It's not just about policies and personalities but about how we debate and discuss; there will be enough commentary on the pros and cons of campaign politics and most policies from others. Not here.
In response to Jonathan Haidt's comment about governmental process changes, you noted: "...it would be nice to find someone who could aggregate all this into a single location. Maybe someone has,..." Yes, see chapter 14 of Fixing Congress to see ideas Mike Johnson and I offer on restoring Congress to its rightful, constitutional place in these matters. Other chapters deal with the media's complacency by not being able to discuss substance, just the sport of politics.
Yes, your book and that chapter is terrific, even as I might quibble with a couple of things. My point was the need for an aggregation of works and workers (writers and organizations) who are active in the “civility” space. Many of your suggestions for Congress would contribute. I owe you a book review for your outstanding work, a must-read for anyone working in, interested in, and “outraged” by our politics.
Incredibly thoughtful piece, and appreciate your D.C. exurb perspective from lovely Loudoun County. There's nothing I like more than being up on the nearby Appalachian Trail in neighboring Fauquier County and looking back 55 miles to D.C... where too many work jobs in which they're practically forced to be automatons -- "outraged over anything and everything Trump does just because he proposed it, or salute and fall in line with unquestioned support" (as you say)... an unacceptable way to live and "think"!...
Thanks, Gordon, we live in a special part of the world, for all its history, pastoral grace, beauty, and some terrific neighbors (both human and non-human). It does help clear the mind, I think.
I came here via Builders, I actively seek bridge builders, civil debate and reducing toxicity in our culture. I didn’t find that here, just an angry rant. I also object to the soul killing Outrage Machine. But yet you state that a man about whom you know nothing is a “terrorist.” Fuel outrage much? How can you know that other than by a series of tweets ? Why do you suppose America can’t handle due process to make sure we conduct deportations with care? Most immigrants are here because much of the American business community(and by default us) invited them here to work. You can’t ignore that. It was communicated - in so many ways- that the border was optional. I don’t agree with that strategy either, but that was the norm for decades under both parties. A wink and a nod, to get our cheap labor. Now I don’t defend the “terrorist and wife beater”, like you I don’t know the truth about him. But I do know we have the capacity to handle deportations as a country who knows it’s strength is in its commitment to rule of law. And you invoke the “due process” owed to murder victims of immigrants (propaganda much? Immigrants are not murdering people at higher rates than others). The “argument “ is specious, silly. No murder victim has due process, whether their killer is white and privileged or brown and an immigrant. Outrage machine much? there is literally no reason we can’t fight crime and carry out deportations as a society based in law. Finally, there is this arrogant assumption underlying your whole POV - that none of us who see creeping authoritarianism, attack on rule of law have legitimate concerns . Pure hysteria. Despite what is right before our eyes. I think you need to turn your argument on yourself and give some weight to others opinion. We are not all hysterics. There are people in T’s immediate orbit outright glorifying Victor Orban and the end of democratic norms . Do we know T’s position on the matter? I don’t , but when we see smoke we have the right to be looking for fire .
I’m going to add that I’m also really offended by a president that gaslights us. It’s one thing to say that you have the right to deport this guy to El Salvador, but then to tell us once he’s there that you just don’t have the power to bring them back? Have some guts and tell us you won’t, don’t come up with this quibbling argument that it’s now a diplomatic matter. As if Trump doesn’t have that dictator wrapped around his finger, he could easily get the guy back. He should not be basing his arguments on specious gaslighting of the American public. And to see that dictator give Trump a wink and nod at their press conference, letting T know that he’ll say whatever he wants. That was gaslighting the entire American public through our American media. with the blessing of the president. That really offended me, and my intelligence. I thought it was an insult to the whole republic. Then, to put a tequila drink in front of the guy when he met the Senator from Maryland, in order to create that propaganda? Let the guy hang himself. If he’s really a terrorist, and yes, we know he’s a wife beater. It’s that kind of thing that really throws me. Why would they create propaganda like that? Why lie when they could just tell the truth? You seem to be missing the point when you defend Trump on this, nobody is really defending that guy, we’re defending the principal of rule of law. Once it slips for anyone, it slips for all of us, and I don’t know why you can’t see that. And yes, I get that. He’s not a citizen, but rule of law applies to everyone, it just applies at different strength and levels. But the principal is there. No King can stick someone in a prison, no matter where, in the world, it is without some kind of checks and balances. You scorn liberals for flip-flopping from nationalism to globalism, I do too. But you are also flip-flopping. Are you rule of law or not?
I also came here via Builders and I agree. What bothers me the most is that there is a simple, legal, and non-chaotic way that they could be doing all of this. They could easily take these men to court, prove they're criminals, and then deport them - instead, they take them off the streets, allow no contact with anyone, and send them to a prison notorious for human rights violations in a foreign country to them. There was a simple methodical way to go about paring down excess government workers and find "waste, fraud, and abuse" - instead, they send a mass email firing people simply because they haven't been at their current position for more than a year, regardless of job performance of actual tenure with a government job, and making several mistakes by cutting essential employees that they then have to rehire and put back into the system. There was no need for them to steal data from every single agency they came across. There was no need to tarnish the world's view of America. But they did it anyway. And I don't think that me thinking this makes me part of the outrage machine or hysteric.
