Open letters are the hissy fits of our times, petulant and tedious expressions of collective outrage. It is also by some considerable measure the laziest form of protest.
In other words, the terminally aggrieved could take to the barricades but that would mean having to walk all the way to the barricades, standing around, feeling uncomfortable and what if it rained? It’s much easier to simply put names to a letter someone else had written in strident agreement with its contents.
There is one particularly egregious example of the open letter that caught my eye last night. It comes from the Columbia Journalism Review and is allegedly an open letter from the American press corps to President-elect Donald Trump.
As if journalists weren’t despised enough by the community, along comes this haughty expression of well … a journalist’s basic job description albeit dripping in sanctimony and self-importance. It even includes the grammatical venal sin of writing ‘you’re’ as ‘your’. Tsk, tsk, tsk.
Full column here.
The Great White Hope cries “follow me” and swaggers confidently off into the isolationist wilderness. Like that worked really well last time! Trump has to be the most elaborate Russian? Chinese Commo? plot in history.
As Lao Tzu said “Get really stupid man who thinks he is really smart man to lead and adversary destroy themselves.”
http://www.smh.com.au/comment/donald-trump-turns-his-back-on-the-world-20170123-gtx1v1.html
JB you remind me of my ‘O’ level history lessons and “splendid isolation” Disraeli and Salisbury and all that.
Think the term was phrased by a Canadian George E Foster, have to look it up.
Mmm yes, I think that meant isolation from European shenanigans, but the Brits certainly weren’t isolated from their colonies. I think Trump has some airy fairy idea that he can re-invent the late 19th century.
Baptiste join with Snott in a stirring rendition of America the Beautiful.
Yeah orright Trev, crank up yer dulcet tones and we’ll hit it out of the park.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TRUjr8EVgBg
Can’t say I like that rendition, JB. Apologies to Ray.
You and Snott may do a better job of it.
Jean Baptiste (7.21am)
I see you linked a piece by the SMH’s Peter Hartcher JB. I particularly took note of Hartcher’s line (if it was his) re China’s economic success: ” Its economy recently has been growing not in the rich loam of private entrepeneurship but in the poor soil of government.”
Perhaps they may need to take a leaf out of Trump’s book and also considerdraining their swamp?
Also, I couldn’t let another one of Lao Tzu’s insightful quotes go unmentioned:
“If you do not change direction, you may end up where you are heading”
I reckon The Donald may be nearly as smart as Tzu because he obviously twigged the direction the US was heading under the previous administration, and it wasn’t too flash, eh me old mate?
The perception that America is going to hell in hand basket is a treasonous myth perpetrated and relentlessly hammered into the citizens by the conservatives Carl. The US did well under Obama with many factors improving after the disaster that was George Bush.
The addleheaded Trump will lead the US into an isolationist wilderness. The man is the dog that caught the car, he has pathological delusions of capability.
https://www.bloomberg.com/view/articles/2016-09-06/how-obama-s-economic-record-stacks-up
And yet there are those that think Obama was one of the weakest presidents – ever
John O’Hagan
January 23, 2017 at 12:34 pm
Says: “Yep, Madonna and Trump, I always get those two mixed up.”
Madonna ain’t The Virgin, but Trump is The Messiah.
Simples.
You going straight to hell for that one Carl! Messiah! Get thee behind me.
Look, can we settle on “Trump is the Pied Piper.”
Has a way with children?
Trump the messiah you say Carl on the Coast well from your simple perspective I suppose you would make that childish statement.
Kathy – well …… , I got the first bit right re the aging lass who pushes the boundaries (and then some) re her lyrical content.
50% ain’t bad, it’s a pass mark, surely.
You a fan of hers Kathy, btw?
You figured out Madonna isn’t a virgin! Very perceptive, for you, Carl.
Cool. Equal opportunity heckling, Kathy. Im beginning to warm to you…
Trump is an inspiration. He is living proof that the most stupid person on the planet can aspire to be leader of the free world. I’m sure there’s a metaphysical joke in there somewhere but I’m struggling to find it.
