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Mandatory Credit: Photo by Wilfredo Lee/AP/Shutterstock (10323334d)
Democratic presidential candidates former vice president Joe Biden, left, Sen. Bernie Sanders, I‑Vt., and Sen. Kamala Harris, D‑Calif., right, stand on stage for a photo op before the start of the the Democratic primary debate hosted by NBC News at the Adrienne Arsht Center for the Performing Arts, in Miami
Election 2020 Debate, Miami, USA — 27 Jun 2019
The new American penchant for tribalism isn’t doing us any favors. That was on full display at the most recent Democrat presidential debates, where candidates pandered vigorously to their various tribes by promising virtually anything they could think of – from health care to college educations – for free. The idea that Bernie Sanders, who is still combing his hair with a balloon, and whose pandering is delivered in language taken directly from the All Soviet Congress of 1917, is even on the dais as a candidate should probably cause every thinking American to cringe.
But mostly we don’t. Many millions actually celebrate Sanders’ breathless promises to the groaning proletariat, despite the historical evidence which clearly predicts the result of his favorite policies: inveterate poverty for all but a very select few – an elite cadre of policy wonks whose work in government insulates them from the worst results of their own policies, while simultaneously enriching them.
Naturally, Sanders, who is a multi-millionaire, won’t apologize for his own considerable wealth, but vigorously insists that others should, and has a plan to both take their money and humiliate them for having it in the first place. This theme, and its many subtle variations, seems to dominate the policy thinking of the democrat candidates for president.
The tilt toward tribalism is driven, at least in part, by hyper-partisan television punditry and the resulting phenomenon of universally bad candidates for high office. It’s also linked to the identity craze, which is that weird insistence on the narrowest claims of one’s personal identity over debate and compromise. It’s a mindset that ultimately serves only to disrupt our ability to negotiate reasonable solutions because that identity claim is sacrosanct, and the result is a populace and a government in perpetual partisan gridlock.
Most ironically, falling hard into this identity trap earns one the title of being “woke”, which is bandied about with suspiciously religious fervor, particularly on college campuses where western civilization is routinely derided and the promise of America is no longer measured by its many successes, but rather by its flaws – both real and imagined.
Many of the candidates at the debate weren’t content to offer Americans, who should know better, lots of free stuff. Many of them think it is a good idea to offer free stuff to all of Latin America too, providing an irresistible enticement for many millions — living in the abject poverty of their own countries — to pack up their kids and make the long walk north where, they are promised, they will get free everything.
But all of that free stuff has to be paid for by someone, which many millions of American voters seem to forget in their zeal to see student loan debts forgiven, universal health care, or any number of the other “free” ideas floating around in politics. The irony here, of course, is that they will offer these cheesecakes for free, no matter what they actually cost.
Afghanistan is a good place to look when investigating the end result of the tribal mind. It is among the poorest nations on earth and, after 18 years of pouring our blood and treasure into the rock pile, America will soon be pulling out having accomplished nothing. The Taliban who were in charge when we invaded will be back in charge, throwing acid on little girls learning to read, executing women for exposing their ankles, destroying world heritage sites with howitzers, and the long slide back to the 7thCentury will begin anew for its perpetually hapless citizens.
And for an exclamation point, which they hardly need, the Taliban continue launching car bomb attacks in Kabul, killing dozens at a time, even as we negotiate our way out of the country, bloodied and degraded by the experience.
But at least they will still have their tribes.
The recent debates, and I’m certain it will be true of all them to follow, reminded me of a memorable scene from the movie masterpiece “Lawrence of Arabia”. Lawrence, of course, had done a considerable job of uniting the various Arab tribes to make the march on Damascus, where they might finally create an Arab entity out of the remnants of European occupation and colonization at the end of World War 1.
Having gathered the many tribes to begin their negotiations, Lawrence was faced with bedlam — chieftains arguing with chieftains, angry camel herders storming across tables to yell at each other, heaping insult upon insult, even doormen reaching for their swords, all in an effort to insist on the natural rights of their own tribe.