And I'm still waiting to hear the full story on the whistleblowers at NLRB and other agencies that show members of DOGE may have bought and sold our data. And that Musk may have stolen all the data on complaints against him. I don't know if this writer has read the whistleblower reports, but these are not just disgruntled ex-staff. These are serious citizens seriously concerned Elon Musk sold us out. I wish it was hysteria. But if it were a democrat who did ANY of these things, anything close to any of these tihings, people like this writer would be losing their minds at the treason. I read the NLRB report which multiple security experts looked at and confirm is highly suspicious. If there is an innocent explanation for why DOGE treated the NLRB take over as they did, they need to explain what that is.
You said it so well, thank you. Why this chaos when we are a nation of law? Tourism is down because regular people don't want to risk being yet another administrative error by an "overzealous" staff, or however this writer apologized for the MANY errors being made. We have actual (non white) citizens held by ICE mistakenly for 2 weeks?? Why would we do that to ourselves? To me it looks like intentional theatrics. Secretary Bad-Puppy-Killer doing photos in front of rows of chained prisoners in a Rolex? I mean its so ugly it hurts. These are Stephen Miller inspired tactics to instill fear in everyone, especially those not white, but literally everyone. They want everyone who would protest them to have a fear they might be picked up off the streets in an "administrative error" and sent to a foreign hell hole. It's either deliberate fear-stoking, OR its no regard for rule of law. Or both. I believe this is clear-eyed analysis, not "hysteria."
And another thing… why are you referring to the (maybe) gangsters Trump deported as terrorists? That’s not remotely accurate. It’s clearly an excuse to unleash every law they can, but we don’t work that way in America. Garden variety criminals are not terrorists nor are they an “invading a army”. That’s pure hysteria and propaganda . To write a column calling it the hysteria you see while your post is loaded with propaganda and hysteria is hypocrisy. Take some breaths and consider what has really happened here . You voted for a team of people who ARE trying to create an authoritarian government totally counter to democratic norms. Luckily we won’t let that happen. But you have made a bad and cynical calculation that you can put that wretched narcissist into office (did you see his AI generated image of himself as Pope?) and get sane results. It’s just wishful thinking that this sort of disruption was needed and somehow chaos will lead to positive results . I hear your argument that you had to break a few eggs or whatever, I think that’s very nice. And this instance. Very nice. your condescending attitude you don’t see what you have done. The rest of us who believe in the democratic project will be fixing this mess for years.
In response to Jonathan Haidt's comment about governmental process changes, you noted: "...it would be nice to find someone who could aggregate all this into a single location. Maybe someone has,..." Yes, see chapter 14 of Fixing Congress to see ideas Mike Johnson and I offer on restoring Congress to its rightful, constitutional place in these matters. Other chapters deal with the media's complacency by not being able to discuss substance, just the sport of politics.
Yes, your book and that chapter is terrific, even as I might quibble with a couple of things. My point was the need for an aggregation of works and workers (writers and organizations) who are active in the “civility” space. Many of your suggestions for Congress would contribute. I owe you a book review for your outstanding work, a must-read for anyone working in, interested in, and “outraged” by our politics.
Incredibly thoughtful piece, and appreciate your D.C. exurb perspective from lovely Loudoun County. There's nothing I like more than being up on the nearby Appalachian Trail in neighboring Fauquier County and looking back 55 miles to D.C... where too many work jobs in which they're practically forced to be automatons -- "outraged over anything and everything Trump does just because he proposed it, or salute and fall in line with unquestioned support" (as you say)... an unacceptable way to live and "think"!...
Thanks, Gordon, we live in a special part of the world, for all its history, pastoral grace, beauty, and some terrific neighbors (both human and non-human). It does help clear the mind, I think.
I came here via Builders, I actively seek bridge builders, civil debate and reducing toxicity in our culture. I didn’t find that here, just an angry rant. I also object to the soul killing Outrage Machine. But yet you state that a man about whom you know nothing is a “terrorist.” Fuel outrage much? How can you know that other than by a series of tweets ? Why do you suppose America can’t handle due process to make sure we conduct deportations with care? Most immigrants are here because much of the American business community(and by default us) invited them here to work. You can’t ignore that. It was communicated - in so many ways- that the border was optional. I don’t agree with that strategy either, but that was the norm for decades under both parties. A wink and a nod, to get our cheap labor. Now I don’t defend the “terrorist and wife beater”, like you I don’t know the truth about him. But I do know we have the capacity to handle deportations as a country who knows it’s strength is in its commitment to rule of law. And you invoke the “due process” owed to murder victims of immigrants (propaganda much? Immigrants are not murdering people at higher rates than others). The “argument “ is specious, silly. No murder victim has due process, whether their killer is white and privileged or brown and an immigrant. Outrage machine much? there is literally no reason we can’t fight crime and carry out deportations as a society based in law. Finally, there is this arrogant assumption underlying your whole POV - that none of us who see creeping authoritarianism, attack on rule of law have legitimate concerns . Pure hysteria. Despite what is right before our eyes. I think you need to turn your argument on yourself and give some weight to others opinion. We are not all hysterics. There are people in T’s immediate orbit outright glorifying Victor Orban and the end of democratic norms . Do we know T’s position on the matter? I don’t , but when we see smoke we have the right to be looking for fire .
