Ruth thank you for your absolute bravery of “approaching” this multi-faceted analysis that has evolving breadth with NEW and expanding significant inputs from different areas as we are uncovering and that should be there in this analytical MIX!!!! Think new….think mix…..think……cocktails in more ways than one!!!! LOL
Ruth says
“Let’s hold onto that when we consider the victories of the far right in France and Germany. Taken collectively, illiberal gains on the continent were less resounding than expected and highly contested. An anti-authoritarian movement is slowly but surely gaining ground.”………and more……
It’s difficult to keep up with world politics and the implications of daily activity! I’m hoping that reasonable people will step up to bring normalcy, whatever that is!
You made me breathe a little easier. Hopefully the left will continue to gain some ground like it has in Poland and the Nordic lands. And hope it blows across the pond to our shores.
Thank you, Ruth.... Bannon who sees himself as a Leninist of the reactionary kind spent some time in Europe trying to tie the far right here with the far right there. I know our Republican Party has been playing to this theocratic form of Nationalism, and Bannon want to tell you its for 100 yrs.
Listen to what they say about a Unified Reich on their Truth Social....More like Lies of the Anti-Social..... but I digress.
I do think its a hopeful sign that people are getting weary of this movement. Most people can't live on a steady diet of hate. There's so much to be done to mitigate our biggest challenges this century.
Thank you for these -- overall -- encouraging words! We need them!
Just one question: how much can we trust the accuracy/validity of vote counts in authoritarian-led nations such as Hungary? How difficult or easy is it for the leaders manipulate the count?
Bardella has been coached for a long time in how to appear welcoming, how to smile … it’s not something he ever did naturally before the coaching.
I have my worries living in Paris but felt a bit of hope when my French bf’s 20st son decided to register to vote here in a Paris suburb before the deadline tonight. Maybe the youth will turn out
Georgina Wright's comment that "the case of Trump shows that no amount of incompetence can ever be enough to dissuade voters" is an important insight. People vote for those they wish to identify with based on the personal narratives they have become attached to, not so much informed by reason or practical interests.
Thanks for a refreshing alternative to doom and gloom. I often get the impression that the mainstream media is not so secretly rooting for the success of the right. They are preparing the American people for the election of Trump and the ascension of the social and economic right wing. Voices on the left must fight against these policies and these defeatist attitudes. We need to rally support and give social democrats reasons for hope.
It feels like it sometimes. The air of smug cynicism is unhealthy--and always looking for the way to take down both sides. As if that is fair this time. I don't believe the press is rooting for what would be their own worst nightmares come true---but they could be better allies on team democracy. Meanwhile, local news outlets, owned by Sinclair are, like Fox, actively attacking Biden, liberalism, and democracy.
Thank you Ruth. I do feel a bit better after reading this, - but at the same time, it reminds us just how important our own presidential election is not just domestically, - but how much it matters to the rest of the world. Biden HAS TO win this thing!~!!
Biden and both houses of Congress ideally, as too much of the current judiciary has abandoned both precedent and principle. Thomas and Alito's corrupt antics only demonstrate that Biden *must* expand SCOTUS if/when he wins.
It is my opinion that the people of France, Hungary, Poland etc had an epiphany after seeing an example of far right power in action in Russia. Putin's quest for imperialism and carnage was probably seen as a harbinger about his future endeavors. Putin's intent is clear to them, and they want none of it.
Thank you so much, Ruth, for providing information that is certainly not coming through in the mainstream media stories about the elections in Europe! Truly appreciate your more complete and nuanced view of the situation.
The combination of Ruth Ben-Ghiat and Anne Applebaum is, in the opinion of this reader, the best one-two punch, on a regular basis, to help us better understand the metastatic spreads or remissions of authoritarianism and how they may affect the near- and long-term future of Western democracies.
Today, on The Atlantic's website, the always insightful Ms. Applebaum posted an article titled "Trump Is Not America's Le Pen/He's worse." that might be of interest to members of the Lucid community.
"American media clichés about Europe are wrong," she writes. "In fact, the European far right is rising in some places, but falling in others. And we aren’t 'in danger' of following European voters in an extremist direction, because we are already well past them. If Trump wins in November, America could radicalize Europe, not the other way around."
Anyone complacent about the election in our country should consider this yet another wake-up call.
Thanks for that analysis.
Thank you, Ruth. Feeling a little less worried for our future after reading this article.
