tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8746692.post5148845172370447478..comments2024-03-15T20:25:28.637-04:00Comments on History Unfolding: Revolution abroad, entropy at homeDavid Kaiserhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05020082243968071584noreply@blogger.comBlogger10125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8746692.post-49799063835906039802011-03-20T09:38:44.794-04:002011-03-20T09:38:44.794-04:00The 2010's and the 2020's and the 2030'...The 2010's and the 2020's and the 2030's will not be the 1930's and 1940's and 1950's. New century...turn the page.<br /><br />Forget any repeat of the New Deal. The Entropy at home needs to continue to its logical conclusion, since the institutions it is ravaging are beyond recovery. We really do have to "destroy the country to save it."<br /><br />The Left will not solve this crisis; neither will the Federal Government. The solution will not come from the top down. The New Deal is irrevocably dead, and will not re-emerge.<br /><br />Nothing but the dead and the dying left in progressive politics (and on the Left)...its day is over, and it will not be the savior of our nation.<br /><br />The solution will come from the bottom up, and from technology.<br /><br />Turn the Page.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8746692.post-48199252074249984362011-03-19T03:03:02.845-04:002011-03-19T03:03:02.845-04:00Progressive Government Is Obsolete
The rule-based ...Progressive Government Is Obsolete<br />The rule-based civil service was a<br />step forward from Tammany Hall.<br />But today's regulations stifle <br />government workers at a time when <br />getting value for tax dollars is <br />more important than ever.<br /><br /><br />Would an increase in the<br />"progressivity" of the tax system<br />be the way out of our budget woes?<br />More and more, urban mayors <br />understand the futility of trying <br />to tax their cities into <br />prosperity. Few would dispute the <br />fairness of a progressive tax <br />system—but there are limits. In <br />New York City, the highest-earning <br />1% of tax filers pay approximately <br />50% of the city's income taxes. <br />Those paying the most are also <br />best-positioned to relocate. <br /><br />We need a new approach to <br />governance that includes more <br />respect not only for students in <br />need of high-quality education but <br />also for taxpayers, that has less <br />job-killing red tape, and that <br />fosters a more productive work <br />force. The first rule of city <br />government should be an unwavering <br />commitment to delivering real <br />value to the public with every tax <br />dollar. That would be real <br />progress.<br /><br />http://online.wsj.com/article/<br />SB100014240527487035604<br />04576189011057064084.html?<br />mod=WSJ_hp_mostpop_readAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8746692.post-70550470981706373422011-03-17T21:49:28.033-04:002011-03-17T21:49:28.033-04:00The real reason why Hillary is jumping off the
sin...The real reason why Hillary is jumping off the<br />sinking ship.<br /><br />“Obviously, she’s not happy with dealing with a<br />president who can’t decide if today is Tuesday or<br />Wednesday, who can’t make his mind up,” a Clinton<br />insider told The Daily. “She’s exhausted, tired.”<br /><br />http://www.thedaily.com/page/2011/03/17/031711<br />-news-hillary-2-2/Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10459068349772071917noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8746692.post-46511913540751354312011-03-16T12:51:06.674-04:002011-03-16T12:51:06.674-04:00I'm always surprised at the public reaction of...I'm always surprised at the public reaction of Democrats to what Scott Walker is trying to do in Wisconsin. Many of them say privately that public sector unions have gotten too strong and something needs to be done a la Scott Walker. FDR and the AFL/CIO's George Meaney spoke out against public sector unions decades before. It's pretty bad here in Rhode Island, isn't it David?...the public sector unions here have been pretty much in control of the General Assembly for decades, and we have the budgetary problems to prove it.<br /><br />At least the Republicans are up front with it, willing to incur the wrath of the unions and their supporters. Democratic senators in Wisconsin flee to an adjacent instead of staying to fight. my guess is that some of them privately are admiring what the Republicans are willing to take on head-to-head with the public unions. Interestingly, the fire and police were not threatened with the so-called 'loss-of-workers rights'...am presuming the Republicans didn't want to bite off more than they could chew at the moment.Winsornoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8746692.post-2739335985350838532011-03-14T21:29:38.499-04:002011-03-14T21:29:38.499-04:00Chick Swallow in Peter De Vries's 'the Ten...Chick Swallow in Peter De Vries's 'the Tents of wickedness' said , " The trait most likely to accompany an extreme is its opposite." But in USA we have a President faced every day with an extreme and he still looks for a consensus solution . It is very disspirting for those of use wanting to see a real fight for American ideals and values cherished by the working poor and middle class.