The American Politics Thread

Pl remember that these conventions were set up mostly by the USA itself and while you may find that conclusion unpalatable, from the outside we only see the USA having its way whenever it chooses to.  For example, if the UN really had any powers, the Iraq war wouldn't have happened.  When Trump supporters complain they would like to see the USA have its way, we on the outside have to ask when has the USA NOT had its way in the last several decades and particularly since 1989 as the unchallenged and undisputed superpower?  The domination has not just been military but economic and institutional as well.  Therefore, any globalist order that does emerge in future, if at all, would necessarily also be subservient to US needs.  Whether the US state needs are necessarily the same as that of the American people is a different question but I do not see that merely demolishing globalism would achieve that and if anything, it gives Trump an easy win, a low hanging fruit to show and collect votes without addressing the deeper problems that led to the deep resentment with the centre of politics in many democracies.  Our Prime Minister, Modi, too escaped critique over his economic policies by showing off air strikes against Pakistan to burnish his nationalist credentials.  But of what use is such nationalism that doesn't feed hungry mouths anyway.  I fully understand why the centrist order is being upended in politics but so far find the chosen remedies to be worse than the illness.

I'll give Trump due credit for not killing a bunch of possibly innocent people by having a proportional attitude about the drone shoot-down.  Many other presidents, even Dems, would've wanted or been pressured into a sortie or two.

F*cking right-wing extremist groups threatened violence on the Oregon State Capital over an environmental & education bill that was coming up for vote.   Republican reps have fled to Idaho like ignorant cowards to avoid voting.   Now there's no quorum, so no vote.   This is not only a bad look for Oregon ~ an increasingly Green and Progressive state ~ it's a terrible look for the Right.

Shame.