Tag Archives: Russia

Ready for the Main Event?

Posted on by under Political commentary

Blogger-friend Erik Hare, writing as Barataria, has once again hit the nail on the head in his assessment of the Trump administration, and the Russian issue. Please take a moment to read his post …. then buy the popcorn! Thank you, Erik!

Barataria - The work of Erik Hare

Before the circus came to town, it was Barataria’s position that we’d all be wise to ignore it as much as we possibly can. Obviously, we don’t heed our own advice.

Then again, things are happening which may point right at the heart of the problem – the flurry of Washingtoonia that actually winds up making a difference. In the great three ring circus of government it’s time to keep your eyes firmly on the center ring – and whether the supposedly tamed bear eats the Ringmaster.

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A Post That Isn’t

Posted on by under Personal, Social commentary

Today, feeling the effects of cold weather, the political climate, and the subject matter of my last several posts, I find that my frame of mind is just a wee bit on the sad side.  So, I thought it might do me good to write about something other than Trump and the lunacy that surrounds him.  I wanted to write about anything other than Trump.  Something upbeat and positive. But what?  Every single headline on The Washington Post’s website has that ugly word, Trump, in it:

  • Trump’s national security adviser shared secrets without permission, files show

  • Trump recruits army of business titans to do battle in Washington

  • Trump displays unorthodox style in how he made State Department pick

  • Pence plays role of Trump’s ambassador to nervous Republicans

Sigh.  Okay, moving on to The Guardian.  Human tragedies in Aleppo; genocide in South Sudan; Duterte personally killing criminals; China wary of Rex Tillerson; Yemen airstrikes; Putin’s new ghetto …

New York Times …. Again, Trump is in every single bloomin’ headline.

The Intellectualist:

  • Report: Women In Syria’s Aleppo Choosing Suicide To Escape Rape

  • Assad’s Forces Enter Syria’s Aleppo And Begins Executing Civilians

  • Trump Owes At Least $3B To Creditors, Including Chinese Gov’t

Ah wait!  Here’s one about a 73-year-old man … with dementia … shot 7 times by a police officer.  Sigh.

Okay, I give up.  It is obvious that there is a media conspiracy to keep my mood from improving today, so I shall now return to my laundry, grocery list-making, and perhaps go clean some windows or something equally fun.  Since I have cheated you out of a coherent blog post, here are a few funnies for your viewing pleasure.

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Beyond Watergate

Posted on by under Global Issues, Political commentary, Re-blogs

Once again, my fellow blogger Erik Hare of Barataria has knocked it out of the park. This post is in-depth, thoughtful, well-researched, and does not indulge in premature speculation. If you read no other article about the situation between the U.S.,Russia, Trump and the recent e-mail leak, read this one. Best I have read … Thanks, Erik!

Barataria - The work of Erik Hare

Our political system is under attack by a foreign nation.

Revelations that the Democratic National Committee (DNC) server was hacked by Russians known to be working for state intelligence is only the tip of the iceberg. Like the break-in at the Watergate offices of the DNC on 17 June 1972, it appears to be part of a coordinated effort to influence the election. Unlike Watergate, it is being run by Putin’s Russia – a vast “kleptocracy” of mafia known as the “Bratva” (brotherhood) that routinely conducts similar operations around the world.

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Oh Bother …

Posted on by under Global Issues, Humour, Social commentary

Pooh1During a trip to our local library yesterday, my daughter pointed to a small side-street and said that her band sometimes practices down that street.  My somewhat rambling reply: “Well, that isn’t so very far, though farther than if it were very close, but still, not as far as if it were a longer way.”  She: “You sound like Winnie the Pooh.”  Which started my mind on a path, the ultimate conclusion of which was that if we all thought more like Pooh, the world would be a much kinder, nicer place to live.  (As I was indulging in this thought process, my daughter said, “I can see the wheels turning.”)  To those who know me, I am apparently rather transparent, much like Pooh himself.

I wonder what Pooh would have to say about the insanity of those who would follow the likes of da trumpeter?  “Some people talk to animals. Not many listen though. That’s the problem.  If the person you are talking to doesn’t appear to be listening, be patient. It may simply be that he has a small piece of fluff in his ear.”

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Say Pooh … what do you think of all the people who think Muslims are evil, simply because they believe differently?  “Weeds are flowers, too, once you get to know them. The things that make me different are the things that make me me.”

Recently President Obama visited Hiroshima, and some people think he was wrong to do so.  What is your take, Pooh-bear?  “You can’t stay in your corner of the Forest waiting for others to come to you. You have to go to them sometimes.”

