“In addressing Nazi anti-intellectualism, Orwell's reference might have been Hermann Göring's hyperbolic praise of Adolf Hitler: "If the Führer wants it, two and two makes five!"In the political novel Nineteen Eighty-Four (1949), concerning the Party's philosophy of government for Oceania, Orwell said:
“In addressing Nazi anti-intellectualism, Orwell's reference might have been Hermann Göring's hyperbolic praise of Adolf Hitler: "If the Führer wants it, two and two makes five!"In the political novel Nineteen Eighty-Four (1949), concerning the Party's philosophy of government for Oceania, Orwell said:
In the end, the Party would announce that two and two made five, and you would have to believe it. It was inevitable that they should make that claim sooner or later: the logic of their position demanded it. Not merely the validity of experience, but the very existence of external reality, was tacitly denied by their philosophy. The heresy of heresies was common sense. And what was terrifying was not that they would kill you for thinking otherwise, but that they might be right. For, after all, how do we know that two and two make four? Or that the force of gravity works? Or that the past is unchangeable? If both the past and the external world exist only in the mind, and if the mind itself is controllable—what then?”
Democrats in California are also hampered by having to actually govern. It is much harder to run with a public record of successes and failures than it is to run on (mostly empty) promises. I plan to keep my eye on this recall. California is a sort of bellwether for the US. That Elder is showing 'prescience' by contesting the recall vote before it actually takes place shows he believes he is going to lose. Oddly, all these antics seem to be good news for America.
I thought the same thing with reference to Barrett’s speech at the McConnell center in Kentucky. Of course her claims that the Supreme Court should be seen as non-partisan were ridiculous, especially given the setting. But I thought the fact that she felt it necessary to make the claim at all showed that the Court is aware that its legitimacy is in question precisely because it has become so partisan. My tiny sliver of hope is that this awareness and fear by the Court might result in more balanced decisions, at least in the short term. I imagine they fear that too many hyper partisan decisions will eventually result in reform, as I hope it does.
I sure hope so. Even if it would have meant that we’d have lost someone like RBG. I personally would like to see a real investigation of Kavanaugh, with an eye towards impeachment. But yes, term limits, and an expansion of the Court. If they’re so busy that they need to use the Shadow Docket so much, then we need more justices.
I do read him from time to time. I’ll check your link out, thank you Lynell! Washing horse blankets today - should have done it months ago haha. They’re gross. My garage smells like horse.
Your last sentence says it all - they're terrified that Biden will pack the court, and none of them are deluded enough to not recognize that Democrats hold the majority, regardless of the juggling of their mentors.
"It is much harder to run with a public record of successes and failures than it is to run on (mostly empty) promises." Echoes of Afghanistan, no? The parallels between the Taliban and the current version of the GOP should not remain unnoticed. I think "W"s references explain further.
Once again, George Orwell nailed it.
“In addressing Nazi anti-intellectualism, Orwell's reference might have been Hermann Göring's hyperbolic praise of Adolf Hitler: "If the Führer wants it, two and two makes five!"In the political novel Nineteen Eighty-Four (1949), concerning the Party's philosophy of government for Oceania, Orwell said:
In the end, the Party would announce that two and two made five, and you would have to believe it. It was inevitable that they should make that claim sooner or later: the logic of their position demanded it. Not merely the validity of experience, but the very existence of external reality, was tacitly denied by their philosophy. The heresy of heresies was common sense. And what was terrifying was not that they would kill you for thinking otherwise, but that they might be right. For, after all, how do we know that two and two make four? Or that the force of gravity works? Or that the past is unchangeable? If both the past and the external world exist only in the mind, and if the mind itself is controllable—what then?”
From Wiki.
Democrats in California are also hampered by having to actually govern. It is much harder to run with a public record of successes and failures than it is to run on (mostly empty) promises. I plan to keep my eye on this recall. California is a sort of bellwether for the US. That Elder is showing 'prescience' by contesting the recall vote before it actually takes place shows he believes he is going to lose. Oddly, all these antics seem to be good news for America.
I thought the same thing with reference to Barrett’s speech at the McConnell center in Kentucky. Of course her claims that the Supreme Court should be seen as non-partisan were ridiculous, especially given the setting. But I thought the fact that she felt it necessary to make the claim at all showed that the Court is aware that its legitimacy is in question precisely because it has become so partisan. My tiny sliver of hope is that this awareness and fear by the Court might result in more balanced decisions, at least in the short term. I imagine they fear that too many hyper partisan decisions will eventually result in reform, as I hope it does.
Is it too much to hope that SCOTUS reform will encompass grandfathered in term limits?
I sure hope so. Even if it would have meant that we’d have lost someone like RBG. I personally would like to see a real investigation of Kavanaugh, with an eye towards impeachment. But yes, term limits, and an expansion of the Court. If they’re so busy that they need to use the Shadow Docket so much, then we need more justices.
Do you read Greg Olear's posts? If I remember right, I learned about him from Roland (remember him?) way back when. His writing style mirrors that of TCinLA. Here's his latest re Kavanaugh: https://gregolear.substack.com/p/breaking-brett?r=5g1rs&utm_campaign=post&utm_medium=email&utm_source=copy
Spot on Mr. Olear.
I do read him from time to time. I’ll check your link out, thank you Lynell! Washing horse blankets today - should have done it months ago haha. They’re gross. My garage smells like horse.
I always find a ton of stink bugs when I pull my blankets out!
Ewwwww. Mine don’t actually smell like horse, but rather like what they lie down in 😂. Better that than stink bugs! I saw my first one today.
Your last sentence says it all - they're terrified that Biden will pack the court, and none of them are deluded enough to not recognize that Democrats hold the majority, regardless of the juggling of their mentors.
Oh, how I wish we had the votes to do it! Sadly, I know we don’t. Maybe after 2022?
That's what I'm hoping for as well. Just pray that we can ward off the midterm curse.
Kathy, I like your “sliver of hope” thinking!!
"It is much harder to run with a public record of successes and failures than it is to run on (mostly empty) promises." Echoes of Afghanistan, no? The parallels between the Taliban and the current version of the GOP should not remain unnoticed. I think "W"s references explain further.