They were so busy demanding the rights of their tribes, defending their notions of honor and identity, that they were unable to turn on the power, draw water from wells, keep the telephones running, or fight a fire threatening the city. “The Tawhid do not carry water!” One Chieftain yells above the din.
After watching the debates, it seems plausible that our nation is headed in a similar direction. Having kicked the notion of E Pluribus Unum to the curb, our many tribes now want all of the glory of Damascus, but without having to carry any water. And in our unabashedly consumerist, poorly educated, and increasingly tribal culture, the temptation to believe that we really can get something for nothing may ultimately prove too much to resist.
Matthew says
The problem with identity politics is that it is still concern with a person’s race (or gender or ethnicity) and not the persons character or achievements.
This is precisely the problem, but the faster way to high office is to pander to that mentality, which is ultimately, and often finally, destructive.
TJ says
Good stuff.
Not a Maher fan generally, but his monologue nailed it “Healing Crystals” ?. Too funny.
Like him or not, I don’t see anyone from that crew beating the president, unless they find dead bodies at Trump Tower. Even then?
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=bRQAvgZ3zr8
Traven Torsvan says
Absolute shame they didnt let Mike Gravel in, that wouldve livened up the whole circus, or allow heckling and jeering from the audience.
TJ says
I know we have some serious problems in this great country of ours and it’s not a joking matter, but I have to find some humor in all this chaos and catch my breath.
I’m literally clearing my schedule, getting a beer or three along with a snack and having a debate “movie night”. Who’s the Republican challenger going to be?
Our President’s social media post of the ex Vice President creeping up and sniffing himself — is simultaneously everything wrong with this hole thing and pure comedy gold.
What a country.…..
Craig, you have to admit the many “Lights & Sirens” parallels.
Indeed. The parallels are really all symptomatic of the larger disease.
Traven Torsvan says
“simultaneously everything wrong with this hole thing and pure comedy gold.”
That’s Biden’s whole candidacy, he’s a delusional idiot who is solely the frontrunner by being handpicked by Obama, the scared donors, and the senile MSNBC crowd. He has no real platform and flamed out on the national stage so many times. (I.e. his plagiarism scandal in the 80s)
The other nobodies just want the name recognition for slots on cable news or a resume buffer for careers in lobbying.
TJ says
??
Didn’t hear a whole lot of substance — although this whole process dumbs everyone down and punishes unfiltered conversation about what’s really going on.
Unless it’s a lightning bolt from God, the really good ones would never put in for the job in the first place.
Should be interesting.
These “debates” are just theater, on the same level of spectacle as “pre-fight news conferences”, where the tithed gladiators posture and preen and are encouraged to do something that electrifies the crowd. 45 seconds for a response to policy questions? Please. It’s so ludicrous it defies belief.
Saddle Tramp says
The entire ball of wax scares the hell out of me whether you turn left or turn right or however you roll it up. I think someone has jammed the intelligence signal. Of course as TJ so aptly put it, what truly sane and competent person would ever apply for the position. It has simply become the rule of an oligarchy with a very loose grip on the throttle that is making hay while the sun shines and the hell with the future and the rest of us. The common denominator has lost it’s way and can no longer be found. What is there left to build on that is virtually undeniable or acceptable? Not much if anything it seems. We may all share the same sun and moon but beyond that we are stuck to our own patch of ground and blind to the light as the rest of it is all coming down around our ears. In spite of it all, I still hope to be proved wrong. America is supposed to be the hope and the shining light of the world. I say that even after listening to Aldous Huxley’s speech from way back in 1962 that is still scarily and even more relevant today. Somehow we have survived until now, but I am afraid that the ingredients are all the more powerful today. I used to leave America out of that formula, but not any longer. Aldous is a humble man and very gentlemanly, but you cannot deny the potency of his wisdom, especially considering the time at which his speech was given. He never claimed to be a prophet or have a crystal ball. I thought it might fill an opportune moment right now some 57 years later.
A cautionary tale:
The Ultimate Revolution.
