Robert Scheer and Max Blumenthal: A Conversation

I listen to the conversation on truthdig between Robert Scheer and Max Blumenthal and think it is very interesting, as it explains a lot of Max Blumenthal's experiences while grwoing up and living in Washington DC with his parents Sidney and Jaqueline Blumenthal, He was a journalist, an advisor to Bill Clinton and confidant to Hillary Clinton, alos employed to the Clinton Foundation.

Max had grown up in very special surroundings in DC at a time, when I lived there too, so there are details in Max Blumenthals words, that speak to me. Max Blumenthal is a couple of years younger than my son, who lived in DC at that time and how can I say it ...a lot of what he talks about rings a bell, though of course just vaguely and coincidentically from the know-nothing foreigner/newcomer/immigrant angle.

If you are a follower and fan of the Grayzone, Aaron Maté's and Max Blumenthal's journalism, as I am, this conversation between the two, representing two different generations and each from their own place with regards to their relations and political places as Jewish journalists.

Please read the transcript and the introduction article by Natasha Hakimi Zapataly directly at truthdig.

The Clinton Machine Will Do Anything to Stop Bernie Sanders

Here is audiofile, which you also could listen to directly at truthdig.

I won't be around to react to comments. I am neither author, nor writer, as you know. This is just a suggestion for you to listen to.

Have a good week-end all.

Share
up
14 users have voted.

Comments

snoopydawg's picture

There are so many parts to it that stands out, but I think this absolutely nails it.

But the fact is, what the Clinton revolution did was it made class warfare for the rich fashionable, in a way that no one else was able to do it, no other movement. And it said these thieves on Wall Street, these people who are going to rip you off 20 different ways to Sunday — they’re good people, and they support good causes. And you mentioned Lloyd Blankfein, you know; “government” Goldman Sachs, you know. Robert Rubin came from Goldman Sachs; he was Clinton’s treasury secretary. And the whole thing of unleashing Wall Street and getting, gutting destroying the New Deal — that was a serious program to basically betray the average American and betray their interest. And that’s why we’ve had this growing income inequality since that time. That’s the Clinton legacy in this world, really, is the billionaire coup, the billionaire culture.

The follow up answer:

Yep, the oligarchy was put on fast-forward by the new politics of the Clintons. What they promised wasn’t, you know, a break from Reaganism, although there was certainly a cultural difference. They promised continuity, and that’s what we saw through the Obama administration. Obama presided over the biggest decline in black home ownership in the United States since, I think, prior to World War II. You mentioned Glass-Steagall; this set the stage for the financial crisis; NAFTA, destroyed the unions, shipped American jobs first to Mexico and then to China, and destabilized northern Mexico along with the drug war that Clinton put on overdrive, creating the immigration crisis that helped fuel the rise of Donald Trump.

Welfare reform — all of these policies were just, were odious to me and so many people at the time, but there was just this desire to just beat the Republicans and out-triangulate them. Now that we’ve seen the effects on them and so many people have felt the effects, you have an entire generation that sees no future, that realizes they’re living in an oligarchy, realizes that the alternative to Bernie Sanders is a literal oligarch, this miniature Scrooge McDuck in Mike Bloomberg, and they’re just not having it.

You own this Bill and Hillary! And Nancy, Schumer and Obama who gave us hope and then laughed when he took it away.

We know that Clinton passed a lot of republican legislation that Bush couldn't during his time, but there was ole Bill waiting in the wings to get it done. And he got lots of help from joe Biden who is now running away from his legacy as fast as he can. I'm not letting him get away with it. I don't know of one piece of legislation that has been passed in the last 4 decades that hasn't gone against the working class. Obama's big deal only gave 20 million people health insurance that is barely affordable today. And now we have Nancy and her crew passing progressive legislation that she knows will never leave McConnell's desk. Of course she couldn't do any of it when Obama was president cuz it might have. Might...yeah lol.. I crack myself up sometimes.

up
12 users have voted.

Which AIPAC/MIC/pharma/bank bought politician are you going to vote for? Don’t be surprised when nothing changes.

Raggedy Ann's picture

Thanks for posting it, mimi. It’s worth listening to.

up
7 users have voted.

"The “jumpers” reminded us that one day we will all face only one choice and that is how we will die, not how we will live." Chris Hedges on 9/11

snoopydawg's picture

Look at who’s been sold to us as the lesser evil that we had to support. Well, we’ve been talking about them, Bob, for the last half hour, and they’ve subjected Americans to the same evil the Republican Party has, for the most part.

Thanks, Mimi

up
7 users have voted.

Which AIPAC/MIC/pharma/bank bought politician are you going to vote for? Don’t be surprised when nothing changes.

Bisbonian's picture

@snoopydawg , equal (or greater, considering better connections and secrecy on the Clinton side).

EDIT, now that I've actually read the interview, I'm kind of tickled to find that Max Blumenthal and Robert Scheer agree with me. Wink Fantastic interview, Mimi, I am glad you posted it.

up
8 users have voted.

"I’m a human being, first and foremost, and as such I’m for whoever and whatever benefits humanity as a whole.” —Malcolm X

snoopydawg's picture

@Bisbonian

and the damage done to the DP and the country. There are so many great points made in it it's hard to choose which one is the best.

up
9 users have voted.

Which AIPAC/MIC/pharma/bank bought politician are you going to vote for? Don’t be surprised when nothing changes.

but I might have skipped it, if not for this.
Thanks, mimi.
And about Chomsky. I have really, REALLY been upset about his view on lesser of two evils voting. I think I even posted a comment here that the Great Chomsky has lost me as a wholehearted admirer.
Just a fascinating look into what the Clintons have done to the US.
Wow!

up
11 users have voted.

"We'll know our disinformation program is complete when everything the American public believes is false." ---- William Casey, CIA Director, 1981

Dawn's Meta's picture

governor and attorney general of Arkansas before running for the presidency. In view of what we know now, I would suppose that he was also working for --- others (un named, Deep State, corps, big money, Wall Street et al). He did not do this on his own. More theatre.

I've been wanting to ask all along another question: was the flap or flaps between Obama and and Hillary real? Seems now that it too was theatre. Look at the actions not the words. Anyone?

up
5 users have voted.

A society grows great when old men plant trees in whose shade they know they shall never sit. Allegedly Greek, but more possibly fairly modern quote.

Consider helping by donating using the button in the upper left hand corner. Thank you.

Raggedy Ann's picture

@Dawn's Meta
Now, they're pushing Mayo Cheat, who holds similar credentials - perhaps his CIA role substituting for lack of Attorney General experience. The Clintons are all in, so the connection works. Pleasantry

up
4 users have voted.

"The “jumpers” reminded us that one day we will all face only one choice and that is how we will die, not how we will live." Chris Hedges on 9/11