Bravo to President Trump! He hit another one out of the ballpark. Like President Putin of Russia, he’s shown himself to be a master of political jiu-jitsu, the ability to take your opponent’s strengths and use them against him. He does this every time it seems.
Now, don’t get me wrong. I don’t believe that President Trump has got a grand, over-arching strategy; he’s a businessman. In other words, it’s all transactional –a “You scratch my back, I’ll scratch yours” kinda thing. That’s not to say he’s got no principles, it’s just that his basic principle is Trumpism. And thanks to a confluence of inexorable historic events Trumpism basically means nationalism, populism and anti-globalism.
Take your pick, they’re all pretty much the same thing in today’s historical context.
Steven Harper, a former Prime Minister of Canada explained how these events came to be. His theory is that there is a fundamental divide between the Ruling Class and Everybody Else. Or as he calls them, those who can live and work Anywhere and those who can only live and work Somewhere. The Anywheres are the globalist elite who live and work in Singapore, New York, London or Brussels. The Somewheres are those people who live and work in Flint, Chicago, Manchester and Marseilles. And thanks to the depression in their wages, they don’t “play” anywhere. The Anywheres on the other hand, play in Cannes, Provence, the Hamptons and Tuscany. They live in insulated bubbles and listen only to those newsmen and pundits who are largely like themselves.
Hillary, Merkel, May and Macron represent those people who are mobile, cognitively elite and essentially deracinated. Trump, Salvini, Orban and Putin represent those who are bound by blood and tradition to a place, an ethnos which has a geographic tradition. And in the present economy, a people who just can’t up and move hither and yon. The Somewheres are people who live in an multi-generational house, one in which they share with an adult child (or two) and an aging parent who can’t afford to live in a nursing home.
The Anywheres live in expensive, gated communities or high-rises, where they don’t have to be accosted by migrants from the Third World. The Somewheres have seen their housing prices –which is the only source of their wealth–decline because of the rampant crime which migrants invariably cause. The Anywheres have not seen their salaries stagnate because of Third World migration (nor will they unless there’s a sudden mass migration of English speaking pundits from the UK, India or South Africa); the Somewheres on the other hand have seen their wages decline, slowly at first, then precipitously.
In retrospect then, it’s easy to predict Trump’s victory over Hillary, the doyenne of transnationalism. Even two years ago, the grotesque Michael Moore was able to put his fat, slimy finger on the pulse of the American people and speechify (unfortunately in a scatological and profane manner) why it was that Trump could win:
And as much as I hate to admit it, he was right.
After listening to last night’s State of the Union address, I’d say that as a Reaganite, I was more than pleased to hear him defend conservatism in such a robust manner. I was especially gratified to hear him throw down the gauntlet against socialism. I didn’t expect that.
Nor did I expect that Nob Hill Nancy and Crying Chuck Schumer would rise to their feet on that one. Clearly, they’ve been dying to stick it to Alexandria Occasional Cortex and her coterie of angry, mean girl colleagues who are driving the Democrats off the cliff. I’ve been predicting for a while that there are more fault lines within the Democratic Party than there are in the GOP. Trump is widening these fissures and as long as the economy keeps humming along, he’s going to win reelection without breaking a sweat.
I also didn’t expect to hear him defend the pro-life position as poignantly he did. True, it was a “gimme” in the sense that the pro-abortionist left has gotten so fat and lazy that they’ve lost all sense of propriety, but still, I was glad that Trump slammed a rhetorical two-by-four right in their faces. He didn’t play the typical country club GOP game of not kicking your opponent when he’s down. The pro-abortion left had it coming. Boy, did they have it coming. They’ve truly jumped the shark on that one.
Of course, I was especially pleased to hear him defend The Wall. That’s mandatory at this point and I for one, am willing to bet the rent that he’s going to get it done. Politically, he has no choice.
There was a lot there to be proud of if you’re an America First conservative such as myself. Trump not only doubled down on his America First agenda, he raised the stakes when he openly called out the Establishment for their useless and “stupid” wars. Make no mistake: this was music to my ears. That being said, it gave me hope that he now has more control over the Executive branch. This was nothing less than a crossing-of-the-Rubicon; he did not mince words and the fact that he said it loudly and openly means that the Military-Industrial Complex has little choice but to start demobilizing from the Middle East and Afghanistan.
It won’t be easy and it will take some time, but it’s clear that as long as Trump is president, the United States will drag its heels from now on when it comes to foreign interventionism. And that’s a good thing. (For what it’s worth, I think the next Administration figure to get the ole heave-ho is John Bolton.)
It’s ironic in that Trump has stolen the clothes of the once sober, liberal left and put them on for himself. Workers’ rights, border security and a reluctance to engage in war were all commendable positions that no reasonable person could argue with. Now of course there are no more liberals and the Democrat Party has gone off the deep end. More fool them. Trump for his part cuts a rather dashing figure in their clothes and the Republicans (fingers crossed) are rather liking the fit themselves.
Anyway, these are my preliminary thoughts. More to follow in due time, I’m sure.
