Trump sang the praises of “strong, sovereign, and independent nations,” and he claimed strong nations were a vital pillar of international order. Throughout the speech, he preferred the language of “nations” rather than “states.” He made sweeping claims about the goodness of nations, saying, “Strong, sovereign nations let their people take ownership of the future and control their own destiny. And strong, sovereign nations allow individuals to flourish in the fullness of the life intended by God.”
[How seriously questionable is that last bit in today's day and age? Seriously somewhere in that comfort-blanket, authoritarian sentiment there must be an inherent concern.]
What’s notable here is that Trump focused his praise on nations, not states. (I think it is fair to parse Trump’s words carefully because this was a scripted speech, not off-the-cuff remarks. As such, his speechwriters would have chosen the language and themes of this speech deliberately.)
Nations are notoriously hard to define but typically center around shared culture, language, history, or ethnicity (a major theme of the Warsaw speech). Trump is arguing, in language that would be familiar to every nationalist since Napoleon, that people are defined by their membership in a national community, that national communities are the primary political actors on the world stage, and that each nation should correspond to a state that represents and governs it.
Trump summarized his argument: “The nation-state remains the best vehicle for elevating the human condition.” This is probably the most succinct statement of nationalist doctrine. Interestingly, Trump’s formulation was not specifically American. “I will always put America first, just like you, as the leaders of your countries will always, and should always, put your countries first.” Trump is arguing in favor of nationalism on principle, not just because it is a convenient line of argument for his own “America first” preferences.
I appreciate clear statements of nationalism because, as with the Warsaw speech, they reveal their own incoherence and arbitrariness.
Nations are almost impossible to define, and the effort to draw boundaries inevitably sparks more division than unity at home and abroad. Who is a Frenchman? Do the speakers of regional dialects, like Picard, Gascon, Franco-Provençal, and Occitan, count? Absolutist monarchs of the 17th and 18th centuries decided that regional and local diversity was a threat to national unity and implemented brutal forms of oppressive nation building in response. Nationalists who yearn for cultural uniformity face difficult questions today about immigrants who share none of the characteristics — language, history, culture, or religion — that traditionally defined national identity. Nationalism has always been the enemy of true diversity.
That is why there are essentially no nation-states in the world today, and why Trump’s ode to nation-states is oddly timed. If Trump is right that nation-states are “the best vehicle for elevating the human condition” and vital for “individuals to flourish in the fullness of the life intended by God,” then none of us are living full human lives because none of us live in nation-states.
- If Trump is right that nation-states are “the best vehicle for elevating the human condition” and vital for “individuals to flourish in the fullness of the life intended by God,” then none of us are living full human lives because none of us live in nation-states. -
Almost every state in the world today larger than a micro-sovereignty is a multiethnic, pluralistic, diverse polity. The United States of America has never come close to being a nation-state.
Perhaps Trump is not referring to nation-states in the strictly academic sense. Maybe what Trump really means is that states, any states, are vital for human flourishing, as opposed to his bête noire, the globalists and their international community. But if that is what Trump means, his claim is even more ridiculous. There are some 193 states in the world, and they vary wildly in their size and character. Is Tuvalu, a democratic micro-sovereignty, equally capable of enabling human flourishing as China, an autocratic continental power that still espouses Marxist-Leninist ideology? Trump doesn’t care, so long as it is a state. Any state — democratic, theocratic, Marxist — will do, apparently.
Not being a nationalist, I’m untroubled by the absence of nation-states and I don’t feel my life impoverished by it, and I do think some states are better than others at fostering human flourishing. Trump’s claim that we are only fulfilled when we live a cohesive national communities is morally arbitrary and frankly silly. To be sure, I wholeheartedly agree with Aristotle that we are by nature social and political animals, and with Edmund Burke and Alexis de Tocqueville that a rich associational life is an important part of human flourishing.
At the youngish and definitely (particularly after a reckless 2018 New Year overindulgence which crucified my distressed digestive system and had me barfing all night in more places than one .. heh .. yup, was able to contain the outpourings in suitable places) tender age of 75, and as always still struggling to understand, i appreciate articles as the above one. They vindicate some 64 years of thinking there just feels something worrying in the thinking of those with overly nationalistic thoughts. It never made sense to me.