Ruth thank you for your absolute bravery of “approaching” this multi-faceted analysis that has evolving breadth with NEW and expanding significant inputs from different areas as we are uncovering and that should be there in this analytical MIX!!!! Think new….think mix…..think……cocktails in more ways than one!!!! LOL
Ruth says
“Let’s hold onto that when we consider the victories of the far right in France and Germany. Taken collectively, illiberal gains on the continent were less resounding than expected and highly contested. An anti-authoritarian movement is slowly but surely gaining ground.”………and more……
Ditto!
Thank you Ruth. You gave me a reason to smile this morning. 🙂
It’s difficult to keep up with world politics and the implications of daily activity! I’m hoping that reasonable people will step up to bring normalcy, whatever that is!
I sure hope you're right.
You made me breathe a little easier. Hopefully the left will continue to gain some ground like it has in Poland and the Nordic lands. And hope it blows across the pond to our shores.
Thank you, Ruth.... Bannon who sees himself as a Leninist of the reactionary kind spent some time in Europe trying to tie the far right here with the far right there. I know our Republican Party has been playing to this theocratic form of Nationalism, and Bannon want to tell you its for 100 yrs.
Listen to what they say about a Unified Reich on their Truth Social....More like Lies of the Anti-Social..... but I digress.
I do think its a hopeful sign that people are getting weary of this movement. Most people can't live on a steady diet of hate. There's so much to be done to mitigate our biggest challenges this century.
A steady diet of hate.......is poison.
A steady diet of hate is what fascism, sociopathy and psychopathy are all about.
Thank you for these -- overall -- encouraging words! We need them!
Just one question: how much can we trust the accuracy/validity of vote counts in authoritarian-led nations such as Hungary? How difficult or easy is it for the leaders manipulate the count?
Bardella has been coached for a long time in how to appear welcoming, how to smile … it’s not something he ever did naturally before the coaching.
I have my worries living in Paris but felt a bit of hope when my French bf’s 20st son decided to register to vote here in a Paris suburb before the deadline tonight. Maybe the youth will turn out
Having to be coached on smiling and to appear welcoming? That's a red flag in my book.
Georgina Wright's comment that "the case of Trump shows that no amount of incompetence can ever be enough to dissuade voters" is an important insight. People vote for those they wish to identify with based on the personal narratives they have become attached to, not so much informed by reason or practical interests.
Angry belligerent people will vote for angry belligerent people.
Thanks for a refreshing alternative to doom and gloom. I often get the impression that the mainstream media is not so secretly rooting for the success of the right. They are preparing the American people for the election of Trump and the ascension of the social and economic right wing. Voices on the left must fight against these policies and these defeatist attitudes. We need to rally support and give social democrats reasons for hope.
It feels like it sometimes. The air of smug cynicism is unhealthy--and always looking for the way to take down both sides. As if that is fair this time. I don't believe the press is rooting for what would be their own worst nightmares come true---but they could be better allies on team democracy. Meanwhile, local news outlets, owned by Sinclair are, like Fox, actively attacking Biden, liberalism, and democracy.
Thank you Ruth. I do feel a bit better after reading this, - but at the same time, it reminds us just how important our own presidential election is not just domestically, - but how much it matters to the rest of the world. Biden HAS TO win this thing!~!!
Biden and both houses of Congress ideally, as too much of the current judiciary has abandoned both precedent and principle. Thomas and Alito's corrupt antics only demonstrate that Biden *must* expand SCOTUS if/when he wins.
It is my opinion that the people of France, Hungary, Poland etc had an epiphany after seeing an example of far right power in action in Russia. Putin's quest for imperialism and carnage was probably seen as a harbinger about his future endeavors. Putin's intent is clear to them, and they want none of it.
I'm hoping we have the same epiphany.
Indeed!
Thank you so much, Ruth, for providing information that is certainly not coming through in the mainstream media stories about the elections in Europe! Truly appreciate your more complete and nuanced view of the situation.
The combination of Ruth Ben-Ghiat and Anne Applebaum is, in the opinion of this reader, the best one-two punch, on a regular basis, to help us better understand the metastatic spreads or remissions of authoritarianism and how they may affect the near- and long-term future of Western democracies.
Today, on The Atlantic's website, the always insightful Ms. Applebaum posted an article titled "Trump Is Not America's Le Pen/He's worse." that might be of interest to members of the Lucid community.
"American media clichés about Europe are wrong," she writes. "In fact, the European far right is rising in some places, but falling in others. And we aren’t 'in danger' of following European voters in an extremist direction, because we are already well past them. If Trump wins in November, America could radicalize Europe, not the other way around."
Anyone complacent about the election in our country should consider this yet another wake-up call.
That is for certain! Applebaum and Ben-Ghiat are very good teachers.
Thanks, Ruth—-for some better news than what has been in the forefront of most news reporting.