Pooh, sometimes people ask me why I get so angry and rant about things so much … what are your thoughts?  “Some people care too much. I think it’s called love.”

Some of my favourite Pooh-isms:

  • “Rivers know this: there is no hurry. We shall get there some day.”
  • “I used to believe in forever, but forever’s too good to be true”
  • “Did you ever stop to think, and forget to start again?”
  • “A little consideration, a little thought for others, makes all the difference.”
  • “I’m not lost for I know where I am. But however, where I am may be lost.”
  • “I did know once, only I’ve sort of forgotten.”
  • “Think, think, think.”

pooh-thinkThat last one is one that I say to myself every day, multiple times a day! I even smack my paw against my head, as Pooh does …

 

 

Yes, Pooh has a simplistic view of the world, but isn’t it a nice one?  Was the world ever like that?  I do not think so, nor is it ever likely to be, but thanks to A.A. Milne, Pooh, Rabbit, Eeyore, Piglet, Tigger and the rest, we can visit that world sometimes, if only for a brief interlude.

Pooh-sadInterestingly, Winnie-the-Pooh has been banned from a few places in the past.  In the small (about 7,000 people) town of Tuszyn, Poland, our beloved Pooh-bear was banned from a newly-built playground because the city council there believes he is either transgender or gay. Additionally, according to council member Ryszard Cichy, “The problem with that bear is it doesn’t have a complete wardrobe. It is half naked which is wholly inappropriate for children.”  As my granddaughter said when I told her of this, “That is the dumbest thing I’ve ever heard!”  Elsewhere in Poland, however, Pooh is so popular that streets have even been named for him.

Like Alice-in Wonderland, Winnie-the-Pooh has been challenged by religious groups because the animal characters can speak and act on the same level as their human counterpart, Christopher Robin. As shown in many book challenging cases the idea of talking animals has been cited as an ‘abomination in the site of God’. (The University of Tulsa, Department of Special Collections and University Archives)  My personal opinion is that these talking animals have a lot more sense than many people I know!

pigletAnd then there is the problem of Piglet.  In the United Kingdom, Winnie-The-Pooh along with Charlotte’s Web and The Little Pigs nursery rhyme were banned from public schools because the talking pig characters might offend Muslim and Jewish students who abstain from pork as part of their religions.  Fortunately, in recent years, the Muslim Council of Britain formally requested an end to the “well-intentioned but misguided policy” and for all the materials to be returned to classroom shelves. (ibid.) This was truly a case of political correctness taken too far — Muslims and Jews abstain from eating pork … they don’t deny that pigs exist!

The most interesting case of Winnie-The-Pooh’s banning happened in 2009 in Russia. In a report from the Wall Street Journal “Russia’s Justice Ministry placed the book on a list of banned material and labeled it pro-Nazi because a depiction of Pooh bear wearing a swastika was discovered among the personal possessions of a known political extremist. If one extremist was in possession of a Nazi Pooh, the local courts concluded, then it stood to reason that others may follow suit” (bannedbooks.world.edu). So, to this day Russian children cannot have access to the Milne tales without strict consequences.

eeyoreI love Pooh and friends … my family call me Eeyore, and I have Eeyore pj’s, coffee mugs, and a stuffed eeyore that they have given me over the years.  I think most people like the Pooh stories and cast of characters, as Disney actually sells more Pooh merchandise than Mickey Mouse merchandise.  We cannot, as Pooh might say, “Don’t underestimate the value of Doing Nothing, of just going along, listening to all the things you can’t hear, and not bothering.” But maybe we can, just for a little while.  Maybe in the world of today we really need to do this.  Maybe if we all took a break sometimes, took a few minutes or an hour, to just be like Pooh, perhaps we just might be happier, less stressed, smile more, and have nicer things to say to people.  Think about it.

*Italicized Pooh quotes credited to A.A. Milne, creator of Winnie-the-Pooh; any others came from the webby corners of my mind.

Music and Politics Meet Once Again

Posted on by under Global Issues

Eurovision is touted as being like the Oscars, Grammys, Tony Awards, “American Idol,” “The X Factor” and “America’s Got Talent” all rolled into one — and then tripled.  Almost 200 million watched last year (even more than the Super Bowl!) from dozens of countries, and this year there were watch parties held everywhere from London to New York.  Eurovision is an annual song contest featuring singers from eligible countries that are members of the European Broadcasting Union.  It is, obviously, a big deal. Celine Dion actually started her now-famous career when she won in 1988 for Switzerland with the song “Ne partez pas sans moi” (Do not go without me).  Predictably, there are sometimes political conflicts that flow over into this entertainment event, such as in 2003 when the UK’s standing on the Iraq war may have contributed to a low score for the UK’s entry, Jemini.

