USA Politics (redux)

[Herman]

It never ceases to puzzle me that the US, arguably a nation based on accessibility of citizenship, has an anthem that is completely unsingable.

Or rather, those who can sing the first part cannot reach the second part, and the other way around.

[DaveF]

It never ceases to puzzle me that the US, arguably a nation based on accessibility of citizenship, has an anthem that is completely unsingable.

Or rather, those who can sing the first part cannot reach the second part, and the other way around.

And wasn't it Kurt Vonnegut who described the lyrics as "gibberish sprinkled with question-marks"?

[Fëanor]

It never ceases to puzzle me that the US, arguably a nation based on accessibility of citizenship, has an anthem that is completely unsingable.

Or rather, those who can sing the first part cannot reach the second part, and the other way around.

There have been "nativist" movements in the USA for the better part of 200 years -- the earliest complaints were about the Irish Catholics.  Subsequently it was about eastern European Catholics and -- of course -- Jews.  Government policy has had its ups & down vis-à-vis immigration:  more often favourble, (for cheap labour), but even then proscribing Asian new-comers much longer than Europeans.

[Herman]

And wasn't it Kurt Vonnegut who described the lyrics as "gibberish sprinkled with question-marks"?

Oh, I think it's quite beautiful and lyrics never make sense (try Pindar). It's just that it's virtually unsingable from start to finish, because of the required vocal reach high and low.

Maybe the effort is part of the pathos.

[drogulus]

     The Proud Boys are blaming Trump for the failure of the putsch. I don't buy it. You need good followership or leadership is wasted. PBs and their allies didn't succeed at lynching a single congressperson. Pence still crawls the earth. Not everything is the fault of Orange Bad Man.

[BasilValentine]

I think it's still a difficult pill for many to swallow that he did what he did at the end of his presidency. I guess I'm an optimist in that I was hoping that a man in his position would've had the balls to admit his own defeat despite what he had said in the past. Remember he has flip-flopped more times than a hooker on meth. The man lost fair and square, so at this juncture, I'm quite content knowing that I don't have to see his orange-glazed dour mug again. I think the best defense against Trump now would be to ignore him and pretend the last four years didn't happen. I know I'm going to try my best to do this.

I'd say that's an atracive idea but not much of a defense. The ideal solution is a conviction in the impeachment trial with the condition that Trump be ruled ineligible for public office henceforth. It's in everyone's interest, including that of the Republican Party.

[Karl Henning]

My congratulations to all members from the US with their new president.... 

Though I'm afraid we are all in the midst of a fight over a free, open, inclusive and outward looking democratic society. A fight against ethnocentrism, isolationism and authoritarian nationalism. This fight takes on different forms in the US, Europe and the UK, but is IMO essentially the same.

I hope the US and other countries can steer away from this threat to our democracies.
Because we are going to need each other to defend democracy in the world, and to save humanity and the planet from a pandemic and a climate crisis.

Q

As one journalist put it, borrowing from Churchill: It's not the end, nor even the beginning of the end, but the beginning of the middle.

[Mirror Image]

I'd say that's an atracive idea but not much of a defense. The ideal solution is a conviction in the impeachment trial with the condition that Trump be ruled ineligible for public office henceforth. It's in everyone's interest, including that of the Republican Party.

I agree that Trump needs to be prosecuted, but my point is this is an egomaniac who craves media attention. The best way to defeat such an attention-grabbing whore such as Trump would be to simply ignore him post-presidency.

[Que]

As one journalist put it, borrowing from Churchill: It's not the end, nor even the beginning of the end, but the beginning of the middle.

Well put!

[BasilValentine]

I agree that Trump needs to be prosecuted, but my point is this is an egomaniac who craves media attention. The best way to defeat such an attention-grabbing whore such as Trump would be to simply ignore him post-presidency.

I'm happy to do my part in the ignoring!

[71 dB]

I agree that Trump needs to be prosecuted, but my point is this is an egomaniac who craves media attention. The best way to defeat such an attention-grabbing whore such as Trump would be to simply ignore him post-presidency.

I'm afraid that's going to be pretty difficult because we are dealing with a grant master of attention. He will come up with ways to grab attention we normal mortals would have never thought about.

[Karl Henning]

I'm afraid that's going to be pretty difficult because we are dealing with a grant master of attention. He will come up with ways to grab attention we normal mortals would have never thought about.

The MAGAverse will be his devoted audience, but they have already been shed from the mainstream, and they will suffer natural attrition.

[JBS]

It never ceases to puzzle me that the US, arguably a nation based on accessibility of citizenship, has an anthem that is completely unsingable.

Or rather, those who can sing the first part cannot reach the second part, and the other way around.

Perhaps its original form as a convivial ode envisaged vocal chords lubrucated with wine?

Wikipedia dive here
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Anacreontic_Song

[Dry Brett Kavanaugh]

It never ceases to puzzle me that the US, arguably a nation based on accessibility of citizenship, has an anthem that is completely unsingable.

Or rather, those who can sing the first part cannot reach the second part, and the other way around.

3/4.

[BasilValentine]

3/4.

Not according to Lady Gaga.

[Karl Henning]

Here's How the Impeachment Managers Can Win

[Pohjolas Daughter]

Here's How the Impeachment Managers Can Win

Thanks for that link Karl.  Thought-provoking article!

Very sad (and angry) to see that the National Guard were (even temporarily) moved to the parking garage (for when they weren't on duty)!  Who the heck thought that that was a good idea?

https://www.cnn.com/2021/01/21/politics/national-guard-capitol/index.html

PD

[Mirror Image]

I'm afraid that's going to be pretty difficult because we are dealing with a grant master of attention. He will come up with ways to grab attention we normal mortals would have never thought about.

Not from me!

[Karl Henning]

This, however, is a show I might just watch:

Senate ends standoff, agrees to start Trump's impeachment trial Feb. 9

[SimonNZ]

The guys at Pod Save America (which I didn't use to care for but have come around to) joked that going forward they're going to have a swear jar for every time they mention Trump not for something important unfolding but just to vent that they'll have to put money into. And while I think that's an excellent idea I can't resist this one:

Ainsley Earhardt Says Donald Trump Works Hard Because He 'Watches Every Show'

"Fox & Friends" co-host Ainsley Earhardt said Tuesday that Donald Trump's ability to stay up late and watch copious amounts of TV news is actually evidence of his work ethic.

"They'll criticize President Trump, but no one can argue, he is a worker," she said, as seen in the clip below. "He doesn't drink alcohol, he stays up late at night, he watches every show, he's working."