporate interests over individuals; and others.

Unfortunately for us, Neo-Conservatism and Neo-Liberalism are two sides of the same coin.  It's all about the money, and who has it.  The last thirty years have seen the greatest increase in human productivity in history, and the greatest increase in wealth, but somehow all of this human potential and cash money have been allowed to pool over in the corners somewhere where they can do the least good.  If I told you where, I'd be accused of class warfare, and we wouldn't want that. 

Our future, and welcome to it.  At least it will be nice and warm. 

A Difference Without A Distinction

I am one of those who will tell you that your vote this November is important, that there is a difference between the Democrats and the Republicans in the race. But is there a meaningful difference? A distinction, a “marked difference or contrast?” At least on many issues the answer is no, I’m afraid, although I often argue otherwise in polite conversation.

Abortion and gay marriage? No difference really. Those are mere distractions to court the stupid vote. Social Security and Medicare? Republicans want to empty a clip not only into the social safety net but also into the social contract as a whole, while Democrats are only willing to watch it all die slowly. No distinction there. The Supreme Court? That might be the only clear difference between the parties these days. Just check the appointments . . . who do you think is doing a good job for citizens in general? Difference, check.

So the reality is that there is not much air between the mere prevarications of the Democrats and the outrageous, bald-faced lies of the Republicans. Overstated? “We want to insure the future of Social Security and Medicare!” That’s a whopper right there.

Not much difference between the Neoconservative Republicans on the one hand and the Neoliberal Democrats on the other. Both groups follow the philosophy of Economism, that all societal decisions must be based on cost/benefit analysis (and all benefits must be judged by tangible, financial advantages).

The real problem here, the elephant in the room, the iceberg to our national Titanic, is that the largest single spending item on our national budget is exempt from the requirements of Economism. That would be the budgets of the various entities that make up the National Security Apparatus, the whole thing, from Homeland Security to the NSA up through the different military services and including the Coast Guard. What they want, they get, in cost-plus, no-bid contracts. We must defend out freedom! (Irony intentional.) Economism be damned (as it should be, but on other grounds).

The two political parties share a profound disinclination to disturb this hungry monstrosity in any way. Any discussion of the National Security Apparatus, of its size, of its explosive, exponential growth over the last seventy years, of its dubious record of accomplishment, of its already crippling and rapidly increasing demands on our prosperity, of its role in the diminution of our freedoms, discussion of any of that is totally absent from the current presidential campaign.

Am I the only one who thinks that it is strange and wrong that the United States has been in a constant state of emergency since 1941?

Whoever is elected, and whoever controls congress, nothing will be done to rein in these security excesses taken, ostensibly, on our behalf. Before long it will be impossible to even take out the trash without a drone flying over, with facial recognition software, and probably at least a Taser on board, to see who you are and what you’re doing.

So what the hell, vote for whomever you wish. It hardly matters. Abortion will still be with us; gay marriage will continue to make inroads and gain acceptance; the great Liberal gains of the Twentieth Century will continue to be eroded; and the National Security Apparatus will continue to bankrupt us, placing our very future in jeopardy and delivering very little in the way of actual security. Either way, we’re losing.

Or vote for the Democrats, for the simple reason that you’ll get a better Supreme Court out of the deal.

Vote For The Best Man

Sure, vote for the one that you think is a good man, the best man available in the choice as it stands. Easier than it sounds.

Am I a good person? Am I one that can be trusted to judge others? My favorite joke is from a movie, “The Long Kiss Goodnight,” a Geena Davis vehicle featuring Samuel L. Jackson. Ms. Davis’ movie husband, on the occasion of his own birthday, offers a toast to himself: “. . . a toast to me, because I’m a good man, I don’t drink, I don’t smoke, and I don’t curse.” After a pause, he says with mock horror, “oh shit! I do smoke and drink!” What makes a good person, after all?