This year’s Eurovision was held May 10th thru May 14th in Stockholm, Sweden.  The winner was Ukraine, which is where this story is leading.  I already mentioned that it can sometimes get political, right?  Well, Russia is apparently quite angry about the Ukraine winning and is threatening to boycott next year’s event!  Now I know you must be shocked to find that Vladimir Putin would lower himself to such levels of pettiness …

Apparently there is a two-fold reason for Russia’s anger.  First, Russia fully expected their singer, Sergei Lazarev, to win, but instead he finished third.  And then there was the song itself.  This year, organizers requested that contestants refrain from getting political with their song choices.  But Ukrainian Jamala, the Crimean Tatar jazz singer won with a ballad about the 1944 deportation of the Crimean Tatars. Given the recent conflict between Russia and Ukraine over the Crimean Peninsula, Ukraine’s choice of song and Russia’s ire are both understandable.  In some ways, the whole thing is reminiscent of the controversy over the Grammy’s in the U.S. this year.

JamalaJamala, whose real name is Susana Jamaladynova, pleaded for “peace and love” as she collected her award on Saturday night. She admitted her song was highly politically charged in an interview with the Guardian the day before the contest. She has not been home to Crimea in nearly two years, saying she fears arrest, but most of her family still live there, and she said that although her song was inspired by the events of 1944*, it was also about more recent tragedies. (Walker, The Guardian, 15 May 2016)

Eurovision changed the method of judging this year.  I won’t even attempt to explain the old vs. the new methods, but under the old method, Australia would have won 1st place, with Ukraine 2nd and Russia 3rd. Some comments from Russian officials were:

  • “This is partly a consequence of the propaganda war of information that is being waged against Russia. There is a general demonisation of Russia – that we are all evil, that our athletes are doping, that our planes violate airspace.” (Russian MP Elena Drapeko)
  • “Music lost, because victory clearly did not go to the best song, and the contest lost because political attitudes prevailed over fair competition.” (Foreign policy official, Konstantin Kosachev)

 

It is a sad commentary of the day when entertainment events, such as Eurovision, the Grammy’s and the Academy Awards, that should focus on showcasing talent and providing beauty and joy to the masses outside the political arena, are so highly politicized.  Sadly, this is the world we live in today.  Perhaps it always was.

 

*Jamala’s song was titled 1944 and was about the deportation of the Crimean Tatars. The entire population was rounded up, put on trains and exiled thousands of miles away from Crimea, for allegedly cooperating with the Nazis during the war, despite the fact that many Crimean Tatars, including Jamala’s great-grandfather, fought for the Red Army and died at the front. The Tatars were allowed to return to Crimea only in 1989, and the majority of them strongly opposed the annexation of the peninsula by Russia in 2014. While some Crimean Tatars have joined the Russian government, many Tatar activists have been jailed or have simply disappeared; a Tatar television station has been chased out of Crimea and a climate of fear prevails.

A Tale of Two Tragedies

Posted on by under Global Issues

Syria1Yesterday (Thursday) afternoon, a Syrian refugee camp near the Syrian town of Sarmada, just 11 miles from the Turkish border was bombed into oblivion.  This was a refugee camp, not a military installation.  There were makeshift tents and thousands of civilians who had already been the victims of the violence in nearby Aleppo that currently defines the nation of Syria.  It is reported that more than 30 people lost their lives, and the rest lost what few belongings they had, as well as friends and family members.  This is a tragedy beyond words, a tragedy for which there can be no justification, no defense.

It is unclear as yet whether the aircraft that dropped the bombs was Syrian or Russian, but in light of the brotherly relationship between al-Assad and Putin, perhaps it is one and the same.  The bombing was almost certainly intentional and, as such, is being investigated by the United Nations.  If found to be intentional it will be considered a war crime.  Zeid Ra’ad al-Hussein, the high commissioner for human rights, said it was “extremely unlikely that these murderous attacks were an accident” given the tents could be clearly viewed from the air. There was absolutely no military presence in the camp, only refugees fleeing for their lives.