PS: I still have arguments with pub people here when some one says something like, "I don't like Americans, or the U.S.A." Or, "Oh you're Canadian - that's still after they know i've lived in Australia longer than i lived in Canada - Sorry, i shouldn't have called you American." So many still think that all Canadians hate America. Myth-belief is too often mistaken. And lazy thinking. Fuck it. LOL. Thunking sucks. At least question. Puleeeze.
All Muslims are troublemakers, too. How dumb is that? About as dumb as saying "...strong, sovereign nations allow individuals to flourish in the fullness of the life intended by God."
Full Broadcast 18Dec17 Real News with David Knight
It’s been a long time coming, but the evidence CIA arming ISIS can no longer be denied — even by MSM. And, Matt Shea reveals internal documents showing crimes of BLM in Nevada & Utah and DOJ prosecutor’s cover up. Then, Atlanta airport blackout reveals the fragile, failing infrastructure and is BitCoin revealing a fragile, failing fiat currency system?
[from Alex Jones and his merry band of batshit bullshitters]
Monday, Dec. 18th 2017: 34-hour special Christmas broadcast - O'come all ye faithful to Infowars' Christmas Spectacular Extravaganza, where we're defending traditional culture and values. Joining our jam-packed lineup - European Parliament member Janice Atkinson, national security whistleblowers Lt. Col Matt Smith-Meck and Sibel Edmonds, former SEAL team member Craig Sawyer and more. Roger Stone joins Alex Jones live in studio to break down the latest in the Russian collusion delusion. Matt Dubiel co-hosts the final hour.
A tragic event happens in Washington as a train derailment has cost at least 6 people their lives. That's not where the story ends through, as it turns out radical leftists had already bragged about sabotaging train rails in Washington previously. On top of that, we look at the continued collapse of Obama's legacy and the fake investigation into Trump Russian collusion.
[from Alex Jones and his merry band of batshit bullshitters]
Revealed: Mueller shocks Trump team by seizing emails
The Beat With Ari Melber 12/18/17
Trump lawyer attacks Mueller in letter, but declines to make the same argument in court. MSNBC chief legal correspondent Ari Melber breaks down why it is a stunt. Duration: 14:05
Fox News is under fire for using dangerous “coup” rhetoric to describe the Mueller Russia probe. Malcolm Nance, Author of "The Plot to Hack America", and President George W. Bush’s former ethics lawyer Richard Painter join The Beat. Duration: 10:02
Fmr. Federal Prosecutor: Mueller planning for firing
The Beat With Ari Melber 12/18/17
With growing right-wing calls to oust special counsel, former federal prosecutor Seth Waxman explains why the DOJ rules protect Mueller from a president firing him. Duration: 4:14
VICE News presents a special episode dedicated to exploring how Alabama’s Senate race became the biggest political story in the country. Reporting from over 13 cities, Alabamians tell the story of this extraordinary election.
Black voters in Alabama and their aggressive organizing efforts played a huge part in taking down Roy Moore and electing Doug Jones.
Alabama: The Special Election - Full Episode (HBO)
Published on Dec 19, 2017 by VICE News
The Alabama Senate Special Election shouldn't have even been close. President Donald Trump beat Hillary Clinton by 28 points in the state, and one of the reasons Jeff Sessions was chosen to be Attorney General was because his Senate seat should’ve been easy for the Republican Party to the defend.
But allegations that Judge Roy Moore’s had improper contact with teenage girls changed the race. Both Moore and Democrat candidate Doug Jones tried to keep the race focused inwardly on Alabama—even as both brought in outside help. On the Republican side, Moore had Trump strategist Steve Bannon stump for him. Jones welcomed former Vice President Joe Biden and a slew of African American political leaders. But both seemed to know the same thing: that this race would ultimately be decided by the people of Alabama, on their own terms, for their own reasons.
VICE News teams were on the ground in Alabama to hear from voters about the choice they were facing in the final days and hours before Jones's knife-edge win.
