It ain't about Trump, never was. It is about nationalism/populism vs globalism/elitism. This is global. You make like this is a uniquely American phenomenon. An absurd contention.
This battle is going on in Western nations all over the World, as this push to centralize power in a group of unelected Oligarchs. Who have shown remarkable incompetence when it comes to good management. I don't think they've gotten even one policy right. No wonder, they are Misanthropists and Malthusians. The pampered uber-wealthy parasites. Whose wealth is a giant gift and grift, from us foolishly giving them the right to create our money supply. And they don't even pay taxes on the money they create, why is that not taxable income? Instead we have to pay $trillions in taxes to them as interest payments on that money we have allowed them to create. When public banks or the US Treasury could do the same job better, at negligible cost to the taxpayer.
That is what the Trump election is about. The rejection of what ever the latest term they use to describe it: The New World Order, The Rules-based World Order, Stakeholder Capitalism, The Great Reset, Green New Deal, UN Agenda 2030, ...
And after the Trump term is over, if they even allow it, this battle will continue under a new leader, who could be JD Vance, Tulsi Gabbard, Vivek Ramaswamy, Tom Massie, ...
Allowing millions of illegal migrants into the country in the first place is an act of such unspeakable cruelty to all the migrants that followed the rules, to all the tax paying citizens, to the people who can’t possibly fully integrated into the fabric of society in a sustainable way but mostly to the tens of thousands of bonafide asylum seekers whose case files languish in foreign missions across the globe. Spare me the hair on fire rhetoric for Trump when measured against a system that was so corrupted by Democratic pundits and their non-profits that it amounts to a crime against humanity.
Very true. But note this same policy is happening all over the World, at least in Western nations, simultaneously. This can't be a coincidence. This is being centrally orchestrated. And like the Covid demented scamdemic, obviously has nefarious motives.
The Central Bank Cartel, based in Switzerland. They've been promoting their plan for World Government (Oligarchy) for a 100yrs or more. Now they are moving their plan ahead in high gear.
That’s a long conversation. The causes are multivariate but you are correct it is playing out across the West with disastrous results for everyone involved.
Do you think that the missing part of the conversation is also holding those governments to account? We never talk about that. It’s as if we all believe brown people can’t govern themselves. Save your comment because I know what you will say. Unless we break free from our ideological brain worms, we will not fix this problem.
>>>I was scheduled to give a speech to a World Bank group the following morning.<<<
>>>I resolved that I would not give the speech as I had planned. The crisis demanded that all of us be in the streets, not trading abstractions about climate change and development finance in an airless meeting room above Connecticut Avenue.<<<
>>>I showed up for my speech but instead gave a short talk about the threat to democracy and informed the audience that I was leaving to join the protests at the White House and encouraged them to join me.<<<
This is child-like thinking. This is exactly the sort of pompous, self-righteous, and egotistical virtue-signaling which delivered the working class to the Republican Party
To be honest, I am not sure what the article is ultimately attempting to say. I understood it to be an article about how these tactics have failed and they need to adapt. Seems sort of self-congratulatory to me, like he has come up with the genius "strategy" of not acting like a child after eight years of poor results.
>>>For the last eight years, fear of normalizing Trump has very strongly discouraged mainstream civil society actors from engaging his agenda and coalition constructively, for fear that doing so was tantamount to appeasement and collaboration. But last week’s election should put an end to the notion that Trump or his followers can be driven from the public square.<<<
This should have been obvious 8 years ago. The hysterical reaction of the Left to Trump has only discredited the Left and broadened the Trump coalition.
My suggestion to EcoModernists is to focus on your specific issue domain and try to convince both Democrats and Republicans that they should support those policies.
Do not take a stand on other issues, candidates and parties. It only undermines your credibility.
Above all, do not try to take a stand on the issue of the day.
Personally, I totally agree with this suggestion. That was my takeaway from reading this missive. I went through it trying to see what it had to do with Breakthrough's agenda. I didn't see anything.
Not that persecuting the opposition candidate isn't a threat to democracy. But threats to democracy only count when they're doing it to you, not when you're doing it to them, right?