This tragedy begs the question: what kind of a person could pull the lever or push the button to drop bombs on a place where there are only people already in distress, people barely surviving and fighting for their lives and the lives of their children every day? Certainly, I suppose, it is easy for al-Assad or Putin, sitting in their modern offices, smoking and drinking their tea, to give the order.  They do not have to be the ones to look down, seeing the human misery, and destroy humanity within the blink of an eye.  It is nothing more to them than giving an order to have the car lubed.  But the person flying the plane, the person opening the doors and actually causing the bomb to release, looking down and seeing tents burning, knowing that human beings are within those tents, seeing, perhaps, people afire trying to outrun the savagery.  How can anybody do that and still call themselves a human?

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Mariinsky Symphony Orchestra, from St. Petersburg, at Palmyra’s Roman Theater

You can read the story in The Guardian. Meanwhile, Putin generously sent one of Russia’s finest symphony orchestras to the recently re-captured Palmyra to play Bach for those who weren’t too busy fleeing for their lives or just trying to survive another day. Isn’t that an interesting contrast?  About 130 miles between the soothing music of J.S. Bach and the screams of dying refugees.

 

 

A flock of birds fly as smoke billows from the Fort McMurray wildfires in Kinosis, Alberta, Canada, May 5, 2016. REUTERS/Mark Blinch

A wildfire raging out of control for over three days in Alberta, Canada has forced the evacuation of some 88,000 people from Fort McMurray and surrounding areas.  The fire consumed thousands of homes and businesses.  Damages will be impossible to estimate for some time yet, but the loss of tangible property is accompanied by losses that can have no price tag … family pictures, beloved pets, and most of all, peace of mind.  Fortunately, there have been no casualties directly from the fire, although in the mass exodus there was one fatality from a car crash. The initial cause of the fire, which started last Sunday, is unknown, but the winds caused by El Niño and exceptionally dry, hot weather as a result of recent climate changes have worked to spread the fire.

Alta Wildfire Evacuation

Smoke fills the air as cars line up on a road in Fort McMurray, Alberta on Tuesday May 3, 2016 in this image provide by radio station CAOS91.1. At least half of the city of Fort McMurray in northern Alberta was under an evacuation notice Tuesday as a wildfire whipped by winds engulfed homes and sent ash raining down on residents.

Though most of the evacuees went south, some 25,000 were directed north into an area of oil sands, where supplies quickly began to run low.  Today, they are being led by Royal Canadian Mounted Police cruisers and monitored overhead by helicopters through Ft. McMurray and to safety south of the burned area.  To date, more than 1,100 firefighters, 145 helicopters, 138 pieces of heavy equipment and 22 air tankers have been fighting a total of 49 wildfires across the province, with seven considered to be raging out of control.

Among those who were evacuated and lost everything they had was a family of Syrian refugees who arrived in Alberta a mere two months ago.  “My kids, mom say, ‘What [do] we have to do? You said to us we will live there, we will live happy. Why that happened to us?’” Labak told the Globe and Mail in halting English. “That’s very bad. I can’t answer to them anything.”

Two tragedies, very different in nature, one caused by the cruelty of man, the other by the forces of nature (with, perhaps, some help from man).  Both heartbreaking stories.  Yet the main story of interest to many in the U.S. today is what Donald Trump is doing, where he is, who is or is not supporting him.  Make no mistake, I do my share of writing about Trump.  But today, I am much more caught up in the human suffering in Syria and in Canada. These two stories break my heart for those affected, and they also make me look around at my own family, my friends, and realize that we have so much for which to be thankful.

An Open Letter to President Putin

Posted on by under Global Issues, Humour

03 May 2016

 

Mr. Vladimir Putin

c/o The Moscow Kremlin

Moscow, Russia  103073

Dear Mr. Putin,

No, I am not writing to seek asylum in your fine nation.  I am writing to tell you what I think of your behaviour of late.  You, like so many others before you, seem to have let the size of your hands nation go to your head and fill it with something that does not resemble a brain, but is more a gaseous substance.

First, let us talk about the incident on April 29th where your military plane did a barrel roll a mere 25 feet above our military plane that was in international air space.  The whole barrel roll thing is nothing more than showing off, and came very close to causing a mid-air collision.  In such a collision, your pilot might or might not have been able to jettison to safety, but you don’t really care about one measly life, do you?  Our plane, however, would have inevitably become the funeral pyre for some 20+ individuals, and we do care about the lives of our people. This is not the first time this has happened, either.  An almost identical incident took place just two weeks earlier, on April 14th.  And on April 11th and 12th, your planes attempted to intimidate our destroyer, USS Donald Cook, which was on a training mission in the Baltic Sea with Polish NATO partners.  Your planes were as close as 30 feet overhead.  Let me tell you, Vlad, if I looked up and saw a plane that size a mere 30 feet over my head, I would die of heart failure right there and then.  It is getting old, Mr. P.  In each of these cases, we were well within our rights, in international waters or air space, and in no way posed a threat to Russia.  What is your problem?  You say you want to send a message for the U.S. and NATO to stay far away from your borders, despite what international law specifies?  Well, you routinely break international law, while we are breaking no rules, so knock it off.  The only reason we have not shot down your daredevil, stuntman pilots thus far is that we are trying very hard not to create an international incident that could lead to war.  But our patience is wearing thin and you are making matters worse. Cease and desist!

