Transformations which are and which aren't
Remember when the stenographers of power were all cheering on Joe Biden because he was going to review all of the oil leases Donald Trump approved?
Well, as Matt Taibbi argued in his substack, "If you haven't heard about the "transformational presidency" for a few weeks, it's because the White House is selling something else at the moment." At any rate, since the substack is members-only, I'll quote the key passage and you can guess the rest:
Last Friday, word came out via The Washington Post that the Biden administration’s new budget plan wouldn’t contain a host of key ideas proposed on the campaign trail, from a public health care option to raising the estate tax to forgiveness of student debt. Some of these were major, central campaign promises — the idea of a plan to insure “an estimated 97% of Americans,” for instance, was big Biden campaign rhetoric whose passing was barely commemorated. The key line in the Post article:
The White House jettisoned months of planning from agency staff as their initial plan could fuel criticisms that the administration is pushing new spending programs too aggressively.
The upshot of it is the Biden honeymoon is over, and we are back to what we expected we'd get: a government which does not care about us unless we are Jeff Bezos or Elon Musk. But I didn't really want to highlight the Biden administration's spending priorities here. The "transformation" (i.e. actually not a transformation) which attracted my attention was one which popped up in the press Wednesday. Rather:
(Bloomberg) -- The Justice Department is defending the Trump administration’s approval of a massive ConocoPhillips Alaska Inc. project in federal court, over the objections of environmentalists who say the government didn’t adequately consider the venture’s effect on polar bears and the climate.
Numerous sources have already documented the capitalist elite's reaction to climate change: "oh goody -- warmer weather in the Arctic means we get to drill for oil there." Hey, but at least we got rid of those climate-change-denying Trumpies. There's only one thing I want to know. What's the difference between a climate change denier and someone who accepts the reality of climate change if their ideas of policy are similar?
As for transformations, there isn't one going on in the US government, but there is one happening in Earth's climate. Stay tuned.
Comments
Transformation can only take place
if the people transform. We must transform to a kinder, gentler society. We must find out humanity in order to transform. Short of that - we will continue down this errant path. It is up to individuals to transform the collective.
"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
Hi Raggedy Ann
not exactly your point, but adjacent to it is my motto, "Till the square foot and the square mile will take care of itself, or something..."
Start with ourselves. Change and control what we can.
Biden's actions and non-actions can be applauded or condemned as appropriate but all of us had to know that Bernie is not the entire answer and Biden is no answer at all.
NYCVG
Depressing
but not surprising. The democrats ability to pre-capitulate before the fight even begins is breath taking. Every election I think, well that sucks, but maybe not as bad as it could be. I need to stop thinking.
Apparently he did learn something from Obama.
“ …and when we destroy nature, we diminish our capacity to sense the divine,and understand who God is, and what our own potential is and duties are as human beings.- RFK jr. 8/26/2024
Merrick Garland
NYCVG
Vote Blue no matter who
I've seen lots of changes. What doesn't change is people. Same old hairless apes.
who
coodathunkit?
All of us. /s
NYCVG
coodathunkit
Which is why we're here (c99) and not there (Daily Kos). We think.
"US govt/military = bad. Russian govt/military = bad. Any politician wanting power = bad. Anyone wielding power = bad." --Shahryar
"All power corrupts absolutely!" -- thanatokephaloides
I knew there was a reason
why I declined to vote for either candidate for pres. and wrote in Bernie instead.
I don't want a violent revolution, which IMHO, usually creates more problems than it solves, but I am beginning to wonder if anything less than tumbrils will get it through our betters' heads that the party is over.
Their attitude seems to be if the plebs aren't killing us, they aren't serious.
Mary Bennett
It's time for the People's Party.
It would be nice, however, if the People's Party had more people in it. So far they're trying to get on the ballot in CA, OR, CO, OH, and ME.
“When there's no fight over programme, the election becomes a casting exercise. Trump's win is the unstoppable consequence of this situation.” - Jean-Luc Melanchon
I will not join fusion parties.
Not after having Democratic Party operatives coming to my house with their lists of conservadem candidates they want me to sign up for having on the ballot on the "left" party line. And then insulting me. No way. People's Party MUST BE non fusion if they want my participation.
Mary Bennett
The People's Party is not a fusion party.
But you shouldn't take my word for it -- rather, you should find out for yourself what it is.
“When there's no fight over programme, the election becomes a casting exercise. Trump's win is the unstoppable consequence of this situation.” - Jean-Luc Melanchon
Voted for howie hawkins on the green Party ticket
But considered voting for Willie Wilson on the Williewilson Party ticket just to protest the duopoly.
Green party in IL is growing.
I've seen lots of changes. What doesn't change is people. Same old hairless apes.
punctuation syntax
That should be in double-quotes, i.e., "betters' ".
Those youknowwhats are not our betters, their massive delusions of grandeur notwithstanding. And no number of dollars, however large, will change that.
(I trust you understand by now that this is not really a correction of your syntax!)
"US govt/military = bad. Russian govt/military = bad. Any politician wanting power = bad. Anyone wielding power = bad." --Shahryar
"All power corrupts absolutely!" -- thanatokephaloides
I kept looking for something about building high speed rail.
But nary a word. The US is perfect for HSR, and it's flexible. We love TGV and local trains in France. They are wonderful, comfortable, roomy, fold out tables for four, some compartments, and sleeper cars to Prague.