Ted's thesis seems to be that discrediting Trump was a worthy goal from the get go (2016) and the only failure has been tactical. I wasn’t a Trump fan then, and am not now, but my observation, and that of many others, was that he governed better than Obama before him and Biden after. The things that stood out for me were tax cuts, climate, regulation, and immigration. We all know that Trump speaks in a manner that's not what most people expect of a president but what the Democrats are offering from a policy perspective is worse (climate, spending, regulations, speech restrictions, etc).
Well, I’m a “college educated, liberal minded” person, but my view of what that means is clearly quite different than yours. I won’t hold my breath waiting for thoughtful, constructive engagement, but I’m open to it.
Well said... "fear of normalizing Trump has very strongly discouraged mainstream civil society actors from engaging his agenda and coalition constructively" Lets put an end to that. Lets move beyond the fear, its so repitilian.
Trump's policy on Ukraine is in itself an overwhelming reason to be grateful for his election.
You are completely wrong on Ukraine, i.e. The US/NATO/Davos proxy War against Russia. That is putting us at serious risk of a Global World Nuclear War. Incredibly foolish and a complete waste of probably upwards of a $trillion in weapons and infrastructure destroyed. And a million lives lost. What a monstrous and evil policy, as stated by Neocon Chicken Hawk Lindsey Graham: " We will fight Russia to the last Ukrainian".
US Staged a Coup in Ukraine - Here's Why and How, Chris Kanthan:
A lot of this is just esoteric, psychobabble nonsense. A busy mind over thinking stuff nobody is thinking. I am reading a lot of progressive confessions, where they misread the past, but now have a bead on it. Enough already! Treating Trump as a normal politician would be a benefit to the country. Trump's agenda is growth and prosperity, the only thing he'll push back on is anything that gets in the way of this mission. I respect Ted Nordhaus and agree with him on many issues. It would be better if Nordhaus stepped up and showed the Trump Administration how to make the Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) Great For The First Time. Or replace it somehow. That would go a lot further than splitting progressive hairs over why Trump is our 47 President.
I was already hoping that the NRC could be brought around with the incoming administration on the EPA aspect.
For better or worse, Trump will never be treated like a normal politician. Anyone can already see how the majority of journalistic organizations are aligning to put a negative spin on any news involving Trump (so obviously that it is, as always, insulting), as if it's their civic duty.
Save it for the op-eds. All that is required is to report what the man says and does, and let people decide for themselves. He is clearly not "normal," as a person or a politician.
great for everyone that breaks with the democrats recent paradigm/coalition. an abrupt shift of overall vision can be an inspiring alternative to nativism, a centrist split. a problem is that there are advocates for remedies for each major problem, but no one agrees with fixing them all. each view breaks the dominant taboo on 1 or 2 issues, but is fearfully enthralled on the others. Without combining the following at a minimum, an alternative pole will still be thrusting allies back to nativism:
-- empower culture (religious & non) and public school practice that encourages youth and families learning, accountability and performance
-- fix internal America first
-- build state institutions that commercialize and diffuse high productivity economy to the heartland and replace obsolete skills
-- intensify American hegemony to secure trade and communications infrastructure - lift instead of undermine mid level powers, right size spending on combat capacity
To McExpat -- I agree with what Ted and you are saying - to a couple of points; and those points are these:
1.) the Republican Party (back then) and now MAGA Nazis are just as much to blame, i.e, there is enough "blame" to throw around till hell freezes over - and
2.) and this is not "hair on fire" but researched legal fact -- untested to be true as the Country has never been attacked from within by a self-appointed Dictator.
When Trump himself -- and least concerning the definitive Law on Treason as it is written: opened his mouth and stated that he would be a Dictator on Day 1:
--- that proclamation -- legally -- disqualified him from running for dog-catcher (pity the dog) - let alone the Presidency - "again".
When you put the legal definition of Dictatorship and Treason together - they have one common theme:
--- the intended (future tense for a reason) harm to the Country to which as a citizen to that Country he owes allegiance.
When you add the "legal fact" that the sorry s.o.b. has yet to officially and thus legally adhere to the "turning over of the Office" to Joe Biden in 2020-- that in itself - is another act of intended Treason.