Puerto Rico to admit current Maria death toll far too low
All In with Chris Hayes 12/18/17
As power remains out for many - three months after the hurricane hit - leaders starts to acknowledge the sobering reality in Puerto Rico. Duration: 2:07
Firing the special counsel would case a firestorm. But President Trump could also fire his boss, Rod Rosenstein - and replace Rosenstein with someone more pliable. Duration: 7:35
Republican attack on Mueller Trump investigation falls apart
The Rachel Maddow Show 12/18/17
Rachel Maddow looks at how the Donald Trump campaign was already having contact with Kremlin-connected Russians as the FBI warned them about exactly such outreach, and points out that the texting scandal Republicans have tried to whip up is not actually good for Trump. Duration: 16:59
Mueller obtains Trump transition e-mails, Trump team freaks out
The Rachel Maddow Show 12/18/17
Rachel Maddow relays a new report from The Washington Post that members of Robert Mueller's Trump investigation team have said they expect to work well into 2018, bad news for Trump's legal team already freaking out over Mueller obtaining transition e-mails from the GSA. Duration: 3:38
Clash expected as Trump legal team set to meet with Mueller
The Rachel Maddow Show 12/18/17
Sari Horwitz, Justice Department reporter for The Washington Post, talks with Rachel Maddow about an expected meeting between Donald Trump's legal team and special counsel Robert Mueller and the likely clash over contrasting perspectives on the investigation. Duration: 5:57
GOP tax bill opponents plan protests to the bitter end
The Rachel Maddow Show 12/18/17
Rachel Maddow reports on protests around the United States against the Republican tax bill, with particular pressure on Maine Senator Susan Collins. Duration: 4:44
Exceptional number of Democratic House challengers await 2018
The Rachel Maddow Show 12/18/17
Rachel Maddow shows a chart of the number of candidates from each party challenging incumbents for a House seat, and the exceptional number of Democrats who are in the running for the 2018 election. Duration: 2:12
Report: White House lawyers to meet with Mueller's team
The Last Word with Lawrence O'Donnell 12/18/17
The Washington Post reports White House lawyers will be meeting with Robert Mueller's team this week and plan to ask when Mueller expects to be done with the investigation. The news comes as Trump and Republicans ramp up attacks on DOJ officials & Mueller himself. Duration: 5:50
Ex-Watergate prosecutor: Mueller probe 'won't be over quickly'
The Last Word with Lawrence O'Donnell 12/18/17
Jill Wine-Banks, ex-assistant Watergate prosecutor, says Robert Mueller is nowhere near finished with his Russia probe and he'll likely be investigating the Trump team for months to come. Lawrence O'Donnell also discusses with Julia Ainsley & Natasha Bertrand. Duration: 9:10
Lawrence O'Donnell explains the "Corker kickback" provision in the Trump-Republican tax bill that enriches Donald Trump and Senator Bob Corker, who could be the key vote on the bill. Duration: 11:15
As allies of the president increase their attacks on the Russia probe and Special Counsel Robert Mueller, news comes from The Washington Post that the president’s lawyers will meet this week with Mueller. Philip Rucker, Ashley Parker, & Mieke Eoyang discuss. Duration: 8:04
Trump reportedly considered spiking Gorsuch nomination
The 11th Hour with Brian Williams 12/19/17
Pres. Trump has repeatedly pointed to the addition of Neil Gorsuch to the Supreme Court as one of his biggest accomplishments so far while in office. But The Washington Post is reporting, after Gorsuch condemned Trump’s attacks on the legal system, Trump discussed rescinding his nomination. Duration: 2:18
NBC News: Feds warned Trump about Russia during 2016
The 11th Hour with Brian Williams 12/19/17
An NBC News exclusive report details how both the Trump campaign & the Clinton campaign were warned by the FBI that Russia could try to infiltrate their campaigns. Ken Dilianian, who broke the story, and Robert Costa who covered the campaign discuss. Duration: 6:39
Steve Schmidt: GOP should stand up to Trump more often
The 11th Hour with Brian Williams 12/19/17
Detailing what he says are Pres. Trump's attacks on the legal system, the FBI, the media, & the truth, veteran Republican strategist Steve Schmidt says his party should stand up to Trump more often. Duration: 4:29
The Trump administration is prohibiting officials at the nation’s top public health agency from using a list of seven words or phrases — including “fetus” and “transgender” — in official documents being prepared for next year’s budget.
