The USA is a very sad example of a once great nation going into steep decline. – © Mark Alexander
Monday, January 20, 2025
John Bolton Predicts a 'Chaotic' Second Trump Term | LBC
The USA is a very sad example of a once great nation going into steep decline. – © Mark Alexander
Why Trump Will Wreck the Economy - and What It Means for You
Jan 20, 2025 | Donald Trump's nominee for Treasury is threatening to crash the economy and blame it on liberals.
Math Larry joins Thom Hartmann to discuss how Donald Trump is to blame for the 2025 economic crash.
Math Larry joins Thom Hartmann to discuss how Donald Trump is to blame for the 2025 economic crash.
REACTION: Donald Trump's Inauguration Speech | The Warning with Steve Schmidt
What a SHITSHOW! – © Mark Alexander
The Guardian View on Donald Trump’s Inauguration: Fear, Division and the Facade of National Populism
THE GUARDIAN – EDITORIAL: The billionaire’s return to power signals a new era of upheaval in US politics, marked by authoritarian ambitions, glaring conflicts and polarisation
On the surface, Donald Trump’s inauguration looked like the usual transfer of power, with political rivals exchanging polite applause. This was a facade. Mr Trump’s address feigned conciliation but was, in reality, a rightwing call to arms against his enemies, rejecting the unity the ceremony represents. Mr Trump presented a grim picture of a country on its knees that only he can revitalise. He declared not one but two national emergencies, pledging to return “millions of criminal aliens” and “drill, baby, drill” for the “liquid gold under our feet”. His alarming call to “take back” the Panama Canal from China hints at ambitions to reshape the global order, potentially through force.
A flurry of Trumpian executive orders will accelerate the climate emergency, defy the US constitution over birthright citizenship and reduce the scope of legal protections. Forget the stirring rhetoric of Kennedy; Trump’s message was blunt: enemies at home and abroad, beware. Where Roosevelt once inspired hope, Mr Trump offered fear. » | Editorial | Monday, January 20, 2025
Trump’s speech IN FULL here.
On the surface, Donald Trump’s inauguration looked like the usual transfer of power, with political rivals exchanging polite applause. This was a facade. Mr Trump’s address feigned conciliation but was, in reality, a rightwing call to arms against his enemies, rejecting the unity the ceremony represents. Mr Trump presented a grim picture of a country on its knees that only he can revitalise. He declared not one but two national emergencies, pledging to return “millions of criminal aliens” and “drill, baby, drill” for the “liquid gold under our feet”. His alarming call to “take back” the Panama Canal from China hints at ambitions to reshape the global order, potentially through force.
A flurry of Trumpian executive orders will accelerate the climate emergency, defy the US constitution over birthright citizenship and reduce the scope of legal protections. Forget the stirring rhetoric of Kennedy; Trump’s message was blunt: enemies at home and abroad, beware. Where Roosevelt once inspired hope, Mr Trump offered fear. » | Editorial | Monday, January 20, 2025
Trump’s speech IN FULL here.
Democracy Now! People's March: Thousands Rally Against Trump in Washington Ahead of Second Inauguration
Democracy Now! can be supported here.
Sunday, January 19, 2025
Ne-Yo : One In A Million | Official Music Video | Reupload
Vintage Gay Montage Carly Simon All the Things You Are
"Secretly"
Gary Stevenson: What Does Elon Musk Want?
Should you wish to do so, you can become a member of ‘garys economics’ on Patreon here.
Im Kopf eines Nazis: "Die Wohlgesinnten" von Jonathan Littell | Doku HD | ARTE
Jan 19, 2025 | Im Jahr 2006 erschien der Tatsachenroman "Die Wohlgesinnten" von Jonathan Littell. Es handelt sich um die fiktiven Lebenserinnerungen eines SS-Offiziers und eine ungeschönte Schilderung der brutalen NS-Verbrechen aus Täterperspektive. Die Doku befasst sich auch mit der Rezeptionsgeschichte dieses Romans, der einen empfindlichen Nerv der Erinnerungskultur traf.
Der 2006 erschienene Roman „Die Wohlgesinnten“ von Jonathan Littell erzählt die Lebenserinnerungen des fiktiven SS-Offiziers Maximilian Aue, der im Zweiten Weltkrieg Teil der NS-Vernichtungsmaschine war. Das Werk markierte insofern einen literarischen Tabubruch, als es auf mehr als tausend Seiten ungeschönt und brutal das Nazi-Grauen aus der Täterperspektive schildert. Die fiktive Biografie wird dabei mit gründlich recherchierten realen Ereignissen und Personen des Holocaust verbunden. Provokant, abstoßend, skandalös – „Die Wohlgesinnten“ ist all das, aber tatsächlich noch viel mehr.
Das Werk des 1967 geborenen französischen Schriftstellers amerikanischer Herkunft wurde in Frankreich mit den begehrten Literaturpreisen Prix Goncourt und Grand Prix de l'Académie française ausgezeichnet und sorgte sofort nach seiner Veröffentlichung für Polemik: Die einen empörten sich über den „pornografischen“ Aspekt der Erzählung, die anderen lobten das literarische Genie und die Tatsache, dass endlich ein Autor die Courage aufbrachte, den Holocaust aus einer Warte zu behandeln, an die sich noch kein Historiker herangetraut hatte. „Im Kopf eines Nazis – Die Wohlgesinnten von Jonathan Littell“ nimmt die gespaltene Rezeption des Buchs zum Anlass, wesentliche Fragen zu beleuchten: Wie spricht man heute, nach unzähligen Büchern, Filmen und Erzählungen und dem Tod der letzten Zeitzeugen, über die Nazi-Barbarei? Wo liegen die Grenzen der Kunst im Allgemeinen und der Literatur im Besonderen, wenn es um den Holocaust geht?
Mit Hilfe von Archivmaterial, Begehungen der Schauplätze der Judenvernichtung, Auszügen aus dem Buch und Gesprächen mit renommierten Historikern, Schriftstellern und Publizisten zeichnet der Film die Entstehungs- und Rezeptionsgeschichte dieses Ausnahmewerks nach, das das Konzept der Menschlichkeit hinterfragt und einen empfindlichen Nerv der Erinnerungskultur traf.
Dokumentation von Jean-Christophe Klotz (F 2023, 56 Min)
Video verfügbar bis zum 29/04/2025
Der 2006 erschienene Roman „Die Wohlgesinnten“ von Jonathan Littell erzählt die Lebenserinnerungen des fiktiven SS-Offiziers Maximilian Aue, der im Zweiten Weltkrieg Teil der NS-Vernichtungsmaschine war. Das Werk markierte insofern einen literarischen Tabubruch, als es auf mehr als tausend Seiten ungeschönt und brutal das Nazi-Grauen aus der Täterperspektive schildert. Die fiktive Biografie wird dabei mit gründlich recherchierten realen Ereignissen und Personen des Holocaust verbunden. Provokant, abstoßend, skandalös – „Die Wohlgesinnten“ ist all das, aber tatsächlich noch viel mehr.
