Seven-no-trump is a winning bridge hand. What can we do to make sure we have can win to have no Trump as a President?
The figures below are just out of my hat for effect. We may need more or less of any of the figures below to actually to have no Trump as President? Actually, with his thin skin he may bring about his own removal from office.
We need 70 electors to switch their votes from Trump to Clinton?
We need 7 Supreme Court members to declare his election void?
We need 70 Republican Representatives to impeach him?
We need 7 Republican Senators to try his impeachment?
This article was inspired by Elizabeth Renzetti, “Go ahead, laugh: Humour is the weapon in the fight against Trump”, The Globe and Mail, 2106-12-17.
Showing posts with label arrogance. Show all posts
Showing posts with label arrogance. Show all posts
Saturday, December 17, 2016
Friday, April 06, 2012
Exceptionalism or arrogance
Once again we are having politicians claiming American exceptionalism. In other words we are the best country in the world and anybody who denies it is unpatriotic. If you go around town claiming that you are the richest or the best-looking, will you gain many friends? Similarly, if you claim to the world that you are an exceptional nation and have the right to tell other countries how to behave, will you gain many friends, or world peace?
History is filled with countries that thought they ruled the world, or at least the part they knew. They thought they had the answer to everything and the power to bend others to their will. Where is the Persian Empire, the Roman Empire, the Aztec Empire, the Incan Empire, the Russian Empire, the Japanese Empire, the Third Reich, the Soviet Empire, or even the British Empire?
This arrogance is often that of many an Old West gunslinger. He had outdrawn and killed many men, but then one day he was killed – either by a luckier shot or by a sniper. Because of his arrogance, he had made himself a target. If lucky, old age made him a shadow of his former self.
If we are a democracy, how can we claim our President is "the Leader of the Free World"? Who elected him to that position? The minority of the eligible U.S. voters who cast their votes for the President are an even smaller minority of the citizens of the world's democracies. What qualifies an American President to know how to run the rest of the world when, more often than not, his leadership is questioned in his own country?
Two things made the U.S. great – lots of free or stolen land and a bunch of extremely well-read career politicians. The free land is all gone and today's politicians don't even read the bills they vote on.
Don't get me wrong. I like living in the United States. Having moved to Europe, I could have stayed there. But I preferred coming back to the U.S. because it is my country. To me, it doesn't have to be the "best country" or an "exceptional country"; it just is my country. My house doesn't have to be the "best house"; it is my house and I plan to stay in it for some number of years more. See "I Live in the Best House in the World" and "We're exceptional 'cause we say so".
History is filled with countries that thought they ruled the world, or at least the part they knew. They thought they had the answer to everything and the power to bend others to their will. Where is the Persian Empire, the Roman Empire, the Aztec Empire, the Incan Empire, the Russian Empire, the Japanese Empire, the Third Reich, the Soviet Empire, or even the British Empire?
This arrogance is often that of many an Old West gunslinger. He had outdrawn and killed many men, but then one day he was killed – either by a luckier shot or by a sniper. Because of his arrogance, he had made himself a target. If lucky, old age made him a shadow of his former self.
If we are a democracy, how can we claim our President is "the Leader of the Free World"? Who elected him to that position? The minority of the eligible U.S. voters who cast their votes for the President are an even smaller minority of the citizens of the world's democracies. What qualifies an American President to know how to run the rest of the world when, more often than not, his leadership is questioned in his own country?
Two things made the U.S. great – lots of free or stolen land and a bunch of extremely well-read career politicians. The free land is all gone and today's politicians don't even read the bills they vote on.
Don't get me wrong. I like living in the United States. Having moved to Europe, I could have stayed there. But I preferred coming back to the U.S. because it is my country. To me, it doesn't have to be the "best country" or an "exceptional country"; it just is my country. My house doesn't have to be the "best house"; it is my house and I plan to stay in it for some number of years more. See "I Live in the Best House in the World" and "We're exceptional 'cause we say so".
Thursday, October 13, 2011
The suit with the cigar, an update
This morning's Duluth News Tribune had pictures of the Occupy Twin Ports demonstration. The guy with the suit and the cigar sign was "I support Wall Street!" And you can see the cigar in his mouth.
Wednesday, October 12, 2011
Occupy Twin Ports, 12 Oct. 2011
I spent about a half hour today at the Occupy Twin Ports in Duluth. My guess is that about a hundred people showed up, several with home-made signs. I knew about a dozen of the people attending. As far as "the media" ignoring it, there were several reporter/photographers and at least one TV crew. Many people beeped their horns as the drove by and some passengers hollered out encouraging remarks.
When I walked by before the official start, I think there was one police officer. When I participated I never saw a police officer.
There was a Tea Party demonstration on an opposite corner, but I couldn't read their signs.
On our side a suit was smoking a cigar right next to other people. I don't remember the sign he was holding, but if he was an anti-demonstrator, his smoking a cigar in a crowd was indicative of the disdain Wall St. holds for us 99%.
A downpour started about fifteen minutes after the start. Umbrellas came out and then the person with the bullhorn announced a Plan B and marched off toward the banks. After the rain dwindled they came marching back.
When I walked by before the official start, I think there was one police officer. When I participated I never saw a police officer.
There was a Tea Party demonstration on an opposite corner, but I couldn't read their signs.
On our side a suit was smoking a cigar right next to other people. I don't remember the sign he was holding, but if he was an anti-demonstrator, his smoking a cigar in a crowd was indicative of the disdain Wall St. holds for us 99%.
A downpour started about fifteen minutes after the start. Umbrellas came out and then the person with the bullhorn announced a Plan B and marched off toward the banks. After the rain dwindled they came marching back.
Wednesday, December 01, 2010
We're exceptional 'cause we say so
Thomas Friedman wrote a spoof cable from the Chinese Embassy back to Peking; it would be hilarious if it weren't so sadly true. You can find it at "From WikiChina", New York Times, 2010-12-01.
I've always found "exceptionalism" a bit arrogant. It's kind of grade-schoolish; "my whatever is better than your whatever!" Does it really matter? Can't our whatevers be our whatevers without having to be better than somebody else's?
See "I Live in the Best House in the World".
I've always found "exceptionalism" a bit arrogant. It's kind of grade-schoolish; "my whatever is better than your whatever!" Does it really matter? Can't our whatevers be our whatevers without having to be better than somebody else's?
See "I Live in the Best House in the World".
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