Policy analysts at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in Atlanta were told of the list of forbidden words at a meeting Thursday with senior CDC officials who oversee the budget, according to an analyst who took part in the 90-minute briefing. The forbidden words are “vulnerable,” “entitlement,” “diversity,” “transgender,” “fetus,” “evidence-based” and “science-based.”
In some instances, the analysts were given alternative phrases. Instead of “science-based” or “evidence-based,” the suggested phrase is “CDC bases its recommendations on science in consideration with community standards and wishes,” the person said. In other cases, no replacement words were immediately offered.
If only we could dismiss Sean Hannity, Jeanine Pirro, Laura Ingraham and the other well-paid propagandists at Fox News as though they were harmless drunks at the end of the bar, ticking off their conspiracy theories to anyone who will listen. Unfortunately, the guy sitting on the next stool is the president of the United States, and he’s all ears.
President Trump watches cable news for four to eight hours a day, according to a report in The Times last weekend. Mr. Trump has disputed that number, but not the fact that his TV diet consists overwhelmingly of Fox’s sycophants, who have now gathered around one insistent message aimed at their No. 1 fan: Fire Robert Mueller now.
Trevor explains why Republicans are better than Democrats at political branding, talks about meeting Barack Obama and reflects on the first year of the Trump administration.
Seth takes a closer look at how Republicans are trying to pass their tax plan despite a brewing controversy over a last-minute tax break that could personally enrich GOP lawmakers and President Trump.
Trump predicts exoneration in Russia investigation as allies fear a 'meltdown' Trump privately seems less frustrated about the investigation President tells friends and advisers that he expects Mueller to soon clear him of wrongdoing There's no indication that the probe is in its final stages http://www.cnn.com/2017/12/18/politics/trump-russia-investigation/index.html
New Deduction Expected To Benefit GOP Leaders Was Needed For Votes: Cornyn Cornyn conceded that if the Democrats had participated in negotiating the measure, “we probably could have made it better.” A last-minute addition to the Republican tax bill that could personally save President Donald Trump and several GOP congressional leaders millions was a way to “cobble together” enough votes to pass the controversial measure, Sen. John Cornyn (R-Texas) told ABC. The new provision would allow owners of income-producing real estate to take advantage of a 20-percent deduction for money in “pass-through” entities, such as limited liability companies. The deduction would likely save the president, his family, and Republican leaders tens of millions of dollars in taxes, according to an analysis by the International Business Times. Trump and other members of Congress have stakes in several real estate-related LLCs and similar entities. The new deduction was slipped into the tax measure Friday during the process reconciling bills from the House and Senate. Shortly after it was added, GOP swing vote Sen. Bob Corker (R-Tenn.) declared his support for the bill. The provision would boost Corker’s income through his real estate holdings, IBT reported. [...] https://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/taxbreak-addition-needed-for-votes-cornyn_us_5a3708d8e4b0ff955ad42cb4
Federal appeals judge announces immediate retirement amid investigation prompted by accusations of sexual misconduct - tie http://investorshub.advfn.com/boards/read_msg.aspx?message_id=29985298 Alex Kozinski, the powerful judge on the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 9th Circuit who was facing a judicial investigation over allegations that he subjected 15 women to inappropriate sexual behavior, announced Monday that he would retire effective immediately. In a statement provided by his lawyer, Kozinski apologized, saying that he “had a broad sense of humor and a candid way of speaking to both male and female law clerks alike,” and that “in doing so, I may not have been mindful enough of the special challenges and pressures that women face in the workplace.” “It grieves me to learn that I caused any of my clerks to feel uncomfortable; this was never my intent,” he said. Kozinski, 67, said although family and friends had urged him to stay on, “at least long enough to defend myself,” he “cannot be an effective judge and simultaneously fight this battle.” “Nor would such a battle be good for my beloved federal judiciary. And so I am making the decision to retire, effective immediately,” he said. The announcement comes just days after The Washington Post reported that nine more women had accused Kozinski of subjecting them to sexual comments or other conduct, including four who said he touched them inappropriately. That story followed another report in The Post, which detailed the allegations of six women, including former clerks who said Kozinski had them watch porn in his chambers. [...] https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/national-security/federal-appeals-judge-announces-immediate-retirement-amid-investigation-prompted-by-accusations-of-sexual-misconduct/2017/12/18/6e38ada4-e3fd-11e7-a65d-1ac0fd7f097e_story.html