Das Werk des 1967 geborenen französischen Schriftstellers amerikanischer Herkunft wurde in Frankreich mit den begehrten Literaturpreisen Prix Goncourt und Grand Prix de l'Académie française ausgezeichnet und sorgte sofort nach seiner Veröffentlichung für Polemik: Die einen empörten sich über den „pornografischen“ Aspekt der Erzählung, die anderen lobten das literarische Genie und die Tatsache, dass endlich ein Autor die Courage aufbrachte, den Holocaust aus einer Warte zu behandeln, an die sich noch kein Historiker herangetraut hatte. „Im Kopf eines Nazis – Die Wohlgesinnten von Jonathan Littell“ nimmt die gespaltene Rezeption des Buchs zum Anlass, wesentliche Fragen zu beleuchten: Wie spricht man heute, nach unzähligen Büchern, Filmen und Erzählungen und dem Tod der letzten Zeitzeugen, über die Nazi-Barbarei? Wo liegen die Grenzen der Kunst im Allgemeinen und der Literatur im Besonderen, wenn es um den Holocaust geht?
Mit Hilfe von Archivmaterial, Begehungen der Schauplätze der Judenvernichtung, Auszügen aus dem Buch und Gesprächen mit renommierten Historikern, Schriftstellern und Publizisten zeichnet der Film die Entstehungs- und Rezeptionsgeschichte dieses Ausnahmewerks nach, das das Konzept der Menschlichkeit hinterfragt und einen empfindlichen Nerv der Erinnerungskultur traf.
Dokumentation von Jean-Christophe Klotz (F 2023, 56 Min)
Video verfügbar bis zum 29/04/2025
Farage Is a Fake and Only a Matter of Time before He Is Found Out
Jan 19, 2025 | I do not wish ill on Farage - and certainly do not anticipate his "demise" but I certainly predict a time when he will have to deliver something of value rather than carping against the establishment and making a tidy buck on the side.
I have never liked Farage. The man is a fraud. He is in politics only for his own ends: he's in politics to feather his own nest. He laughs all the way to the bank even while he is impoverishing the masses. Whom do I dislike the most: Farage, Trump, or Musk? Difficult question! The answer would be complex. When all is said and done, they are all self-serving and self-aggrandizing. Bad actors. – © Mark Alexander
I have never liked Farage. The man is a fraud. He is in politics only for his own ends: he's in politics to feather his own nest. He laughs all the way to the bank even while he is impoverishing the masses. Whom do I dislike the most: Farage, Trump, or Musk? Difficult question! The answer would be complex. When all is said and done, they are all self-serving and self-aggrandizing. Bad actors. – © Mark Alexander
Saturday, January 18, 2025
How Strong Is Democracy in Germany? | DW Documentary
Jan 17, 2025 | ‘Never again’ was the motto in Germany after 1945. This film shows how this commitment became a pillar of society. What measures are needed today to defend humanist values and preserve democratic achievements?
The film provides an insight into the challenges and hopes of remembrance culture work and examines how the motto ‘never again’ is evolving into an educational policy obligation in Germany.
With the end of the Second World War, two words became an integral part of democracy in the Federal Republic of Germany: ‘Never again’. Never again fascism, never again war, never again a dictatorship like National Socialism, in which minorities are persecuted, disenfranchised and murdered. This endeavor gave rise to a culture of remembrance, which manifested itself in the form of education in schools, memorials and days of remembrance.
But sometimes, it seems like the more frequently these words appear in official speeches, the more they lose their clarity and meaning. The discourse on a meaningful culture of remembrance is mainly conducted in academia, and often doesn’t consider the realities of life in society at large.
The documentary is an incisive and confrontational look at practical remembrance work. It shows what measures need to be taken to protect democracy and human rights in Germany. It focuses on the everyday lives of those who put the culture of remembrance into practice, and those who benefit from it.
The film provides an insight into the challenges and hopes of remembrance culture work and examines how the motto ‘never again’ is evolving into an educational policy obligation in Germany.
With the end of the Second World War, two words became an integral part of democracy in the Federal Republic of Germany: ‘Never again’. Never again fascism, never again war, never again a dictatorship like National Socialism, in which minorities are persecuted, disenfranchised and murdered. This endeavor gave rise to a culture of remembrance, which manifested itself in the form of education in schools, memorials and days of remembrance.
But sometimes, it seems like the more frequently these words appear in official speeches, the more they lose their clarity and meaning. The discourse on a meaningful culture of remembrance is mainly conducted in academia, and often doesn’t consider the realities of life in society at large.
The documentary is an incisive and confrontational look at practical remembrance work. It shows what measures need to be taken to protect democracy and human rights in Germany. It focuses on the everyday lives of those who put the culture of remembrance into practice, and those who benefit from it.
Ina Garten's Potato Latkes | Barefoot Contessa | Food Network
Michael Lambert: UK Economy - Where Is the Growth Coming from?
Jan 18, 2025 | Every week we hear further bad news about the UK economy. Although other countries are also suffering, the situation in the UK seems far worse, not least as a result of Brexit.
The government under Keir Starmer seems clueless as to how to improve our economy despite talking endlessly about growth. Starmer recently gave a speech about how the UK is to become a worldwide AI superpower alongside China and the USA. It was also announced that he had written to each of the UK regulators asking them to present pro-growth initiatives to Downing St.
Once in power the Labour government agreed to a 15% rise for train drivers who are paid double the UK average. Measures were introduced to increase the minimum wage and make it very difficult to dismiss employees from day one, both of which are likely to deter employment. In the budget Rachel Reeves increased employers' NHI contributions which is a deterrent to employers taking on more staff.
The government has been talking about growth since before they came to power but there has been none. Starmer is now talking about the UK becoming an AI superpower. None of the cabinet has any experience in business and seem clueless as to how to solve our problems. Any solution will take a long time and must prioritise the promotion of small business.
The government under Keir Starmer seems clueless as to how to improve our economy despite talking endlessly about growth. Starmer recently gave a speech about how the UK is to become a worldwide AI superpower alongside China and the USA. It was also announced that he had written to each of the UK regulators asking them to present pro-growth initiatives to Downing St.
Once in power the Labour government agreed to a 15% rise for train drivers who are paid double the UK average. Measures were introduced to increase the minimum wage and make it very difficult to dismiss employees from day one, both of which are likely to deter employment. In the budget Rachel Reeves increased employers' NHI contributions which is a deterrent to employers taking on more staff.
