President Donald Trump told reporters Wednesday that while „everyone thinks“ he deserves a Nobel Peace Prize for his involvement in the warming of relations with North Korea, the only prize he wants is a victory for the world. (CNN , 9. Mai 2018)
Atlas: Oh gosh, did he really say this?
It is our Trumplandia and up is down.
Seit Trump und seine Follower die USA verseuchen, hat Jerrold seinen Focus auf „Trumplandia“ gerichtet. Mit seinen KollegInnen von der US-Psychohistoriker-Fraktion legt er das Land, die „Trump-Base“, die politischen FührerInnen inkl. Opposition auf die Couch. Analysiert, wie Hass geschürt und durch Propaganda projiziert wird. Und kann es mitunter kaum fassen, wie zerrissen die USA sind, in denen sich (und nicht nur dort) eine zunehmend destruktive Normalität durchsetzt. Es braucht schon, so Jerrold, einen wahren „Tsunami“ der Demokraten im Lande, um bei den Novemberwahlen wieder zu eigenen klaren Sinnen zu kommen. Ansonsten gilt: „We’re on the eve of destruction“ – den alten Barry McGuire stellt Jerry neben die „masters of war“ von Bob Dylan. Der Widerstand gegen „Numb und Dumb“ braucht einen Soundtrack: Von Pete Seeger über Pink bis Eminem.
„Masters of war“; that“s a beautiful reminder! The anti-war fears are rising throughout the US and our allies, allies are nervous now that Trump has abandoned the Iran nuclear deal and old hopes for peace are emerging once again. No one knows what Trump’s bluster will do (If he even does try to negotiate a better deal instead of doing nothing but sanctions). Indeed, the transactional nature of isolationism and Trump is that there doesn’t seem to be any „plan B“. He acted, thrust out his Mussolini jaw pose, spoke ever so softly (signalling all that his words were ominous) and dropped his long expected bombshell.
Yet, Macron-Merkel-May could surprise everyone by reaching some accord on minor matters or a larger one from the Iranians that Trump could buy into. That’s how easy it could be to deal with what seems to be Trump’s need to undo Obama achievements. The current Trump-created brouhaha will stop the spigots of Iranian cash while hurting all motorists as well as raising the costs of all goods.
Yes, it all brings back to a desire for peace vs a long-running apparent need to be punitive-regressive. „Love is all you need“ (Lennon) but we can’t forget that as we sink into hatreds and fears. We can’t forget that the Trump base (including neo-Nazis, White Nationalists, racists, misogynists) got huge support from the Independents-swing voters (filled with fear, economically frightened, seeing their gains vanishing, feeling angry at a designated target). Trump supplied the target – immigrants, Muslims, Mexicans, other foreigners.
Still, any governmental focus on growing the economy, expanding health care, ensuring good public education couldn’t pass because very Conservative GOPers refused to budge. Instead, the embrace of a „trickle down“ economy took over – that increased divisiveness and hate (Trumplandia’s preferred mechanism for their success).
Or still, if the US November election is the expected Democrats tsunami, things could change in the next year. Europe is bogged down in reinventing itself after Brexit – with 6-7 states reverting to punitive-regressive laws and governance. Thus, is Europe a reliable alternate for the US?
Yet, like Detlef, I believe in peaceful approaches to international troubles. War is such a waste, a hiccup in progress, a lack of human sensibilities. Wasn’t it Barry McGuire who sang „We’re on the eve of destruction“? (Jerrold Atlas)
