Thoughts on American Politics

First of all what is a non-American doing commenting on American politics in the middle of an American election. Do I hear people screaming foreign interference. Well so be it. As long as the United States is the world’s most militarily powerful nation and not reluctant to use that power overseas if it believes it’s interests are at stake, and as long as it calls itself the leader of the free world, the rest of the world, particularly it’s northern neighbour, has a legitimate interest and stake in it’s politics.

Elections are usually about political parties and candidates vying for power. This one is different, even with the most recent announcement. This election is more about what type of country America is or wants to be. Does it want to continue as a Democracy (albeit it a Neo-liberal one), no matter which party is in power, or does it want to go full on Fascist led by Christian Nationalists and White Supremacists.

How dangerous is this. When one of the candidates for President is spouting rhetoric that sounds like it was taken straight out of Mein Kampf we have to be concerned.

“All great cultures of the past perished only because the originally creative race died out from blood poisoning,”

Adolf Hitler- Mein Kampf

“That’s what they’ve done. They poison mental institutions and prisons all over the world, not just in South America, not just to three or four countries that we think about, but all over the world. They’re coming into our country from Africa, from Asia, all over the world.”

“illegal immigration is poisoning the blood of our nation. They’re coming from prisons, from mental institutions — from all over the world.”

Donald Trump – 2024 campaign

Source: NBC News

 

 

They tell us who they are and the people controlling and promoting Trump chose someone who expresses clearly the type of America they want. Trump may have created MAGA but it has been taken over by people much smarter, more sinister and dangerous than him. One of America’s major parties is now clearly under their control no matter what happens to Trump.

And who benefits from this most – the wealthy corporations and billionaire class who benefit from the current mainstream Neo-liberalism of American politics. They have created a situation where they have moved the perceived political centre artificially right so moderate centrists appear as radical leftists and Fascism appears as mainstream. The political struggle is no longer about the left fighting for a better society but instead fighting against moving backwards, and further to the right than America has ever been. And the left is being told if they want to save their country they have to fight to preserve the Neo-liberal status quo.

The corporate billionaire class is sitting pretty. If they win they get a Fascist regime that will fulfill their wildest dreams. If they lose they still win and get to keep the Neo-liberal status quo that has created historical levels of inequality and given them excessive wealth, as hopes for real progressive change is put on the back burner.

What remains to be seen is what the Democratic Party will do with the opportunity that is presented to them. Will they take the path of least resistance and defend the status quo or fight for real change and social democracy.

What America really needs, if there is hope for any real political change and social progress, is major changes to their political system starting with the end of the two party system. This would require some form of proportional representation to ensure all political viewpoints are represented in the nations legislatures proportional to their support among the population. It would require single person positions like the President and Governors be elected by some form of ranked ballot system so voters are not duped into believing they only have two choices. And it should require positions such as judges and prosecutors, which should be non-political, be taken out of the partisan political arena and made career public service positions.

In November we will see what America gets, at least in the short term. Only one result will provide hope, even if it is just hope for future change.

For a more comprehensive analysis of American politics see Is American Democracy Fucked.

What If The Next President Of The United States Is Not Mentally Competent For Office ?

My surprising take on that is that it won’t make much difference.

Many experts are already suggesting Trump is verging on dementia and his rambling nonsense seems to confirm that. However, who really believes Trump is in charge here. Call them the Alt-right, White supremacists, Christo-fascists, or whatever, they have done an excellent job of convincing Trump that they are following him while conning him into following them. Not only have they drafted his program for him but they have drawn up the list of who will run his administration. Trump is just a figurehead and showman that does an excellent job of pretending to be in charge. His mental competence is irrelevant, The only hope for America under Trump is that the deep state non-political apparatus has enough loyalty to the constitution to protect the people from the worst excesses of his handlers.

Biden, on the other hand, is slightly older and sometimes has communication issues but otherwise is an intelligent thoughtful leader. He will surround himself with like minded intelligent old school Democrats that will run his administration. Even if he turns out not to be mentally competent his administration will be an old school centrist Democratic administration, not great but not disastrous. The best chance for progressive change under Biden is if the Vice President was to, for whatever reason, take over.