The government has been talking about growth since before they came to power but there has been none. Starmer is now talking about the UK becoming an AI superpower. None of the cabinet has any experience in business and seem clueless as to how to solve our problems. Any solution will take a long time and must prioritise the promotion of small business.
Trump Plans Large Immigration Raid in Chicago on Tuesday – Report
THE GUARDIAN: Administration to send 100 to 200 officers to city on day two of new presidency, Wall Street Journal reports
Donald Trump’s incoming presidential administration plans to launch a large immigration raid in Chicago the day after he takes office, the Wall Street Journal reported on Friday, citing four people familiar with planning.
The raid, expected to start on Tuesday, would last all week, the newspaper said, adding that US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (Ice) would send between 100 and 200 officers to carry out the operation.
Trump’s transition team did not immediately respond to a Reuters request for comment. But a source with knowledge of the incoming administration’s plans said Ice would intensify enforcement across the country and there would not be a special focus on Chicago or surge of personnel there.
“We’re going to be doing operations all across the country,” the person said. “You’re going to see arrests in New York. You’re going to see arrests in Miami.” » | Reuters | Saturday, January 18, 2025
THE NEW YORK TIMES:
Trump’s Deportation Plan Is Said to Start Next Week in Chicago: The size of the planned immigration raids is unclear, but they would be the opening step in the president-elect’s goal of overseeing the largest deportation program in history. »
‘La Migra!’ A Glimpse of Trump’s Promised Deportation Storm: Sweeps by Border Patrol agents in California have stoked fears among undocumented migrant workers on the eve of Donald J. Trump’s presidential inauguration. »
OPINION – GUEST ESSAY: Doctors and Nurses Should Get Ready for Mass Deportations: It was hardly two weeks after the election when a doctor in our clinic received a letter from one of her patients, an undocumented immigrant who feared that Immigration and Customs Enforcement might detain her under a second Trump term. / The patient had diabetes and suffered from rotator cuff tendinitis, which makes reaching backward quite painful. “Is there any possibility you can write a letter,” she asked, “stating that if they handcuff me, can they please handcuff me with my hands in front of me?” She was also panicked about her diabetes. “I am scared that they will not allow me to take any medications in the immigration camps.” »
El equipo de Trump evade las conversaciones sobre las deportaciones masivas, según funcionarios de países latinoamericanos: Según los analistas, es posible que el gobierno entrante quiera limitar la confrontación antes de firmar una serie de decretos en materia de inmigración que harían que los gobiernos de la región tuvieran que reaccionar. »
Donald Trump’s incoming presidential administration plans to launch a large immigration raid in Chicago the day after he takes office, the Wall Street Journal reported on Friday, citing four people familiar with planning.
The raid, expected to start on Tuesday, would last all week, the newspaper said, adding that US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (Ice) would send between 100 and 200 officers to carry out the operation.
Trump’s transition team did not immediately respond to a Reuters request for comment. But a source with knowledge of the incoming administration’s plans said Ice would intensify enforcement across the country and there would not be a special focus on Chicago or surge of personnel there.
“We’re going to be doing operations all across the country,” the person said. “You’re going to see arrests in New York. You’re going to see arrests in Miami.” » | Reuters | Saturday, January 18, 2025
THE NEW YORK TIMES:
Trump’s Deportation Plan Is Said to Start Next Week in Chicago: The size of the planned immigration raids is unclear, but they would be the opening step in the president-elect’s goal of overseeing the largest deportation program in history. »
‘La Migra!’ A Glimpse of Trump’s Promised Deportation Storm: Sweeps by Border Patrol agents in California have stoked fears among undocumented migrant workers on the eve of Donald J. Trump’s presidential inauguration. »
OPINION – GUEST ESSAY: Doctors and Nurses Should Get Ready for Mass Deportations: It was hardly two weeks after the election when a doctor in our clinic received a letter from one of her patients, an undocumented immigrant who feared that Immigration and Customs Enforcement might detain her under a second Trump term. / The patient had diabetes and suffered from rotator cuff tendinitis, which makes reaching backward quite painful. “Is there any possibility you can write a letter,” she asked, “stating that if they handcuff me, can they please handcuff me with my hands in front of me?” She was also panicked about her diabetes. “I am scared that they will not allow me to take any medications in the immigration camps.” »
El equipo de Trump evade las conversaciones sobre las deportaciones masivas, según funcionarios de países latinoamericanos: Según los analistas, es posible que el gobierno entrante quiera limitar la confrontación antes de firmar una serie de decretos en materia de inmigración que harían que los gobiernos de la región tuvieran que reaccionar. »
Friday, January 17, 2025
Deranged Trump Demands All Windmills Be Ripped Down during Insane Rant
It should be clear even to the dumbest American by now that Donald Trump should never have been re-elected to the White House. By re-electing Trump, they have seriously damaged the reputation of the USA and they have killed their democracy in one fell swoop.
Those who voted for Trump deserve all the shit that is coming to them. I have no sympathy for them at all. However, for those who had the good sense not to vote for him, I have a great deal of sympathy for them. They are all going to suffer greatly and unnecessarily. It will be hard for them to watch their democracy evaporate before their very eyes, and hard for them to watch their country go down the tubes. – © Mark Alecxander
Kemi Badenoch's Big Brexit Speech Yesterday
Kemi Badenoch is a bloody disaster for the Conservative Party. She has zero chance of reversing the party’s fortunes. In a short time, Badenoch will be nothing but a footnote in the history books.
The problem with Brexit is not that it has been badly executed, though it is true that it has been badly executed. The main problem with Brexit is that its execution should never have been tried from the start. There is no way that Brexit could have worked, regardless of how it was executed. No country can decouple itself from the greatest customs union in the world, which is on its doorstep, and expect to be able to thrive. This is economics 101!
Only a dimwit would have suggested a Brexit referendum. Cameron, put a referendum forward, and he was just that: a dimwit.
Kemi Badenoch need not bash herself on the head with Brexit being badly executed. Fact is that its execution should never have been tried in the first place.
We are led by dimwits! – © Mark Alexxander
‘Revolution Is Coming’: CNN Guest Delivers Dire Warning | The Kyle Kulinski Show
It’s a question of socialism for the superrich and raw capitalism for the poor, the working class, and the middle class.
One of the first things Trump will do is cut taxes for the superrich. So clueless is he! How little he understands economics! What a shitty system the American system is! Shitty, shitty, shitty!
No wonder the Iranians used to shout “Death to America!” I am no fan of the Islamic Republic of Iran, but can we conclude that they got that cry right?