Next I need to mention your good friend, Bashar al-Assad.  Perhaps you have not noticed this, but he is a cruel dictator.  You are supporting a cruel dictator.  A Russian I know used to sing your praises, saying that Russia was a better nation than 20-30 years ago.  That was a few years back, when you were merely Prime Minister, and before your aggressive streak began needing to be fed on a daily basis.  Your support of al-Assad is unconscionable, Vlad. What are you thinking?  You say you are helping to defeat Daesh, however the latest evidence indicates that Daesh and the Syrian government are actually working together, as evidenced in the recent recapture of Palmyra.  So, in assisting al-Assad, you are actually helping Daesh.  Again, I must ask:  what are you thinking?  Al-Assad is a brutal dictator who the U.S. and our allies have been working toward overthrowing for ten years now!

And last, but not least, we need to talk about your support of our national buffoon, Trumpety-Dumpty, aka Donnie Trump.  Trump has said he believes he would “get along very well” with you.  Trust me, you should be afraid, Vlad … be very afraid.  Then I heard that you referred to him as a “bright and talented person”.  What are you thinking?  He is a businessman who has had limited success, he is a pathological liar, an embarrassment to his party, his family and even his employees and business associates.  And he will not be president of the U.S. next year, so if you are smart, you better start paying compliments to Ms. Hillary Clinton, lest you find yourself on the ‘naughty list’ in U.S. foreign policy.  You know those sanctions you want lifted?  FAT CHANCE!

Vladimir Putin, you do not own the entire eastern half of the globe. You do not own the Baltic Sea. I read that you were a troublemaker and a bully in school. putin school picWell, you are not in school anymore, so stop trying to act like your predecessors, Lenin and Stalin, and try to be a reasonably compassionate leader, at least try to care a little bit about the people you represent, and try to get along and ‘play nice’ in the larger global community.  I know what you are hoping – you are hoping to be able to re-build a Soviet-style empire.  Now is not the time.  Global politics and cooperation have come a long way, and remember there was good reason for the dissolution of the Soviet Union.  If you have forgotten, you can call me any evening and I will be happy to remind you of the history of the Soviet Union and the Cold War.

Thank you for your time and patience, Mr. P. I appreciate you taking the time to read my concerns and will appreciate it even more if you start thinking in a more logical fashion.

Sincerely,

 

Jill Dennison, U.S. citizen

Erdogan Strikes Again

Posted on by under Global Issues

geneva1Geneva, Switzerland.  Geneva is a global city, a financial center, and worldwide center for diplomacy. Many of the United Nations agencies are headquartered there, as well as the International Red Cross. Geneva is the city that hosts the highest number of international organizations in the world. It is also the place where the Geneva Conventions were signed. Switzerland has remained neutral, avoiding alliances that would necessitate military or political action, since 1515.  Its policy of neutrality has been internationally recognized since 1815.  Switzerland is a very small nation, thus the need for neutrality.  Although small, Switzerland is a nation in and of itself.  It is not affiliated in any way, nor under the rule of Turkey.  Yet … President Erdogan of Turkey believes that he has a right to tell Switzerland, just as he did Germany, what is or is not acceptable.

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In 2013, during a peaceful protest in Turkey, 15-year-old Berkin Elvan, who was reportedly not a part of the protest, was hit in the head with a tear-gas canister thrown by Turkish police.  Elvan remained in a coma for 269 days, before he died in 2014.  Elvan’s photograph, taken by Swiss photographer Demir Sönmez, is on display at an exhibition across from the United Nations complex in Geneva.  In the photo, there is a banner with the phrase “My name is Berkin Elvan. The police killed me, on the order of Turkey’s prime minister.” On Monday, the Turkish consulate filed an official complaint with Geneva demanding that the photo be removed from the ongoing exhibition.

