Claire, thank you for this superlative post which in my view should be required reading for European electorates throughout the continent. Being a history grad, I particularly appreciated the subtext that human nature is seemingly fixed and unchangeable. In my 67 years on this little blue and green planet of ours (but getting less blue and less green with every passing day), I have never felt more that civilised people are living on the edge of a very dark precipice and if we fall or are pushed into the abyss by ignoramuses who have fallen for the lies that you so eloquently chronicle, nothing that has gone before will compare with the horrors we will unleash on ourselves. One can only hope that in Europe, the electorates of France, Spain and Germany and then the UK will learn from the dismal experience of the people of Hungary, Brazil and Serbia of living under a fascist regime and have now decisively rejected that path. There will be an election in 2028/29 in the UK and our electorate must also learn from the outcomes of current elections and the experience of the peoples of the countries that have our attention today.
Next up is as you say, the big one - the US. Psychologically, it is difficult for human beings to admit they were either wrong, stupid or ignorant but we can only hope that enough of our American cousins are prepared to hold up that hands and offer a mea culpa.
Then there is Israel but there, a slightly different choice is offered; the incumbent who, with regard to the Palestinian people, does not want peace at any price and the challengers who want a very limited and controlled version of peace. But that is another subject for another time.
Of the 3 recent defeats for the Right, only one - Serbia - fills me with hope. In both Hungary and Brazil the neo-liberal narrative is still strong. If we are to defeat the Right within the current Party/Electoral system, it will only be a temporary respite from its inevitable endgame. Serbia has had the sense to organise as a flat, as opposed to hierarchical, movement, and, whilst we need to observe carefully how that evolves, that is encouraging. I hope they succeed in changing the system to a true democracy, which I believe is government by Citizens Assemblies selected by sortition.
There appears to be a huge groundswell of opinion against trump, of course compounded by the price of diesel which makes everything more expensive. But there also seems to be evidence that the voting system is being compromised. People voting Democrat finding their vote registered Republican, for example. We know they have gerrymandered complete voting districts. They will deploy ICE at voting stations, even though 'illegals' cannot vote anyway, thereby keeping brown people terrified and at home. I worry that, just like 2024, the result will APPEAR to be a Republican win, going against all predictions.
I am generally anti conspiracy theories, but I do not believe for a second that he won in 24. Musk pretty much admitted he fixed it. And come November, if the Democrats do not win, for goodness sake, do not just roll over and accept it, again.
Hear hear, well done Claire, for that excellent analysis. Even though the truth is hard to hear, it is better that we know our enemy so we can be prepared and even marshal our forces to resist, peacefully and legally - unlike our opponents.
Claire, thank you for this superlative post which in my view should be required reading for European electorates throughout the continent. Being a history grad, I particularly appreciated the subtext that human nature is seemingly fixed and unchangeable. In my 67 years on this little blue and green planet of ours (but getting less blue and less green with every passing day), I have never felt more that civilised people are living on the edge of a very dark precipice and if we fall or are pushed into the abyss by ignoramuses who have fallen for the lies that you so eloquently chronicle, nothing that has gone before will compare with the horrors we will unleash on ourselves. One can only hope that in Europe, the electorates of France, Spain and Germany and then the UK will learn from the dismal experience of the people of Hungary, Brazil and Serbia of living under a fascist regime and have now decisively rejected that path. There will be an election in 2028/29 in the UK and our electorate must also learn from the outcomes of current elections and the experience of the peoples of the countries that have our attention today.
Next up is as you say, the big one - the US. Psychologically, it is difficult for human beings to admit they were either wrong, stupid or ignorant but we can only hope that enough of our American cousins are prepared to hold up that hands and offer a mea culpa.
Then there is Israel but there, a slightly different choice is offered; the incumbent who, with regard to the Palestinian people, does not want peace at any price and the challengers who want a very limited and controlled version of peace. But that is another subject for another time.
Excellent post. It is nice to read a thoughtful analysis from someone who to me is a fresh voice, with an excellent perspective.
Of the 3 recent defeats for the Right, only one - Serbia - fills me with hope. In both Hungary and Brazil the neo-liberal narrative is still strong. If we are to defeat the Right within the current Party/Electoral system, it will only be a temporary respite from its inevitable endgame. Serbia has had the sense to organise as a flat, as opposed to hierarchical, movement, and, whilst we need to observe carefully how that evolves, that is encouraging. I hope they succeed in changing the system to a true democracy, which I believe is government by Citizens Assemblies selected by sortition.
There appears to be a huge groundswell of opinion against trump, of course compounded by the price of diesel which makes everything more expensive. But there also seems to be evidence that the voting system is being compromised. People voting Democrat finding their vote registered Republican, for example. We know they have gerrymandered complete voting districts. They will deploy ICE at voting stations, even though 'illegals' cannot vote anyway, thereby keeping brown people terrified and at home. I worry that, just like 2024, the result will APPEAR to be a Republican win, going against all predictions.
I am generally anti conspiracy theories, but I do not believe for a second that he won in 24. Musk pretty much admitted he fixed it. And come November, if the Democrats do not win, for goodness sake, do not just roll over and accept it, again.
The US government under Trump is a crime syndicate and the country is in part a crime scene.
All aided and abetted by those running many of the institutions, particularly in the commercial sector.
Corruption and criminality are not unique to a particular political leaning or party.
The (far) right in particular specialises in reinforcing their grip on power and institutions by brazenly exploiting them.
Find me a poor fascist if you think differently.
As the US farmers have found out, nobody is safe from penury when the right are in charge.
Hear hear, well done Claire, for that excellent analysis. Even though the truth is hard to hear, it is better that we know our enemy so we can be prepared and even marshal our forces to resist, peacefully and legally - unlike our opponents.