Category: Politicians and Parties

Conservative activist Charlie Kirks' rightwing-uniting, political-fireworks machine, Turning Point USA, held another one of its bi-annual rallies this past weekend.

Republicans are far more adept at solidifying a slogan and uniting a base than the Dems, and TPUSA  now plays an important role toward that end, both with on-campus activism and the flashy, US-flag-imbued and Reagan-styled-patriotism-dripping affairs, where passionately anti-Dem speeches by known rightwing stars—from pundits to politicians to the time's cause-serving flavour-of-the-month—take the cadence of a sermon inspired by a Mussolinian interpretation of a Jerry Lewis comedy roast, such efforts aimed at attracting younger viewers whilst warning them of a 'lefty world' and impressing upon them the wondrous and free times that once were and can be, again, but the Dems have to be destroyed before they destroy America.

This iteration was branded "Turning Point Action", and the few speeches I did hear did vibrate with a message meant to inspire action, but one that intensified a fear-induced hatred that sapped out a metaphorical reading of "destroy" to mean "a humiliating defeat," all such figures of speech taking on a more ominous feel albeit one that can be easily denied despite the general hatred steeped in ignorance that's exploited to generate fear through the Culture War they're determined to see as an event that pits True America against Marxist-infiltrated America killers, rather than the gross, asinine exaggeration of an opportunistic GOP versus the vicious 'Woke' overswing made worse by opportunistic Dems.

Every decade for the past 100+ years has been marked by moral debates that see "good and wholesome" struggling to beat back "evil progressive decadence," these battles  always related to changes brought on by increased knowledge about the world and the life-altering technology that this allowed to be introduced into common, daily life. With that comes the mingling and influence of varied cultures, and the reshaping of social mores—marketing and corporations being the biggest culprits as concerns the latter. Thus the dominant culture and the national identity it gives shape to is sure to be challenged by the perceptions and desires of the younger generations who will find themselves in conflict with the imposed ways whose course leads them toward an unnecessarily bleak future, today's problems compounded to an impossible resolve. This usually skips one generation every fourth one.

The Dems exploit this aspect as part of their image, but, having become obsessed with wars, this is reflected domestically, having instigated a deeper divide and delivered a half-ass handling of social issues contributed plenty that provided the firm skeleton on which Republicans, MAGA ones particularly, fleshed out their new Culture War chapter.

Albeit I do agree that there are areas of concern that deserve greater scrutiny, many related topics are sure to strike a public debate, period; fighting that process is ridiculous, but what's opted for. Conversely, on the GOP side, framing these issues in a productive, non-politicized manner is what's needed, but not what's applied; the weaponization witnessed, based on anecdotes and outliers, quickly turn reprehensible their attitude should one remember that fellow Americans fighting for their right to 'be' is what's at the other end of the comic-book Cultural Commie Cult villain they've created in order to win elections.

Dan Bongino is one whose troubling tribal diatribe rested on a truly laughable interpretation of a foe that conflates a fictionalized understanding of "leftism" with outdated and ignorant stereotypes, mishmashing Progressives and communism and trans issues into reductive notions of Stalinism absorbed through Cold War propaganda, repeating the same incredibly stupid arguments that may work with the base he cultivates, but has me questioning what kind of mental deficiency produces such mindsets.

Yes, Dan, those who vote Dem want you to give your iPhone to Bob, who's too lazy to work and buy his own. It has nothing to do with shifting power toward workers and putting a halt to the beyond-incredibly abusive and unfair distribution that's blindly celebrated but achieved through highly-exploitative and destructive means of corporatized control, for whom social welfare is always an unquestioned guarantee... how to explain the last? I mean, without turning into a babbling Libertarian idiot sure to say "small" and "big" followed by "government" too many times without actually saying a damn thing.

You wanna call 'em grifters—and I'm sure that many are—but, no matter how absurd and off the wall some of the claims may be, the conviction appears to be genuine. However, public people adhering steadfast to a surface form and seeking only to validate that interpretation whilst promoting false, negative views that generate hate, "grifter" may not be the right word, but there's definitely lots of honesty lacking there.

By the way, Republicans are mostly responsible for the sorry state of schools, not CRT.

Bongino was let go from Fox News this spring, claiming an inability to successfully negotiate a new contract as the cause, stating that he held no ill-will against his former employer. In combination with Tucker Carlson's forced departure, I'm beginning to wonder whether his termination was related to a clean-up of sorts.

The last speaker I heard, Steve Bannon, is what tied together all the impressions from the bits I'd seen, Bannon's rage, his speech laden with white nationalist lingo, the clarion call that formalised actual war out of the cultural one. 

Carrying both threat and defiance, Bannon proclaimed Trump the unquestioned Republican nominee; the crowd roared. 

The moment crystalized the change that had occurred, the GOP no longer in charge of their party, the establishment Republicans bullied into stepping aside and remaining quiet, this split made visible through more freely expressed attacks aimed toward other conservatives. Those not fully dedicated to their MAGA leader.

DeSantis, having taken aim at Trump, has fallen out of favour. When asked to vote for a second-place choice, those present voted on the one that Charlie Kirk calls "Big Brown Swamee", Republican Presidential candidate Vivek Ramaswamy.