What has become very clear to me is this: The re-election of Trump is speeding up the decline of America. America is going the way of all great empires before it: down the tubes. And if this is the best that America can offer the world, the sooner, the better. – © Mark Alexander
Europa: Machtlos gegen Musk? | ARTE Europa - Die Woche
Jan 17, 2025 | Über seine Plattform X verbreitet Tesla-Chef Elon Musk Fake News, rechtspopulistische Botschaften und macht Werbung für die AfD. Auch in die inneren Angelegenheiten von Italien und Großbritannien mischt er sich ein. Welche Ziele verfolgt Musk dabei? Müssen wir uns Sorgen machen und wie kann die EU darauf reagieren?
Video verfügbar bis zum 16/02/2025
Musk ist ein Mann-Kind. Sein Reichtum ist eine Sache, seine Meinungen eine andere. Nur weil Musk extrem reich ist, heißt das nicht, daß seine politischen Ideen überlegen sind. Das sind sie eindeutig nicht.
Es wäre viel besser für Musk, für Europa und für die Welt, wenn Musk seine abscheulichen Meinungen für sich behielte. Geld zu haben ist eine Sache, zu versuchen, die Richtung der Weltpolitik zu beeinflussen, ist etwas ganz anderes.
Kürzlich sprach er mit Alice Weidel von der AfD. Es wurde so viel Unsinn geredet und so viele Lügen verbreitet. Weidel versuchte zu sagen, daß Adolf Hitler ein Linker war. Einmal nannte sie ihn sogar einen Kommunisten! Nichts könnte ferner von der Wahrheit sein! Adolf Hitler haßte Kommunisten und Sozialisten. Tatsächlich ließ er sie foltern! Ja, seine politische Partei – die NSDAP – hatte das Wort „sozialistisch“ im Namen, aber das bedeutet keineswegs, dass sie sozialistischen Prinzipien folgte. Ganz im Gegenteil.
Elon Musk ist für viele westliche Staats- und Regierungschefs mittlerweile zu einem Ärgernis geworden. Es wäre besser, wenn er den Mund hielte. Es wäre besser für ihn, weiterhin Geld zu verdienen und die Politik den Politikern zu überlassen. – © Mark Alexander
Video verfügbar bis zum 16/02/2025
Musk ist ein Mann-Kind. Sein Reichtum ist eine Sache, seine Meinungen eine andere. Nur weil Musk extrem reich ist, heißt das nicht, daß seine politischen Ideen überlegen sind. Das sind sie eindeutig nicht.
Es wäre viel besser für Musk, für Europa und für die Welt, wenn Musk seine abscheulichen Meinungen für sich behielte. Geld zu haben ist eine Sache, zu versuchen, die Richtung der Weltpolitik zu beeinflussen, ist etwas ganz anderes.
Kürzlich sprach er mit Alice Weidel von der AfD. Es wurde so viel Unsinn geredet und so viele Lügen verbreitet. Weidel versuchte zu sagen, daß Adolf Hitler ein Linker war. Einmal nannte sie ihn sogar einen Kommunisten! Nichts könnte ferner von der Wahrheit sein! Adolf Hitler haßte Kommunisten und Sozialisten. Tatsächlich ließ er sie foltern! Ja, seine politische Partei – die NSDAP – hatte das Wort „sozialistisch“ im Namen, aber das bedeutet keineswegs, dass sie sozialistischen Prinzipien folgte. Ganz im Gegenteil.
Elon Musk ist für viele westliche Staats- und Regierungschefs mittlerweile zu einem Ärgernis geworden. Es wäre besser, wenn er den Mund hielte. Es wäre besser für ihn, weiterhin Geld zu verdienen und die Politik den Politikern zu überlassen. – © Mark Alexander
New META Rules Allow Calling Queer People Mentally Ill
Who is really the “ill” one? Mark Zuckerberg is a very rich man. He is also a very weird man. Check this out for his eating habits. Ugh! – © Mark Alexander
Un long manteau noir qui scintille dans la nuit : le look inhabituel de Brigitte Macron lors d’un dîner d’Etat à l’Elysée
MADAME FIGARO : Le 16 janvier au soir, l’épouse du président de la République a osé le long manteau scintillant lors d’un dîner d’État orchestré au palais de l’Élysée.
Emmanuel Macron et Brigitte Macron accueillent le président de la République d’Angola et sa femme pour un dîner d’État au palais présidentiel de l’Élysée. (Paris, le 16 janvier 2025.) DIMITAR DILKOFF / AFP
Dans la froide nuit parisienne, une pluie d’étoiles scintillantes. Jeudi 16 janvier, Brigitte Macron a accueilli avec son époux le président angolais, Joao Lourenço, et sa femme Ana Dias Lourenço, à l’occasion d’un dîner d’État organisé au palais de l’Élysée. Ce soir-là, une fois encore coiffée de son impeccable chignon signature, la femme du président de la République a fait sensation en misant sur une longue robe bleu marine à peine visible sous un imposant manteau noir entièrement brodé de sequins et à col montant. » | Par Brigitte Macron a accueilli avec son époux le président angolais, Joao Lourenço, et sa femme Ana Dias Lourenço, à l’occasion d’un dîner d’État organisé au palais de l’Élysée. Ce soir-là, une fois encore coiffée de son impeccable chignon signature, la femme du président de la République a fait sensation en misant sur une longue robe bleu marine à peine visible sous un imposant manteau noir entièrement brodé de sequins et à col montant. » | Par Augustin Bougro | vendredi 17 janvier 2025
Dans la froide nuit parisienne, une pluie d’étoiles scintillantes. Jeudi 16 janvier, Brigitte Macron a accueilli avec son époux le président angolais, Joao Lourenço, et sa femme Ana Dias Lourenço, à l’occasion d’un dîner d’État organisé au palais de l’Élysée. Ce soir-là, une fois encore coiffée de son impeccable chignon signature, la femme du président de la République a fait sensation en misant sur une longue robe bleu marine à peine visible sous un imposant manteau noir entièrement brodé de sequins et à col montant. » | Par Brigitte Macron a accueilli avec son époux le président angolais, Joao Lourenço, et sa femme Ana Dias Lourenço, à l’occasion d’un dîner d’État organisé au palais de l’Élysée. Ce soir-là, une fois encore coiffée de son impeccable chignon signature, la femme du président de la République a fait sensation en misant sur une longue robe bleu marine à peine visible sous un imposant manteau noir entièrement brodé de sequins et à col montant. » | Par Augustin Bougro | vendredi 17 janvier 2025
New EU Customs Deal Would 'Strengthen Our Hand' with Trump Say Sir Ed Davey
Jan 17, 2025 | Leader of the Liberal Democrats Sir Ed Davey says responding to a Trump presidency and growing the economy are the "two big problems facing the UK", and negotiating a new customs union with the EU "answers both of those questions".
He also accuses the Conservatives and Reform of being "weak and desperate" in their approach to Donald Trump, but says the Liberal Democrats will "stand up for Britain".
