Authoritarianism

Foggy Bottom Line Podcast Episode 10: No Kings!

~ R. Stanton Scott ~ Leave a comment

Last Saturday, more than 7 million Americans gathered in cities and small towns across the country (not including thousands more in cities like London) to protest the increasingly authoritarian posture of Trump’s presidency. He is usurping Congress’ Article I spending power, sending federal agents and military forces to occupy and terrorize American cities, and corruptly enriching himself through official acts – more or less like King George.

Scott K and I both attended rallies, and I spoke at the Williamsburg/James City County Indivisible rally in Williamsburg. This week we discuss what we saw at these rallies, how the right wing attempted to discredit them, and how the right responded once they saw the peaceful – almost joyously party vibe – nature of the protests and protestors.

Please take a look and let us know what you think. You can also listen on Spotify.

Thanks!

No Kings Day in Williamsburg

~ R. Stanton Scott ~ Leave a comment

Yesterday I spoke at the No Kings rally at the Williamsburg/James City County (WJCC) Courthouse, and thought I’d post a video of my remarks here.

Experts estimated the crowd at about six thousand people. I can tell you that protestors lined Monticello Avenue five or six deep for about a quarter mile or more, and many more gathered on the lawn next to the courthouse and the terrace where the speakers stood.

I can tell you that I saw elderly folks who clearly needed assistance to be there and still showed up. I spoke with middle-aged folks who remember Jim Crow and understand that Trump and his minions want to bring back oppression of out-groups and minorities of all kinds. And I engaged with young people who see very clearly that the system created by corporate capitalism simply does not work for them because they came too late to the party – the billionaires have already hoovered up all the wealth and they have no plan to share it or use it for the greater good.

The people I spoke with understand that MAGA is angry because Trump and his minions have lied to them about the state of the Nation and created fear in their hearts of people who live differently, love differently, and worship differently than they do. They lied to them so they can cripple the state, pervert law and order, and expand their fascist project of oppression.

Thanks to Heather Allen Meany and her team (looking at you, Rex!) for organizing this and creating a wonderful event with amazing speakers, including Lisa Vidernikova Khana (candidate for Congress in the First Congressional District, Ty Hodges (candidate for WJCC School Board), Diane Carter de Mayo (Chair of the Virginia First Congressional District Democratic Committee), Jason Moulenbelt (Marine Corps veteran and philosophy professor), Jessica Anderson (candidate for the Virginia House of Delegates in the 71st District), and Mark Downey (Pediatrician and incumbent Delegate and candidate for reelection in the 69th District).

None of these people were paid to organize this event. None of the protesters were paid to attend. Patriotic Americans – the real core of the American identity, those of us who believe in a Nation indivisible, with liberty and justice for all – showed up for free.

Podcast Episode 2: The Rise of Authoritarianism

~ R. Stanton Scott ~ Leave a comment

The Foggy Bottom Line podcast is now up on YouTube and Spotify. Scott and I discuss authoritarianism in the US and some things Americans can do in response.

Check us out on YouTube and Spotify.

Click on this link for YouTube.

Click here for Spotify.

We’re working to get up on other platforms.

Please like, comment, subscribe and all that stuff. Lots of great content is in the works.

Trump Fires BLS Commissioner Erika McEntarfer

~ R. Stanton Scott ~ Leave a comment

Corporations, business owners, investors, and entrepreneurs need accurate data to make good decisions. Every day, organizations and individuals make critical decisions about whether to build a new factory, expand operations, trade securities, and borrow money, among many others.

This makes firing Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) Commissioner Erika McEntarfer – on fabricated grounds that the Bureau of Labor Statistics “rigged” data in the most recent jobs report to make Trump look bad – a huge problem for American businesses. American corporations and investors can no longer trust government economic data on the US economy going forward. It’s clear that Trump will quash any bad news and publish only rosy numbers and optimistic projections. 

MAGA will cheer this news and line up to say that if Trump says it’s so then it must be so. The jobs report was rigged and McEntarfer should go to prison! We’re really in great shape on the employment front! The economy is growing! Prices are low again!

Trump has fixed everything! He’s the best President ever!

Others will see this for what it is: an effort to stroke Trump’s ego by tricking people into thinking things are fine when they are not.

Everyone should understand that even if labor data has little or no impact on decisions that affect your bottom line, this will not be the last time Trump cooks the data analysis books to make his policies look better than they really are. He’ll do this again.

Regular people who watch prices on life’s necessities while they can’t find work won’t be fooled by rosy data saying inflation is down and the economy is booming. 

Corporations, business owners, investors, and entrepreneurs won’t be fooled either they see the fabricated upward revisions Trump will expect, and get, from whatever flunky he appoints to the job. They know they’ll be forced to make billion-dollar decisions in an information vacuum. 

If you’re a CEO, small business owner, entrepreneur, or individual investor who supports Trump, this of all things should wake you up, even if extralegal detentions of citizens and lawful US residents did not.

Fingers crossed.

[Cross-posted on LInkedIn with minor edits.]