Nothing racist, "Big Brown" is all in good humour... That's my fear with Ramaswamy: he seems to be trying to be more conservative than traditional white conservatives in order to make up for that "Big Brown" aspect... that's used to identify him, hence, his success within that sphere relies on more hardline politics than those of traditional white conservatives, the racist moniker thus applied, and allowed, as jovial derision denoting a conditional form of acceptance.

Of interest, in link with the previous entry: All those present 95.8% replied with "No" to the question: Do you think that US should be involved in the Ukraine war?

By now, all should know better than to expect from the Progressives the kind of behaviour that matches all that they'd campaigned on, one that fits the label that they gladly decided to wear in order to gain popularity among younger voters, which is why every single anti-war effort voiced in recent times came from Republicans, Marjory Taylor Greene compensating for some passive Squad? 

Following Biden's decision to send cluster bombs, having none of the unbanned stuff left that could be sent, Rep. MTG had introduced a proposition to stop the US sending the controversial ammunition to Ukraine.

Cluster bombs detonate while in the air, scattering several smaller bombs. Problem with these are the wide areas that can be impacted by one bomb, the spread potentially killing or injuring indiscriminately while also delivering a high ratio of duds, which sit on the ground, unexploded, remaining lethal should they be disturbed. Like forgotten landmines, kids playing and stumbling on units slightly dug in or hidden in long grass...

Many countries have signed a treaty banning the use of cluster bombs, whose use isn't illegal, according to international law, though usage of such weapons nearly always produces conditions which are in themselves considered a war crime.

The result of the vote on whether the US should send cluster bombs was:

With the heat of election fever boiling to a frenzy as we near autumn, the electo—What's that? Primaries. Really?! Elections aren't this upcoming November? Next year?! Are you kidding me?! You mean things are only gonna get worse? Oh.

Sigh.

And Florida's Ron DeSantis is already running low on money (Williamson, too), his campaign said to be "burning through funds"? Are fake AI images and placing a temp hold on one's own preached ethics that expensive, or is it the frenzied anti-Trump and anti-LGBTQ video that drained campaign coffers? Double "antis" aren't cheap, I hear. DeSantis may want to consider better campaign managers, methinks, acquiring more campaign funds, too?

Trying to "shake things up" and rethink a new strategy is how DeSantis explained laying off about a dozen staffers this weekend. 

Frankly, I'm not gonna complain that, so far, everything about DeSantis' campaign took a wrong turn; he frightens me more than Trump as he's a firm ideologue in a way that Trump isn't, and he's shown that he's willing to executive order rightwing policies in to force his exceptionally white and hetero America on the country, and he's the kind who'd flex American muscles all over just to assert ol' fashioned strength.

Everything that is the essence of DeSantis is a throwback to the 1950s archetypal view of America, which sees any Commie and, therefore, "radical leftist Marxists" like Joe Biden and The Squad—who've offered next to no squadding lately—can only be dangerous enemies of the state pushing lethal social programs; any and all issues classified under "social justice" and "welfare" are anti-America cultural nuclear bombs, of course.

So, Biden wanting to wipe out a share of student debt, that's never been popular with DeSantis, ditto the GOP. Following their train of thought, your final destination is sure to be "inflation", which comes after "handouts bad"; in their world, all other paths clearly lead to everyone wearing the same pyjamas and sharing the exact same thought. Of course. Though that course is limited to America, per evidence. Must be the geography.

And, aware of it or not, Biden has much to make up for on that issue, "radical Commie policies" being what the working class were hoping for. The student debt proposal was big; it made all but the Big Money people happy.

So, the expected thing was what became reality: the promise took on the shape of empty election BS the Dems tried to play out while allowing their efforts to be blocked by the big meany GOP, who very easily had the Supreme Court overturn the Biden Bunch's student-debt forgiveness plan, claiming it "exceeded the authority Congress delegated to the executive branch."

Two possible routes, and not one Dem in the Bunch that's qualified to point out that Biden was choosing the wrong one by taking the "state of emergency" path? Any which way you slice it, nothing there to make the Dems look good.

But wait! Biden's working real hard to live up to his promise... it's not his fault... but if you vote for him again, he'll wipe all students debts—every penny—and re-instate that pond thing with the boats... oh, you know which one; that thing. Where people rent boats and swim... Row and wade! That's the one. He swears he'll take care of that, too.

What's that? Roe vs. Wade? No, Biden never eats caviar; he prefers swimming. Now that the Biden agenda is clear, let's applaud these wonderful results:

"President Joe Biden's administration will cancel $39 billion in student debt for more than 804,000 borrowers,"

In a statement, Biden boasted: "These borrowers will join the millions of people that my administration has provided relief to over the past two years – resulting in over $116 billion in loan relief to over 3 million borrowers under my administration," (Reuters)

The liberal media produced headlines proclaiming the grand news, all of them letting on that Biden fiercely got a win for over 800,000 (one said 8 million) who were seeing their debt being forgiven.

But, like much else, all's in the presentation, and with a sinking administration, gotta spin what you got, and hope people see a rainbow and not another pile of BS, like this one:

The $39 billion isn't, technically, "relief", it's a correction made to the repayment program, which affects those who got their loan directly from the federal program, these being reimbursed through an income-driven repayment (IDR) plan. There was an error in the program limits and terms, and billions in interest overcharges... and only older loan recipients will benefit.

The IDR plan is meant to spread fixed repayments adjusted to one's income over a period of 20-25 years; the balance is then forgiven, if any left 

Statement from Biden: Statement from President Joe Biden on New Student Debt Relief Actions