Berkeley speech 1962
https://youtu.be/2WaUkZXKA30
Saddle Tramp says
Craig,
I absolutely agree with your assessment, but feel it is important to add all political party rally’s debates and so forth and what the majority of Americans ingest politically. How many really want to know anything beyond a few basic positions that are to their interests and mostly knee jerk reactions at that. Political campaigns from either side are manipulations of numbers calculated down to a nat’s ass but still a guess and sometimes they guess right and sometimes they guess wrong. More pandering then principle much too often. It’s just as much the fault of the voting populace as it is of the politicians in my opinion and what they respond to. Compromise is the nature of politics, so uncompromising people need not apply or vote. It works the same with any endeavor involving the multitudes. Just don’t gore my ox. No sacrificial lambs either. It’s both a bottom up and top down problem with a race to the sidelines. My values have been insulted plenty by all sides. That’s the way of the world and I never fail to recognize that. I can usually sense a misdirected intention of ill will and that guides me until proven otherwise. Then there is the practical side of how adept is someone at delivering the goods and their good will in productive ways. It’s a mystery and some times it works and sometimes it don’t. I can easily join in on the derision (and I have) but it becomes rather fatiguing after awhile, not that it is not deserving of it. One thing for certain is we don’t need someone stuck in neutral or that is luke warm. Unfortunately the ones I tend to favor are rarely electable it would just be feeding oats to a dead horse to vote for them.This does not mean that you turn down a life ring while waiting for the rescue boat (the perfect candidate) to come along some day. However, If you feel that both choices are dead even bad then go ahead and abstain or vote your throwaway vote and choice of conscience.
“Politicians. You can’t live with ‘em and you can’t live without ‘em.”
— saddle tramp
As you know, Tramp, I don’t shill for any party, or any candidate. Except Jim Webb. I’ve shilled for him, but he never had a chance. I reject the hysterical nonsense from the left that claims we are living in a “fascist” state. That’s just poppycock. I reject the hysterical nonsense from the right that we are sliding into communism. That’s poppycock, though it trends more accurately based on the socialist leanings of millennials. When I was a cop in a large southern California city we had an annual celebration called “Fiesta”. This lasted a week and was the same environment as mardi gras in New Orleans. The binge drinking and drugging and general criminality required large numbers of cops to work the streets for public safety. If I had a nickel for every tithead who came up to cops in uniform decrying the “police state” I’d be a wealthy man. At one point I’d had enough of it, after being accosted by three sorority tarts who would likely have blown a .30 and collectively could not change a tire if their lives depended on it. They were emboldened by booze and decrying the “police state” because there were many hundreds of officers on the street to handle the various assaults, stabbings, shootings, drunken brawls, and the inevitable street gang takeover of the streets after 9pm. I asked the young lady if she had ever been to a police state. Naturally, she hadn’t. I have. I was pleased to tell her that “Police states don’t have these kinds of parties at all.” As for candidates, it would be far more interesting if they were serious about policy and the middle class beyond becoming celebrities adept at wielding useless memes. Perfectly reasonable people are running around decrying what they see as “fascism”, which is a little like the “outraged” woman at an HOA meeting. She starts with outrage, and there isn’t anywhere to go from there. The candidates for high office are universally bad because we aren’t serious about demanding accountability from the candidates, who have, over the last 60 years or so, done a magnificent job of insulating themselves from accountability…and political party doesn’t have a damn thing to do with it. Money does. Every single policy put forth by both parties — which are both run by billionaires — lands squarely on the middle class because the middle class are the only people actually paying taxes. The poor don’t, and the rich don’t. And today, for those fortunate middle class families who have actually been able to sock some money away in IRA’s to protect their wealth for their own retirement, and perhaps leave something for their children, the house has passed a bill that will require families to pull that money out sooner so it can be taxed at a higher rate. Why? Because the fucking politicians can’t spend enough of your money, which is proven by their inability to handle the national debt, which is a result of Baby Boomer entitlement programs and giveaways. My friend, who later became a warlord in Afghanistan, rightly decried that generation, on the heels of Tom Brokaw’s Greatest Generation bit, the “Lamest Generation”. I agree. They have created a gigantic sucking whirlpool of debt that will never get any better because the White House is about celebrity and identity, and will eventually destroy us fiscally. Rant concluded.