In the meantime, bravo President Trump!
I’ve lived in Tacoma my whole life, other than college and law school years, and I have no complaints at all about how I’ve done. Likewise with my kids and now my grandkids.
Great exaggeration is the bloggers’ stock in trade. Big trends, large picture, on and on…..! Who cares about the actual reality?
Are you then, having a law degree, representing yourself as the typical Tacoman? Its been about 15 years, but how is the hilltop neighborhood doing? Don’t get me wrong. It is good that you and your family are doing well, and most people are doing better right now than they were, myself included, but I would not expect a lawyer to advance an anecdote as an argument without assuming that logical fallacy would be caught and dismissed.
George u too generous re theresa-may. She is to be fair not a citizen of no where as she famously critiqued two years ago. But her trouble is she is woefully inadequate to the job . Not too bright.
But there is an important point u make and I would say it is shown by use of the word ‘Based’ as opposed to ‘Live.’ These people and the Beckhams ( former well tatooed uk football, not too bright with brighter wife and classic now talentless elder son, Brooklyn, running about) are classic examples. English now in USA., came out as ordered for remain in Uk referendum on EU . Do u think apart from their cash they have any love or loyalty for USA.?
They do not ‘LIVE’ in USA etc, but are “Based” there. It’s just as for all of them a back drop for their lives .They could be anywhere in their world that is corporate managed. They are the new Versaille nobility if you like. They show the same corporate wealthy thinking and pseudo Charity to the rest.
The difference with say the old uk landed ruling class shown Rose colour but with truth, in such series as Downton Abbey, is that those guys had a sense of PLACE AND IDENTITY, and may have been international to degree but had ROOTS, DEEP in a place. Very different in contrast to Russian nobility and may explain different outcome.
Why they all lived in Abbeys?? ? cos at reformation they had bought ex church land of destroyed monasteries and as such were bound in to protestant cause by english monarchs .
I am in Veliko Tarnovo, Bulgaria. But I am not based here. I live here with bulgarian friends etc taking interest in the to and flow of society around me and speaking the language. ( let’s bec fair to david Beckham, he still learning english.!!
Mr. Bauman,
Modesty prevents you from admitting that you are a highly intelligent man. By the way,Mr. Mortiss is also a highly intelligent man. Mr. Bauman, despite your intelligence, you have been a critic of my concept of brain building. Deracinated! That proves George is a brain builder par excellence. One of the signs of high intelligence is an extensive vocabulary, and the proper use of it. A man doesn’t develop a large vocabulary like George, unless he reads extensively, and uses a dictionary. So let’s get with the program, shall we?
I got half of my vocabulary by reading the books of Edgar Rice Burroughs when I was a kid!
That’s when I first discovered the word ‘vouchsafe’, a word that I have never heard spoken in my entire life. Indeed, when I come across the word in prayer books, I always say ‘grant’….sort of like Jews saying ‘Adonai’ where the Name appears….
I can endorse the brain building project, though I never thought of it in quite those terms.
Mr. Mortiss,
Thank you. Your endorsements carries a lot of gravitas.
Constantinos, I have never denied my intelligence what I did deny is when you called me a “great intellect”. The falsity of that statement is intuitively obvious to the most casual observer.
Neither did I condemn your mind building merely suggested it might be more balanced because reliance on empirical knowledge alone is like doing curls with one arm only.
Actually I admire your discipline.
There were some high points, but overall the speech was a disappointment. Nothing like his inaugural address or even last year’s SOTU. A lot of pandering to special interest groups, and very little for those who worked the hardest to get him elected. Nothing was said about the rampant corporate Internet censorship which is going to hurt his re-election bid.
I’m glad he reminded us about the Holocaust though. That is the most important thing. I had almost forgotten about it. /s
“There was a lot there to be proud of if you’re an America First conservative such as myself.”
America is, and always will be, Israel First. Including Trump (under the influence of his apostate daughter and her husband). That is why the “rapid” pullout from Syria has turned into “2000 troops staying indefinitely to defend Israel” (as if they need it). That is why he said nothing about the unconstitutional bill to ban boycotts of Israel, nor the laws in multiple states to the same effect.
No socialism!
Secure borders!
Enough said!
Indeed.
George as a non american I will be more enthousistic when the ‘carthage must be destroyed,’ Cathago (Iran) delenda est ‘ of Bolton is sent packing with the messenger. Not that the mullahs in tehran are wonderful but neither are the wahabi poison, Yemen murdering corrupt Saudi lot, let alone their sadaam type Crown prince. Being the paymaster in a sunni / shia war is not too bright is it?
Mr. Bauman,
May I float two ideas by you for your kind consideration? First, I believe that all Orthodox Churches should send two pillars of each Church to a monastery to learn hesychasm, then for them to hold weekly seminars on how to practice the Jesus Prayer. My second proposal is for the Churches to send two different pillars to learn everything about iconography, and hold weekly seminars on how to write icons. Imagine Churches full of hesychasts and iconographers! In my humble opinion, this would revolutionize and renew Orthodoxy. What are your thoughts on my two proposals? Thank you, brother.
