Back to the Future with Trump?
America moving forward backwards
Yesterday I ended with Brian Berletic's discussion of Donald Trump and his plans for the future of the United States.
Berletic sees no indication that Trump wants to reverse decades of US policy – in fact, policy since World War II--which was to establish hegemony over the entire world and create the most powerful empire of all time. According to Brian, Trump is not going to change this — in fact, it is all likely to get worse – now that he has unquestioned electoral mandate.
That’s one point of view with which I mostly agree.
But
But on the other hand, Larry Johnson is hopeful that Trump is somehow more rational, insofar as the US no longer has the means or the power to impose its will on the entire world.
My advice, let’s wait-and-see what Trump does his first week in office. At that point, if I am wrong, I will take the drubbing I deserve. Until then, keep your powder dry. Trump is trying to do something with the bloated US Government that has never been attempted, at least until now. Larry on Sonar 21
That “Big Government” thing? Where have I heard that before?
Oh, Ronald Reagan. Seems to me that government got bigger under Reagan.
Leaving that aside, Larry’s is, of course, intelligent advice. One should not jump to conclusions. Perhaps, Trump has learned from his mistakes—which were for the most part similar to those of every previous President. Perhaps he is a new man. Perhaps he will come out as Gay.
And perhaps he hasn’t even read the Project for a New American Century (PNAC) so fundamental to American conservative thought and to which Berletic refers to in his podcast. It is in some respects incompatible with what Trump says are his goals, although these are riddled with contradictions. And Trump doesn’t read.
Yeah. So wait and see. But be prepared to be disappointed. Things will have to get worse before they get better. A lot worse.
On the other hand
As I've written in my Special Articles, the global balance of power has shifted. It ain't 1945 anymore baby. The US isn’t top dog anymore. Not this:
More like this:
What does MAGA mean ? It’s a “Back to the Future” thing. Which was a comedy.
Technically, it means restoring the US to what it was in 1945, when it could do pretty much what it wanted. Trump is a conservative – and like many conservatives-- he thinks things were better in the past and if things suck now, it's because we're not doing things as we used to. Or, rather, as he thinks we used to.
Larry Johnson, on the other hand, is sort of middle of the road — no flaming radical — he just hopes for something different--that Trump will drain the swamp rather than doing as he did previously, jumping in to swim around with the other swamp creatures. After all, he lives in Florida which was once just one big swamp.
I say "hopes" because I don't think he really believes Trump can do it — or even wants to do it.
Johnson makes a weak argument that Trump's appointment of Hegseth for Secretary of Defense is a positive sign -- as opposed to appointing someone actually qualified. Tulsi Gabbard?
Or that super-conservative John Radcliffe is ideal to head the CIA because he is "a straight shooter and not a self-seeker"as opposed to the Beltway critter that he is.
Both these people are Trump loyalists – so far at least – and of course Zionists. Which means genocidaires.
Trump's other proposed appointments so far have not been encouraging. He is not draining the swamp, just enticing its right wing creatures out of the goop to hunt on land.
People often assume that the so-called Deep State is homogeneous. Nope. It has frogs and toads and snakes and lizards and all sorts of life —different looking but all reactionary and quasi-fascist. So they are all going to look ifferent.
What is the “System”?
It is the Swamp. Before you can be President you must be baptized in the Swamp and be born again in Satan. Every President — whatever party they represent is a swamp critter.
Yes, you must wait for inauguration.
But sorry Larry, you won’t find I find out anything in Trump’s first week in office. It will take at least 90 days. Americans, like you, have no choice but to wait.
However, the Russians aren’t waiting. Nor is Iran. Nor Hezbollah. Nor China. Nor most of the world. The world is moving ahead as the US falls behind.
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Could you not find a photo of a rabid dog foaming at the mouth to represent the USA today? The dog lolling, innocently on a couch does not begin to cut it.
I agree--wait and see while expecting to be disappointed is probably the wisest course.
"Trump's other proposed appointments so far have not been encouraging. He is not draining the swamp, just enticing its right wing creatures out of the goop to hunt on land." is a very good line.
So is "What does MAGA mean ? It’s a “Back to the Future” thing. Which was a comedy."
I taught my kids that simply being successful in our institutions (government, business, or medical--which I know the most about) has about a .9 correlation with profound moral corruption and betrayal of our responsibility to serve and love other people. They think I am hopelessly cynical. Maybe I am but the evidence just seems to confirm that as time goes on.