Thanks Jake, I was mostly thinking about Ireland when I wrote that :-).

I failed again in my prediction that MAGA would become aware enough of the pain that even they will inevitably feel, e.g. wrt losing health care (and now food support) for low income families. It is happening, but their core love and trust in their father figure/cult leader is largely still there.

As is the hate of libs and any of vestiges of…[Read more]

Unseen wrote:
At that point, our only hope will be the military.

Trump keeps acting stupid and unaccountable, intentionally claiming ignorance of some of the people and policies affected by decisions made by his kabal that are borderline criminal or mafia-like.

To what you’re saying about how the military might be our only hope, the…[Read more]

Really well said Reg in a departure from lots of other really well said.

The Enlightenment was about freeing thought from authority, be that authority religious, royal, or dogmatic. Now the new authorities are hashtags and outrage algorithms. The problem is not just ideological, it’s epistemic. Both the ‘Lunatic Left and Rancid Right’ have abandoned Enlightenment principles like reason, evidence, and open debate in fa…[Read more]

Jake,

Oh, and the influence of both the Lunatic Left and Rancid Right are growing beyond their respective corners! Again, it’s bad times for supporters of The Enlightenment!

Jake,

Yeah, the train will stay on the tracks, but for what itenerary?

First, there’s Tucker Carlson platforming Antisemitic, Racist, Sexist, Homophobic, Totalitarian Nick Fuentes, then Megyn Kelly plus Kevin Roberts platforming Tucker Carlson all on the Right.

Then there’s Zohran Mamdani and Bernie Sanders and The Squad and all their fellow…[Read more]

Garden of Earthly Delights.

You might think the ideals of America would be sacrosanct with the young and educated. Alas a smack what they aint got they lack. Globalize the intifada! Free Palestine.

But hey Dems did ok and Trump’s support was not a hamburger helper. So maybe the train will stay on the tracks.

The idea of America; self-determination, free inquiry, equality before the law, is extraordinary. The execution of it has always been messy, compromised, and full of contradictions. Please don’t see my criticism as anti-American. I hope it is seen as pro-Enlightenment. I have no tribal attachment, and I can separate the myth from the machinery. T…[Read more]