<br />Mac - The Lighthouse, Bluff,NZAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8746692.post-75160158237867077592011-03-14T21:18:02.073-04:002011-03-14T21:18:02.073-04:00Crowley's "resignation" prompted, qu...Crowley's "resignation" prompted, quite<br />predictably, these scathing observations from <br />Glenn Greenwald, citing other influential critics<br />responses on Twitter, shortly after the news <br />broke on Sunday:<br /><br />So, in Barack Obama's administration, it's perfectly<br />acceptable to abuse an American citizen in<br />detention who has been convicted of nothing by<br />consigning him to 23-hour-a-day solitary<br />confinement, barring him from exercising in his<br />cell, punitively imposing "suicide watch" restrictions<br />on him against the recommendations of brig<br />psychiatrists, and subjecting him to prolonged,<br />forced nudity designed to humiliate and degrade.<br />But speaking out against that abuse is a firing<br />offense. Good to know. As Matt Yglesias just put it:<br />"Sad statement about America that P.J. Crowley is<br />the one being forced to resign over Bradley <br />Manning." And as David Frum added: " Crowley<br />firing: one more demonstration of my rule:<b> <br />Republican pols fear their base, Dem pols despise it."</b><br /><br />http://www.huffingtonpost.com/daphne-eviatar/<br />obama-gets-pushed-out-of_b_835510.htmlAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8746692.post-58528372917965069722011-03-14T08:34:02.058-04:002011-03-14T08:34:02.058-04:00Professor,
I too, value your comments very highly....Professor,<br />I too, value your comments very highly. You hit the key problem:<br />"There is no real counterbalance in our political life to the Republican attack on government". There are a zillion reasons for this, but most prominent is the fact that both parties are dominated by big money interests: Republicans as slavish minions of the rich elite; Democrats as wimpy recipients of an unholy alliance of tattered social interests such as lawyers, remnants of unions, largely powerless Blacks and older women.<br />The tradegy is that potentially revolutionary turmoil in the '60's & '70's (remember the "New Left") not only did not result in pro-working class institutions of power, or even a viable coalition of labor, students and the poor, but propelled its veterans into safe, narcissistic niches in Boomer heavens of academia and the professions, seldom to be heard from again.<br />Although it is hardly ever stated, the collapse of the Soviet Union emanating from the corruption of "socialism", destroyed the only real global force feared by western capitalist elites. The previous shadow of a potential globally-organized working class (broadly writ) was always a potential "counterbalance" to ruling elites. <br />We are left with virtually no possoiility of rebuilding or re-inventing democratic communitarian institutions.<br />I wish it weren't so.tructor manhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/18214448074424409144noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8746692.post-38606178735270970822011-03-13T14:11:15.646-04:002011-03-13T14:11:15.646-04:00In discussing the Middle East, we might benefit fr...In discussing the Middle East, we might benefit from Anthony Wile’s discussion on The Daily Bell concerning how pricing oil in dollars and thus supporting the dollar as the world’s reserve currency might have as much to do with America’s many invasions of the region as well as our support of corrupt authoritarian regimes at Mid-East Conflict Not Exactly About Oil at <br /><br />http://www.thedailybell.com/1851/Anthony-Wile-Mid-East-Conflict-Not-Exactly-About-Oil.html <br />Also this article on the dangers to the region of copying the failing American regulatory democracy model titled A Middle East Warning: American-Style Democracy Isn’t the Answer is also a worthwhile read as he recommends the Swiss model of government as an alternative at <br /><br /><br />http://www.lewrockwell.com/holland/holland43.1.html <br />Thanks,<br />DouglasAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8746692.post-62993021579238229982011-03-13T10:38:00.308-04:002011-03-13T10:38:00.308-04:00Professor
Thanks for writing this great gloss on ...Professor<br /><br />Thanks for writing this great gloss on current events in context.<br /><br />I have not been fully persuaded by the adequacy, validity, or explanatory power of the Strauss and Howe generational model, yet, but continue to be amazed at its apparent efficacy in your hands.<br /><br />I also have not attended the websites, as yet, where these 'generational jousts' occur; <br /><br />so my views are blinkered by lack of this aspect of the generational account debate in which you have been involved. <br /><br />All the best,<br />GMBozonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/18078858723231122013noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8746692.post-52840341575584142222011-03-13T10:09:33.189-04:002011-03-13T10:09:33.189-04:00The republicans certainly seem to have overplayed ...The republicans certainly seem to have overplayed their hand in Wisconsin, but it disappoints me to see how many Americans do not see these moves for what they truly are. <br /><br />Meanwhile many states are trying to limit the political fallout from these moves by attempting to restrict voter rights. Legislation in TX is my favorite, a student id is not valid at the voting booth but you will be able to use your handgun registration card to vote. <br /><br />David, I applaud you for your continued coverage of current events with historical context. Too many of our population does not seem to grasp the repetitive nature that our political discourse follows. I will continue to follow and share your blog with enthusiasm. Thank You.Evan Hurrlehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11962424495262193410noreply@blogger.com