Saddle Tramp says
Nice rant. Well put Craig…
Third parties. We all know the drill from Ross Perot to Ralph Nader and others.They were not electable politicians.
Agitators is more their desired place. Ralph agrees with you about the supposed two party system. It is not. It is the corporate party spilt in two for flavor variety. As I said “money” is the true party and those with it know it. Sure a few get caught with their pants down but by and by it continues. The military sucks up a disproportionate amount of that cash too. Never enough defense for some though. Like you, I too have also swam through the cesspool of society (as it were) and it does jade one’s senses. It’s all part of humanity and God’s Will I would suppose. I have yet to come up with any better answer or explanation. Huxley brings up eugenics (not in a favorable light mind you) regarding those types of issues. Create the perfect race. I’ll settle for a decent middle class myself. Back to politics. It’s everyone’s right to vote as they choose (pretty much anyway these days) but my opinion is that, yes support your chosen candidate all the way until the dust settles. Then when the showdown of last survivors takes place we come to the real impact. Symbolic votes have no effect. Parties do make a difference one way or another money or not. Those can be meaningful choices. We are not going to get ourselves out of it by staying out of it. Politicians do hear the hew and cry when loud enough. A closed mouth does not get fed. I just feel that voting for a snowball candidate (as in a snowball’s chance in hell of making it) is a symbolic or vanity vote. It is much better to be a rabble rouser and poke ‘em in the eye then die a quiet death at the polls. However, it could be a practice run too. If you are apathetic about voting then maybe better to become an activist, or otherwise just sit on your hands so to speak (politically that is). Just my opinion. Symbolic voting does not get us any further down the road. As far as fascism and dictators go it does not always require a gun pointed to the head. As Huxley points out so well (and I see it today especially), there are many ways without violence to accomplish the same thing using the techniques they use. He was more concerned about other countries and not the U.S. at the time, but did not exclude it. Best to hear it from him. Well, I could go on more regarding your more inflammatory statements but this is probably not the best forum to do so. Might get pretty boring with too many factual statements and such. Like farting in the wind it makes a noise and stirs up a little stink, but then all to no avail. I leave myself this reminder: Make it count or hold my tongue. I will say this though, and as a point of pride in your favor Craig, you are not a politician. Neither am I Craig…
Saddle Tramp says
A slight revision if I may:
[…] are rarely electable, and it would just be feeding oats (or votes) to a dead horse to vote for them.
TJ says
All true.…
The fact they are “rarely electable” (and it is a fact), is proof of the problem(s) outlined in the prior posts.
For similar reasons and with rare exception, many of the most qualified real leaders never promote upward and or subject themselves to a system that grinds you into survival mode.
Politics, military, domestic l/e, business. I don’t blame them. I’ve witnessed it.
Saddle Tramp says
“grinds you into survival mode” most definitely sums it up well. The problem unfortunately then becomes dealing with who will go through that grind and having to choose between the ongoing dilemma of who will do the least damage and the most good. You never know for sure what fate will throw at them, but you have to realize they do have real power to do good or bad. You just hope there are enough “qualified real leaders” with influence to bring some equanimity to bear. I just feel strongly that we have entered into some real uncharted territory and lack the greater overall cooperative resolve that we had in the past. Of course that depended on which end of the stick you were holding at the time. The tribal divisiveness that Craig stresses also heightens my concerns. Sure, we need changes, but if it is based on hate, territoriality and then coupled with irresponsibility, we will only end up in a much worse place I fear. We do not need someone who entices that in my opinion. If not, Katy bar the door…
Chuck says
Since so much has been said, allow me to simply say, “Welcome back sir”
Thank you sir, good to be here again. Busy summer season. Too many horses, too much to do. And I love every bit of it.