TUESDAY, AUGUST 5, 2025
Arriving one day late: As we head off for our every-fourth-week medical Tuesday, we leave you with the melancholy pervading Thomas Friedman's new column for the New York Times.
We agree with the overall tone of the piece. The column starts as shown:
The America We Knew Is Rapidly Slipping Away
Of all the terrible things Donald Trump has said and done as president, the most dangerous one just happened on Friday. Trump, in effect, ordered our trusted and independent government office of economic statistics to become as big a liar as he is.
He fired Erika McEntarfer, the Senate-confirmed head of the Bureau of Labor Statistics, for bringing him economic news he did not like, and in the hours immediately following, the second most dangerous thing happened: The senior Trump officials most responsible for running our economy—people who in their private businesses never would have contemplated firing a subordinate who brought them financial data they did not like—all went along for the ride.
Rather than saying to Trump: Mr. President, if you don’t reconsider this decision—if you fire the top labor bureau statistician because she brought you bad economic new—how will anyone in the future trust that office when it issues good news”—they immediately covered for him.
And so on from there.
The America we knew—such as it was—is rapidly slipping away? We agree with the overall sentiment. We wouldn't necessarily agree that the firing of the BLS head was the most dangerous action yet.
The American system, such as it was, may already have been dispatched. At present we're exploring the insanity peddled ech night on the Fox News Channel, but a great deal of the story of our apparent American failure involves the unwise behaviors of various elements of our own Blue American tribe.
We may be posting again late this afternoon. Tomorrow, we'll return to the June 24 Gutfeld! debacle, to show you what the host's designated stooges had to say about the crazy monologue he had dumped on Red America that night.
The woods are lovely, dark and deep. Have we failed to come up with the secret?
Apocalypse and/or Metamorphosis
[...]
I sometimes think I see that societies originate in the discovery of some secret, some mystery; and expand with the progressive publication of their secret; and end in exhaustion when there is no longer any secret, when the mystery has been divulged, that is to say profaned...
And so there comes a time—I believe we are in such a time—when civilization has to be renewed by the discovery of some new mysteries, by the undemocratic but sovereign power of the imagination, by the undemocratic power which makes poets the unacknowledged legislators of all mankind, the power which makes all things new.
The power which makes all things new is magic. What our time needs is mystery: what our time needs is magic. Who would not say that only a miracle can save us?
Who would not say that only a miracle can save us!
Once again, that was Professor Norman O. Brown, in this Phi beta Kappa address from May 1960, at a time when he was very hot.
We don't know what he meant by the various things he said that day. But all the way back in 1960, he seemed to say that our civilization, such as it was, was on the verge of "ending in exhaustion."
He said we needed to find a new secret. It seems to us that the allotted time may have run on that quest.
We may post again this afternoon. Tomorrow, we'll take a look at the kinds of people they put on the air at the Fox News Channel as every tribune in Blue America makes a point of looking away.
Trump's going to need to step-up his game, if he wants to distract people frm remembering he's a pedophile.
ReplyDeleteFrom here on out, nothing coming out of this administration regarding the economy can be trusted. Who takes a job knowing that bringing the boss bad news gets you fired? Time for another Fox personality to step up to the plate.
ReplyDeletePrices go up. Prices go down. Trump invokes tariffs. Trump cancels tariffs.
ReplyDeleteThrough it all, the Republican Party is an international pedophile ring.
But, is our government office of economic statistics trusted and independent? How about the FBI? Our health agencies? People today have lost confidence in our institutions, especially the government.
ReplyDeleteGo take a flying fuck, you fascist freak.
Delete"But, is our government office of economic statistics trusted and independent?"
DeleteIt was, until Trump came along.
If you're an idiot-Democrat, it was trusted. Otherwise, not at all.
DeleteTrust is a personal choice, not an attribute of some institution. If you do not have the capacity for trust, then you are prey to Q-Anon and other conspiracy theorists. If you have a bit of education and can compare statements against other evidence, then you have a basis for your trust. Democrats are Democrats because they can figure out who and what to trust. Republicans either rely on authority figures (who can and do lead them astray) or trust no one and join militia groups or cults.
DeleteChange is always with us. Somerby mistakes change for deterioration and that is one of his mistakes. The rest of us, especially Democrats, know that we can work together to build a society that supports the common good. We are continuing to do that, not throwing a dishtowel over our heads and running into the streets the way Somerby does.
David is the latter day Lorax: he speaks for the people for the people have not tongues. And I am telling you, sir (or ma'am), that those job numbers just won't do!
Delete"People today have lost confidence in our institutions, especially the government."
DeleteAnd, golly, how that happened is just a mystery!
It couldn't possibly have anything to do with the decades-long campaign by some to sow distrust in our government, could it?
No, it probably happened when a cabal of communists groomed and installed a Kenyan Muslim as president, right?
Just today, the Washington Post is running a long feature article on the influence of "obsessive researcher" (and 9-11 truther) Laura Loomer.
DeleteYou want to discover the reasons our government has lost trust? Look no further.
I think Russiagate and the "Get Trump" fun and games in general played the main role. Didn't they?
