Err, wtf is going on with Uncle Sam right now?

It seems to have degenerated like a Napoleonic battle, where at dawn there are shoulder to shoulder formations, all smart and lively, and by dusk it's like a bar room brawl spread all over a couple of miles of countryside!

If anyone could write an overview of what just happened, where we are at now, and what happens next, to get me up-to-date, please do, because I haven't got a bloody clue!

SoD

Comments

[Andra]

But is it important?

[Timbo]

Top tip:
When (you see I didn’t say if) Bob’s account of matters comes in, double fact check it.

[Bob]

Well, this thread does seem like an invitation, and I wouldn't want to disappoint Timbo.

Here's a quick summary of the facts:

https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/politics/reuters-us-domestic-news-summary/ar-BB1crj38

The current situation is a reminder of an experiment in clinical psychology from the 1960's. Rats were added to a confined space slowly. When they reached numbers at which their necessary personal space wasn't available, they began fighting constantly and eating each other. Ideology is a confining space for humans.

Both US political parties are fracturing: The Republicans into business party conservatives and populist Trumpatistas, the Democrats into the meaningless Clintonian middle and impractical Sanders left. Reagan's insistence that government is always the enemy has become a self-fulfilling prophesy. Thanks loads, Ronnie.

Most of our real problems are tied to globalization and technology, the same as in the UK. Probably a new general consensus will eventually emerge, but for the time being the lunatics are running the asylum.

You probably already know, SoD, John Cleese has the wisdom and means to bug out:

'John Cleese has said he is heading to the Caribbean - Nevis to be exact.

The Monty Python star said it's down to a lack of trust in the newspapers; "it’s the lying and the triviality that I object to".'

Interview linked here:

https://www.bbc.com/news/av/entertainment-arts-44789663

[Whitewall]

What is happening, big picture, is loss of trust in all institutions and deservedly so. Cleese didn't go far enough. After a four year insurgency against Trump by every institution possible, the chickens are coming home to roost. China Joe will be our virtual president but in the meantime, a normal counterinsurgency is rapidly building and predictably so. He/She will hopefully face this everyday for four years. The R party is dividing between Patriots and Doormats. The Dems are charging headlong into Marxism as fast as their base can drive them.

[Loz]

Hehehe, I love those four answers, proper D&N!

C'mon JK, where are ya lad?!

SoD

[Hank]

SoD

The American political parties are coalitions. They reshuffle every so often. There have been several minor shuffles since the last large reshuffling during the Great Depression. A new reshuffle of similar proportion is overdue. It is going to be a mess until it settles down. What will the new coalitions look like, your guess is probably as good as any.

As your father would say, we have the misfortune to live in interesting times.

[Whitewall]

New coalitions indeed:
https://americanmind.substack.com/p/the-new-conservatives-are-taking

[Barry]

A more pessimistic view is that the Republic is on life support.

Events this week in the Georgia run-off election (election is tonight but mail-in and military ballot counts won't be complete until Friday) will determine control of the Senate. But even if the Republicans hold the Senate (enough of them are either owned by the same interests as the Democrat leadership or are simply moral cowards) the fraudulent result of the Electoral vote may be allowed to stand.

If that happens, the world gets to see what happens when the United States becomes a third world kleptocracy with a first world military.

[Loz]

New coalitions indeed, but per your link, Whiters, not with the "clubbable Libertarians" ...

Right now we conservatives are in a discovery phase when it comes to our new coalition. The consequence of this is that we must not be precious about whom we take on board. We will get nowhere by enforcing ideological purity tests before we have heard what the people we are trying to win over want.

We must resist the temptation to undo Trumpism and return to some kind of clubbable libertarianism.

If the GOP had only coalesced with the Libertarians the last election would be in the bag.

SoD

[Backofanenvelope]

"third world kleptocracy with a first world military" Did you notice that 50 Army cadets were NOT dismissed for cheating?

[Whitewall]

SoD, we have had libertarians in our midst for decades and they are of little use. Libertarians here may be different from over there.

[Whitewall]

"A more pessimistic view is that the Republic is on life support." That has been the goal of the Left since the days of Woodrow Wilson. The USSR didn't last long enough to win, but their proxies have managed it for them. Now all the Left has to do is get along with each other. We will help them fail on this.

[Bob]

It seems likely a new center-left coalition will form before a center-right. The most leftist Representatives were OK with arch establishment Nancy Pelosi as House leader, and Biden has always been a centrist. On the other side there's huge distance between the business Republicans (Libertarians) and their victims.

Also, at least one Democrat won a Senate seat in the Georgia run-off elections. Wall St. types (Libertarians) spent millions trying to get the Republicans elected and keep divided government, which leaves a power vacuum for them to fill. If the other Democrat wins it will represent a definite change in political direction.

[Loz]

So it's a very square dance, is what y'all are saying?

At the top pointy corner of Nolan's chart you've got the establishment "Clubbable Libertarian" GOP, connected by a red thread to the right pointy corner where the Trumpeter GOP reside.

Then on the left pointy corner you've got the establishment Dems, connected by a blue thread to the nutjob socialist Dems, AOC and the squad, BLM / Antifa.

