Journalists I Like

Here is a list of journalists on the left that I like and respect. They represent a fairly large swath on the leftist continuum. All have a definite point of view but they all write from the coolness of reason and on the basis of fact rather than fear, anger, or misrepresentation. And some of them are downright eloquent.

(In no particular order):

• Sarah Leonard
• Ta-Nehisi Coates
• Matt Taibbi
• Jelani Cobb
• Chris Hayes
• Ezra Klein
• Bhaskar Sunkara
• Kevin Drum

Foxconn Quickie

One other point about the Foxconn deal in Wisconsin, sort of following up on my last post. Foxconn is one of the largest--and most ruthless--companies in the world. When they negotiate with a Howdy Doody like Scott Walker, there's no doubt in my mind who got the better end of that deal.

Wisconsin's (Un) Ayn-Randism

As one who was born and raised in Wisconsin, and who hasn't lived there in many years, I have watched the deterioration of the state by Scott Walker and the Tea Party/Koch Bros legislature. The right-wing narrative is of the angry liberal. But as for me, it is not anger but sadness. Economically, Walker has--quite successfully I'm afraid--turned the state from a progressive beacon toward the direction of a poor southern state. Politically, he has turned the state from the textbook example of clean, honest, and open government to one of corruption for which we used to ridicule New Jersey (my apologies to New Jersey). It leaves me sad and dismayed rather than angry.

I suppose this is really unrelated to the purpose of this post--which is the proposed FoxConn deal--but only serves as a preamble.

The Wisconsin/FoxConn deal is a great illustration of the disconnect between what so-called small-government right-wing capitalists say they believe, and what they actually practice. On the one hand, they say that government can do nothing worthwhile (and they mean nothing). And on the other hand--as in the FoxConn corporate socialism example--they say that capitalism won't work without the most severe government intervention in the "free market". So much for Ayn Rand.

The Whiner in Chief

The Whinefest of President Trump and is supporters has become an epic comedy. There is a Republican in the White House; both houses of Congress are controlled by Republicans; the Supreme Court is controlled by fringy right-wing Republican appointees; half the criticism of Trump comes from Republican politicians and media outlets (even Fox News can't help it sometimes); shoot, even Robert Mueller is a Republican. The Democrats have virtually no power in government. And yet, Trump and his core supporters whine that his entire agenda is being thwarted by these powerless Democrats. Very funny.

White Resentment of the Elites

A lot has been written over the last several months about the so-called white resentment of the so-called working-class whites. But let's not overlook the white resentment among right-wing elites. It may be more dangerous.

I put Antonin Scalia on this list. As a layman reading excerpts from his opinions over the years, I think that resentment oozed out at times. And Chief Justice Roberts also belongs on the list. His career kinda sorta is based on white resentment. He became a rising star at just the time when the Right was looking for legal "scholars" who could put a respectable legal veneer on the notion that racial discrimination was a problem fully solved, and that (largely nonexistent) "reverse discrimination" had become the real problem.

The result was the gutting of the Voting Rights Act as well as the Courts' approval of voter suppression laws. These things weren't done by the KKK or the Nazis. It was done by these guy and others like them. Don't ever forget that.

Quote of the Day

From Naomi Klein's excellent essay (as usual) in The Nation:

But in so many ways, Trump is not a rupture at all, but rather the culmination—the logical end point—of a great many dangerous stories our culture has been telling for a very long time. That greed is good. That the market rules. That money is what matters in life. That white men are better than the rest. That the natural world is there for us to pillage. That the vulnerable deserve their fate, and the 1 percent deserve their golden towers. That anything public or commonly held is sinister and not worth protecting. That we are surrounded by danger and should only look after our own. That there is no alternative to any of this.

Random Thoughts

• Fox News is not allowed on our house so I admit that I may be out of touch with what's happening in that alternate universe.  But all of a sudden I started seeing the term "Snowflake" appearing in my Facebook feed from some conservative friends (yes I have a few).  Well, I eventually was able to read between the lines and discern the definition.  Snowflake: the opposite of Fascist.
• I don't know what on earth conservatives would do without the Hollywood/entertainment industry to serve as its last resort deflection tool.  "Hey, Trump and the Repubs just doomed our planet!".  "But yeah, what about that Kathy Griffin.  Isn't she horrible?"  No matter what the topic, all they have to do is blame it all on Hollywood. Sheesh.
• Paul Ryan tweeted this recently: "BREAKING NEWS → Next week, the House will vote to dismantle #DoddFrank. The era of taxpayer bailouts and #TooBigToFail is over."  Now read this and tell me how much better things will be if only we can get rid of Donald Trump.  Be careful what you wish for: things could get worse.