DeleteI think Russiagate and the "Get Trump" fun and games in general played the main role. Didn't they?
DeleteQuaker IMO it was 3 things: people sowing distrust. More fraud and deception in government actions. Alternative media exposing fraud and deception that had been suppressed by the mainstream media.
DeleteExamples of recent fraud and deception include
— Hunter’s laptop supposedly Russian disinformation
—Fauci denying the lab leak theory
— US funding of change of function research being covered up.
— Biden’s mental decline
— Steele Dossier
Another example
Delete“ From fabricated research to paid authorships and citations, organized scientific fraud is on the rise, according to a new Northwestern University study.”
- Hunter's laptop: who gives a shit? Was Hunter part of the administration in any capacity? It was a private matter.
Delete- Fauci: the lab leak theory is still unlikely.
- US funding of change of function research being covered up: Huh?
- Biden's mental decline: favorite right-wing canard that has been accepted as gospel truth.
- Steel Dossier: what about it?
The media calling bigots "economically anxious" was a death blow for institutions.
DeleteFauci didn’t deny the lab leak theory. He said it was less likely than the alternative, which remains the consensus opinion today.
DeleteQIB -3:13 The propaganda has been nonstop from the mighty Wurlitzer since Barry got his ass handed to him in 64 by Johnson. Remember asshole Ronnie Reagan “Nine Most Terrifying Words – ‘I’m from the government and I’m here to help.’” Jagoffs and weirdos, the whole lot. And it's 11 words dambit.
DeleteDo you idiots honestly think the decline in trust of institutions is due to some kind of propaganda? Not with the efficacy or relevance of the institutions themselves? The institutions are just fine but people have been fooled into believing otherwise?
DeleteYou idiots are so crazy dumb.
The canard that there is widespread fraud and waste in the govt has no empirical support. Not even Musk and DOGE were able to find any, which is why no one has been charged with fraud as a result of their efforts.
DeleteLook at the fraud and waste in Trump's own businesses and charitable foundation. He has been convicted of fraud by courts that imposed fines and penalties, reimbursed victims, and even closed down his charity.
This is the man the Republicans believe when he claims there is fraud and waste in govt. In my personal experience, working in both private industry and government, the govt is more honest and more efficiently run than the businesses I worked at. A whole bunch of hard-working, well qualified and diligent people were fired because Republicans don't know what's true about the world. I find that very sad.
I have never understood why savvy Republicans didn't look at Trump and say "If he can't run his own businesses without going bankrupt, why should we trust him with the nation's economy?" That seems like a very obvious response to Trump's lack of expertise.
Delete7:35 Yes.
Delete
ReplyDelete"The America We Knew Is Rapidly Slipping Away"
Nice, very nice. Let's hope Thomas Friedman, the quintessential squealing idiot-Democrat is right about that.
Keep going, Mr. President, keep draining the swamp!
Illegal immigrants are harder workers, and less risky to hire than white people.
DeleteDon't take my word for it. Ask any corporate hiring director.
I'm not distracted from the Republican Party being an international pedophile ring.
DeleteAre you?
And slaves are even better, harder workers. Any slaveholders' party official can attest to that.
DeleteTo truly drain the swamp we need more private, crypto dinners. That's where all the swamp-draining takes place. Preferably at a pricy D.C. club owned by the president's son.
DeleteFriedman a big PNAC fan is a Democrat. God Mao you be the fucker squealing bullshit again. Remember you rooting for PNAC jagoff? I do. You still a little bitch for the man.
Delete"As announced by the White House, the new ballroom alone will cover 90,000 sq. ft. — almost dwarfing the total, existing, 55,000 sq. ft. White House — and allow seating of 650 people. It’s a mammoth-sized ballroom to match Trump’s mammoth-sized ego.
ReplyDeleteTrump tries to justify his ballroom by insisting it will be built by private donors. Who cares? If a handful of fat cats or big corporations want to suck up to Trump by funding his pet project, that doesn’t justify the desecration of the White House."
https://thehill.com/opinion/white-house/5436052-protect-peoples-house/
Whoa, this intense Democrat hatred for ballrooms is new to me.
DeleteIsn't this a brand-new talking point? When was it released?
Donald J Chickenshit, populist. Bwahahaha!!!
DeleteBallrooms are supposed to be for dancing, not laundering bribes to the president.
Delete"desecration", eh? Nice. Autodafé the infidels!
DeleteThe keen-eyed reader would note that the opposition is not to ballrooms per se, but to ugly, swamp-enhancing ballrooms foisted on the American people by an ugly, swamp-enhancing man.
DeleteAuto da fe is a bit over the top, even if you spell it correctly. I agree that the White House (which is a symbol of our nation's humility and unwillingness to bow to Kings in its architectural simplicity) is being ruined by the addition of gold trim on every surface and the paving over of the rose garden. Trump has always had no taste and now he is worse due to dementia and his own hatred of the office he did not earn but bought.
DeleteWhen you, Corby, are elected, you'll rebuild the whole thing and remove all the gold. But for now, alas, President's designers will decide how it should look like.
