Conspiracy Time!

Posted on 1 February 2017 by Erik Hare | 15 Comments

If you think things couldn’t possibly get worse, you may be in for a surprise. Then again, they may already be worse than you thought.

The chaos created by the current administration is unprecedented outside of a war zone. Then again, if you believe a few websites in particular, we are already at war. The war, in that case, is the fascist takeover of our government against the people, a kind of coup d’etat against our constitution and the system as we know it.

If that sounds like a bit much it’s understandable. But it’s still worth keeping an eye on just in case the paranoids are correct.

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Make America – Great Again?

Posted on 25 January 2017 by Erik Hare | 26 Comments

What will it take to Make America Great Again? A big part of it, at least in terms of the public show, is the creation of manufacturing jobs. Of the four words in MAGA, the top two appear to be “America” and “Make”. It’s a noble effort all around, without a doubt.

But can this be done as a matter of policy? Can we turn back evils like bad trade deals and force the products which are consumed in America to be made in America?

Two stories from the opening daze of the Trump administration demonstrate just how unlikely this effort will be. Indeed, it’s entirely possible to cause more damage than good in many ways.

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A Time for Tactics

Posted on 23 January 2017 by Erik Hare | 18 Comments

After the inaugural, some 3.7 million people took to the streets to protest the new president, or about 1% of the entire population. A dust-up ensued over how many attended the main event the day before, generally estimated at 0.5 million. Popularity is important in an era of perception, so the arguments over this are not going to stop soon.

More important than perception, however, is the immediacy of tactics. No one marching in protest believed anything is going to change immediately, but that was both the main point and beside the point. The marches are for nothing more than to hold on, to stop change, to paralyze. It’s not actually a strategy but a tactic.

We live in a time where actual strategy does not exist and there are only tactics – the raw emotions and gains of the moment. Nothing is actually going to change until that does.

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Seeking Solace

Posted on 20 January 2017 by Erik Hare | 10 Comments

Today is the big day. An new era full of uncertainty starts with the inauguration of Donald Trump.

God save the Republic.

I firmly believe it is critical to take the long view on this, since we are about to settle in for what is likely to be a tumultuous four years. We will have to pick our battles, declare victory where we can, and always keep our eyes on the prize. For this reason, and to keep our sanity, the wisdom of the ancients should be a primary source of comfort. Today’s readings are from the Tao Te Ching, as translated by Stan Rosenthal.

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