Each side trying to pull their thread tight to get a concentration, but at the moment spread all over periphery of the field of glory like the bar room brawl / dusk stage of the Napoleonic battle then!

Maybe we should just leave it for a while and come back later?

Perhaps we could talk about Brexit and Covid? (I heard that!).

Can't the Don lob a combo Yank, Israeli, Saudi grenade into Iran to get the party moving again and give us something discussable?

SoD

[Whitewall]

Trump served his purpose-pulled the mask off every institution from our vaunted "free press" to the DOJ, State Dept, Pentagon brass, Intel agencies, academia etc etc. Now with a win by a thread, all these dirty orgs are trying to shower off, change clothes and put on makeup with the lights on, blinds open with the public looking on all the while, said orgs are demanding respect like the last four years didn't happen.

To them I say, behold my middle finger, I have a matched set. The world will have to excuse us for a while.

[Bob]

SoD,

Within the limits of flat, two-dimensional and somewhat lopsided thinking you've written a passable description. Why not write some posts about all the interesting things happening near you since Brexit, including the more intensive lockdown? Or maybe one of the other cousins would comment on the big news in Oz.

[Whitewall]

I agree! We need to be out of it a while. Watch other free people struggle against their own government(s) as the government(s) pass more laws and regs to control the aforementioned "free people". For their own good, natch.

[JK]

https://malcolmpollack.com/2021/01/01/2021/

I couldn't do better than that myself Loz.

Perhaps you might take it little more ambling around Malcolm's place like in the old days? Maybe review all of Sister Wolf's post from 2020 - especially her comment threads? 'Compare & contrast' ol' hoss?

[Bob]

You Navy guys might be interested. No matter who the president, the defense contractors keep chugging along with US long-term military planning. This looks a lot like advertising:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ji9ErCZm2mc

[JK]

It is advertising Bob.

[JK]

https://www.captainsjournal.com/2021/01/06/capital-building-shooting/

[Glesga]

Bob,Whitewall,seems USA intelligence failure again. 9/11 and storming Washington. Looks like the white folk can out do the BLM.

[Bob]

Glesga,

You couldn't be more on the mark. If the right thinks the public will think much differently about their violent mob than anyone else's, they've got another think coming.

[JK]

Bob,

How many reports of arson and looting have you seen reports of? Shootings (by the "rioters")? "Peaceful protests" on major traffic thoroughfares, traffic lights at intersections? "Protesters" ordering vehicle occupants to exit, and get down on their knees to "confess their sins" (as happened to one of my offspring)? General trashing?

"If the right thinks the public will think much differently about their violent mob than anyone else's, they've got another think coming."

You're absolutely correct Bob that the *public, as reported by the usual suspects will "think differently" about this cohort besieging however many edifices of "the State" were besieged today than that public will when this

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aenQtPGgYlQ

happened.

Expect much of this Bob?

https://duckduckgo.com/?q=image+of+Nancy+Pelosi+and+members+of+Congress+kneeling+&t=newext&atb=v248-1&iax=images&ia=images

Me either now that I think about it.

Glesga rather than asking Bob I'd suggest you ask James Madison.

[JK]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IRnmnxVtDqg

There's a longer one. And the better thing is about this one is?

The first I recall "peaceful protest" mentioned aloud.

[AussieD]

G’day Bob,

Big news in Oz?

It seems we were under the delusion that we were one nation but the Chinese bug soon fixed that little misconception up as the State Premiers [the rough equivalent of a Sate Governor in your system] adopted different tactics in the handling of the spread of the virus.

State borders were closed [contrary to our Constitution] and various countermeasures put in place which restricted movement of people, the ability of businesses to continue to operate and several others. Here in Victoria we have a Government that could be best described as an earnest attempt to replicate socialism without actually calling it such. Politicians and health bureaucrats are having a wonderful time while our economy gets a hiding that will take years if not decades to recover from. The Premier is a control freak who, when an enquiry into the handling of quarantine procedures was held, suddenly did a Sergeant Schultz, and the whole thing was a farce.

Every time a virus case surfaces politicians and health bureaucrats go into panic mode. The major problem is that most of them have never had a real job where their own capital has been put on the line to create a successful business and so they will shut down business without a moments hesitation and wonder why the private sector gets stroppy.

Out of the blue our Prime Minister suddenly took it upon himself to alter the words of our National Anthem by replacing “we are young and free” to “we are one and free”. I assume it is a sop to the indigenous activists who would be better off trying to alleviate the problems of those aboriginals living in remote settlements where alcoholism and domestic violence are real problems. He took it to our Governor General who signed off on it. No consultation or reference to “we the people” in the decision.

On the plus side the Federal Government is still at loggerheads with the CCP and standing up to them over trade, the South China Sea situation and other bits and pieces.

Compared with what is happening in the USA news down here is very tame.

[Whitewall]

I have stewed about this situation all night long. Our pols have suddenly found some mob violence they can all condemn. Governments around the world remember that the start of America was the "shot heard round the world". Their populations, many of them, may be fed up with their governments as well. Citizens the world over have seen Americans who have taken it year after year and even decade after decade reach the breaking point and act. Some of these far off citizens may decide 'why not us'? Leaders should worry.