Last week, you may remember, Angela Merkel, Chancellor of Germany, made the decision to allow Erdogan to file a civil action against Jan Boehmermann for a poem he read on German television mocking Erdogan.  Germany and Switzerland both have an outdated ‘lese-majeste’ laws on their books that make it illegal to insult foreign leaders.  It is apparent that Merkel’s decision last week may have set a precedent and given Erdogan the idea that he can control satire and mockery of himself and his leadership in all nations.  Chancellor Merkel has indicated that she intends to change the German law, and presumably at this juncture Switzerland will do the same, but meanwhile Erdogan’s complaints must be acted upon, which gives him a large degree of power that is unwarranted, not to mention frightening. Boehmermann’s poem, granted, was by all accounts crude and extremely insulting.  However the banner and picture of young Berkin Elvan is not.  It seems that if Mr. Erdogan finds it offensive, then he must in fact find his own actions embarrassing.

Dutch journalist Ebru Umar was arrested and detained in Turkey for posting ‘tweets’ and also a column she wrote for the Dutch Metro newspaper criticizing Erdogan.  Over the past two years, more than 1,800 cases have been brought against journalists for criticizing Erdogan, and the Turkish government has urged Turks living in the Netherlands to report insults to either the Turkish government or Erdogan.  Ms. Umar was released on Sunday.

It is the opinion of this writer that the world needs to sit up and take notice of President Erdogan’s actions.  Technically, Turkey is a Parliamentary Democracy.  Realistically, it appears to be moving more toward a dictatorship.  I am cautious in using Hitler comparisons, as it is an easy trap to fall into, often without validity.  But in this case, I see some parallels.  Hitler curtailed freedom of speech and press in 1933   Erdogan is pushing for an expansion of his power within the Turkish government and recently commented that Hitler’s Germany was an example of “an effective form of government.”  The Turkish government has already taken over one media group, Feza Media Group, and Erdogan has greatly curtailed freedom of speech and freedom of the press within Turkey.  Now, he apparently seeks to lengthen his reach to other nations such as Germany, the Netherlands and even Switzerland.

Part of the reason Erdogan thinks he has some leverage with members of the EU is that he has agreed to take some of the refugees and asylum-seekers that the EU cannot, or will not, accommodate.  In truth, this may actually give him a degree of leverage, some wiggle room to impose his will up to a point.  Certainly the refugee situation is dire and Turkey’s willingness to accept new refugees is important.  However, the world cannot afford to allow Erdogan unlimited authority, or to accede to his demands.  There must be limits placed on his power outside of Turkey, and the time to place those limits is now.

epErdogan became president of Turkey in 2014, just two years ago.  Simon Tisdall of The Guardian, a UK/International publication, writes that Erdogan’s grab for power is similar to that of Russia’s Putin.  Certainly Putin also bears watching, as it is apparent that his goal is to re-establish a Soviet-style empire and he has already taken certain steps toward that goal with his actions in the Crimea, Belarus, Finland, and even Syria.  Despite the hostilities between the two leaders, there are similarities.

In addition to Germany, Switzerland and the Netherlands, Italy, Poland, Denmark, Norway, Spain and a number of Middle Eastern countries have ‘lese-majeste’ laws, making it illegal to insult foreign leaders.  Let the current situation be a wake-up call to the governments of those nations that these laws need to be changed before dictators such as Putin and Erdogan begin to reach their tentacles into freedoms of the press across the world.

The Saner Side of the Aisle …

Posted on by under Political commentary

Today I step back from the republican circus (sorry folks, no clowns, buffoons or gallows humour in today’s post) to take a look at the two (yes, only two) candidates who are running for president on the democratic ticket this year.  Two candidates as opposed to a dozen or so makes meaningful analysis significantly easier and the fact that both Hillary Clinton and Bernie Sanders actually have political platforms provides a great deal more clarity than I have thus far been able to provide on the republican side.

In terms of experience, both Clinton and Sanders have experience in the federal government, he as a Senator from Vermont (10 years) and previously in the House of Representatives (16 years), she as Secretary of State (4 years) and previously as Senator (8 years).  Though Sanders has more years of experience in federal government, neither are political lightweights.

Both are well-educated, although Clinton takes the lead with a JD from Yale (1973) and a BA from Wellesley (1969), as compared to Sanders’ BS from University of Chicago (1964).

