Matt Taibbi has a worthwhile essay on Modern Monetary Theory which he opens with a short video of the nation's chairman of the Council of Economic Advisers to the president making a fool of himself. The Theory appears to assert that Debt is really a form of liquid potential to do good.

If you have no time to read the essay, the less-than-2-minute video is definitely instructive about the level of joyful stupidity of our leadership.

On his substack a few days ago, Matt Taibbi asked his readership: "I want to do a book review. What should I review?" In response, it appears that the most vocal portion of his readership voiced their support for "greats" such as Ayn Rand and Jordan Peterson.

This feeling has been present with me for a long time now. I've been trying to pinpoint it but can't really. It must have been around the time of the 2015-2016 Democratic Primary that it began to become more apparent and coalesce as a tangible thing to me. Perhaps two of the biggest examples have been the success of Chapo Trap House and the Jimmy Dore Show, both unapologetic, hilarious and radical shows (the former more dashingly radical than the latter) with tons of subscribers.

Matt Taibbi's everywhere this month, especially over the past few days. As some reading this may remember (going back over a decade at "the other place"), I've been a huge fan of his for a long time. I was active in Boston political media, back in the early 80's, when his father, Mike, was a leading local newscaster there; and I met him (and worked countless times with his tv station's news staff) a few times, as well.

In addition to Caitlin Johnstone's essay on the Mueller report release, I especially want to recommend Matt Taibbi's excellent piece, which is a comprehensive report on the entire Russiagate journalism debacle.

In case I transcribed the link incorrectly, Caitlin has a link in her article.

Just sitting here with not a lot of time on my hands as usual. But inspired by Caitlin Johnstone's latest essay-made-into-video to put something together from bits over the course of today. Just a much-needed lift. For myself, and I hope you too.

There are no Maginot Lines in politics, no permanent positions. Politics is swordfighting, a swirling dance of thrust and parry. Before JFK, the Democratic Party was the home of Southern racists. Republicans started as the party of Lincoln. More recently, liberals used to be FDR New Dealers, before they became Clintonite corporate neoliberals. My point is that, in the current world, political labels are meaningless (if not downright misleading), policy papers and talking points are meaningless. It is by their actions that you know politicians.

As the snow now steadily falls in NYC for perhaps the last winter storm of the season (always fine by me, the storms that is), I find myself ruminating a little on the flickers of hope within the darkness of despair of this bizarre time of media and government propaganda.

Kickback: The payment of something of value to a recipient as compensation or reward for providing favorable treatment to another party.

A kickback in the form of money, gifts, credit, or anything of value may be viewed as a corrupt practice that interferes with an employee or official’s ability to make unbiased decisions. - Investopedia

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