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There's a massive amount of effort being put into rewriting history to make Trump seem reasonable. 

We're being told that the rise of the hateful right is the fault of the complaining left, who spent too long calling racists racist, and not long enough listening to how difficult their lives are.

We're being told that, hey, the shitty things that Trump says were just to get into power, so now we don't have to worry, cause he's really a decent guy.  We're being told that its irrational to complain about racism, sexism, antisemitism, because it's just words and Mill's fighting for our civil rights when he launches hate campaigns at black actresses.

First off - Trump received more of the black vote than Romney?  So what?!  Romney was up against Obama. 

The idea that the alt-right isn't a powerful movement and so can be discounted?  And as evidence for that, we're told that /r/altright has only 5000 users.  Have a look at /r/altright...it currently has 6,855,000 subscribers.  It also helpfully says that it is devoted to white supremacy.

(Can we stop calling them "alt right".  We all have a word for what they are)

Enough understanding.  Enough apologies.  Fuck these people and their hateful little opinions.

Convicted liar and Trump Buddy, Conrad Black on the news there, explaining to us simple leftists  that Trump supporters all knew that The Wall was only ever a metaphor. 

Apparently "I will build a wall.  A great wall.  Mark my words." Means "I will enforce reasonable border controls, using existing laws and budgets".

Here's an interesting essay on the rise of fascism, written in 1995, by Umberto Eco, who grew up in fascist Italy.  The parallels between the 20s and 30s and what is happening now is terrifying.

http://www.nybooks.com/articles/1995/06/22/ur-fascism/

"Wherever a politician casts doubt on the legitimacy of a parliament because it no longer represents the Voice of the People, we can smell Ur-Fascism."

If anyone thinks that "the left" us to blame because it only seeks to shut down political debate, I'd suggest they watch PM's questions. 

People on both sides seek to shut down debate, "the left" because they regard some opinions as unacceptable and "the right" because they regard some opinions as weak.  For every "leftist" complaining about mansplaining and triggers, there's someone on the far right complaining about SJWs and feminazis.  The far right's argument is an easier sell, because it's easier to have uncontrolled rage in 140 characters than explain the social history that led us here.

President Elect Trump's tweet from yesterday:

"Just had a very open and successful presidential election. Now professional protesters, incited by the media, are protesting. Very unfair!"

It's incredible the complete lack of selfawareness demonstrated by him and his loyal army of tweety followers.  If that wasn't bad enough, it gets followed this morning by...

"Love the fact that the small groups of protesters last night have passion for our great country. We will all come together and be proud!"


This guy would be hilarious if he wasn't going to control the largest military in the world in a couple of months.

I'd just like to recommend the documentary Hypernormalization, by Adam Curtis.  It should be on the BBC iPlayer.  Curtis is the guy whose creepy, not-quite-real short films appear in Charlie Brooker's Newswipe, with the droning voice over and stock footage.

Hypernormalization was the term used to describe the Soviet union in the 70s, when everything was falling to shit, but the people and government had an unspoken pact that everyone would pretend that things were going great. 

The documentary covers the shift in power from the state (as a representation of the people), to corporations and the financial elite.  It follows the increasing willingness of politicians to present an artificial reality rather than confronting complex problems.

  It also follows the rise of Trump, the use of organized chaos as a political tool, suicide bombings, Gadaffi as an international supervillian, and how the internet started as a dream of an anarchist utopia before corporations realised how much money could be made by repeating your opinions back to you.

And heh, who doesn't love a three hour long documentary?

I think Sharky is right (My God.  Typing that...actually...hurt), in that the role of president is largely superficial.  The president's job is essentially to be the final check on the powers of congress and Senate, but also, and possibly more importantly, to act as a figurehead, to ,lead the people.

Trump is different.  Hillary may well be an awful human being, but if the president's main role is to inspire, then what she inspires is generally positive, if maybe naive.  Trump is also an awful person, but he actively revels in that awfulness.  He rose to power on the back of the alt-right, encouraging white supremacists and homophobes, deliberately inspiring hate and fear. 

