Frustration, desperation, they say I need some kinda medication. Situation, no motivation. Desperation, permanent vacation - Aerosmith, "Permanent Vacation"
And they are very smart for having it. But I've lived in France, traveled to about 30 countries, most of which are democratic in some form. And not one of them, except maybe Japan, is as insane as we are about work. We're doing it wrong. And then there's the fascism and lack of worker, employee, consumer rights that makes us miserable.
I am not one for actually reading stuff of a political bent that ends up in my email in box but for some unexplained reason this one I did read, I liked it and am glad I did. Not going to nit-pick your (I am sure) much better educated than mine would have been prose, though will say ifn it were my article I would have ended with the word "catamites" rather than "concubines" (a much more subtly insulting term don't you think? Even still nicely alliteral.) Anyhum, keep up the good fight; as Frederick Douglas said "Agitate! Agitate! Agitate!"
Thank you, I always love suggestions and am glad you chose to read this one! Yes, that is more subtle. I try to mix in my language, some more subtle, some blunt as hell. Diversity of language is good! And I promise to keep up the good fight!
I had a similar response when I was in Belgium and France in May. It's not just the Italians. The Europeans are much freer than we are. What a sad statement to make... Welcome back, Cliff. At least we have outlets like your posts to help us maintain some sense of sanity.
Thanks, Evelyn. I know it's all over Europe, it's why I made sure to mention I lived in Nice in the past, and it was the same thing. I just was talking about Italy this time bc that's where I just was. And they are definitely so much Freer than we are, it is not even a debate. I promise to do what I can to help both you and me maintain sanity :)
As long as we have people like Cliff and all the decent folks that write and speak for the Blue Amp, the Contrarians and the Bulwark, we have the juice to change the shit sandwich we currently reside in.
maybe we had to have our mussolini/berlusconi moment just like italy had to go through? it's the authoritarianism train on full speed right now. at this point there is no going back to what was. let's hope there will be sthg better built up from the ashes. for now we have to look out for our neighbors and build up those communities we have neglected. then maybe we have fighting chance. also would like to point out the clintons were no angels, and obama did nothing to punish the banking system that collapsed regular folks lives in 2008-2009. so there was a full moral collapse from both ends of the spectrum and the wealth inequality just exploded exponentially until... well here we are. and it will get worse.
Be brave. Take back the national narative by telling true stories to combat Republican false stories. Grow a spine. Study Fox news every day, publicly deconstruct their misleading stories every day. Be brave. Stop pretending something is wrong with immigrants because you feel that everyone believes that conservative lie. Immigrant labor died of Covid in meat packing plants during the pandemic so we could eat. Immigrant labor prevented the predicted recession. Immigrants are the ambitious people who make America great and they commit crime at a lower rate than people born here. When I tell this STORY to my conservative friends they go silent then change the subject. When I tell them the STORY that Fox News is the successful brainwashing project of two convicted criminals they go silent then change the subject.
Tell the public the true STORY that what made America great was money. Money from very high taxes on only the very richest people, from FDR until the Bush Cheney tax cuts. That's how we built the interstate freeways, the bridges, dams, levees, electric grid, the legal system, the military, won two wars at the same time against dictatorships, went to the moon, etc. etc. paid for by high taxes on only the very richest people and corporations. I could go on for hours about this and not repeat myself.
Donald Trump is popular because he appears courageous, he's bold, he doesn't back down from his poisonous lies. People are attracted to that, they're too busy working three crummy jobs to be policy experts. If democrats would boldly tell the TRUE STORIES of what made America great, and what is screwing it up, and DON'T BACK DOWN, people would choose the true STORY, but the true STORY is nowhere to be found!
The Italians have a saying that we don't have, "la dolce far niente"--how sweet to do nothing.
And they are very smart for having it. But I've lived in France, traveled to about 30 countries, most of which are democratic in some form. And not one of them, except maybe Japan, is as insane as we are about work. We're doing it wrong. And then there's the fascism and lack of worker, employee, consumer rights that makes us miserable.
I am not one for actually reading stuff of a political bent that ends up in my email in box but for some unexplained reason this one I did read, I liked it and am glad I did. Not going to nit-pick your (I am sure) much better educated than mine would have been prose, though will say ifn it were my article I would have ended with the word "catamites" rather than "concubines" (a much more subtly insulting term don't you think? Even still nicely alliteral.) Anyhum, keep up the good fight; as Frederick Douglas said "Agitate! Agitate! Agitate!"
Thank you, I always love suggestions and am glad you chose to read this one! Yes, that is more subtle. I try to mix in my language, some more subtle, some blunt as hell. Diversity of language is good! And I promise to keep up the good fight!
I had a similar response when I was in Belgium and France in May. It's not just the Italians. The Europeans are much freer than we are. What a sad statement to make... Welcome back, Cliff. At least we have outlets like your posts to help us maintain some sense of sanity.
Thanks, Evelyn. I know it's all over Europe, it's why I made sure to mention I lived in Nice in the past, and it was the same thing. I just was talking about Italy this time bc that's where I just was. And they are definitely so much Freer than we are, it is not even a debate. I promise to do what I can to help both you and me maintain sanity :)
As long as we have people like Cliff and all the decent folks that write and speak for the Blue Amp, the Contrarians and the Bulwark, we have the juice to change the shit sandwich we currently reside in.
That's what I'm hoping. I sure as hell will keep fighting
Way to go Cliff. I'm with you.
maybe we had to have our mussolini/berlusconi moment just like italy had to go through? it's the authoritarianism train on full speed right now. at this point there is no going back to what was. let's hope there will be sthg better built up from the ashes. for now we have to look out for our neighbors and build up those communities we have neglected. then maybe we have fighting chance. also would like to point out the clintons were no angels, and obama did nothing to punish the banking system that collapsed regular folks lives in 2008-2009. so there was a full moral collapse from both ends of the spectrum and the wealth inequality just exploded exponentially until... well here we are. and it will get worse.
Be brave. Take back the national narative by telling true stories to combat Republican false stories. Grow a spine. Study Fox news every day, publicly deconstruct their misleading stories every day. Be brave. Stop pretending something is wrong with immigrants because you feel that everyone believes that conservative lie. Immigrant labor died of Covid in meat packing plants during the pandemic so we could eat. Immigrant labor prevented the predicted recession. Immigrants are the ambitious people who make America great and they commit crime at a lower rate than people born here. When I tell this STORY to my conservative friends they go silent then change the subject. When I tell them the STORY that Fox News is the successful brainwashing project of two convicted criminals they go silent then change the subject.
Tell the public the true STORY that what made America great was money. Money from very high taxes on only the very richest people, from FDR until the Bush Cheney tax cuts. That's how we built the interstate freeways, the bridges, dams, levees, electric grid, the legal system, the military, won two wars at the same time against dictatorships, went to the moon, etc. etc. paid for by high taxes on only the very richest people and corporations. I could go on for hours about this and not repeat myself.
Donald Trump is popular because he appears courageous, he's bold, he doesn't back down from his poisonous lies. People are attracted to that, they're too busy working three crummy jobs to be policy experts. If democrats would boldly tell the TRUE STORIES of what made America great, and what is screwing it up, and DON'T BACK DOWN, people would choose the true STORY, but the true STORY is nowhere to be found!