We used to build things: infrastructure, government programs. No more. In the Age of Trump, we’re all about watching Mr. Destructo destroy anything and everything. All we can do is watch, and try to find pleasure in what we hope turns out to become creative destruction.
The Politics of Destruction
Ted Rall
Ted Rall is a syndicated political cartoonist for Andrews McMeel Syndication, WhoWhatWhy.org and Counterpoint. He is a frequent contributor to The Wall Street Journal, a graphic novelist and author of many books of art and prose, and an occasional war correspondent. He is, recently, the author of the graphic novel "The Stringer."
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Ay-yup. “The Party of No” hasn’t had a positive contribution in years. It’s all about thwarting the other guy. RIghties are *so* easy to manipulate, all you have to do is tell them that the opposite of whatever you want is a liberal idea. Global Warming, Equal Opportunity, Pollution, Income Inequality … only a libtard would care about such things! Now go forth and shoot yourselves in the foot with a high-capacity magazine!
Unfortunately, Ted also nailed the “center” (AKA Right-of-center DNC-approved corporate shills) maintaining the status quo doesn’t help either.
> try to find pleasure in what we hope turns out to become creative destruction.
Ay-yup. I’ve said this before – my intention is to uncork a beer, sit on the porch and watch the world burn. I’ll drink a toast to the forlorn hope that *if* humanity survives they will at least learn something from the experience. And if not … oh, look at the pretty flames! We’ll make s’mores!
“He might even destroy NAFTA!”
*
I am given to understand that Mexico might preempt him. They apparently have markets in Europe and in Asia that they can engage as an alternative, with no loss to their economy.
This is a little too close for comfort since the guy on the left (of the cartoon at least) resembles the 1930s leftists who hoped Hitler would usher in a catastrophe so complete that they’d get a shot at state power (spoiler alert: he did, and they did get shot by state power.)
Still, I must admit that from time to time I do get a chuckle out of the many establishment
journalistshacks who list Trumps many disasters and broken promises getting to more and more serious threats of nuclear war and environmental collapse only to use this as a built-up to the ultimate betrayal: he axed the TPP.Hello? The TPP that Bernie decimated Clinton with to such an extent that even her tone-deaf team got the message and had her tie herself into knots to disavow it? The one that Trump explicitly ran on stopping to get people to vote for him against their class interests by actually letting their class interests dictate GOP politics to a bare minimum for once in a generation? Congratulations, you somehow managed to get even more bankrupt than Trump…
I agree with teach that in contrast to the TPP preparations, NAFTA won’t be touched – already since it would directly impact on Trump’s own ability to operate his
businessesname licensing deals and miscellaneous shams. And revisiting NAFTA would entail actual work, so no dice either.