He also accuses the Conservatives and Reform of being "weak and desperate" in their approach to Donald Trump, but says the Liberal Democrats will "stand up for Britain".
5 Fakten, die ihr über Auschwitz wissen solltet | Terra X
Jan 27, 2021 | Das Vernichtungslager Auschwitz – Endstation für über eine Million Menschen. Wir haben Euch in diesem Video 5 Fakten zusammengefasst, die ihr über Auschwitz wissen solltet: Auschwitz hat Vorläufer. Seit Beginn des Dritten Reiches entstehen überall in Deutschland so genannte Konzentrationslager, kurz KZ, in denen politische Gegner inhaftiert werden. Im Mai 1940 wird in Auschwitz ein weiteres KZ gegründet. Der Ort liegt in Oberschlesien, das nach dem Sieg über Polen von Deutschland annektiert wurde. Die SS, Adolf Hitlers Terrortruppe, nutzt hierzu eine ehemalige polnische Kaserne, die nach bewährtem Muster umgebaut wird. Ein Jahr später, 1941, lässt der Führer der SS, Heinrich Himmler in Auschwitz ein weiteres Lager bauen. Es liegt drei Kilometer entfernt vom bereits bestehenden KZ, das nun Stammlager genannt wird, beim Dorf Brzezinka, das die Deutschen Birkenau nennen. Das Lager wird daher Auschwitz-Birkenau oder Auschwitz 2 genannt. Hier entsteht eine Architektur des Mordes. Die SS organisiert die Vernichtung von Menschen mit industrieller Perfektion: Die Opfer werden per Zug ins Lager deportiert. Ab Frühjahr 1944 führen die Bahngleise bis in den Lagerkomplex hinein. So können die Deportierten direkt im Zielort in Empfang genommen werden. SS-Ärzte teilen die Ankommenden auf der Rampe in arbeitsfähig und nicht-arbeitsfähig ein. Alte, Kranke und Kinder gelten grundsätzlich als nicht-arbeitsfähig. Nach der „Aussortierung“ werden die Opfer zum Duschen geschickt. Die Duschköpfe an der Decke sind Attrappen. Entscheidend sind die umgitterten Käfige, die vom Boden zu einer Luke in der Decke reichen. Es sind Einwurfschächte für das Gift Zyklon B. Rund 30 Minuten dauert der Todeskampf der Menschen. Danach werden ihre Leichen von der Gaskammer zu den Öfen gebracht, wo sie verbrannt werden. Alles ist unter einem Dach – eine systematische Vernichtung. Für diejenigen, die bei der Ankunft nicht „aussortiert“ werden, beginnt die Zwangsarbeit, manche von ihnen werden an die deutsche Kriegsindustrie verkauft. Die Opfer werden nicht nur ermordet und ausgebeutet. Sie werden auch beraubt. Ihr letztes Eigentum wird erst in riesigen Mengen gesammelt und sortiert. Danach wird es in Zügen nach Deutschland geschickt und dort verwertet. Anfang 1945 steht Deutschland kurz vor der Niederlage. Am 27. Januar befreien Sowjetsoldaten das Lager kampflos. Sie finden grauenvolle Beweise des Verbrechens, die die Täter vor ihrer Flucht nicht beseitigen konnten. Und sie stoßen auf lebende Zeugen: 6000 entkräftete Häftlinge, die die SS bei ihrer Flucht zurückgelassen hat. Die Erinnerung an das Grauen von Auschwitz bleibt in den Überlebenden lebendig, bis heute.
Dieses Video ist eine Produktion des ZDF.
Dieses Video ist eine Produktion des ZDF.
Ex-Pakistan PM Imran Khan Jailed for 14 Years in Corruption Case | BBCNews
Jan 17, 2025 | Former Pakistani Prime Minister Imran Khan has been sentenced to 14 years in prison over a corruption case, in the latest of a series of charges laid against him.
It is the longest valid jail sentence the cricket star-turned-politician, who has been detained since August 2023, has received.
He has faced charges in over 100 cases, ranging from leaking state secrets to selling state gifts - all of which he has denounced as politically motivated.
The latest case has been described by Pakistani authorities as the largest the country has seen.
It is the longest valid jail sentence the cricket star-turned-politician, who has been detained since August 2023, has received.
He has faced charges in over 100 cases, ranging from leaking state secrets to selling state gifts - all of which he has denounced as politically motivated.
The latest case has been described by Pakistani authorities as the largest the country has seen.
Scholz kritisiert Musks Unterstützung für Rechtsaußen-Parteien
The World Order Is about to Change as President Musk Seizes Office
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Trumps neue Weltordnung – Angriff auf die Verbündeten? | maybrit illner vom 16. Januar 2025
Jan 17, 2025 | Donald Trump zum zweiten: Der Milliardär wird zum 47. US-Präsidenten vereidigt. Einblicke in seine außenpolitischen Pläne gab er bereits vorab: In Panama, Grönland und Kanada macht man sich auf etwas gefasst. Derweil attackiert Trumps Partner Elon Musk auf seiner Plattform X europäische Verbündete wie Großbritannien oder Deutschland. Hier mischt er sich in den Bundestagswahlkampf ein und beleidigt Bundespräsident, Kanzler und Minister. Kritik an Putin, Xi oder Nordkorea? Fehlanzeige.
Maybrit Illner diskutiert mit ihren Gästen über die Fragen: Welche geopolitischen Ziele verfolgt der neue, alte US-Präsident? Was bedeuten sie für die Ukraine und für Europa? Welche Auswirkungen können sie auf den Ausgang der Wahlen bei uns haben? Was kann, was muss Deutschland tun?
Maybrit Illner diskutiert mit ihren Gästen über die Fragen: Welche geopolitischen Ziele verfolgt der neue, alte US-Präsident? Was bedeuten sie für die Ukraine und für Europa? Welche Auswirkungen können sie auf den Ausgang der Wahlen bei uns haben? Was kann, was muss Deutschland tun?
Banker, Investor, Prime Minister? Mark Carney Bids to Lead Canada.
THE NEW YORK TIMES: The former governor of the Canadian and British central banks announced he was running to become head of the Liberal Party and prime minister.
Mark Carney, a banker who served as an informal economic adviser to Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, announced that he was vying to be leader of Canada’s Liberal Party. | Sean Kilpatrick/The Canadian Press, via Associated Press
Mark Carney, one of the world’s most prominent central bankers and an evangelist of green investment, announced on Thursday that he was running to be leader of Canada’s Liberal Party and the country’s next prime minister. If he wins, he would lead the party into national elections this year.
“I’m here to ask for your support,” Mr. Carney, 59, said as he announced his candidacy in Edmonton, Alberta. “I’m here to earn your trust.’’
Mr. Carney also said the country faced major challenges that he was prepared to take on. “My generation of Canadians is lucky,” he said. “We had a good time. A time to prosper. The system that our parents built worked well for us. But those good old times, my friends, are over. Our times are anything but ordinary.”
