Dear David,
Thanks for your email.
I look forward to editing your new set of vignettes.
Concerning "The Deep State"...
Like most things, there is a significant element of "definition" that comes into play.
One can say that career bureaucrats comprise a "Deep State" to which I respond: "Thank God there are skilled, competent people willing to do the work of insuring government continuity - albeit a sub-optimal situation relative to certain "ideals."
"The terrible thing about our time is precisely the ease with which theories can be put into practice. The more perfect, the more idealistic the theories, the more dreadful is their realization. We are at last beginning to rediscover what perhaps men knew better in very ancient times, in primitive times before utopias were thought of: that liberty is bound up with imperfection, and that limitations, imperfections, errors are not only unavoidable but also salutary. The best is not the ideal. Where what is theoretically best is imposed on everyone as the norm, then there is no longer any room even to be good. The best, imposed as a norm, becomes evil.”
"Conjectures of a Guilty Bystander,” by Trappist monk, Father Thomas Merton
It is also true that these same conservatives who tout the horror of The Deep State never acknowledge the obvious; that Trump's sidestepping the Deep State (defined as I have defined it) obliges ineptitude, boastful stupidity and paralysis -- the very political paralysis that is Bannon's deconstructionist purpose.
The Deep State Is Real: Plutocratic, Oligarchic, Unbridled Capitalism
Once deconstructed, these assholes must either believe their conviction that "the invisible hand of the unimpeded marketplace will, "automatically," lead to the best of all possible worlds," or, that the best of all possible world's means that "The 1% takes it all," while the rest die, and/or are killed off by some kind of eugenic intervention.
The Rich Aren't Just Grabbing A Bigger Slice Of The Income Pie. They're Taking All Of It
If QAnon -- America's new secular religion -- leads to an epistemological collapse that causes so much social, political and psychological chaos that we revert to a medieval orpre-medieval "patron/peon" society in which men again rule by dominant upper body strength, and women "know their place" -- the day will soon come when mechanization, automation and ongoing software enhancement eliminate at least half of the jobs still needed in the current economy.
"Automation Could Kill One Third Of All American Jobs By 2030"
When I argue with Deep State dolts, I remind them that no matter how you slice it, a "Deep State" is superior to a "Shallow State" and that the shallowest of all states led by Shitstorm.
*****
I share your concern about a "last minute coup."
And although the prolongation of Trump's power is essential to the survival of the "Republican" Party, I am reasonably confident that even Barr and McConnell realize that a coup (no matter how cleverly rationalized for decerebrate QAnon consumption) will not be supported by enough high level functionaries to succeed.
I also think that the military (behind Mattis, McMaster and Kelley's lead) would intervene, which would be a horrifying precedent for our democracy (such as it is).
"General James Mattis Describes Trump As A Near-Nazi Turncoat-Enemy Of The American People" /// Other U.S. Generals Weigh In
"General James Mattis Describes Trump As A Near-Nazi Turncoat-Enemy Of The American People" /// Other U.S. Generals Weigh In
Finally, I'll go out on a "prediction limb."
I believe Trump will soon head for Mar-a-Lago -- ostensibly to celebrate Thanksgiving -- and will remain there.
By doing this, Malignant Messiah 1.) takes up residence in his own completely-controlled citadel, 2.) will not need to concede, and 3.) can claim some medical reason -- perhaps a bone spur flare-up -- for why he cannot attend Biden's inauguration.
And if Shitstorm's health doesn't break over the next four years (and if he avoids prison/exile) Agent Orange can launch his next presidential campaign on the cornerstone claim that he never conceded --- a defiant, rugged-individualist boast that will have gobs of cachet with The Deplorables.
Pax et amor
Alan
On Thu, Nov 12, 2020 at 6:43 PM DS wrote:
Ah, yes, lay and lie, probably similar to the deal with sit and set. Gracias Sr Archival'!Yes, go ahead with editing that set of vignettes. I'm going to focus on organizing the back-log and clearing the detritus from my version of the whole project. So, there will likely be a lot more coming down the line in the next couple of weeks. If anything strikes you as being of particular interest, and you have suggestions for further elaboration or subsequent vignettes, let me know. Most of my childhood stuff is pretty short.Re the Daniel Webster link: I'll look into this further. The conundrum for me now involves a "just because you're paranoid doesn't mean they're not really out to get you" While I'm wrestling with a couple of people about lame-ass deep state conspiracy theories, Trump now appears now to be engaging in an actual (albeit relatively inept) conspiracy of his own. I don't think he'll be able to pull it off, but it's starting to look like his packing of the Defense Dept. with cronies might get him to seriously consider fomenting a last minute military coup. He's certainly crazy enough. I think it would be VERY unlikely to succeed (unless, of course, there were some sort of a darkside Germanic nightmare "Reichstag Fire"-type event coming up). This sort of weirdness is why I think it's best for me to "give it a rest" for the next couple of weeks, although I'd still be interested to know what you think of all this.Well, enough of this foolishness for now. Hasta pronto, DavidOn Thu, Nov 12, 2020 at 12:06 PM Alan Archibald <alanarchibaldo@gmail.com> wrote:Dear David,
Thanks for your email.Conspiracism -- which has become a secular religion under aegis of QAnon -- is as resistant to remedy as schizo-psychotic breaks are.Here are some "tools." Feel free to pass them along to "the afflicted."Daniel Webster Prompts A Review Of Conspiracism And Its Destructive Role In American Politics
Good news about the audio conversion device!Way cool!I look forward to reading your childhood vignettes!Do you want me to give them "full editorial treatment?"To lay (in addition to "getting lucky") is a full throated transitive verb by which someone lays something down - like a chicken laying an egg, or soldiers laying down their weapons.To lie (in addition to being the essence of Trump's being) is more reflexive - como acostarse - and refers specifically to prone posture.Me explico Federico?Keep up the joyful noise!Pax et amorAlanOn Thu, Nov 12, 2020 at 2:19 AM DS wrote:Thanks, Alan,I'm going to "Make a Joyful Noise" into a vignette. I believe the title line is from Psalms... a Psalm of David perhaps? Thanks for your audio link. I've ordered a relatively simple device to convert cassettes to MP3, so should be able to do the conversions on your stories, which I will also send to Karl.Lastly for now... I've really been getting fried-out in the last few days with conspiracy theories, the possibility of a military coup (admittedly very unlikely) and such. I've had to go mano a mano with a couple of FRIENDS (!?) about conspiracy theories in the last week, which is very discouraging and time-consuming. More on that later. So... I'm taking a break from the news for the next few days. Meanwhile, I just finished putting a bolus of vignettes about my childhood into your in-box. I think you may have seen some of them before, but: 1) I've done a small amount of additional copy-editing on them and 2) I don't see anywhere I might previously have sent them under our current paradigm. I'm going to put in a little "hard time" getting everything sorted out; there's a lot of stuff lying (laying?). around in my little corner of cyberspace.On the whole, though, I'm doing fine, mostly still focusing on making joyful noises.Hasta la proxima. Love, David
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