TRUMPER:- this bloke is so erratic and unpredictable I have hired out The Omen!
Mack the Knife 4:46pm
Jeez Mack do your research. Entry level stuff. It’s highly unlikely that there was anyone in the craft and it was sent out into deep space. Went all the way to the moon and came back and landed a stones throw from a recovery ship, with little more than a five o’clock shadow? Yeah okay. Most likely were in the recently revealed escape apartment underneath the launch facility.
Why would the Russians spark an incident with those loonies. They parlayed it into a sudden generous friendship and the beginning of détente, received massive gifts of grain and began co-operating in a joint space program that has gone no further than 500 kilometres from terra firma for nigh on fifty years. Because they bloody well cant go any higher with current tech. Even NASA will tell you that. The Russians like the US astronauts overestimated the intelligence of the general public to make the realisation themselves.
Nixon was turfed and the Apollo program was abruptly cancelled, the data and plans misfiled, the whole works and jerks consigned to the rubbish tip. Money for jam for aerospace contractors.
If you blokes are so effing thick you cant see the forest for the planks, go your hardest, but try and think of something original. You’re just making me laugh you dills.
It cannot be done. Wont be done for decades if ever. Just try and think instead of regurgitating. Theres a knack to it.
http://www.express.co.uk/news/weird/587569/NASA-really-land-Moon-Russia-probes-missing-video-lunar-rock-faked-hoax-astronaut
“Of course we’re not suggesting anything…………….. but we might.
Yvonne, theres a classic example of a duffed up photo right there.
Baptiste great to have someone like you on the blog a climate change and space exploration expert. Snott is quite impressed and perhaps secretly is the clueless Coast who seems lost on most subjects. Snott has your back Baptiste.
Aw shucks Trevor. Too kind.
This clip illustrates some of the problems and glitches that had to be overcome to accomplish the mission.
WARNING. This clip contains the “F” word and has not bee edited in order to maintain the historical integrity. Carl should not watch this.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kFAZoVGxqY4
All you guys bagging the millions of anti-Trump protestors: were you as dismissive a few years back when a couple of dozen truck drivers and a celebrity shock-jock descended on Canberra in the so-called “Convoy of No Confidence”? If not, why not?
And for those among you pretending not to understand why they’re protesting, it’s not rocket science: it’s his policies. They strongly disagree with them and they are expressing that. It’s called democracy.
Excellent comment.
http://www.goodreads.com/quotes/7757429-if-we-could-learn-to-look-instead-of-gawking-we-d
Give ’em heaps O’Hagan.
John, nah, just a few amused conservatives politely protesting about a protest. Democracy in action, I’d say.
Re the Canberra gathering you refer to, I recall Labor called it ‘the convey of incontinence’. Has a similar ring to HRC’s “deplorables” comment don’t you think?
But then again, the left are quite adept at that sort of caper.
That’s a bit tetchy Carl. Lighten up.
Geez John
That convoy took place well into the electoral cycle.
The difference is that these demonstrations are about not liking the results of an election.
When the guy has actually does something in office that people do not like, then demonstrate by all means.
Democracy depends on a smooth transition of power. Keep “sour grapes” right out of it.
I am getting sick and tired of all the negative left wing articles about Trump. The Lefties are following their true and tried technique of continually attacking until the muck sticks.
Get over it – he is there for the next 4 years,
From now on criticize his actions not the man and not what he might do.
Every time he says something there is this mass hysteria. The man is not a supreme dictator. There is a whole senate/congress there to put checks and balances on him.
Uh, the checks and ba
Antes levers are controlled by republicans Yvonne. Have you actually looked at the ideas some of these whack jobs hold dear? Rather than pulling on the reins to keep their president under control they’re more likely to scream “yeaha!!!” And throw the reins in the air. Given the wonders of executive orders and the slobbering idiocy that is the Republican Party I’d suggest there are no real checks and balances. And once trump appoints some fundamentalist originalist to the Supreme Court the last check and balance will be gone. Yippee kiyah mofos!