Canadian politics have been in turmoil since Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s announcement this month that he intended to step down, leaving the job after nearly a decade in power amid the steady fading of his once starry global profile.
Mr. Trudeau leaves a treacherous legacy to any successor: The party is in tatters, with the opposition Conservatives leading the Liberals by more than 25 percentage points in recent opinion polls as voters have grown disenchanted with the country’s direction.
Mr. Carney, who served as an informal economic adviser to Mr. Trudeau during the pandemic, is seeking to portray himself as an outsider and distance himself from Mr. Trudeau’s recent policy struggles, including soaring housing costs, an overstretched health care system and high prices for everyday goods. » | Vjosa Isai and Matina Stevis-Gridneff | Reporting from Toronto | Thursday, January 16, 2025
I feel sure that Mark Carney would make a great prime minister of Canada. If he gets elected, wouldn't it be a wonderful idea for the USA to be subsumed into the great country of Canada? The USA could be made either Canada's eleventh province, or it could be broken up into a few provinces and territories. Whichever way the annexation is executed, the Americans would be the winners. For starters, Americans would be entitled to free, first-class healthcare, a safer and more civilised country to live in, a country similar to their own country but with a European sophistication and flavour. Canada doesn't need a MACGA movement, because Canada never lost its greatness in the first place!
Go for it, Mr. Carney! Be gentle on Trump, don't threaten to invade, just do a deal with him. And when you do that deal, outmanoeuvre him. Show Mr. Trump that you understand the 'art of the deal' as well as he does!
Executed well, this could be a win-win situation for both parties. – © Mark Alexander
Mark Carney, one of the world’s most prominent central bankers and an evangelist of green investment, announced on Thursday that he was running to be leader of Canada’s Liberal Party and the country’s next prime minister. If he wins, he would lead the party into national elections this year.
“I’m here to ask for your support,” Mr. Carney, 59, said as he announced his candidacy in Edmonton, Alberta. “I’m here to earn your trust.’’
Mr. Carney also said the country faced major challenges that he was prepared to take on. “My generation of Canadians is lucky,” he said. “We had a good time. A time to prosper. The system that our parents built worked well for us. But those good old times, my friends, are over. Our times are anything but ordinary.”
Canadian politics have been in turmoil since Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s announcement this month that he intended to step down, leaving the job after nearly a decade in power amid the steady fading of his once starry global profile.
Mr. Trudeau leaves a treacherous legacy to any successor: The party is in tatters, with the opposition Conservatives leading the Liberals by more than 25 percentage points in recent opinion polls as voters have grown disenchanted with the country’s direction.
Mr. Carney, who served as an informal economic adviser to Mr. Trudeau during the pandemic, is seeking to portray himself as an outsider and distance himself from Mr. Trudeau’s recent policy struggles, including soaring housing costs, an overstretched health care system and high prices for everyday goods. » | Vjosa Isai and Matina Stevis-Gridneff | Reporting from Toronto | Thursday, January 16, 2025
I feel sure that Mark Carney would make a great prime minister of Canada. If he gets elected, wouldn't it be a wonderful idea for the USA to be subsumed into the great country of Canada? The USA could be made either Canada's eleventh province, or it could be broken up into a few provinces and territories. Whichever way the annexation is executed, the Americans would be the winners. For starters, Americans would be entitled to free, first-class healthcare, a safer and more civilised country to live in, a country similar to their own country but with a European sophistication and flavour. Canada doesn't need a MACGA movement, because Canada never lost its greatness in the first place!
Go for it, Mr. Carney! Be gentle on Trump, don't threaten to invade, just do a deal with him. And when you do that deal, outmanoeuvre him. Show Mr. Trump that you understand the 'art of the deal' as well as he does!
Executed well, this could be a win-win situation for both parties. – © Mark Alexander
Thursday, January 16, 2025
Trump's Cabinet Nominees Are an Embarrassment to Americans | The Warning with Steve Schmidt
How will anyone ever be able to look up to the USA anymore for sensible and moral direction and leadership? With Pete Hegseth in charge as US Secretary of Defense, are we even going to be able feel safe in our beds at night anymore? Are we even going to be able to sleep soundly? In Trump’s first term in office, he bragged about choosing “only the best people” for positions of State. So, what happened to that notion? Why has Trump now, for his second term, chosen people who are ill-equipped and ill-qualified for the positions he wants to bestow on them?
It grieves me to have to say this, but now, because of Donald Trump & Co, I have lost all respect for America. And I speak as a man who had the greatest respect for the nation before. Trump has made, and will continue to make, a laughing stock of that once great nation. – © Mark Alexander
The History of Christianity and Homophobia | Sir Noel Malcolm: The History of Homosexuality (2/4)
Jan 16, 2025 | How has Judaism and Christianity understood and treated homosexuality throughout history? Throughout this fascinating lecture, learn how the answer is that it was radically different and varied across time and place. Discover the influence theology has had in the development of how various romantic acts were legally categorised.
Sir Noel Malcolm is a British historian and author, known for his work in early modern history and the relationship between Europe and the Islamic world. He's a Senior Research Fellow at All Souls College, Oxford, and has written extensively on Thomas Hobbes, among other subjects. Knighted in 2014, he's also a Fellow of the British Academy and the Royal Society of Literature
Part 1 of this lecture is to be found here.
Sir Noel Malcolm is a British historian and author, known for his work in early modern history and the relationship between Europe and the Islamic world. He's a Senior Research Fellow at All Souls College, Oxford, and has written extensively on Thomas Hobbes, among other subjects. Knighted in 2014, he's also a Fellow of the British Academy and the Royal Society of Literature
Part 1 of this lecture is to be found here.
US-Außenpolitik unter Trump: Gilt ab jetzt das Recht des Stärkeren? | Auf den Punkt
Jan 16, 2025 | Donald Trump zieht zum zweiten Mal ins Weiße Haus ein – als Präsident der USA übernimmt er eines der mächtigsten Ämter der Welt.
Wohin wird Trump die Weltmacht steuern mit seinem "America first"? Im Ausland gibt es einerseits die Hoffnung, dass Trump gelingen könnte, was seine Vorgänger nicht geschafft haben: Die Kriege in der Ukraine (und im Nahen Osten) zu beenden. Jüngste Äußerungen zu Grönland und Kanada lassen wiederum Zweifel an Amerikas Zuverlässigkeit als Bündnispartner aufkommen. Was steckt dahinter?
Wir fragen: US-Außenpolitik unter Trump: Gilt ab jetzt das Recht des Stärkeren?