On the issues, there are really only two areas in which they differ:  gun control/regulation, and the role of the U.S. in relation to other nations.  Other than those, while one may feel more strongly than the other on certain issues, they are politically speaking, almost the Bobbsey Twins!  I will tackle the issues that they disagree on in a minute, but first, a brief summary of the issues that they basically agree on:

  • Abortion – both are strongly pro-choice
  • Legally require hiring women & minorities – both strongly agree
  • Support same-sex marriage – both strongly agree
  • Keep religion out of government – both agree, though Sanders more strongly
  • Support current or higher level of EPA regulations – both agree, she more so than he
  • Make voter registration easier – both strongly agree
  • Expand ACA (Obamacare) – both strongly agree
  • Vouchers for school choice – both strongly disagree
  • Prioritize green energy – both strongly agree
  • Marijuana is a gateway drug – both disagree, he more strongly than she
  • Stimulus better than market-led recovery – both strongly agree
  • Higher taxes on the wealthy – both strongly agree
  • Pathways to citizenship for immigrants – both agree
  • Privatize social security – both strongly disagree
  • Support and expand free trade – both disagree, he more strongly than she
  • Expand the military – both disagree (to be addressed in a future post)

Since it is my intention in this particular post to inform rather than to opine, I will not dwell on my personal view, but let me just say that in reference to the above issues, I agree with both on every issue save one.  Anybody care to guess which one?

And now on to the two areas of discord:

  • Gun Control/Regulation – While Clinton has sworn to “take on” the NRA, Bernie Sanders has voted against the Brady bill, supported allowing guns on Amtrak trains, is against holding gun manufacturers responsible for mass shootings. Sanders does, however, support closing the “loophole” in gun-show purchases, is against “certain types” of semi-automatic weapons and supports stronger, more effective background checks.  Hillary Clinton supports closing the “loophole” in gun-show show purchases, and supports stronger, more effective background checks.  Wait just a minute … and this is the area on which they disagree????  I suspect that Clinton would like to take a stronger anti-gun position but has come to understand that it would be political suicide.
  • Avoid foreign entanglements – Bernie Sanders prefers to focus on domestic rather than international issues, stating that we are not “the policeman of the world”. Still, he does acknowledge a need to combat terrorism, though he does not support unilateral actions.  He believes that drone strikes need to be limited, that we should support democracy in China, though not at the expense of U.S. workers, and he rather grudgingly supports the U.N.  He also believes that Putin now regrets his aggressive actions against Crimea and the Ukraine and was simply attempting to salvage Russia’s economy.  Hillary Clinton, on the other hand, favours taking a harder line with Putin, supports a higher level of cooperation with China on issues such as the environment, and is generally more amenable to U.S. intervention in the Middle East, but no surprise there … she was Secretary of State, so I would be quite surprised if she were in favour of curtailing foreign “entanglements”.

My take:

Both Sanders and Clinton support policies that very nearly mirror my own, and obviously each other’s.  Thus far, their campaigns have been relatively civil, peaceful and respectful on the democratic side, with Bernie and Hillary both supporting one another against attacks by the GOP candidates.  I, for one, appreciate that, as negativity in this campaign is counter-productive and demeaning to the voters.  Conversely, the discussion of platforms and agendas enables us to actually hear their views on the issues.  All things being equal, I would be hard pressed to choose between them.  However, all things are not equal and each has his or her Achilles heel.  For Sanders, the Achilles heel is a single word:  socialist.  The masses, misled by the republican party, have opted to focus only on that single word which, taken out of context, means something entirely different than “democratic-socialist”, which is what Sanders is (this will be defined, discussed, and compared in a later post, likely by the end of this week).  At the beginning of this campaign, I believed that the label would render Sanders non-viable as a serious candidate, but it seems that, if Iowa and New Hampshire are reliable indicators, his charisma, his platform, and Hillary’s Achilles heel(s) have helped him to rise above the label.

Hillary Clinton … Ahhhhh … where to begin?  First, there was Benghazi which, while the killings at Benghazi were not her fault, the republicans in Congress did their dandiest to make it an issue that would pull down her ratings during the election season.  Thankfully, they failed in that, making a spectacle only of themselves. But then comes the great “e-mail scandal”!  I cannot predict just yet where this may end up, as there are still too many unknown variables.  My fear, however, is that if she were to win the democratic nomination and then be charged with criminal activity, I am not sure where that would leave the democratic party.  It is the only scenario under which I can actually see Trump being elected president.

In conclusion, I think that either Bernie Sanders or Hillary Clinton are very capable of doing the job of president of the U.S., I think that they are both highly qualified and both have the conscience and values that closely mirror those of most moderates and liberals.  I have not yet decided which one I prefer.  It is probably a good thing, in light of uncertainties regarding Hillary’s situation, that we have another few months before the nominating convention (July).

