Random Reflections

The spoils.– Deliberately kill tens of thousands of civilians on the road to victory — “the awful reality of war.” Deliberately kill tens of thousands of civilians on the road to defeat? National ignominy and shame that will live for generations. Russia today, along with, incidentally, all of Vladimir Putin’s well-known international apologists and allies in “alt-right” demagoguery and its media affiliates.

French election.– France is reduced to a choice between a pathetic little showman and messenger boy, on the one hand, and a national populist who plays to the lowest insecurities and “anti-elite” ignorance of ordinary Frenchmen, on the other. How could a nation of such historical substance and achievement be reduced to such a contest as its only remaining choice?

Today, perhaps, looking around at our own national realities, it would make more sense to ask how any country in the advanced world could ever have hoped for a better choice.

GOP World.– Did Republican House Leader Kevin McCarthy consider advising Donald Trump to resign over his role in provoking the January 6th violence at the U.S. Capitol? And did he mean it, or was he merely covering his backside by saying what he thought Republican insiders would expect him to say at the time? Did you hear that Kevin told his friends privately that he was sick of Donnie? Do you think he would have said that to Donnie’s face? Do you think Kevin is sicker of Donnie than Donnie is of Kevin? Do you think Donnie will ever speak to Kevin again? Can they still be friends? Do you think Donnie could take Kevin? 

Could someone please throw the past six years of U.S. history down the memory hole?