We can throw in the fact that he is legally bound to disclose any communication he had with any enemy of this Country, i.e., his leader, Russia's Putin.
On this - we either have Laws - or we don't.
And when one even think about what is coming if his election is validated by VP Harris -- I go for the Law 1000%.
We've got 6 Supreme Judges that have broken their oaths of Office - by "making Law" that was "legalize tailored" for them to do so by the Heritage Foundation - with added "gifts" thrown in for good measure.
We know we're going to have utter cruelty - now that the old head of ICE is back.
WE know that our position in the World is shot -if Stefonick makes to the UN.
We've got another version of Nixon's secretary - with the "missing minutes" --coming in as "Chief of Staff".
And you can make book on Elon Musk having an adjoining bedroom to Trump's in the White House.
President Biden and VP Harris took an Oath of Office to protect and defend this Country from enemies from 'without and within'.
The election has been run - but until Jan 6th. - it has not been ratified and that Lizard eyed Orangutan isn't President.
Biden and Harris have a decision to make -- either take their Oath of Office as an Oath and not a joke - and do what they swore to do -- protect the Country.
There is no precedence for this situation - especially when every US Citizen - who either voted for Trump - or "sat it out" - which is a de facto vote for Trump -- they are, by legal definition - just as guilty of Treason against the Country as Trump is: -because they "voted" for a Dictatorship - as it has been known for years - what he would do if allowed "in" again.
This is a legal situation - that has no history.
And "tradition be damned" - if it means saving the Country from it's "voting self" -- because becoming a Dictatorship --was not on that ballot.
It ain't about Trump, never was. It is about nationalism/populism vs globalism/elitism. This is global. You make like this is a uniquely American phenomenon. An absurd contention.
This battle is going on in Western nations all over the World, as this push to centralize power in a group of unelected Oligarchs. Who have shown remarkable incompetence when it comes to good management. I don't think they've gotten even one policy right. No wonder, they are Misanthropists and Malthusians. The pampered uber-wealthy parasites. Whose wealth is a giant gift and grift, from us foolishly giving them the right to create our money supply. And they don't even pay taxes on the money they create, why is that not taxable income? Instead we have to pay $trillions in taxes to them as interest payments on that money we have allowed them to create. When public banks or the US Treasury could do the same job better, at negligible cost to the taxpayer.
That is what the Trump election is about. The rejection of what ever the latest term they use to describe it: The New World Order, The Rules-based World Order, Stakeholder Capitalism, The Great Reset, Green New Deal, UN Agenda 2030, ...
And after the Trump term is over, if they even allow it, this battle will continue under a new leader, who could be JD Vance, Tulsi Gabbard, Vivek Ramaswamy, Tom Massie, ...
Allowing millions of illegal migrants into the country in the first place is an act of such unspeakable cruelty to all the migrants that followed the rules, to all the tax paying citizens, to the people who can’t possibly fully integrated into the fabric of society in a sustainable way but mostly to the tens of thousands of bonafide asylum seekers whose case files languish in foreign missions across the globe. Spare me the hair on fire rhetoric for Trump when measured against a system that was so corrupted by Democratic pundits and their non-profits that it amounts to a crime against humanity.
Very true. But note this same policy is happening all over the World, at least in Western nations, simultaneously. This can't be a coincidence. This is being centrally orchestrated. And like the Covid demented scamdemic, obviously has nefarious motives.
Who do you think is “orchestrating” it?
The Central Bank Cartel, based in Switzerland. They've been promoting their plan for World Government (Oligarchy) for a 100yrs or more. Now they are moving their plan ahead in high gear.
That’s a long conversation. The causes are multivariate but you are correct it is playing out across the West with disastrous results for everyone involved.
Letting desperate people die in Guatemala or Honduras is cruel. The hypocrisy of so-called Christians is in the stratosphere.
Do you think that the missing part of the conversation is also holding those governments to account? We never talk about that. It’s as if we all believe brown people can’t govern themselves. Save your comment because I know what you will say. Unless we break free from our ideological brain worms, we will not fix this problem.