 

Disclaimer:  The views and platforms of the candidates have been taken from speeches and advertisements.  As is the case with every politician, their views may vary or alter depending on circumstances, environment, audience, time of day, day of the week, weather, etc. 

Are We Doomed to Repeat the Past?

Posted on by under Global Issues, Political commentary, Social commentary

History is indeed cyclical and history does sometimes repeat itself, despite our best efforts to learn from the past. There are a number of not-so-shining examples around the globe today that may ultimately prove this point.

  1. With anti-Semitism seemingly on the rise in much of Europe, Adolph Hitler’s Mein Kampf is being re-published (the new version is 2,000 pages compared to the 800 page original) and it is reported that the German Teachers Union is in support of the new, annotated edition being used in German schools.  I am conflicted about the re-publication of the book, as I certainly do not advocate the banning of books, however I am not eager to see this book on shelves at my local bookseller.  I don’t think there is any danger of your average citizen grabbing it up and adopting the ideology of Hitler.  However, I do not see a reason to re-publish the book in the first place … it is nothing more than a treatise on anti-Semitism … and I am thoroughly against using it as a teaching tool or as required reading in schools.  When I hear the phrase “we will not forget”, whether in reference to the Holocaust, Pearl Harbor, 9/11, or any other historic episode, I wonder whether that is true.  Certainly those of us who lived through any of those events will never forget, but what about future generations?  Has enough time passed that we have actually forgotten the lessons of Hitler’s domination and of the Holocaust?  Very few Holocaust survivors are still alive today, and those are 70+ years old.  In another twenty years, there will be none left to remind us.  Certainly there are enough books and films, but is that enough?  Is it possible that we might forget the lessons and be lured once again into the mentality of bigotry, narcissism and racism that was Hitler’s dark legacy?  I hope not, but I am not sure.  To use Mein Kampf in teaching school children seems a recipe for disaster.  Despite an overall decrease in the number of members of “official” neo-Nazi groups in Europe, neo-Nazi propaganda and activities have nearly doubled in the last three years. (Felicity Capon, Newsweek, 24 March 2015)
  2. It is becoming increasingly obvious that Vladimir Putin, President of Russia and a former KGB officer, is working toward a goal of resurrecting an empire similar to the USSR of yore.  In an address to the nation in April 2005, he is quoted as saying “ …we should acknowledge that the collapse of the Soviet Union was a major geopolitical disaster of the century.” In March 2014, Putin annexed Crimea, then a part of the Ukraine, saying that “Crimea has always been and remains an inseparable part of Russia”. He has also made statements that Ukraine and Russia are “one nation” on more than one occasion.  More recently, in September 2015, Putin lent military aid to support the crumbling al Assad regime in Syria.  (Colum Lynch, Foreign Policy, 7 October 2015).  Due to falling oil prices, the Russian economy is already crumbling, and yet Putin has somehow seen fit to involve his country in the war in Syria.  One must ask the question:  WHY?  It is a situation that bears watching.
  3. At here in the U.S., racism is yet again on the front lines.  A 2015 poll conducted by the Kaiser Family Foundation in conjunction with CNN found that 49% see racism as a big problem, as compared to just 28% four years ago.  Another 33% see it as “somewhat” of a problem, while only 12% think it is either a small problem, not a problem at all, or don’t know/don’t care.  Meanwhile, Donald Trump’s rhetoric in his bid for president seems to have given a boost to white supremacist groups such as Stormfront, a white supremacist group referring to themselves as “white nationalists”.  Much of today’s racism against African-Americans can be seen in events such as the murder of Trayvon Martin and the exoneration of his killer under Florida’s ‘Stand Your Ground’ law, the killing of Michael Brown by a police officer in Ferguson, Missouri, the death of Freddie Gray while in police custody in Baltimore, Maryland as well as numerous others. The question becomes, are these events a cause of increased racism, or the effect?  I do not know the answer to that question, but before it goes any further, lawmakers, police departments and courts need to analyze and, in the words of Donald Trump, “figure out what’s going on”.  We cannot tolerate a return to the racist environment of the Civil Rights era, and that appears to be precisely where we are heading.

None of the above examples, taken at face value, indicate a return to the past.  There is still a long way to go until a neo-Nazi party comes to power in a European nation, or the Soviet empire returns to power in Eastern Europe, or the United States returns to the Civil Rights era of the 1950’s-1960’s.  But these are indicators that the winds may be blowing in that direction and I think it is prudent to realize this, be ever-vigilant and carefully elect leaders who will use their power to stop any further progression toward a return to a past that holds nothing but shame … a past that is made of “we will never forget” moments.