caucus99percent

free-range politics, organic community

Pretty Sure It's Always Been This Way

I just recently finished reading Margaret Kimberley's 2020 book, Prejudential. In the book Kimberley writes a chapter about every President of the United States, from George Washington on, and their relationships with, and how they have treated blacks in America. It is a very good book; if you have the time and inclination, give it a read. Here's the worldcat link to the book and its eaudiobook version.

Prejudential, by Margaret Kimberley (image from the publisher steerforth.com)

Every once in awhile in my various diaries here at c99% you will see citations of the philosopher Cornelius Castoriadis, born 1922, died 1997. One of Castoriadis' most important ideas is that of pseudo-rational pseudo-mastery. This came up when Castoriadis was discussing the future, in a quote which I think dates back to the Eighties:

Stepping out of the forest to see all the trees.
Jeffery Sachs Tik Tok video Sunday (H/T Lookout @ Weekly Watch) was a great summation of U.S. aggression and looking at all the trees. It's hard not to see the foolish missteps and rank incompetence pulling at the levers of power in America.

David Lynch entered art as a painter. But then one day he was looking at his in-progress painting, and he thought: Wouldn’t it be better if this were moving? And also if I could hear it? And the brainshower came on, and he eurekaed—film. So that’s what he became about. And. For all time.

Will this term be better, worse, or about the same as his first term? My guess is the latter. In the words of John Prine, "Pretty good, not bad, I can't complain but actually, everything is just about the same". My hope is he pivots from global domination to domestic development, and focuses on this country. One thing's for sure, I'm glad that Biden, Blinky, Jake the Snake, and the rest of that disastrous administration is out of office. However, administrations come and go, but the oligarchs largely remain the same. Meanwhile we have raging fires in the west, a colossal unpayable national debt, and a tentative ceasefire in Gaza. More domestic and global news below the fold...