Now Europe is talking about blimps. I personally would like more trains, but blimps might be cheaper to deploy.
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.
Oil and Rubber
companies got rid of ground mass transportation in the last century.
Where have all the Trolleys gone? That is where. Profit before anything.
The answer to so many questions is what happens after you say Cui bono? Who benefits?
If High Speed Rail ever gets built here I will be pleasantly surprised and enchanted that my theory has proven wrong.
Just like Peace in Israel. Not bloody likely as our British friends might say. Please prove me wrong.
NYCVG
I remember trolleys
Freezing cold in winter. Power connection always coming loose. power lines coming down. Both snarling traffic and stranding riders.
I remember trolleys, but not fondly.
I've seen lots of changes. What doesn't change is people. Same old hairless apes.
Your memories are a good
reason to not mourn the end of trolleys.
However, the determinative reason they are gone is because Standard Oil and Goodyear Rubber decided in that ending. Possibly long before either of us were here to debate the merits of trolleys.
My trolley memories are different then yours.
My late husband went to school in Philadelphia for 4 years and I was teaching at that time. I took the trolley to and from work for 4 years. I was comfortable and they were fast and super-convenient.
Of course this was long ago in the early 60's, pre-war. And this was my first husband who after 4 years at U of Penn Dental School left for a year in Chu Lai, on the east coast of Vietnam. We both survived the Vietnam War, but not together.
Trolleys were disappearing in the USA before the sixties and since. Still going in San Francisco.
NYCVG
I like the SF cable cars.
Electric trolley's in Chicago are my memories.
Vietnam changed everyone who was there. Even if they don't realize it.
Worked with many veterans in the Post office. Army draftees more than any others were bent in was they don't recognize. Navy vets, not so much. Marines, it's hard to tell. They were different to start with (not a put down, just an observation). Air force? I had a severely mentally damaged AF vet boss in the Post Office. But he was a POW during Tet, so there is an explanation. He was a hydraulics technician and I think a good one. he had a great knowledge of hydraulics. So gave him a rifle and put him on guard duty during Tet. he was captured the first night. rescued about a week later by an Army patrol.
I've seen lots of changes. What doesn't change is people. Same old hairless apes.
It was all about meaningless politics
We were held captive to the drama of Trump v. The Democrats. The media went along with it. But you can be sure that they were pissed at Bernie, as he introduced progressive values into the story and the people loved it. Not to worry though, the Democrats managed to co-op the whole thing. What we are seeing is the last act, where Biden becomes Republican light again and the progressive agenda vaporizes.
The solution is to stop playing that game. I can't tell you how many well meaning friends put up Biden signs. What a bunch of AHs. Screw me, screw me, please one more time? Oh, it felt so good! We are complete victims of propoganda, from the two monopoly political parties and the media controlled by a handful of oligarchs.
My opinion is that the small number of people who see this as it is need to be more radical, not with violence, but in thought and writing. We are scared stiff of being seen as irritants, but instead we are just ignored. Bernie took a shockingly radical political stance, Democratic Socialism, and had a great deal of support from thinking Americans, especially youth, but also older self declared Progressives. Biden won in the Southern primaries because Trump was a closet racist, and that's a far worse sin than being an anti-people neoliberal/neocon . But Trump is a side show, the real enemy is the Democrat establishment, Chuck Schumer, Nancy Pelosi, Hillary Clinton, Bill Clinton, Barack Obama, ad nauseum. As radical as Bernie was, he was never a serious player. I sometimes wonder if he really understands what he was about. He stood no chance, had no political support and lacked conviction, always satisfied being a side show to the Democrat establishment, and always making himself acceptable to them in return for a pittance of power. And in the end, they made sure that his political change amounted to nothing.
Capitalism has always been the rule of the people by the oligarchs. You only have two choices, eliminate them or restrict their power.
With You
competely.
All true.
We are fighting with imaginary allies in battles some of us refuse to understand.
It is not (D) or (R.) It is Top versus Bottom.
We set up good and bad scenarios based on fake input.
_______________________________________________________________________
My next project in Yang Against The Machine will explain why everything we are being told about who is for and who is against Charter Schools, is being laid out by the politicians.
What the Biggest Pro Charter School PAC is actually doing tells the real story. And it will be clear to anybody who does not fall asleep out of boredom, but can get thru the facts, what is going on in NYC, not the virtual reality construction that is NYC media and politicians.
NYCVG
Yes, duopoly gives us the choice
of Caesar or Pompey. Big deal. Different social policies, same grasping dictators.
I've seen lots of changes. What doesn't change is people. Same old hairless apes.
More on that
This morning the NY Times had a piece by Dean Obeidallah on "How could the NY daily News publish that horrible racist cartoon?" A fond story about how DO feels about this paper.
Fine, a noble sentiment.
Here is the problem.
The Daily News had been sold a few weeks ago and whatever fond memories Mr. Obediallah has are irrelevant now.
The new owners first act was to tell their employees to expect buyouts and layoffs. It is entirely RW Machine now.
My Larger Point is How come I know this and the NY Times writer, his editor, nobody stopped this article from being printed.
It is not what we think of, if we think we are getting the news.
Not just Iraq or big things. Unreliable fantasy fact free nonsense prevails.
NYCVG