Thorsten Benner, Mitgründer und Direktor des Global Public Policy Instituts
Moritz Gathmann, Auslandsreporter beim Stern
Melinda Crane, langjährige Senior Political Analyst der DW
Wohin wird Trump die Weltmacht steuern mit seinem "America first"? Im Ausland gibt es einerseits die Hoffnung, dass Trump gelingen könnte, was seine Vorgänger nicht geschafft haben: Die Kriege in der Ukraine (und im Nahen Osten) zu beenden. Jüngste Äußerungen zu Grönland und Kanada lassen wiederum Zweifel an Amerikas Zuverlässigkeit als Bündnispartner aufkommen. Was steckt dahinter?
Wir fragen: US-Außenpolitik unter Trump: Gilt ab jetzt das Recht des Stärkeren?
Thorsten Benner, Mitgründer und Direktor des Global Public Policy Instituts
Moritz Gathmann, Auslandsreporter beim Stern
Melinda Crane, langjährige Senior Political Analyst der DW
They’re Coming After Marriage Equality Now
The backwardness of US Republicans reminds me of my late grandmother who always used to say about such negative decisions: “What do you expect from a donkey but a kick?” 😀 – © Mark Alexander
European Union Moving Right? | ARTE.tv Documentary
Jan 13, 2025 | Far-right parties are on the rise in Europe, both in the European elections and in national elections. In the European Parliament, they have never had so many MEPs and they are making themselves heard, particularly on migration policy. But how much influence do they really have?
European Union Moving Right? | ARTE.tv Documentary
Available until 01/11/2025
European Union Moving Right? | ARTE.tv Documentary
Available until 01/11/2025
Europe’s ‘Holiday from History Is Now Over’, Finnish President Stubb Tells Euronews
How Historians Study Gay History | Sir Noel Malcolm: The History of Homosexuality (1/4)
Jan 14, 2025 | The same romantic behaviours have been categoried in radically different ways by varying cultures throughout history. This has created numerous issues for professional historians when trying to understand the historical homosexuality. In this lecture, these issues are covered as well as the stark differences in who was considered sexually 'deviant' in the High Islamic Age as well as The Renaissance Mediterranean.
Sir Noel Malcolm is a British historian and author, known for his work in early modern history and the relationship between Europe and the Islamic world. He's a Senior Research Fellow at All Souls College, Oxford, and has written extensively on Thomas Hobbes, among other subjects. Knighted in 2014, he's also a Fellow of the British Academy and the Royal Society of Literature
Sir Noel Malcolm is a British historian and author, known for his work in early modern history and the relationship between Europe and the Islamic world. He's a Senior Research Fellow at All Souls College, Oxford, and has written extensively on Thomas Hobbes, among other subjects. Knighted in 2014, he's also a Fellow of the British Academy and the Royal Society of Literature
NZZ erklärt: Feuer in Kalifornien: Diese drei Probleme machen das Löschen extrem schwierig
USA: Prohibition Is Ratified by the States | 1919
HISTORY.COM: The 18th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution, prohibiting the “manufacture, sale, or transportation of intoxicating liquors for beverage purposes,” is ratified by the requisite number of states on January 16, 1919.
The movement for the prohibition of alcohol began in the early 19th century, when Americans concerned about the adverse effects of drinking began forming temperance societies. By the late 19th century, these groups had become a powerful political force, campaigning on the state level and calling for total national abstinence. In December 1917, the 18th Amendment, also known as the Prohibition Amendment, was passed by Congress and sent to the states for ratification. » | History.COM Editors | Thursday, January 16, 2025
The movement for the prohibition of alcohol began in the early 19th century, when Americans concerned about the adverse effects of drinking began forming temperance societies. By the late 19th century, these groups had become a powerful political force, campaigning on the state level and calling for total national abstinence. In December 1917, the 18th Amendment, also known as the Prohibition Amendment, was passed by Congress and sent to the states for ratification. » | History.COM Editors | Thursday, January 16, 2025
Mehdi Hasan: Elon Musk Is a ‘White Supremacist and Fascist Enabler’
Jan 15, 2025 | “With Musk, I think he has red-pilled himself in plain sight.”
Mehdi Hasan says he’s always found Elon Musk has become a “white supremacist and enabler of fascists”. In conversation with Hugo Rifkind, they discuss the Israel-Hamas war, Trump, and if he has plans to return to the UK.
Mehdi Hasan says he’s always found Elon Musk has become a “white supremacist and enabler of fascists”. In conversation with Hugo Rifkind, they discuss the Israel-Hamas war, Trump, and if he has plans to return to the UK.
Musk vs Albanese: The Election Showdown
Jan 15, 2025 | Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has issued a stark warning to Elon Musk ahead of the federal election, reminding him of foreign interference laws, but will the billionaire heed the call?
The Washington Note's Editor Steve Clemons explains.
Elon Musk is a man-child who thinks far more of himself than he ought to. He is a dangerous force whose wings need to be clipped before he does some serious damage. The man-child is sickening. – © Mark Alexander
The Washington Note's Editor Steve Clemons explains.
Elon Musk is a man-child who thinks far more of himself than he ought to. He is a dangerous force whose wings need to be clipped before he does some serious damage. The man-child is sickening. – © Mark Alexander
Hollyoaks Star Paul Danan Dies Aged 46
THE TELEGRAPH: Actor, who also appeared on Celebrity Love Island, collapsed last year after his vape addiction caused respiratory failure
Paul Danan, the Hollyoaks star, has died after a health battle from “obsessive vaping”.
The actor’s management confirmed the 46-year-old’s death on Thursday morning.
Danan, who featured in the Channel 4 soap from 1997 to 2001, last year revealed that he collapsed after his vape addiction caused respiratory failure.
He was rushed to hospital and eventually revived with CPR, where doctors told him he needed to quit.
Speaking at the time, he said vaping had “pushed him over the edge” as he wrongly thought it was a “safer way to smoke”. » | Tom McArdle | Thursday, January 16, 2025
Smoking conventional cigarettes is, in my opinion, far safer than vaping. Politicians and quacks have been very wrong and totally irresponsible to push vaping as a safer alternative to smoking cigarettes. They are pushing a product which we know far too little about.
It is clear to me, and it should be clear to you, that e-cigarettes are bound to be unhealthier than cigarettes, and for several reasons. Firstly, they are full of plastics – imagine inhaling all that gunge into your lungs! Secondly, people who vape do so incessantly! They hold their e-cigarettes constantly in their hands and puff on them forevermore. This is not how a normal smoker smokes. When you smoke a cigarette, you smoke it, enjoy it, inhale the smoke, get the pleasure, and then stub it out. Then, for a not too heavy smoker, time elapses before you light another one. The people I have observed vaping do so constantly.
This poor actor clearly bought into the lies that politicians and quacks have fed him. May the poor man rest in peace.
