The threat level is rising
In a continuation of Trump's relentless pursuit of made for TV moments, he's on his way to Texas today to do a lap of honour on his building a wall.
You'll just have to give me a moment, I need to switch off my chuckle button. Wait there, I'll be back..................There we go, that's better, I really shouldn't laugh, but who on earth thinks building a wall in the 21st Century is an effective immigration deterrent and good use of public money? Politicians around the world, just can't help that made for TV moment, to throw out a few soundbites to resonate and capture the news cycle. Trump is just not good at it, he really isn't. Remember the bible moment? (he said with his head in his hands). When I watch him interact with people, it's like watching your crazy uncle that appears at every family gathering and embarrass himself. It really does mess with my mind, because I simply can't understand, why anyone would ever take him seriously, let alone elect him to the the highest office in the land.
Today saw the release of me new video 'No Unity Without Accountability'. I thought I'd include it here in case you haven't seen it.
I know it's sad, but I struggle to sleep at times and I use that time to reflect on things, not just things that affect me, but also the wider state of the world. Anyone who doesn't take an interest in US politics, is missing an important indicator of what is to come in the wider world. My overriding concern from the last four years, has been that Trump has unlocked the cage to a section of the community that is and always has been, racist at their core. It's as if that pent up anger and rage, has been festering for years, then Trump came along and said, 'It's OK to be racist, it's OK to be homophobic, it's OK to ridicule the disabled. As long as you follow me, I'll protect your right to be hateful'. I often hear Republican pundits, brush off his behaviour as just a joke, telling people not to take him too seriously. We'll call me old fashioned, but if he's killing hundreds of thousands of Americans, issuing a blizzard of misinformation whilst filling his pockets at the all you can eat buffet of the US Treasury, I have to take him seriously.
The likes of the repulsive governor of Florida, Ron DeSantis, Matt Gaetz, Cindy Graham, as I prefer to call him, Ted Cruz, Josh Hawley and all the other sycophants, are not who they are because of Trump, They are who they are, because it IS who they are. They belong to what I like to call, a legend in their own lunchtime.. They are all brave in a crowd, but put them in a room with a real thug and they would evacuate their bowels, empty their wallets and beg for mercy. These people aren't leaders, they are opportunist seekers of power. You don't have to listen to them for long to see exactly who they are. They are the kind of guys that would put on a dress if a ship was sinking and they thought it was women and children first. We may laugh at their political incompetence, but they are by nature very dangerous, as they're the guys that drive away from an accident and look for someone to take the fall. Just like what they're doing RIGHT NOW.
If you look at the objectives of the GOP, it's not on the face of it, an easy sell. They can't say to the average voter, "Who are you, you insignificant fart?' They need the votes of all those farts to continue their politically privileged existence. They are wedded to wealth at all cost. So if the average American is never going to join the Forbes rich list, you have to give them something else. Yes, you guessed it, permission to be racist, greedy and selfish. That appeals to a significant segment of the population. Previously, the GOP drip fed it to their supporters. Then came Trump as the political drug dealer in chief. He tied the tourniquet, stuck the needle in and mainlined Trumpism. The result? MAGA. It was intoxicating and liberating to those that had been supressing their feelings for so long. The GOP is no stranger to the importance of the levers of power. Thieir label as the 'party of law and order', has been a license to inject racism into the judicial system. The way some law enforcement officers behave, has not changed since the signing of the Civil Rights Act, it has simply evolved. The end result, is the outrageous bias in the judicial system. I would need to be writing for a year to cover it all, but for today, let's just agree that police reform is long overdue.
Now we're going to move onto my pet hate. As a bit of a messaging guru, let's use a Trumpian expression, nobody knows the importance of messaging better than me. Every time I hear or see 'Defund the police', I want to poke my own eyes out. In a political arena where the GOP messaging machine is so efficient and effective, it is an absolute gift, tied up in ribbons. It screams, please use this gift wrapped bat to hit the Democrats at every opportunity. The hell, even use it even when you don't need to batter them. Create adds with it, create T-shirts, hats bumper stickers and anything else you can think of. In response I hear Dems screaming, 'No that's not what we mean, we mean reform the police, but it doesn't sound as good'. Please excuse my french, but wake the fuck up! Nobody gives a toss what you mean, its a literal statement that puts the fear of God in suburban America and the GOP adopts it like a vulnerable wide eyed puppy.
Reforming the police is an absolute requirement, as is a single payer healthcare, a $15 minimum wage, rent controls and I could go on. These are all socially responsible policies and more importantly, they are also achievable. Socially responsibility is NOT socialism, it never was and it never will be. The GOP know that too, but they salivate at the thought of using the word 'socialism' and Marxism. It's like the battery that drives the vibrator, it's like the after shave that makes you feel lucky. To the GOP, it's an essential deliverer of political pleasure. They need to be able to paint anything that gets i the way of profit and greed as 'socialism'. Some progressive Democrats hand the GOP these messaging gifts and this what makes people in their own party, frightened of the way they approach policy.
The reason AOC is vilified by the right, is because they know she's right. She's young, she's extraordinarily smart, she's cultivated a brand to die for and wait for it, SHE CONNECTS WITH VOTERS, not just when she wants their vote, but every day, with community outreach and advocacy. The above clip makes my heart soar. Yes she's relatively new to this, but this is a masterful example of exposing outrageous flaws in the political system. The GOP have been effective in benching her, because they fear if she's on the field of play, she'll be the David Beckham of politics. She and the likes of Katie Porter, need to be front and centre in the reimagined Democratic party. A point not gone unnoticed by Barack Obama, for whom you know, I have great respect. She's not always right and I can point to a few blunders, but every day she's learning.
On the progressive front, I have a caveat. I really do not like Bernie Sanders. Sorry, you can hate me if you like, but there is something about him that reminds me of failed socialism. We've seen it here in the UK with Momentum and Jeremy Corbyn, it was an experiment that led directly to an 80 seat conservative majority in the UK. It was a societal disaster, which will take decades to recover from. My worry in respect of Bernie, is the hold he has over progressive members. He makes them feel like they owe their success to him which is simply not true. I could go on, but you get my drift.
Doesn't time fly when you're in full flow? I'd like to spend a little more time tomorrow exploring my views on the delicate balancing act of Democratic policy and my thinking of the way forward. It's been good to have your company again and I look forward to sharing a cuppa and a biscuit with you tomorrow, Stay safe and follow public health messaging.