Constantinos: I like your ideas as ideas but I am not sure how they would work in practice. Problem one with hesychia, the environment in which it is taught is just as important as the teaching. True hesychia is a gift. Experienced it in the person of Elder Zacharias once and once in a humble priest who’s name I cannot remember probably because he did not wish to be remembered. Sometimes I wonder if my whole encounter with him happened at all. It was a moment of being lifted up by the grace he carried to somewhere special. Then it passed and everything was back to “normal”.
Somethings are not very subject to system as we know it. I know that is difficult for you, me too, but a truth I think.
You are a first class Malaka! Go live in Russia and pray to your god, Putin. You worship corruption, treason and treachery. You praise and idiot and lick his boots. May someone spit in your communion.
Wow. That’s a real Orthodox Christian speaking here. I see, George, you are willing to let this go through, but censure some of my remarks.
Is this a joke? Or are you unbalanced?
George. , Mr skaros obviously has the famous sacastic comment in mind re christians ,’ ‘how they love one abother’. I am trying to remember who said it!
Sadly such comments add nothing do they.? One can be vehement but always polite and with LOGICAL arguement.
No, most Greeks in NYC refer to you as “that Nut”
Good to hear. Any particular reason? What particularly “nutty” thing did I say or do? Be specific please.
Well, George, if the wealthy and connected Greek-Americans in Manhattan think that you’re a nut, then you know that you’re doing something right.
If “George Skaros’s” comments (there are so many who post on here with clearly fake “Greek-sounding” names, but the names they make up are completely ridiculous) are representative of the GOA, then good riddance to the EP/GOA. Filth like you are spewing has no place in the body of Christ. If only the EP/GOA encouraged regular confession, then maybe metanoia/repentance would be more of a thing among EP/GOA faithful.
Besides, it looks like the movers and shakers in the GOA are gearing up for the — you guessed it — upcoming conference on “reviving the female diaconate in the Orthodox Church.” Where is Deacon Brian Patrick Mitchell when you need him. Standard speakers, as expected. End of March. Oh how I wish Deacon Brian Patrick Mitchell would clandestinely attend the conference, ask the questions that need to be asked, and video/post the entire thing.
Because we all know that there are so many Orthodox Christian women with one foot out the door of the Church who will bolt at any minute unless they are made deaconesses. This is such a manufactured “crisis” if there ever was one.
We need to face the reality that the EP/GOA is no longer part of canonical Orthodoxy. Tragically, it left the Church entirely of its own doing. Seems like Rome and the Uniates are more than eager to take them in, and by all accounts they seem more than happy to go with Rome. The current mainstream EP/GOA has far more in common with the Uniates and Rome anyway than with traditional Christian Orthodoxy. Faithful Greeks and Greek-Americans in the EP/GOA need to find a Church home elsewhere, and soon.
Thank you for defending my honor?!
Seriously, who’s really a nut? Some blogger in Flyover Country who calls a spade a spade or some Guido-wannabes from NYC who can’t even build a plain-Jane church without massive cost overruns, lost or embezzled monies and a near-permanent work stoppage.
This is Greek Orthodoxy? This is the GOA which is the crown jewel of “the New Rome”? I’ll gladly wear their insults as a badge of honor.
Gimme a break.
Guido Wannabes is understatement. All of Kolonaki goes out of its way to pronounce Greek with Italian accents and when they go abroad the post the insides of catholic churches on facebook but from Orthodox countries they only post parks. Constantelos said the western powers wanted the parts of Greece freed in 1821 to be more pagan so they don’t feel attracted to Russia. The vruklides think Italians are American and send their kids to Catholic schools (eg Met of NJ) but the dropout, drug and AIDS rates of Italians are only slightly better than blacks and hispanics (more to do with culture than race). The Phoenician Lebanese were the first to colonize the Mediterranean including the Punics of Spain and the Quechua (Aztec, Inca, Maya) of America. This is why the Quechua have Lebanese noses and Semitic vestiges in their language, not to mention Pyramids. The Mafia Vendetta style of clannism is share with Arabs everywhere. Minoans were Phoenician Arabs [Annals of Human Genetics (2008) 72,205–214]. They are distinuished as being Semites from Asia not Hamites from Africa. The Thracians or Vlachs were Carpathian Celts like the Galatians. Achaeans, Ahiya, were Hamitic Africans from Egypt. This is why Sparta got its wheat from Sicily which is closer to Africa than Europe and Peloporicans are the dumbest Greeks. Dorians were Alpine Germanss. Ionians, descended from Yovani, Javan, son of Japheth, were Scythians. The name Ashkhenazi derives from Scythian and David was a red-haired Scythian. This is why Athenians got their wheat from Scythia via Bezant. The Aeolians were Pelasgian Albanians. Everywhere Herodotus said there were Pelasgians, like in Koropi, outside of Athens, and Methana near Corinth, today there are Albanians.
‘Why can’t we just all get along?’ ! Especially now that everything is clear.