America The Ugly

With friends like this Romney doesn't need enemies:

It's enough to make an atheist want to believe in god so we can call on him to save us from them, but as they tell us, and so fervently believe, he is on their side, their vengeful hateful god.

"Wake The Fuck Up" - Most Effective Use of the "F-Word" Ever

The Fifth Column Has Been Offline

My computer has been in the shop for the last week so you have been spared my comments on the United States Election. The Fifth Column hopes to be back to normal next week.

The Governor Has No Clothes

Apparently:

McCain was asked several questions on Thursday about the shopping spree - and he answered each one more or less the same way: Palin needed clothes and they'll be donated to charity.

"She needed clothes at the time. They'll be donated at end of this campaign. They'll be donated to charity," McCain told reporters on his campaign bus between Florida rallies.

The question that has not been asked, or answered, is why does the Republican Party want to counteract the hockey mom image the Alaska Governor has gone to so much trouble to cultivate. Hockey moms do not wear designer clothes.

The only logical explanation I can come up with is that right wingers believe in the capitalist ethic, that if your smart and work hard then you can become rich, and that by making Palin look wealthy people will think she is intelligent.

Hillary Should Go Back To Arkansas...

...And Become "The Greatest American"

Think about it. What could be the most important policy change for America - universal public health care. Both the Democratic Party candidates appear to believe in it yet neither has put real Canadian style "Medicare" in their platform. Why is that. One can only speculate that it is because they believe it would not be possible to implement in the United States.

Hillary Clinton should step back and read some Canadian history. Where did Canadian "Medicare" originate. In Saskatchewan, one of the poorest Canadian provinces. Hillary should go back to Arkansas and convince the state Democratic Party to run on a platform of implementing real "Medicare", get elected Governor and do it.

I know the American political system is different but for something that important it is worth a try, even if just to put pressure on the federal Democratic Party.

That would be a legacy much greater than being just being another President.

"I Am Not a Racist ..."

What's the difference between these two statements.

"I am not a racist it's just that I can't hire black staff because most of my customers are racist."

"I am not a racist it's just that we can't pick a black candidate because most of the voters are racists."

The Democratic Party Dream Ticket That Could Have Been

Very early in the United States presidential election primary process it became very obvious that there were two clear Democratic Party front runners, both with their own unique appeal to the electorate and both representing a radical change from what until then was seen as inevitable - that the president be a white man. Both leading candidates were highly qualified with good reputations.

What if at that time the leading candidates had seen the opportunity for a Democratic Party Dream Ticket, and decided that whoever came in second would be the vice presidential candidate. This agreement could have been kept private or made public. This agreement would inevitably have required a commitment from the candidates to run clean and positive campaigns, and not only not attack their opponents, but praise them for their qualifications as the best person to replace them as president if the need ever occurred.

It would have changed the whole dynamic of the election process, united and revitalized the Democratic Party and possibly ensured a Democratic presidential victory.

What we have now is more of a Democratic Party Nightmare with the leading Democratic candidates attacking their fellow Democrats with the zeal that is usually reserved for the Republican presidential candidate. Whichever candidate wins is going to face the Republican candidate with his or her reputation tarnished, not by attacks from the Republicans, but by attacks from within his or her own party.

That’s some way to run an election campaign.

Does 911 Help Barack Obama

Though some will think this question is in poor taste I think it is an interesting one.

Many were very surprised when the two leading contenders for the United States Democratic Party nomination for President turned out to be a white woman and a black man. Until then conventional wisdom was that the United States was not ready for a black, or a female, President.

Hilary Clinton’s case is unique, as the wife of a former President, but of course there are other factors at play there as well.

In the case of Obama, while racism may not be as rampant in the United States as it once was, presidential elections can be won by very narrow margins and it would only take a small percentage of voters who would never vote for a black candidate to defeat him. Yet, he may become the Democratic nominee.

Part of the reason for that may be that the racism dynamic in the United States appears to be changing. Racism, though expressed in hate, is based on fear. Traditional racism in the United States was born with the end of slavery as white men began to fear free black men - afraid they would seek revenge for slavery, defile their women and take their jobs. It may have been irrational but it was used by many to their own personal and political advantage and justified by religion.