Early days Darren. You’re sounding hysterical too. I know he is unlikeable and unpredictable – but he is POTUS and the world is going to have to deal with it. Not every Republican is a ”Trump”” come on. Higher up here you assure us that you area smart. Well then show it.
Yes, I am fully aware of what he is saying. I am not stupid. The whole world is aware of what he is saying. They hang off every sentence, every image at the moment.. And believe me, the whole world is making plans as to how they’re going to compensate for any US imposed potential disasters. Because they know he does what he says he will do. He is that sort of man. He has already demonstrated that. The Americans voted for him via their electoral system.
There is absolutely no point in hysterics at every thing he says or does at the moment. Wait and see. That’s the reality.
Yvonne, the executive order on the affordable care act will already have masses of lawyers crawling all over it and racking up costs while worried insurers try to figure out what to do. The suspension of various standards will do the same. I know exactly what will be going on inside the affected businesses and it wont be pretty. We are not talking here about what this clown might do – we are talking about what he has already done.
here you go John, a bunch of lawyers signing an open letter to the Guardian, even a couple of Aussies amongst them
http://tinyurl.com/z5mpluu
Very good. I think it would be quite churlish to describe that as a dummy-spit or trying to “get that glow from being compassionate or clever “, don’t you? I guess it just comes down to whether you think the issue is important or not.
there is a difference in protesting egregious abuse of human rights and the total absence of the rule of law in a one-party state, a state that gets a free pass from most of the media in the West, and writing a letter because the voters in the US elected someone of whose policies and personality i don’t approve.
or at least i think so.
in any event, i expect there was a fair degree of warm inner glow, folks do like to have their names on these things!
Uncle Reggie related the story today of poor Cousin Alan who met with an accident last week at the mill when a small buzz saw fell off the table passing cleanly between his legs. Cousin Alan will be singing soprano in the local ladies choir Mr Jack when he recovers.
Classic. As trump attacks the “establishment” during his inauguration speech Behind him sit billionaire after billionaire after billionaire. (Larry David or should I say) Bernie Sanders points out. He also pointed out that if trump is concerned about the working class why is he taking away the only health cover 20 million of them have ever had?? Alternative facts? Post truth? Who knows, no one has seen any policies? Next the media will be accused of making up the Mexican wall story just like they did about trump attacking intelligence agencies. Some body stop the cycle I want to get off until this madman has been impeached.
For anyone to suggest a protest march could be the solution to systematic Islam tortures that have been endured by oppressed women for centuries is surely not serious. Nothing will change the vile practices of men in the name of religion. Decades of war hasn’t brought change so even if all the feminists around the globe stepped up to the plate against these atrocities in hundreds of marches, not a zot will change.
I know I live the issues I can do something about Yvonne but if this is what you’re passionate about then you must do whatever it takes.
Yesterdays protests were a perfectly legitimate response to the new leader of the free world being a contemptuous & immoral man who thinks nothing of trash-talking women “because you can do anything to them when you’re a star”
I just love it when others here go on about celebrities. What do they think Trump was and still is? To say that all the people protesting are all rich & privileged, what on earth do they think Trump is? Did you know that Trump himself called for ‘a revolution’ after Obama was re-elected in 2012?
Now I just hope this sociopath doesn’t use his immense capacity of hatred to pick a fight with North Korea. Left or right won’t mean a thing.
Regards, Bella
So you believe all those people protesting will change things?
Change things? Depends on how you measure success. There’s never been a protest like it so that’s a change. Women reacted to having a sleazy President & wanted to be heard in numbers so that’s a great change.
Nothing would’ve changed four years of Trump but you must know those people knew that.
Don’t be thinking that people power doesn’t achieve anything Razor because I’ve seen it.
Regards, Bella
Spot on Bella, particularly your point about the labelling of Trump’s critics as privileged celebrities who lack respect for democratic institutions. Breathtaking lack of self-awareness, jaw-dropping hypocrisy, or both.
No, marches would not help but other actions, like boycotting companies who deal with them, would.
Many things could be done to bring pressure to bear but there is dead silence both here and overseas.