>>>I was scheduled to give a speech to a World Bank group the following morning.<<<
>>>I resolved that I would not give the speech as I had planned. The crisis demanded that all of us be in the streets, not trading abstractions about climate change and development finance in an airless meeting room above Connecticut Avenue.<<<
>>>I showed up for my speech but instead gave a short talk about the threat to democracy and informed the audience that I was leaving to join the protests at the White House and encouraged them to join me.<<<
This is child-like thinking. This is exactly the sort of pompous, self-righteous, and egotistical virtue-signaling which delivered the working class to the Republican Party
I took that to be self depreciation on Ted's part, admitting that he too overreacted to Trump’s election.
To be honest, I am not sure what the article is ultimately attempting to say. I understood it to be an article about how these tactics have failed and they need to adapt. Seems sort of self-congratulatory to me, like he has come up with the genius "strategy" of not acting like a child after eight years of poor results.
>>>For the last eight years, fear of normalizing Trump has very strongly discouraged mainstream civil society actors from engaging his agenda and coalition constructively, for fear that doing so was tantamount to appeasement and collaboration. But last week’s election should put an end to the notion that Trump or his followers can be driven from the public square.<<<
This should have been obvious 8 years ago. The hysterical reaction of the Left to Trump has only discredited the Left and broadened the Trump coalition.
My suggestion to EcoModernists is to focus on your specific issue domain and try to convince both Democrats and Republicans that they should support those policies.
Do not take a stand on other issues, candidates and parties. It only undermines your credibility.
Above all, do not try to take a stand on the issue of the day.
Personally, I totally agree with this suggestion. That was my takeaway from reading this missive. I went through it trying to see what it had to do with Breakthrough's agenda. I didn't see anything.
Ah, yes, the classic "threat to democracy."
Not that persecuting the opposition candidate isn't a threat to democracy. But threats to democracy only count when they're doing it to you, not when you're doing it to them, right?
Ted's thesis seems to be that discrediting Trump was a worthy goal from the get go (2016) and the only failure has been tactical. I wasn’t a Trump fan then, and am not now, but my observation, and that of many others, was that he governed better than Obama before him and Biden after. The things that stood out for me were tax cuts, climate, regulation, and immigration. We all know that Trump speaks in a manner that's not what most people expect of a president but what the Democrats are offering from a policy perspective is worse (climate, spending, regulations, speech restrictions, etc).
Well, I’m a “college educated, liberal minded” person, but my view of what that means is clearly quite different than yours. I won’t hold my breath waiting for thoughtful, constructive engagement, but I’m open to it.
Well said... "fear of normalizing Trump has very strongly discouraged mainstream civil society actors from engaging his agenda and coalition constructively" Lets put an end to that. Lets move beyond the fear, its so repitilian.
Trump's policy on Ukraine is in itself an overwhelming reason to be grateful for his election.
You are completely wrong on Ukraine, i.e. The US/NATO/Davos proxy War against Russia. That is putting us at serious risk of a Global World Nuclear War. Incredibly foolish and a complete waste of probably upwards of a $trillion in weapons and infrastructure destroyed. And a million lives lost. What a monstrous and evil policy, as stated by Neocon Chicken Hawk Lindsey Graham: " We will fight Russia to the last Ukrainian".
US Staged a Coup in Ukraine - Here's Why and How, Chris Kanthan:
https://www.sott.net/article/393740-US-Staged-a-Coup-in-Ukraine-Heres-Why-and-How
Jeffrey Sachs: The Untold History of the Cold War, CIA Coups Around the World, and COVID's Origin
Tucker Carlson:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JS-3QssVPeg
Jeffrey Sachs: NATO In 'Wartime Hallucination' Mode! The Most TERRIBLE Offensive Is About To Happen
youtube.com/watch?v=DuBVKT4a0H8
Aaron Maté: Who Sabotaged the Istanbul Deal?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=owW3oUMEVok
“This Is Gonna Get Us ALL Blown Up!” Jeffrey Sachs On Russian Invasion
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mULVrUGh6wo
A lot of this is just esoteric, psychobabble nonsense. A busy mind over thinking stuff nobody is thinking. I am reading a lot of progressive confessions, where they misread the past, but now have a bead on it. Enough already! Treating Trump as a normal politician would be a benefit to the country. Trump's agenda is growth and prosperity, the only thing he'll push back on is anything that gets in the way of this mission. I respect Ted Nordhaus and agree with him on many issues. It would be better if Nordhaus stepped up and showed the Trump Administration how to make the Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) Great For The First Time. Or replace it somehow. That would go a lot further than splitting progressive hairs over why Trump is our 47 President.