With 911, or more precisely, the response of the United States government to 911, the racism dynamic was changed. It is no longer white vs black but Christianity vs Islam. It may be just as irrational but it is just as real.

Indeed those using racism to attack Obama are not doing it on the basis of his blackness but are trying to label him as a Muslim. They put undue emphasis on his middle name, “Hussein”, which is of Arab origin and by inference Muslim. As well they refer to his alleged “Muslim father”, although Biography.com states “His father, Barack Obama, Sr., was born of Luo ethnicity in Nyanza Province, Kenya. He grew up herding goats with his own father, who was a domestic servant to the British. Although reared among Muslims, Obama, Sr., became an atheist at some point.”

But the Muslim labeling appears not to be having any significant effect on voters and his blackness appears to be seen as an asset rather than a liability.

If Barack Obama is elected President it will be on his own merits and his ability to reach the minds and souls of the American people with his message of change, but it may very well have been made possible by the changing dynamic of racism in the United States

It's The Bullshit, Stupid - American Election Analysis

If video not working click here.

Source: The Onion

The Fifth Column will be taking a blogging holiday during the March Break, The Fifth Column will return Monday, March 17, 2008.

Bill Clinton’s Priorities - Life Beyond Politics

In the midst of the most critical stages of his wife’s political campaign Bill Clinton has shown that there is life beyond politics. The Toronto Star reported that on March 2, 2008 he was in Toronto to speak at a fund-raising event for the Clinton Giustra Sustainable Growth Initiative which will assist local leaders in Latin America and the developing world in addressing issues of social, economic and environmental impact through employment and economy.

"The world is bedevilled by three great crises: the persistent and growing inequality in economic opportunity, education and health care; the insecurity caused by our interdependence making us vulnerable to terror, to weapons of mass destruction, to the spread of dangerous materials, to global epidemics; and the unsustainability of our current developmental course because of the threats of global warming," Clinton told more than 1,000 people at the Westin Harbour Castle Convention Centre.

We give credit to the former president for his international humanitarian role and his work with the William J. Clinton Foundation and the Clinton Global Initiative.

I Hope You’re All Offended

I have no intention of apologizing for this, nor of apologizing for something without knowing what it is I am apologizing for. But apparently that is not so for at least one politician.

The CBC reports that “Federal Fisheries Minister Loyola Hearn has apologized for a joke he's not sure he made, responding to a complaint from a politician who didn't hear it.”

You cannot get more insincere than apologizing for something when you don’t even know, or apparently care, what it is you are apologizing for.

The politician clarified his apology by stating “"I have never, ever in my life intentionally said anything that would offend anybody, and if I did on the weekend, I sincerely apologize because it's not what I do, or how I do it,"

I have great respect for politicians and government and even countries that can admit that they are wrong and sincerely apologize for it, because it was wrong. It is an indication that they have reflected on their words or actions and learned from them.

I have little respect for politicians who are so afraid of offending someone that they apologize without even knowing what they are apologizing for.

The problem with that attitude is that the easiest way not to offend anyone is to do or say nothing of significance. It is the election strategy of getting elected by offending the least number of voters rather than attracting the largest number of voters. It is a strategy that leads one to support the status quo rather than rocking the boat with new ideas. It is a battle that is being fought out today in the United States Democratic Party primaries between the candidate who has experience with doing things the way they have always been done and the candidate of change, however undefined that change might be.

While Mr. Hearn's apology might have been initiated by jokes during a speech it reflects a broader mindset.

With the state of the world today. We need change. We need new ideas. New ideas will always offend some people. We do not need politicians with a mindset that says that the most important thing is not offending people.

Are Americans Ready to Make History

John Edwards departure from the Democratic Party race means that Americans will have to make history and elect the first black man or the first white woman as President if a Democrat is to become President. Are they ready for that.

The other question is whether the front runners, now even more focussed on each other, are going to fight the Republican Party's campaign for them. Certainly if I was running the Republican election machine I would already be preparing to use the losing Democrat's words against the winning one. I foresee a whole series of Republican Party ads featuring Clinton or Obama telling the American people why the other Democrat is not fit to be President.

It's the American system and after studying Political Science and working for the House of Commons for over thirty years I still do not really understand it, though I do enjoy watching it from a distance.