Well JS, Trump is POTUS – whether we like him or not. That’s a fact.
I’m inclined to agree with Turnbull’s approach. The rest of the world is going to have to cope with his protectionist approach and make their own plans, whilst at the same time I guess we all hope that common sense will prevail and America won’t tear itself apart – which was the comment I made right at the start of this blog. He is not a supreme dictator and not every Republican is a Trump. There will surely be restraints on erratic behaviour.
The deplorables, as Hillary chose to label them. want their voice heard and they saw Trump as the means of doing that. It remains to be seen if that happens. Otherwise he’ll be out after 4years.
As to the legitimacy of his tenure given his business interests. Surely that issue would have been clarified before he was nominated? Are Americans that stupid? Surely not?
I’ll be right behind you Dismayed.
Tonight I heard a senior staffer say “I’m offering you alternative facts” & I just lost it. This may just be Trump’s MO, just lie.
Trump was waving around a letter Obama left him then childishly put it in his suit pocket & refused to divulge its contents to the media.
http://www.standard.co.uk/news/world/donald-trump-shows-off-beautiful-letter-barack-obama-left-him-in-oval-office-a3446981.html
What a measured, statesman-like President.
Bella
JESUS CHRIST! Mike Pence is really Hannibal Lecter! Cop the clock on the old boy!
Good stuff Bella. Give ’em heaps.
PS. How are the Pirates going v Nippon whale murderers?
With 51 crew the Steve Irwin & Ocean Warrior are currently keeping the outlaw poaching fleet on the run & when they’re running they’re not killing whales. SS are all that stands between the harpoons and the whales.
How did it come to this when the Labor Govt took Japan to The Hague and we won the case?
It’s happening now because Australia has a weakling for a PM who won’t enforce intl law or make Japan pay the $1m fine still outstanding.
Even with documented proof, the infamous ball-less zone that is the fancy Fibs, are still refusing to intervene.
Pffft to their.
Chin up my little obergruppenfuehrer, Acceptance comes to those who hang in there.
Just calm down little man.
What I am hearing is that the health cover will be expanded, not cancelled. Why not wait and see. Let the hysteria settle. He’s different, he calls the shots directly. He says things that died in the wool politicians aren’t brave enough to say for fear of losing power.
Yvonne, What is wrong with you. One of his first acts was to start dismantling it. He issued orders to right after the inauguration you got up and watched. Open your eyes you are blinded by the bright lights.
No I’m not Dismayed. Sit back and wait and see what he does – for God’s sake its only Day 3. Rome wasn’t built in 2 days.
What the…? Not sure if you know how this works, Yvonne. Insurers price risk. When there is no risk the price of insurance – premiums – goes down. When people start mucking about and introducing uncertainty into the system the price goes up. A lot. Trumps first act was to sign an executive order about the implementation of the affordable care act. But n one really knows what that order meant. This is what we call “uncertainty”. Ergo insurance risk – and prices – go up.
Every time a government changes rules it has a cost to business. When governments create uncertainty that cost is higher.
Trump is a walking talking uncertainty machine. Anyone who thinks he’s good for business is an idiot (no offence).
I have never said he is good for business Darren. The fact is, the world doesn’t know what happens next with this man. Sure, the rest of the world may feel some pain – as per your insurance risk example. Yes, dear, I do understand that. The rest of the world is going to have to adapt the impact it may have on their country, if any.
He told America he was going to better their circumstances – they believed him. They voted for him. Those who chose not to vote, who may have voted Democrat, may now regret that. Too late.
It was a hostile takeover. The world has not seen anything like it. A business man running a country.
But try not to patronise. because I adopt a more phlegmatic approach does not mean I am dumb – okay?
Id suggest the world has seen plenty of businessmen running countries. Africa and South America have plenty of examples of that. It generally hasnt ended too well.
But my point was that uncertainty and risk kills business. Thats fundamental. And I know that because all my job is about is (a) minimising risk to make business easier and (b) when that goes wrong, shifting the consequences of that risk (onto someone other than my client).
