Category Archives: Politics

A Conversation with President Obama

Rolling Stone: The Day After: Obama on His Legacy, Trump’s Win and the Path Forward.

“In an interview conducted the day after the election, the commander in chief reflected on the stunning results and how he’ll spend his time post-White House.” By Jann S. Wenner. November 29th, 2016.

“And one of the things that I have been telling my younger staff, who in some cases have only known politics through my presidency, is history doesn’t travel in a straight line. And it zigs and it zags and sometimes you take two steps forward and then you take a step back.

[…]

There’s no benefit that’s derived from pulling into a fetal position. We go out there, and we work. And we slog through challenges, and over time things get better.”

Trump’s world

The Economist: The new nationalism. “With his call to put “America First“ , Donald Trump is the latest recruit to a dangerous nationalism.”

“When Donald Trump vowed to “Make America Great Again!“ he was echoing the campaign of Ronald Reagan in 1980. Back then voters sought renewal after the failures of the Carter presidency. This month they elected Mr Trump because he, too, promised them a “historic once-in-a-lifetime“ change.

But there is a difference. On the eve of the vote, Reagan described America as a shining “city on a hill“ . Listing all that America could contribute to keep the world safe, he dreamed of a country that “is not turned inward, but outward—toward others“ . Mr Trump, by contrast, has sworn to put America First. Demanding respect from a freeloading world that takes leaders in Washington for fools, he says he will “no longer surrender this country or its people to the false song of globalism“ . Reagan’s America was optimistic: Mr Trump’s is angry.

Welcome to the new nationalism.”

Politics in the US

dangerousmeta: A little election math, for those afraid of their fellow citizens. And a rant.

“[S]top mouthing off on social media, get serious, get organized. Stop posting sh-t after a 30-second read finds you an echo-chamber article that gives you an ideological orgasm. Fomenting hate just makes things worse. Find a cause and volunteer. Defend what you love, don’t sit and bitch on Facebook – it’s the precise definition of impotence. As effective as putting ‘daring’ bumper stickers on your g-d car.”

Well said, Garret.