I’m going to add that I’m also really offended by a president that gaslights us. It’s one thing to say that you have the right to deport this guy to El Salvador, but then to tell us once he’s there that you just don’t have the power to bring them back? Have some guts and tell us you won’t, don’t come up with this quibbling argument that it’s now a diplomatic matter. As if Trump doesn’t have that dictator wrapped around his finger, he could easily get the guy back. He should not be basing his arguments on specious gaslighting of the American public. And to see that dictator give Trump a wink and nod at their press conference, letting T know that he’ll say whatever he wants. That was gaslighting the entire American public through our American media. with the blessing of the president. That really offended me, and my intelligence. I thought it was an insult to the whole republic. Then, to put a tequila drink in front of the guy when he met the Senator from Maryland, in order to create that propaganda? Let the guy hang himself. If he’s really a terrorist, and yes, we know he’s a wife beater. It’s that kind of thing that really throws me. Why would they create propaganda like that? Why lie when they could just tell the truth? You seem to be missing the point when you defend Trump on this, nobody is really defending that guy, we’re defending the principal of rule of law. Once it slips for anyone, it slips for all of us, and I don’t know why you can’t see that. And yes, I get that. He’s not a citizen, but rule of law applies to everyone, it just applies at different strength and levels. But the principal is there. No King can stick someone in a prison, no matter where, in the world, it is without some kind of checks and balances. You scorn liberals for flip-flopping from nationalism to globalism, I do too. But you are also flip-flopping. Are you rule of law or not?
I also came here via Builders and I agree. What bothers me the most is that there is a simple, legal, and non-chaotic way that they could be doing all of this. They could easily take these men to court, prove they're criminals, and then deport them - instead, they take them off the streets, allow no contact with anyone, and send them to a prison notorious for human rights violations in a foreign country to them. There was a simple methodical way to go about paring down excess government workers and find "waste, fraud, and abuse" - instead, they send a mass email firing people simply because they haven't been at their current position for more than a year, regardless of job performance of actual tenure with a government job, and making several mistakes by cutting essential employees that they then have to rehire and put back into the system. There was no need for them to steal data from every single agency they came across. There was no need to tarnish the world's view of America. But they did it anyway. And I don't think that me thinking this makes me part of the outrage machine or hysteric.
And I'm still waiting to hear the full story on the whistleblowers at NLRB and other agencies that show members of DOGE may have bought and sold our data. And that Musk may have stolen all the data on complaints against him. I don't know if this writer has read the whistleblower reports, but these are not just disgruntled ex-staff. These are serious citizens seriously concerned Elon Musk sold us out. I wish it was hysteria. But if it were a democrat who did ANY of these things, anything close to any of these tihings, people like this writer would be losing their minds at the treason. I read the NLRB report which multiple security experts looked at and confirm is highly suspicious. If there is an innocent explanation for why DOGE treated the NLRB take over as they did, they need to explain what that is.
You said it so well, thank you. Why this chaos when we are a nation of law? Tourism is down because regular people don't want to risk being yet another administrative error by an "overzealous" staff, or however this writer apologized for the MANY errors being made. We have actual (non white) citizens held by ICE mistakenly for 2 weeks?? Why would we do that to ourselves? To me it looks like intentional theatrics. Secretary Bad-Puppy-Killer doing photos in front of rows of chained prisoners in a Rolex? I mean its so ugly it hurts. These are Stephen Miller inspired tactics to instill fear in everyone, especially those not white, but literally everyone. They want everyone who would protest them to have a fear they might be picked up off the streets in an "administrative error" and sent to a foreign hell hole. It's either deliberate fear-stoking, OR its no regard for rule of law. Or both. I believe this is clear-eyed analysis, not "hysteria."
And another thing… why are you referring to the (maybe) gangsters Trump deported as terrorists? That’s not remotely accurate. It’s clearly an excuse to unleash every law they can, but we don’t work that way in America. Garden variety criminals are not terrorists nor are they an “invading a army”. That’s pure hysteria and propaganda . To write a column calling it the hysteria you see while your post is loaded with propaganda and hysteria is hypocrisy. Take some breaths and consider what has really happened here . You voted for a team of people who ARE trying to create an authoritarian government totally counter to democratic norms. Luckily we won’t let that happen. But you have made a bad and cynical calculation that you can put that wretched narcissist into office (did you see his AI generated image of himself as Pope?) and get sane results. It’s just wishful thinking that this sort of disruption was needed and somehow chaos will lead to positive results . I hear your argument that you had to break a few eggs or whatever, I think that’s very nice. And this instance. Very nice. your condescending attitude you don’t see what you have done. The rest of us who believe in the democratic project will be fixing this mess for years.
interesting reflections