DeleteAlas, indeed.
DeleteTrump is building a temple where people can worship him and bring him offerings (bribes).
DeleteYes, President will have ballroom, just like King, he deserve no less than Louis XIV.
Delete
DeleteNice idiot-Democrat squealing.
I hope you'll build two ballrooms, Mr. President.
Trump already gave huge tax breaks to the businesses which hire illegal immigrants, instead of white people. Anything else he does is gravy.
DeleteHector - it's more likely a 9,000 sq. ft. ballroom. 90,000 sq. ft. is more than 2 acres - that couldn't be possible be the size, could it?
DeleteTrump trolls the shit out of his enemies and detractors. He has made an art form out of it and they fall for it every time.
DeleteJust what we need. A President focused on the important things.
DeleteAC/MA, you need to check back with Trump on that one. Trump is the one who said that he has reduced drug prices by 1500 percent, so he may have said the ballroom will be 90,000 instead of 9,000 sq ft.
DeleteAC/MA,
DeleteI agree it sounds funny but 3 different sites have used that number. Maybe the estimate came from DOGE, they're not so good with decimals.
"Trump trolls the shit out of his enemies and detractors" - because what he does for reals is so fucking disgusting, he has to bullshit about everything.
DeleteCheck out the Whitehouse link below. There are architectural renderings of this abomination. It really is 90000 SF.
Deletehttps://www.whitehouse.gov/briefings-statements/2025/07/the-white-house-announces-white-house-ballroom-construction-to-begin/#:~:text=The%20White%20House%20State%20Ballroom,Room%20of%20the%20White%20House.
This essay today illustrates why I dislike Somerby so much.
ReplyDeleteNo one listened to Norman Brown, even in the 60s. Brown has nothing to do with any of our current problems. This is Somerby pretending to discuss substance while quoting nonsense, and hoping someone will think he is brilliant (besides Cecelia). This makes a mockery of actual analysis and is filler for his real message, which is to ignore Trump's pedophilic activities, his incompetence as president, his sell-out to Putin, and keep buying those golden sneakers. Somerby is worse than Gutfeld. This is a horrible way for him to end his last days on earth. Destroying democracy to boost a worthless evildoer like Trump.
"his real message, which is to ignore Trump's pedophilic activities"
DeleteDuh. Doieee.
"This essay today illustrates why I dislike Somerby so much."
DeleteAnd yet -- you read him every single day.
BTW, I never realized that Somerby's "real message" was "keep buying those golden sneakers."
Now that you realize it, are you going to buy a pair?
DeleteDemocrats are really in trouble of their predominant critique of the Trump Administration is that they're harboring pedos.
ReplyDeleteThat is the predominant critique by Q-Anon, finally discovering that the swamp is Trump.
DeleteDemocrats are upset because Trump sold out the nation to Putin back in 2012 when he was first groomed to run for president. You can read the Democrat complaints in the various court cases and impeachment proceedings against Trump since then. Dems don't think a convicted felon and thief should be selling America's secrets to foreign govts while looting the nation's resources and now dismantling our democracy. And he has dementia.
their predominant critique of the Trump Administration is that they're harboring pedos - The Pedo is in the House. The fucking White House you sick losers.
DeleteWhen you read the reviews Somerby has linked to on his webpage:
ReplyDeletehttps://howhegotthere.blogspot.com/2009/11/critics-praise-daily-howler.html
you will understand the difference between what Somerby writes these days, especially about Trump, and his blog content back in the early 2000s when he could be trusted.
Those who recall Somerby from those days will be confused by today's content.
Truth is worth defending. Our democracy rests upon the freedom to explore ideas and discuss facts in support of decision making by the public and its representatives. Free speech is essential to that.
Somerby has the right to continue writing here, and those of us who disagree and are even dismayed by his current ideas have the right to say so in blog comments. If Somerby objected to that, he could remove his comments section from his blog.
Throughout history, things have looked pretty bad. We had the Civil war and seem to never have fully recovered from it. there was the great Depression. Instead of the Iliad, TDH might acknowledge Barry Mcguire's song from decades ago, the Eve of Destruction ""you don't believe in war, but what's that gun you're totin? ...tell me over and over again, my friend, you don't believe we're on the eve of destruction." (never mind the Velvet Underground's "Heroin" - "dead bodies piled up in mounds") Spain, after its civil war in the 1930's where fascists, communists, anarchists, monarchists, Catholics, liberals were all fighting, there was slaughter - somehow Spain survived, The future often looks bleak. The future is a mystery. In college, decades ago, I took a class where Norman O. Brown's book was assigned, and I read it. The thing a remember is he equated money with shit (in a Freudian sense.)
ReplyDeleteWhat is your fucking point? History is littered with corpses of people going through hell you describe. Those people didn't recover. We are living thru the well-executed and long planned transition of a constitutional democracy to a fascist dictatorship. Who the fuck gives a shit what you read in college.
DeleteI was addressing TDH's post, his concern about the upcoming end of the world. Sorry you had to suffer through reading my ramblings, and good luck surviving the transition into a fascist dictatorship.
Delete