Why Michael Flynn had to be Removed

https://theintercept.com/2020/05/14/new-documents-from-the-sham-prosecution-of-gen-michael-flynn-also-reveal-broad-corruption-in-the-russiagate-investigations/

Greenwald despite his personal views remains committed to the principles of investigative journalism and is therefore to be commended. As he admits, General Michael Flynn's views are in sharp contrast to his own but as a journalist he is unwilling to embrace lies for the sake of seeming political victories. Greenwald has remained a stalwart voice in the face of the DNC's Russiagate conspiracy theory.

Elections and Establishment: The 2016 US Presidential Drama and the French Centre-Right Primaries

The numbers aren't fully in yet but it would appear that Francois Fillon has won the first round of the French Centre-Right primary and will face Alain Juppe in the second round. Juppe will likely win the primaries and has a very good chance of being the next president of France. This represents a stunning defeat of former president Nicholas Sarkozy. Sarkozy was the obvious favourite of the US Establishment and his defeat will be disappointing to some within the US power structure. This isn't to say they can't work with Juppe as well, but Sarkozy in particular was beloved in Washington for moving Paris solidly into the US and NATO orbit.

A Note on the Constitution Party's Nativism

The anti-globalist and Nativist forces in the United States continue to fail in their understanding of how US power works. Just recently I perused a Constitution Party pamphlet left on a retail counter by a disgruntled Christian-Right Cruz supporter who refuses to back Trump.

Trotsky in Exile, the Radicalisation of the Masses in 1930's Germany and Today

Recent political events drove me to revisit an old but stimulating book. Historical repetition is rarely exact, but the parallels are sometimes uncanny.

Issues Etc. and Uwe Siemon-Nietto

http://issuesetc.org/2016/04/01/1-a-european-conservative-perspective-on-the-2016-presidential-race-dr-uwe-siemon-netto-4116/

I don't do a lot of these direct critique pieces anymore but this interview was brought to my attention and maybe some readers will find the comments helpful. If anything as I've suggested in the past it is instructive in dissecting these types of segments so common in Christian media.

The Christian Right and Free Market Orthodoxy

http://www.reuters.com/article/us-usa-election-utx-idUSMTZSAPEC2EIWOEVW

It continues to surprise me that so many who advocate the free market continue to support Trump. With Sanders on the Democratic side, he doesn't really elaborate his policies. Both populists promote big ideas but seem unable to elaborate on the details. A few people are starting to notice. But one point that Trump does make clear is his economic stance regarding outsourcing, trade deals, tariffs and the like.

US Nativism and China

I've mentioned this before but I keep hearing variations of this argument, and I find it striking how misled so many people are.

In just the past couple of weeks I have either participated in or overheard conversations where the Chinese are invoked as a source of anti-American scheming. People seem to believe the Chinese have conspired to destroy American manufacturing and enslave us to their cheap goods.

Energy Independence: Realpolitik, Neo-Conservatism and Nativism

While perusing a financial magazine in a waiting room I stumbled upon an article about billionaire T Boone Pickens, a name that's been floating around for some time. I've heard him interviewed on NPR from time to time and was already pretty familiar with his controversial energy plan. In fact not long ago while reading Steve Coll's book on Exxon, I recalled Pickens argument for energy independence. It was pertinent and represented a mindset in Conservative circles less than appreciated by representatives of Big Oil.

Dissensions Within the Conservative Mafia and the Mainstreaming of the Fringe

http://www.nytimes.com/2015/11/06/us/politics/george-bush-swings-at-sons-aides-rattling-clan.html?_r=0

Despite the media hype this information is not new. This has been known for many years and others have written about it. The rift is real and yet from an outsider's perspective it's somewhat superficial.