This war on conventional cigarette-smoking needs to stop. Of course it is better not to smoke in an ideal world. Unfortunately, we don’t live in an ideal world. People seek out their pleasures and their kicks. And when cigarettes are now so expensive and when it has become virtually impossible to smoke anywhere but in one’s own home, they turn to other sources of pleasure. And most of those sources of pleasure are even unhealthier than cigarette-smoking.
This social engineering must stop. The health of the nation is at stake. – © Mark Alexander
Paul Danan, the Hollyoaks star, has died after a health battle from “obsessive vaping”.
The actor’s management confirmed the 46-year-old’s death on Thursday morning.
Danan, who featured in the Channel 4 soap from 1997 to 2001, last year revealed that he collapsed after his vape addiction caused respiratory failure.
He was rushed to hospital and eventually revived with CPR, where doctors told him he needed to quit.
Speaking at the time, he said vaping had “pushed him over the edge” as he wrongly thought it was a “safer way to smoke”. » | Tom McArdle | Thursday, January 16, 2025
Smoking conventional cigarettes is, in my opinion, far safer than vaping. Politicians and quacks have been very wrong and totally irresponsible to push vaping as a safer alternative to smoking cigarettes. They are pushing a product which we know far too little about.
It is clear to me, and it should be clear to you, that e-cigarettes are bound to be unhealthier than cigarettes, and for several reasons. Firstly, they are full of plastics – imagine inhaling all that gunge into your lungs! Secondly, people who vape do so incessantly! They hold their e-cigarettes constantly in their hands and puff on them forevermore. This is not how a normal smoker smokes. When you smoke a cigarette, you smoke it, enjoy it, inhale the smoke, get the pleasure, and then stub it out. Then, for a not too heavy smoker, time elapses before you light another one. The people I have observed vaping do so constantly.
This poor actor clearly bought into the lies that politicians and quacks have fed him. May the poor man rest in peace.
This war on conventional cigarette-smoking needs to stop. Of course it is better not to smoke in an ideal world. Unfortunately, we don’t live in an ideal world. People seek out their pleasures and their kicks. And when cigarettes are now so expensive and when it has become virtually impossible to smoke anywhere but in one’s own home, they turn to other sources of pleasure. And most of those sources of pleasure are even unhealthier than cigarette-smoking.
This social engineering must stop. The health of the nation is at stake. – © Mark Alexander
Biden Warns of American Oligarchy in Final Address
Jan 16, 2025 | President Joe Biden concluded his five-decade political career on Wednesday with a final Oval Office address, with a stark warning about the growing concentration of wealth in the United States.
He also cautioned against the rise of a "tech industrial complex," which he said is fueling an "avalanche of misinformation and disinformation" and enabling abuses of power. The free press, he added with concern, "is crumbling."
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He also cautioned against the rise of a "tech industrial complex," which he said is fueling an "avalanche of misinformation and disinformation" and enabling abuses of power. The free press, he added with concern, "is crumbling."
Five Minute News can be supported on Patreon here.
Joe Biden Warns ‘Oligarchy Is Taking Shape in America’ in Farewell Address
THE GUARDIAN: President sounds alarm about growing power of ultra-wealthy before handing presidency back to Trump
Joe Biden’s final address to the nation struck an ominous tone after warning of the growing power of America’s ultra-wealthy, and cautioning that an emerging oligarchy threatens the foundations of US democracy.
The Wednesday prime-time Oval Office speech came as Biden prepares to hand the presidency back to Donald Trump, who he defeated in 2020 only to see return to power after Biden’s own dramatic exit from politics last summer.
“Today, an oligarchy is taking shape in America of extreme wealth, power and influence that literally threatens our entire democracy, our basic rights and freedoms, and a fair shot for everyone to get ahead,” Biden said. » | Joseph Gedeon in Washington | Thursday, January 16, 2025
America is ALREADY an oligarchy, Mr President. Oligarchy has been in the making for a very long time. America has been governed for the benefit of the rich for years. Trump has dotted all the 'i's' and crossed all the 't's'. He's completed the task.
Lincoln’s famous phrase, “Government of the people, by the people, for the people’ is passé now. Trump has changed all that. And it hasn’t taken him long to do so, either. From here on in, it’s ‘government of the superrich, by the superrich, for the superrich’. “The people” will get the crumbs that fall under their masters’ tables – if the are lucky!
The American political system has been usurped and poisoned, probably forever. Democracy has been supplanted by oligarchy. You call it oligarchy; I prefer to call it plutocracy, since it is a more accurate nomenclature.
In any case, darkness has befallen your nation, Mr President. America is no longer a “City upon a Hill” as has so often been quoted by many a president or a president-elect; it is no longer a beacon – a shining light in the distance; rather, it is a source of darkness in the distance. And that dark shadow will surely now be cast upon the rest of the free world. Enlightened thinking is already in the process of being replaced by benighted thinking. Ignorance is taking hold. It is already discernable right across the free world. Even here in Europe. Gee! Thanks America! You've done the free world proud. – © Mark Alexander
Joe Biden’s final address to the nation struck an ominous tone after warning of the growing power of America’s ultra-wealthy, and cautioning that an emerging oligarchy threatens the foundations of US democracy.
The Wednesday prime-time Oval Office speech came as Biden prepares to hand the presidency back to Donald Trump, who he defeated in 2020 only to see return to power after Biden’s own dramatic exit from politics last summer.
“Today, an oligarchy is taking shape in America of extreme wealth, power and influence that literally threatens our entire democracy, our basic rights and freedoms, and a fair shot for everyone to get ahead,” Biden said. » | Joseph Gedeon in Washington | Thursday, January 16, 2025
America is ALREADY an oligarchy, Mr President. Oligarchy has been in the making for a very long time. America has been governed for the benefit of the rich for years. Trump has dotted all the 'i's' and crossed all the 't's'. He's completed the task.
Lincoln’s famous phrase, “Government of the people, by the people, for the people’ is passé now. Trump has changed all that. And it hasn’t taken him long to do so, either. From here on in, it’s ‘government of the superrich, by the superrich, for the superrich’. “The people” will get the crumbs that fall under their masters’ tables – if the are lucky!
The American political system has been usurped and poisoned, probably forever. Democracy has been supplanted by oligarchy. You call it oligarchy; I prefer to call it plutocracy, since it is a more accurate nomenclature.
In any case, darkness has befallen your nation, Mr President. America is no longer a “City upon a Hill” as has so often been quoted by many a president or a president-elect; it is no longer a beacon – a shining light in the distance; rather, it is a source of darkness in the distance. And that dark shadow will surely now be cast upon the rest of the free world. Enlightened thinking is already in the process of being replaced by benighted thinking. Ignorance is taking hold. It is already discernable right across the free world. Even here in Europe. Gee! Thanks America! You've done the free world proud. – © Mark Alexander
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