Day: March 17, 2017

Under Obama, McConnell famously described the GOP’s role as the party of no. In Trump’s presidency, the firebrands in the democratic party have decided to try on the mantle.

The difference between a rebel and revolutionary is leadership. A rebel just stands against. A revolutionary leads to somewhere new. Obstructionism in government is a rebellious act, it denies and rejects. As James Dean taught us rebels are cool but they don’t change the world usually. The rebel stances are defined in the negative. They can stop but not build.
As the democrats recover, the notion of unstoppable share of electorate returns. This is a false truth, millennials are more likely to identify as conservative than Boomers pre Reagan. 1980 taught us about permanent party allegiances. The coalition as it stands is made of individuals claiming to be a demographic. Each with their own vision and agenda. United against piecemeal policies of the opposition.  
Where do the Democrats wish to bring us? Open borders or protectionist trade? Monopolies or competitive small businesses? Bringers of democracy or an island in the world?
I think Obama’s charm and intelligence gave the illusion of a grand theory but standing by the president isn’t a vision of the future. Standing against him isn’t one either as the current chaos in DC shows. If any third party bothered to build a nationwide local network and a strong state presence, we could have been looking at the dawn of a new age. Instead we’ll have to settle for this unending sunset until someone chooses to govern.  
-E.C. Fiori

As Americans on the left and right draw battle lines, enemy forces have entered our society. I’m not speaking if the radical Islamist threat but the Russians and Chinese.
Much has been made of Russian influence in the current Administration. I think we will learn the truth of Wikileaks soon and their Kremlin masters. Snowden sold himself to Putin before his leaks. The Cold War continues.
China however has gotten mostly a pass from the media. We have allowed ourselves to become addicted to their large market. If the American Century was based on the spread of our values then China is our high water mark. Since the opening of China by Nixon, China has not improved their human rights and American business has become more indifferent to their employees like the contractors they hire for their sweat shops.
Today as Hollywood is selling out to the Reds, I cannot but help to worry about the freedom of our media. As studios have sought the seats of Chinese auditoriums, they have grown blind to the offenses to please the censors. Now they are being bought by Chinese investors, I don’t doubt the trend will continue. “The Great Wall” is the beginning not of white washing as leftists who haven’t viewed the film claim but of the presentation of unquestioning Chinese might and values. Hollywood will be making the world less safe for democracy. This is dangerous, we cannot cede the freedoms of America for profit. We cannot support government crackdown on dissent. We will have less “La La Land”s and “Moonlight”s. 
We must not cede our souls for dollars.
-E.C. Fiori