I was already hoping that the NRC could be brought around with the incoming administration on the EPA aspect.
For better or worse, Trump will never be treated like a normal politician. Anyone can already see how the majority of journalistic organizations are aligning to put a negative spin on any news involving Trump (so obviously that it is, as always, insulting), as if it's their civic duty.
Save it for the op-eds. All that is required is to report what the man says and does, and let people decide for themselves. He is clearly not "normal," as a person or a politician.
great for everyone that breaks with the democrats recent paradigm/coalition. an abrupt shift of overall vision can be an inspiring alternative to nativism, a centrist split. a problem is that there are advocates for remedies for each major problem, but no one agrees with fixing them all. each view breaks the dominant taboo on 1 or 2 issues, but is fearfully enthralled on the others. Without combining the following at a minimum, an alternative pole will still be thrusting allies back to nativism:
-- empower culture (religious & non) and public school practice that encourages youth and families learning, accountability and performance
-- fix internal America first
-- build state institutions that commercialize and diffuse high productivity economy to the heartland and replace obsolete skills
-- intensify American hegemony to secure trade and communications infrastructure - lift instead of undermine mid level powers, right size spending on combat capacity
Ted, excellent insight- thanks!
You are in for a very long Trump term. Best wishes to you.
And Vance after that!
To McExpat -- I agree with what Ted and you are saying - to a couple of points; and those points are these:
1.) the Republican Party (back then) and now MAGA Nazis are just as much to blame, i.e, there is enough "blame" to throw around till hell freezes over - and
2.) and this is not "hair on fire" but researched legal fact -- untested to be true as the Country has never been attacked from within by a self-appointed Dictator.
When Trump himself -- and least concerning the definitive Law on Treason as it is written: opened his mouth and stated that he would be a Dictator on Day 1:
--- that proclamation -- legally -- disqualified him from running for dog-catcher (pity the dog) - let alone the Presidency - "again".
When you put the legal definition of Dictatorship and Treason together - they have one common theme:
--- the intended (future tense for a reason) harm to the Country to which as a citizen to that Country he owes allegiance.
When you add the "legal fact" that the sorry s.o.b. has yet to officially and thus legally adhere to the "turning over of the Office" to Joe Biden in 2020-- that in itself - is another act of intended Treason.
We can throw in the fact that he is legally bound to disclose any communication he had with any enemy of this Country, i.e., his leader, Russia's Putin.
On this - we either have Laws - or we don't.
And when one even think about what is coming if his election is validated by VP Harris -- I go for the Law 1000%.
We've got 6 Supreme Judges that have broken their oaths of Office - by "making Law" that was "legalize tailored" for them to do so by the Heritage Foundation - with added "gifts" thrown in for good measure.
We know we're going to have utter cruelty - now that the old head of ICE is back.
WE know that our position in the World is shot -if Stefonick makes to the UN.
We've got another version of Nixon's secretary - with the "missing minutes" --coming in as "Chief of Staff".
And you can make book on Elon Musk having an adjoining bedroom to Trump's in the White House.
President Biden and VP Harris took an Oath of Office to protect and defend this Country from enemies from 'without and within'.
The election has been run - but until Jan 6th. - it has not been ratified and that Lizard eyed Orangutan isn't President.
Biden and Harris have a decision to make -- either take their Oath of Office as an Oath and not a joke - and do what they swore to do -- protect the Country.
There is no precedence for this situation - especially when every US Citizen - who either voted for Trump - or "sat it out" - which is a de facto vote for Trump -- they are, by legal definition - just as guilty of Treason against the Country as Trump is: -because they "voted" for a Dictatorship - as it has been known for years - what he would do if allowed "in" again.
This is a legal situation - that has no history.
And "tradition be damned" - if it means saving the Country from it's "voting self" -- because becoming a Dictatorship --was not on that ballot.
Oh, give it a rest. Spend your time studying the meaning of 'histrionics'.