FBI warned Trump in 2016 Russians would try to infiltrate his campaign WASHINGTON — In the weeks after he became the Republican nominee on July 19, 2016, Donald Trump was warned that foreign adversaries, including Russia, would likely try to spy on and infiltrate his campaign, according to multiple government officials familiar with the matter. The warning came in the form of a high-level counterintelligence briefing by senior FBI officials, the officials said. A similar briefing was given to Hillary Clinton, they added. They said the briefings, which are commonly provided to presidential nominees, were designed to educate the candidates and their top aides about potential threats from foreign spies. The candidates were urged to alert the FBI about any suspicious overtures to their campaigns, the officials said. [...] https://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/fbi-warned-trump-2016-russians-would-try-infiltrate-his-campaign-n830596
Trump reportedly believes Mueller will write a letter publicly exonerating him soon President Donald Trump believes the Russia investigation will soon wrap up and that special counsel Robert Mueller will release a letter clearing him of any wrongdoing, CNN reported. White House counsel Ty Cobb characterized CNN's story as "largely false and unprofessional," but did not respond to requests to clarify whether Trump believes he will be exonerated. The investigation has shown no signs of wrapping up soon, and legal analysts and multiple media reports indicate that Mueller is ramping up his focus on Trump and whether he obstructed justice when he fired FBI director James Comey. http://www.businessinsider.com/trump-believes-mueller-will-clear-him-in-russia-probe-2017-12
Key Officials Push Back Against Trump Campaign’s Claim That A Federal Office Illegally Turned Over Emails To Special Counsel In an interview with BuzzFeed News, a senior lawyer with the GSA disputed the Trump campaign's assertions about the decision to turn over emails written during the presidential transition to the Mueller investigation. The Special Counsel's Office pushed back as well. https://www.buzzfeed.com/chrisgeidner/the-trump-campaign-claims-a-federal-office-illegally-turned
Can Donald Trump fire Robert Mueller? And how would it work? President Donald Trump has the ability to fire Jeff Sessions and/or Rod Rosenstein Rosenstein has continuously offered a full-throated defense of Robert Mueller's integrity http://www.cnn.com/2017/12/18/politics/donald-trump-robert-mueller/index.html
Trump talked about rescinding Gorsuch’s nomination For nearly eight months, President Trump has boasted that appointing Neil M. Gorsuch to the Supreme Court ranks high among his signature achievements. But earlier this year, Trump talked about rescinding Gorsuch’s nomination, venting angrily to advisers after his Supreme Court pick was critical of the president’s escalating attacks on the federal judiciary in private meetings with legislators. Trump, according to several people with knowledge of the discussions, was upset that Gorsuch had pointedly distanced himself from the president in a private February meeting with Sen. Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.), telling the senator he found Trump’s repeated attacks on the federal judiciary “disheartening” and “demoralizing.” The president worried that Gorsuch would not be “loyal,” one of the people said, and told aides that he was tempted to pull Gorsuch’s nomination — and that he knew plenty of other judges who would want the job. It is unclear whether Trump’s “explosion,” as another administration official described it, truly put Gorsuch’s nomination in jeopardy or whether the president was expressing his frustration aloud, as he often does. But at the time, some in the White House and on Capitol Hill feared that Gorsuch’s confirmation — which had been shaping up to be one of the clearest triumphs of Trump’s tumultuous young presidency — was on the verge of going awry. [..] https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/trump-reportedly-considered-rescinding-gorsuchs-nomination/2017/12/18/ad2b3b68-e1c7-11e7-9eb6-e3c7ecfb4638_story.html