A businessman can take all the risks he likes and cause all the chaos he likes in his own business. But start causing uncertainty in an economy and the risks start escalating. And risk kills economies. History shows that very clearly. Developed, wealthy, countries are all countries that have grappled with and, over time, minimised risks.
Trump is bad for business. and he is bad for the US economy and, unless quarantined, he will be bad for the world economy.
And we’ve seen Trump’s prototype in action already – Tony Abbott. In the long run stupidity never works.
Darren, sometimes you come up with some pearlers.
“Anyone who thinks he’s good for business is an idiot”.
So that explains the 15% jump in the S&P since he was elected eh you financial genius?
As for your insurance risk analogy, utter bullshit. Health premiums haven’t changed one cent, yet. Obama Care caused a price escalation that was out of control, and no change has passed the desk of Trump yet. Stop making things up.
No, he’s an ignorant buffoon who and he thinks he is omnipotent.
Young Italian player disqualified for this? Hope she can appeal, disgraceful umpiring it seems.
http://www.news.com.au/sport/tennis/australian-open/italian-player-disqualified-from-australian-open-for-hitting-ballkid/news-story/3786051ebf7139954d2f8c6adb06130f
Makes one wonder how Kyrgios stayed on the court
Yeah, tennis. Tedious humourless old farts. Anywhere else………………..
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tZ209x5h6O0
In the noble tradition of trying to bean the mascot.
“Alternate Facts” Post truth? “Core and Non Core Promises”. “There will be NO cuts etc, etc etc.” It is clear the cons are devoid of integrity and continue to mislead, misinform and out right attack anyone who dare try to hold them to account. They use divisive racial and religious rhetoric to divide Nations to further their false fixed ideology. Yet people support them. What fear is driving people to support such deceptive divisive behaviour? Is it the fear of losing what they feel entitled too? The fear of other’s sharing in life’s opportunity? The fear of having to treat people with respect regardless of their race, religion and status? The fear of recognising their ideology is just lies? What is it that is said about a cornered rat?
Paul Keating
16 Jan on twitter:
“If this government were a car, you’d have to clean bugs off the rear windshield they are going backwards that fast.”
Unmade – “… drivel… Yet people support them….drivel.”
Apparently more people supported Clinton. What fear is driving them? But re the US you prefer to side with the insiders, the elites, the one’s who live inside the beltway and look down their collective noses at those who reside in the fly over states. You prefer big govt, nanny statism. Another thing you’ve not yet learnt champ is that people end up resenting or hating those that help them. Stick to the cricket you nonce, at least there you provide some giggles. You’re a pusillanimous keyboard featherweight; glass jawed, bitter and lonely. On the plus side you are a good Germaine!
Milton Yes more people supported the Democrats, their fear? is what we are seeing unravelling now. When you have learnt to read and comprehend, starting with Housing affordability, then maybe you can make comments that would be taken seriously. The “insiders” are they the many billionaires that were sitting behind trump? and the “elites” are they those ones trump has put into many positions? You delusional and so ignorant to what is actually happening around you, you are using term that you don’t even understand. It is sheep like you that allow injustices in the world to occur actually you actively encourage the regressive ways of the con. You are failing this Nation, your children and society in general.
The problem for the Right, Milton, is that Trump is a big government guy, and despite the PR BS, he’s about as elite and “inside the beltway” as they come. He lives in his own tower on Manhattan, FFS. But he does shit the Left. For some on the Right that’s all that matters, but the smart ones realise that policy and probity actually matter in the long run. The Republican party remains deeply conflicted about him, and IMO this ambivalence may quite possibly be his downfall.
JOH = not sure if he is part of the elite, or inside the beltway or even part of the establishment, John. Most of those old moneyed (is it wasp’s), old named, Harvard or whatever types are probably snobs and consider him a nouveau riche, tasteless, real estate agent (which he pretty much is). I doubt he’d get inside many of those peoples parlour. As for the ‘establishment’, the GOP, I wouldn’t be surprised if the big funders in there spent more money to get rid of Trump than the Democrats (who certainly underestimated him, his nous and his support). As far as being uber rich, i’m not so sure and like Clive Palmer I suspect a lot of people doubt his true wealth. Perhaps the only doors that are open to him are in places that he owns. He seems pretty much an outsider and maverick to me. Which for many would be part of his appeal. He certainly is a spruiker, a salesman. Certainly more people in Oz, and other remote parts of the earth , know who the PotUS is, than who is the PM of the UK (PMUK).
