Paul Krugman writes this today in the NYT:
“the weaknesses of American society, despite our national wealth, are obvious: Extreme inequality, including racial inequality on a scale whites can find hard to comprehend. A weak social safety net, including a unique failure among advanced countries to guarantee universal health care. Terrible work-life balance, with far less vacation and family time than a wealthy nation should have.
And a personal, informal observation: Trump is an extreme case, but we are a nation obsessed with the notion of winners and losers.”
“They say that patriotism is the last refuge to which a scoundrel clings. Steal a little and they throw you in jail. Steal a lot and then they make you king.” - Bob Dylan, 1983.
It's like he was looking into the future and saw Trump with his "America first!"-slogan being elected for President.
I love all of you. This is why I am here.
Here's hoping we get the political forum - that's why I joined. Reading the 'About us' and the comments from members regarding listening to each other and respect etc ... all bode well. Looking forward to inclusivity and fairness.
Those who listen to what others have to say. More choice can only be a good thing in general.
If he continues the way he started it can only be good news.
He did. He made sure Labour put somebody in prime position that was electable. Well, more electable. People now have an option that wasn't there before.
There's just a meanness is this world, as someone once said.
I think I feel more disheartened about the U.K. than I have ever felt. I just don't see a light at the end of the tunnel.
I guess I just fail to see the point in being proud of ashamed of a country. Or in loving or hating a country. The US have committed some of the worst attrocities in History and have produced some of the most beautiful things as well. Reality is so much more complex than these dichotomies...
I have always been very suspicious of patriotism.
That's because of who I am and the country I was born in. I am sure, the then about 70 million people who adored Hitler and were burning with "righteous" patriotism couldn't every one of them have been bad. And yet the most atrocious crimes came from that arrogant belief that Germany was the greatest country on earth.
So whenever someone talks about the greatest country on earth - and Americans are very fond of that phrase - I flinch and think, I hope you will never have to contemplate where that might lead - and has lead to in the past.
I am really aghast at some of the things Trump has said and done (and Johnson isn't far behind) - and there are all these smiling, flag waving people who cheer them on.
So, forgive me if this "I am proud to be an American, Spaniard, Italian", whatever, rings false in my ears. Every country has great achievements to its name in literature, philosophy, music and in many other fields. And in the name of every country great crimes have been committed - slavery anyone, the genocide of the American Indians, the Aborigials, the natives of all the African, Indian colonies and so on? Wars and war crimes?
I am sure it's ok to like all the good things your country offers you. You are proud of them? Which ones have you contributed?
In the end, you can only be proud of your own achievements.
It's OK, I'll get my coat
Is ther a page 3?
For some reason i cant read page 3 - very frustrating
I don't expect my freinds to be perfect
I was almost sure of it, it was too similar to be purely coincidental...well done.
I'm hearing this exchange with the background music to The River intro on the Live set...
I have to practice reported speech.
I had an interesting talk with my oldest son today. He asked if it's OK that teachers express personal political beliefs in school. I said no, they shouldn't. Thought it was domestic politics, so I asked what they were taking about. He said they are all against Trump. I said that's good...
I Am a Patriot - Jackson Browne
And the river opens for the righteous And the river opens for the righteous And the river opens for the righteous And the river opens for the righteous And the river opens for the righteous someday
I was walking with my brother And he wondered what's on my mind I said what I believe in my soul Ain't what I see with my eyes And we can't turn our backs this time I am a patriot And I love my county Because my country is all I know I want to be with my family The people who understand me I've got nowhere else to go And the river opens for the righteous And the river opens for the righteous And the river opens for the righteous someday And I was talking with my sister She looked so fine I said, "Baby, what's on your mind?" She said, "I want to run like the lion" Released from the cages Released from the rages Burning in my heart tonight And I ain't no communist And I ain't no capitalist And I ain't no socialist And I ain't no imperialist And I ain't no democrat Sure ain't no republican I only know one party And it is freedom I am, I am, I am I am a patriot And I love my country Because my county is all I know And the river opens for the righteous And the river opens for the righteous And the river opens for the righteous Someday And the river opens for the righteous...
I've written a lot of poems about America over the summer. They express my feelings better than political posts. I tend to get worked up when I make political posts.
The power of the lyrics of he Rainmaker are that they can apply to all populists who offer simple solutions with simple slogans for complex issues. I hope that Trump is the first domino to fall.