Let's give Tiff some credit for standing up for someone so disliked on this forum. — Posty McPostface

Your a sweetheart Posty~ Thank you for your support~

It's a good quote and relevant. My use of the term "concentration camps" is not meant as a direct parallel to Nazi Germany though. As I mentioned before, the British are responsible for bringing us concentration camps and not all involve torture and gas chambers. But Trump's cages can be called concentration camps according to the definition of the term:

"Concentration camp, internment centre for political prisoners and members of national or minority groups who are confined for reasons of state security, exploitation, or punishment, usually by executive decree or military order. Persons are placed in such camps often on the basis of identification with a particular ethnic or political group rather than as individuals and without benefit either of indictment or fair trial. Concentration camps are to be distinguished from prisons interning persons lawfully convicted of civil crimes and from prisoner-of-war camps in which captured military personnel are held under the laws of war. They are also to be distinguished from refugee camps or detention and relocation centres for the temporary accommodation of large numbers of displaced persons."

https://www.britannica.com/topic/concentration-camp — Baden

:up: Definitely. It was clear that you were referring to the larger existence and (sordid) history of concentration camps. I was probably cherry-picking the most vivid example to me. Thanks for your reply.

Madeline Albright has no moral basis on which to claim anything. If anything, she's worse than Trump.

Ah, well you didn't say "I fear they are not" in your original post, but that does help clarify it. — Maw

Ha! Yes, more distinction and emphasis was needed on my part. Niemöller’s quote is more elegant than my editorial page opinions.

I stand corrected. Boy o boy what a thing to say.

Half a million kids dead. Reaction: "Meh". These are the people that run our affairs. I don't think even Trump would have had the stomach to have said that. (Though he did want to invade Venezuela just for the fun of it...)

Not *meh* from me. Just more of a cynical fart from me. What can I do, I'm not gonna get depressed over evil scummy shit like that.

I didn't mean you, Posty, I meant from Albright. That was her reaction. (This is also, by the way, a major reason I could not but have absolute contempt for both Clintons.)

:ok:

So, then it isn't all about Trump after all. Now what?

What a tragedy.

So, then it isn't all about Trump after all. Now what? — Posty McPostface

Yea, I’m with you on that I think. He has control of the football. What will happen next? The spotlight glares. But does it light the way, or blind the driver? Do all roads really lead to Rome? Even backwards in time? Are they still lined with the followers of Spartacus on the Cross-roads we still ride?

Do all roads really lead to Rome? — 0 thru 9

Yes, indeed, do they?

Even backwards in time? — 0 thru 9

Or into the future?

Are they still lined with the followers of Spartacus on the Cross-roads we still ride? — 0 thru 9

Spartacus, the poor soul.

Quo vadis?

Now what? — Posty McPostface

The picture is you in the middle of a dark wood surrounded by loud animal calls that translate to "Vote for me!" but all you can see are bright gleaming eyes in the gloom, the source of which you can never fully discern. And that's as good as it gets until there's a forest fire.

Viva la Revolution!

Oh wait, that won't happen in America, will it?

Quo vadis? — Posty McPostface

Latin for “Where are you going?” (had to look it up). And as you know, the popular Roman epic film from the 1950s, when Hollywood was required by law to make at least one Biblical or Roman epic per year. Preferably both. Would you say the current POTUS possibly reminds one more of Nero or Marcus Aurealius, the philosopher-king? :snicker: Or other? Julius or Augustus Caeser? Should he wear a toga? It might actually be a good look, especially if the Senators wear togas too. The House of Representatives can dress like the House of Lords then, if they wish.

Would you say the current POTUS possibly reminds one more of Nero or Marcus Aurealius, the philosopher-king? :snicker: Or other? Julius or Augustus Caeser? — 0 thru 9

What would @Ciceronianus the White say, I wonder...

Perhaps he might know an answer to this troubling question.

I think he shares characteristics with more than one emperor. These come to mind:

Didius Julianus, who became emperor by being the highest bidder at an auction held by members of the Praetorian Guard;
Flavius Honorius, who has been described as follows: "Honorius was racist, wasteful, cowardly and would betray his most useful subjects due to jealousy."
Valentinain III (Flavius Placidius Valentinianus), who didn't have the ability to govern the empire as it fell apart, and aggravated its fall by his vindictiveness and self-indulgence.

I don't compare him to the great-villain emperors like Caligula or Nero, or even Domitian, because it seems to me he's more in the way of a petty, mean and ignorant man, though he shares megalomania with the likes of Nero, and appears ridiculous like Elagabalus, though in a different way. Domitian was far more intelligent. So I compare him with relatively unknown and inept rulers like those above.

Where is all of this headed, Ciceronianus? I almost feel despairingly sad at the current status of The Republic.

Frankly, say what you will, but I'm glad that we have Republicans in power to protect the Constitution, and the original intention of the Founding Fathers, which of course was a system of checks and balances in which the judiciary branch surreptitiously coordinates with the executive branch then lies about it to the American people with a mass-media-politial-spectacle in order to enrich one other by installing a judge who aims to give the president king-like powers.

Indeed, Quo vadis.

Maybe a turn to religion and mysticism?

I hope it works this time

https://memegenerator.net/instance/58479235/dr-smith-lost-in-space-were-doomed-were-all-doomed

Lol, something to watch in my free time I think.

Thanks.

I have little faith in any of our politicians. I think the time has come which H.L. Mencken thought would come:

"The larger the mob, the harder the test. In small areas, before small electorates, a first-rate man occasionally fights his way through, carrying even the mob with him by force of his personality. But when the field is nationwide, and the fight must be waged chiefly at second and third hand, and the force of personality cannot so readily make itself felt, then all the odds are on the man who is, intrinsically, the most devious and mediocre — the man who can most easily adeptly disperse the notion that his mind is a virtual vacuum.

The Presidency tends, year by year, to go to such men. As democracy is perfected, the office represents, more and more closely, the inner soul of the people. We move toward a lofty ideal. On some great and glorious day the plain folks of the land will reach their heart’s desire at last, and the White House will be adorned by a downright moron."

But still, money is what matters in our Great Republic, most of all in politics. So, I think that ultimately it will make a difference where the money may be obtained and how it may be maintained. If both can be arranged for in the current climate, it will continue. If not, it will change, if only gradually.

We're compared with Rome far too often. Money certainly mattered in Rome and the Empire, but the legions were more important--they had to be satisfied. That's where money was best spent. Here and now, money is best spent in what the Supremes have considered a form of free speech; paying politicians, directly or indirectly, to do one's will.

I'm going to meditate over those deep insights. I appreciate you sharing them. By chance do you still run that blog of yours? I would gladly follow your musings about politics and the current state of affairs.

Yes, I'm still at it, for good or ill.

Pepsi was the first to completely ignore advertisement of the product in favor of broadcasting the type of person who (supposedly) buys it.

Does Trump's appeal also work that way? Is it more the way he makes his audience feel as opposed to the product (or lack thereof) that he's selling?

And if you have Medium newsfeed, look for Zander Nethercutt's article on Pepsi. It's fascinating.

I think on some issues, attitudes like Trump's are needed. As a Brit living in Germany, I can tell you he is bang-on correct here: https://twitter.com/realDonaldTrump/status/1016956445307400193

Christ someone take a look at this:

https://www.ft.com/trumptoronto

Paywalled.