Like Keating delivering us Howard, Obama has paved the way for the Donald. Thank can only be a good thing, surely?
Elite is as elite does, i.e. money and power. I know it’s fashionable among alt-right types to use the word as if it referred to people they regard as too educated or whatever, but that’s not actually what it means outside that bubble.
Well that’s what I’ve been saying JOH. Not every Republican is a Trump. It’s a big congress
Surely there will be restraints on erratic behaviour? All this crap and silly bickering on crowd sizes will abate and they will get down to business. It’s going to be interesting to say the least.
not sure if he is big government or small government, too early to tell i reckon.
i certainly agree that he will not enjoy uncritical support of republicans in congress or at a state level either, and for the first time in eight years we will have some new critics of the government in the media, that will be good as well.
will he be a success? time will tell, but at least he is not a Clinton or a Bush, so killing off dynastic politics is one plus we can grant him.
Seriously? He just appointed most of his family and business associates to various government positions. Instant dynasty!
Nobody has played identity politics like the left little man.
Isn’t all that Trump schtick about “Hillbilly Elegy”, rust-belt, flyover-States, blue-collar, angry-white-males etc, just another kind of identity politics?
I’m surprised that Trump meets with your strident disapproval, Dismayed. He’s doing and saying stuff that you have been advocating, ad infinitum, for this country; viz. redistribution of wealth, scrapping the tpp, improving medical welfare for all (yes he has said he is going to enhance Obamacare not cancel it) – to name a few.
There are things that have to be scrapped in order to fund that. That’s an unfortunate fact.
Now here’s someone prepared to have a go and shake up failing political quagmires and you are saying it can’t or won’t be done. How do you know that?
It’s day 3 and you declare he should be impeached. Bit early for that knee jerk reaction don’t you think?
Sure, he’s not very likeable and certainly different to what the world is used to – so what does the world want – more of the same from America?
Where climate change rectification measures can fit into all of this is of concern. I don’t know.
Yes and many Republicans are saying if he does not SELL his business interests and start to act within the US constitution they will have him impeached. He is Dismantling the Affordable Care Act. Not enhancing it. You choose to blindly believe a person that has lied constantly because he reaffirms your long held fixed false beliefs. It is clear you DO NOT understand or comprehend what is written if you believe he is doing what I have advocated for. you read into comments what you want to project it is a conservative sickness.
Oh Dismayed – I am not going to get into a torrid discussion with you. No point. You cannot do it without slagging off.
Have a nice day…
Yvonne highlighting you have a chronic lack of comprehension ability is not slagging you off. Again you read what you want to see into comments regardless of what they actually say. That is your problem to deal with. Your victim placard must get heavy, do you have it on wheels to drag around with you. If you make obviously ridiculous and wrong comments you should expect them to be highlighted. You have been wrong about everything regarding trump to date but somehow you are a victim when it is pointed out. Ahh now I see why you worship him. Anytime you are proven wrong or you don’t agree with or like is fake, false and an attack on you. PPFFFT. Oh let me again highlight I stayed out of the blog for several days as soon as I commented you jumped on me and now you don’t like it because I have shown your points to be wrong.
Jean Baptiste
January 23, 2017 at 12:36 pm
says: “Obviously you didn’t take on anything from the previous links. The idiot Reagan may have gone to his grave believing he undid the Soviet Union, which is of course is a load of old bollocks fed to the masses.”
Nuh-uh! Think again JB; the demise of communism and ending the Soviet control of Eastern and Central Europe took two to tango, and Ronnie was one of them on the dance floor me old twinkle toes.
You’re incapable of taking on any new information Carl. If you want to believe the mush fed to the masses, that’s fine with me.