A great read/listen, Tim. You raise a good point about the lack of discussion around the efforts being made to radicalise the military. I feel that the lack of vigilance and interest in military affairs pervasive within the left only serves to harm - the values and ideology of those holding the guns is consequential for all of us.
"But they did not understand that, psychology aside, most people submit to the power of institutions because they suffer unpleasant consequences if they don’t."
I recently finished Stephen Kotkin's Stalin biography (the first book) and it's honestly quite startling how deeply the Bolsheviks understood this point. The cruelty and opression that resulted is obvious and well-documented, however Kotkin hammers the point that, unlike other leftist factions of the moment, they really did believe that shit and it was crucial to their victories. I look at other lefist movements in the 20th century and, to be frank, their failure to recognise this was devastating, as Ellis points out in the US context. A related quote from 'The Jakarta Method' I always think about:
"the people I spoke with who were politically involved back then believed fervently in a nonviolent approach, in gradual, peaceful, democratic change. They often had no love for the systems set up by people like Mao. But they knew that their side had lost the debate, because so many of their friends were dead."
I think there is an element of this sort of failure to fight with the crossbench, tbh. In the desire to do politics differently and elevate civility, they forget to do politics. I've been hinting at this in recent pieces, but will write some more direct soon. There's an (apocryphal) story about FDR that captures it: 'The story related a New Deal–era encounter between Franklin Delano Roosevelt and a group of activists, usually said to have been led by A. Philip Randolph of the Brotherhood of Sleeping Car Porters. In the meeting, the advocates laid out a vision of bold action for change that the president could advance with his bully pulpit and his executive power. FDR listened to their position and considered the demands they presented. Then he replied, “You’ve convinced me. I agree with what you’ve said. Now go out and make me do it.”'
Trump, his goons and willing idiots in big business have pulled back the curtain and shown that we are well and truly back in a mobster world (doubtful we ever left it).
Europe just had a nasty wake-up call. Be interesting to see if there’s enough life left in ‘the old place’ to resist, but as ever it seems hopelessly divided.
If only our laughably pedestrian political elite had the courage and strategic smarts, they would have gone nowhere near AUKUS. It’s not too late to turn it around, but the sight of that dangerously incompetent clown Marles glibly writing out an $800m cheque only last week doesn’t fill one with confidence. Given the LNP/Murdoch Right are surgically attached to Trumpism and the US, Albo had better start listening to his rank and file or he’ll drag us under as well.
Sadly I think we will go down with the USS USA. I don’t think our politicians have it in them to take an alternative path and certainly not unless it’s presented to us as a complete idea. The idea they’d set off into the dark and start knocking on doors to see what could be achieved is just beyond them, they just don’t have the courage or foresight to try.
We are sadly left to drift in the international currents subject to the winds and the sea as to where we’ll end up. I’m afraid our politicians will follow the US down a very dark path
Yes. We can’t keep leaving it to the ALP old guard to do the thinking for them (Keating, Cameron, Evans, etc.). And as for the LNP, it’s obvious that their masters in WA and the Murdochracy have got them over a barrel, even if they were capable of any independent thought.
Perhaps we shouldn’t be so surprised, Tim. Rachel Maddow produced a podcast about it - Ultra …
https://www.npr.org/2022/12/15/1143078657/rachel-maddow-uncovers-a-wwii-era-plot-against-america-in-ultra
Cued up for my morning walk, thanks!
A great read/listen, Tim. You raise a good point about the lack of discussion around the efforts being made to radicalise the military. I feel that the lack of vigilance and interest in military affairs pervasive within the left only serves to harm - the values and ideology of those holding the guns is consequential for all of us.
"But they did not understand that, psychology aside, most people submit to the power of institutions because they suffer unpleasant consequences if they don’t."
I recently finished Stephen Kotkin's Stalin biography (the first book) and it's honestly quite startling how deeply the Bolsheviks understood this point. The cruelty and opression that resulted is obvious and well-documented, however Kotkin hammers the point that, unlike other leftist factions of the moment, they really did believe that shit and it was crucial to their victories. I look at other lefist movements in the 20th century and, to be frank, their failure to recognise this was devastating, as Ellis points out in the US context. A related quote from 'The Jakarta Method' I always think about:
"the people I spoke with who were politically involved back then believed fervently in a nonviolent approach, in gradual, peaceful, democratic change. They often had no love for the systems set up by people like Mao. But they knew that their side had lost the debate, because so many of their friends were dead."
That last quote is brutal,ugh.
I think there is an element of this sort of failure to fight with the crossbench, tbh. In the desire to do politics differently and elevate civility, they forget to do politics. I've been hinting at this in recent pieces, but will write some more direct soon. There's an (apocryphal) story about FDR that captures it: 'The story related a New Deal–era encounter between Franklin Delano Roosevelt and a group of activists, usually said to have been led by A. Philip Randolph of the Brotherhood of Sleeping Car Porters. In the meeting, the advocates laid out a vision of bold action for change that the president could advance with his bully pulpit and his executive power. FDR listened to their position and considered the demands they presented. Then he replied, “You’ve convinced me. I agree with what you’ve said. Now go out and make me do it.”'
Btw, I spotted this last night, which goes to the point about reshaping military/law enforcement: https://www.citizensforethics.org/news/analysis/trumps-politicization-of-the-u-s-marshals-service-is-a-threat-to-our-democracy/
Look forward to the piece, Tim. FDR knew the score and I think Truman really suffered for it, both personally and politically.
Terrifying link.
Indeed, Tim.
Trump, his goons and willing idiots in big business have pulled back the curtain and shown that we are well and truly back in a mobster world (doubtful we ever left it).
Europe just had a nasty wake-up call. Be interesting to see if there’s enough life left in ‘the old place’ to resist, but as ever it seems hopelessly divided.
If only our laughably pedestrian political elite had the courage and strategic smarts, they would have gone nowhere near AUKUS. It’s not too late to turn it around, but the sight of that dangerously incompetent clown Marles glibly writing out an $800m cheque only last week doesn’t fill one with confidence. Given the LNP/Murdoch Right are surgically attached to Trumpism and the US, Albo had better start listening to his rank and file or he’ll drag us under as well.
Sadly I think we will go down with the USS USA. I don’t think our politicians have it in them to take an alternative path and certainly not unless it’s presented to us as a complete idea. The idea they’d set off into the dark and start knocking on doors to see what could be achieved is just beyond them, they just don’t have the courage or foresight to try.
We are sadly left to drift in the international currents subject to the winds and the sea as to where we’ll end up. I’m afraid our politicians will follow the US down a very dark path
We are just on the verge of a complete rethink of our geopolitics but it is hard to see who is doing the rethinking. Kind of terrifying.
Yes. We can’t keep leaving it to the ALP old guard to do the thinking for them (Keating, Cameron, Evans, etc.). And as for the LNP, it’s obvious that their masters in WA and the Murdochracy have got them over a barrel, even if they were capable of any independent thought.
I’m glad I’m coming to the end of my time, but sad that I have three daughters in their late 20s who will likely feel the impact.
When Trump dodged that bullet I was thinking at the time how lucky we were, not anymore. It was a missed opportunity.
Another “remove the blinkers” piece, Tim. Thanks!
really enjoyed that TD.
Do we notice the drama of US politics more or better remember the deceptiveness of government actions here?: https://www.mdavis.xyz/govlist/
The Hegemon is in our face constantly, and our media are obsessed, it's true.