The brexit vote saw a spike in hatecrimes because bigots (rightly or wrongly) saw the vague and noncommittal policies of Ukip and the public support they gained  as a public acceptance of racism.  Trump deliberately encouraged hate.  That's going to have a massive fallout.

He's also has a republican Senate behind him.  A Senate who have been shown that the best, easiest and cheapest way to get the support of the American electorate is fear.  They'll push discriminatory laws, ensure that an extremist is in the supreme court, and they'll do it all with the support of a media happy help because the new leaders of the free world provide ratings.

Cheers.  My favourite tweet I saw this morning...

One day we'll look back on this and laugh.  From our radiation huts on the edge of the mutant wasteland.

Today is my birthday.  I woke up to a lovely page of Colin McNeil's art, a copy of Monster, and the news that climate change will now definitely kill us all.

Done!

When the surface parts of the Grand Hall of Justice was destroyed in Chaos Day, the Undercity dwellers we able to gain access to the subterranean bits, thus allowing them to steal whatever was left behind in the parking bay.  It was full of Manta Tanks because the Justice Department is very fond of overkill reactions to things.

Isn't this the plot to Dark Knight Rises?

I've been trying for a while to type a comment voicing support.  I know though, that the last thing anyone wants to hear when they're low is some bloke saying "hey, express your feeling, man.  It'll help", like some internet based hippy.

Truth is though, that it does.  The lie that is depression swirls around inside your head until it becomes the truth.  It wasn't until I was sat down and essentially forced into telling someone how shitty I felt everyday that I was able to realise that, although being sad is sometimes a perfectly reasonable response, that doesn't mean that it had to dominate my life.

[RACE TO THE WHITEHOUSE]

RACE TO THE WHITEHOUSE

*** partially recovered audio transcript *** presidential archives *** reference CO521738 ***

[applause]

"[inaudible] ...back to the third debate in this, the 2068 presidential campaign race.  I'm your host, Brish Shapely, and this debate is sponsored by BleachPear...for sparkly teeth and home."

"In this section of the debate, well be taking questions from voters.  Our first question is from Boris Numan of Baton Rouge Bay.  Boris asks "what is the greatest threat facing America today?"  Senator James Velazquez, that question is for you."

[applause]

"Thank you, Brish.  And thank you Boris for your question. We're clearly a nation which has, and continues to have, great upheaval.  Recent riots in Gore City have demonstrated that the president has failed to...."

"Jeez, Velly, just give the guy an answer!"

[laughter]

"Vice President Booth, you clearly disagree..."

"Damn right I disagree, Brish.  Your looking hot today, by the way.  The problem that America faces is our enemies abroad.  We've go the Sovs taking power over in Russia, we've got the Chinese, the Brits.  They're against us, Brish.  They send their people over here, they ruin our economy, they're criminals,  they threaten our way of life.  Our great way of life..."

"With respect, Vice President Booth, the issue is a little more complicated..."

"Shut up, Velazquez.  I've a plan for America.  I will build a shield!  A patriotic shield, which will defend us from our enemies.  [applause] We will no longer allow weaklings,  like the senator here, sell America to our enemies.  You're weak, Velazquez! You don't have the stamina to run this country!  When I'm president, I'll have people like you [inaudible]"

[gasps and applause]

"Gentlemen...please.  Our next question comes from Moira Peffeffer from Mega City Two.  Moira asks " watcha gonna do bout smog man?".  Senator  Velazquez, would like like to respond?"

"I'll certainly try, Brish.  [laughter]  Our transition away from fossil fuels has been largely successful, but we continue to rely outdated nuclear options and foreign investment in our fusion industry.  I have a four year plan..."

"You've handed those oil reserves over, Senator.."

[applause]

"You well, know, mister Vice President, that US oil long since..."

[Boos]

"I'm talking out the mid-east, I'm talking about the Brits.  That's our oil. [cheers] America build the oil industry!.  And now, you and your cabal of...[inaudible]  politicians...want to restrict the hardworking people of our nuclear industry who...