Me? Good? To begin with, I drink, I smoke, and I curse. Any qualities that you may see as good in me are probably there mostly for purposes of expedience and manipulation. Just give me the lightning, ye gods, for only half an hour and the world will quickly see how good I really am, to its horror. That may be true for all of us though, and I am happy to be judged by the qualities in me that you can see, rather than by the content of my heart.

Americans will be voting for president before too long, and on the surface the choice is a stark one.

Vote For Willard

Go ahead, see if I care. Furthermore, see if I care if you all vote for Willard and put in a Republican congress too. Go ahead! I dare you. At least things will get exciting.

It’s no mystery what an all Republicans, all the time government would do, they’ve made no secret about it. Amazingly, like Hitler in “Mein Kampf,” they are only too happy to tell you. And there are two people on the Supreme Court who could go at any moment, either by retirement or in a pine box. Who would Willard appoint? Who would the new congress ratify? Oh, yes, that would make a seven to two Supreme Court backing the Republican supremacy. What would they do? Think about it for a moment, you already know, I don’t have to tell you. If one or two of the seven suddenly developed an independent streak, one or two of the two would have to be very, very careful crossing the street, and flying in private planes would be out of the question (he said, with meaningful innuendo).

And Willard, do you think he is a good person? Is there one shred of evidence to suggest that he may be? I don’t see it. Plenty of signs though, that he is not.

Vote For The President

Before he took office there were many signs that he was a good person. He is certainly charming and polite, almost to a fault. He graduated from Columbia University and from Harvard Law School, where he was the president of the law review. He had his choice of where to go at that point, the world was his oyster, an almost limitless income was open to him. He chose, though, to spend the next years voluntarily poor, struggling even, with student debts dragging on for a decade or more. He chose service. That’s a good man right there. He’s a good family man too. Not like some of them who seem hardly to remember their children’s names. There’s more evidence of goodness, you either know it already or you can find it.

Whether you are disposed to evaluate him fairly, or not, is a real question for us this year.

After a term in office, there’s more evidence that we need to look at. On balance, he still looks like a good man, but maybe now like a good but imperfect man in a difficult situation. The family thing is still solid. Sure, there’s a lot of what is going on that I don’t like, the whole drone thing, the creeping imperialism, the ascendency of monied interests, the casual threats to the social safety net, and the primacy of financial considerations in every single controversy or societal choice, to name a couple.

Yes, I am one of those who is loathe to criticize the President. There’s plenty of people singing that song already, they don’t need my voice to help them. Mostly, though, I am deeply afraid of the alternative. So go ahead, if you so choose, vote for the President. There are more reasons to do so than not. Unless you can’t get past that Elephant-In-The-Room, that devilish threshold issue, you know the one, unless there’s just something about the man that sets you against him. Or two things, if you count his name. Search your consciences America, you’re better than you are acting this year.

A Choice Between Bad And Worse

Or maybe between "good/bad" and "bad/bad," or even "bad/worse."  An easy choice, when you look at it like that.  So really, there are more than two possible outcomes, and it’s the choice between the bads and the worses, with maybe a good in there somewhere if you have a generous spirit. Mr. Obama and a Republican congress? Willard and a Democratic congress? Mix and match. Any old way it gets sliced, however, the new politics of obstruction and polarization will remain with us.

I read blogs and news sources outside of my natural sphere, and the comments on the right wing sites are appalling. The divisions that have cynically been engendered over the last twenty or thirty years have calcified into a very dangerous opposition of forces. The unembarrassed racism and eliminationalism are really frightening. “Wookie” jokes about the first lady and claims that Liberals want to kill Conservatives and must be killed first are common. The language of the old John Birch Society sealed its dominance with the addition of “communist” to descriptions of everything that the new right wing extremists are told not to like. Is this what we’ve become?

Gentle reader, my sincerest wish for you and your families is that this impending, new reality does not fall too heavily on you. Falling it is, may the saints preserve us.