"The negative effects of strontium-80 are already being seen across the dustbowl states who..."

"Don't interrupt me, dammit!  It's rude!  The brave men and women who are working to put nuclear power in the homes of ordinary Americans, hard working Americans, are being let down by people like Senator, here.  They're shutting down business across our country. 

[applause]

"This great country was founded on capitalism!   it's right there in the declaration of independence!"

"Vote Booth!  I will crush those who would take our freedoms!  I will make America great again!

[applause intensifies]

**** end **** classification chief judge only *** recommend permanent deletion ****

As I've said, a government "monopoly" can be removed by enough ordinary people. It's laws can be changed by enough ordinary people. A corporate monopoly can only be removed with enough money.  That's the difference and why I believe in democracy.


Without government protectionism, Apple workers would strike, and Apple would voluntarily improve their conditions?  Wouldn't it be more cost effective to just fire then, and employ some slightly more desperate people?  The world's full of them.

Nothing can change until people begin to think about change.

Well, I hope it happens in the next few years, because pretty soon this country is going to start deporting doctors.  When the hospitals start closing and the supermarket shelves are getting empty because the country can't afford to import anything, when homelessness rockets because you can get kicked off benefits for not accepting a zero hour contract, when companies are being fined for employing too many foreigners, when the rioting starts...maybe then people will think "hey, maybe the democracy we spent the last few hundreds years building was a mistake.  Maybe we should all just act in our own self interest."

Hell, maybe we're on our way already.  Almost half of the American electorate are considering voting for a guy who boasts of his own self-serving attitude.  Although I'm not entirely sure how many hospitals that self interest has built, it's certainly bankrupted a few casinos and slowed the building of a wind turbines.

I would quite like the country to not turn to shit in the next few years, and I'm positive you would too.  I would encourage people to use the system we already have in place and which we know can affect change.  Encouraging people to remove themselves from that process isn't going to make things better. It's going to make them much, much worse.

Hundreds of thousands of people removed themselves from the democratic process in the late 90s - early 00s, because they didn't feel the parties spoke for them.  It didn't make their lives any better.  In fact, it made them much worse and let to the almighty balls up that we're in today.

Encouraging people to be the change they want to see in the world is great, Sharky, and I salute you for it.  However, we sort of have more immediate problems which can only be fixed by using the system we already have.

If an unregulated market is the most effective way for a society to function, why is it that the most profitable and popular corporations are frequently the the most corrupt?

Do you mean the limited alternatives presented to us by the handful in charge or proper alternatives? I ask because you dismiss every alternative I present because it doesn't lead to some Utopian perfection.

No, I dismiss the visions of the world you present because your starting point requires a near utopian society in which each individual is willing to work for the good of the whole, where all disputes are settled with reasoned logic and where everyone is imminently sensible.  When this is opposed, you claim that this isn't a utopia. You frequently fall foul of the nirvana fallacy.

Every economist in the world appreciates that economics is a flawed science because it's laws require that individuals act rationally.  Your alternatives require that people not only act rationally, but morally. 

I dismiss your alternatives because I don't believe that a world run by corporate monopolies would be an improvement on this one.  Because I believe in the basic democratic concept that we are equal and deserve an equal say, not a say based on how many shares we can buy.  Because government should exist to protect the weak from the strong, and when it fails, you replace it.  Because I would rather have taxes collected and enforced through reasonable punishment that watch people die of preventable diseases.  I dismiss your alternatives because corporations kill people to make a profit, and without regulation, they would kill a lot more.

If an unregulated market is the most effective way for a society to function, why is it that the most profitable and popular corporations are frequently the the most successful? 

Who is responsible for the workers who die because of poor conditions in Apple factories?

better question is to ask yourself what you're going to do about it.

Maybe is should tell people not to vote, that authority isn't real, that the government is just a criminal conspiracy and that I don't have to follow their laws.  That's bound to help.