http://money.cnn.com/2017/01/24/medi...use/index.html Julia Hahn, who covered immigration issues for Breitbart through an aggressively anti-immigration lens, has been named special assistant to the president, a source with knowledge of the matter told CNNMoney. Sebastian Gorka, the site's national security editor and a policy consultant on Trump's presidential campaign, has joined the Trump White House in a yet-to-be-announced role, a source with knowledge of the matter confirmed. Business Insider, which was first to report the move, said Gorka will likely have a role on Trump's National Security Council.
It's a very odd time in the US. Trump is extremely disliked by most Americans. It's just the kind of unpopulated flyover states where Trump is extremely popular. Since there is very few mixing between the two sides, I think the schism will just get worse and worse. The more moderate conservatives in this country had to make a choice-- abandon their party/principles and go left, or give in to the far right. They decided (or enough of them decided anyway) that the far right was less bad than the left. And Trump gave them a convenient out in that he was supposedly "outside the system" and "post partisan" although it's pretty clear his support is from the far right. The more moderate liberals in this country now have the same choice. Pair up with the far left to stop the GOP, or stick with their principles and see the liberals divided and lose. So there's a corresponding far-left Tea Party type movement happening, centering around Sanders. Even if Trump is awful and his supporters turn on him (which could easily happen), the huge political and cultural divide will still be there. Also, I'm not trying to make excuses for American assholery by any means. But the pipeline issue is about how the oil gets here, not the oil itself. The oil belongs to Canada. Not just the oil, but the part of the pipeline that runs through Canada. I don't know why Canada doesn't put their foot down. It's Alberta that's going to take all the damage. Also, that is a hugely valuable resource for Canada. So, if you are going to tap into it,at least make sure you get a ****ton of money for it. Don't be like "yeah, yeah US take more let us help you get it here quicker and cheaper" and shovel it into our face. By making it so readily available they are depressing prices and getting pennies on the dollar. And they don't even use pennies anymore. And the guy they are hooking up is Trump, who I certainly wouldn't trust. If the US is going to be all "Boo NAFTA! US first!" then I think Canada should be like "It would be a shame if you built this new pipeline and based your entire economic policy on cheap oil, and... whoops! no oil." So yeah I take it back, blame Canada!
I find it rather concerning that significant numbers, across the UK and the USA, of [let's call them] blue collar voters have abandoned the left and centre left hopes, dreams and principles that got them to where they were and handed power to the very people who will happily make them poorer, when times get a little rough, for the so-called good of the country. Even Cameron's Big Society seems a distant dream now, and that was just a sop to make people think Tories gave a ****. The right, and especially, the far right, are making huge strides. Astonishingly, people are actually forgetting the lessons of history, and it's the older ones who are generally doing the forgetting. Under the present political movement, the gap between rich and poor will just get wider and wider and the losers will be cut adrift. Being concerned for those less able is really in the fashion doldrums at this point.
Because it's not about money. It's a culture war. They don't care that Trump was born rich. They don't think he's one of them. But he stands for business and capitalism, which is something they somewhat respect as an American value. The blue collar types were somewhat willing to accept their lot in life as long as the rules stayed the same. It's okay for businessmen to be rich and them to be comparatively poor. They were sort of okay not having jobs and money when there aren't enough jobs and money to go around for all Americans. But when non-American immigrants are getting jobs and money is flowing out of the country to foreigners... that's not cool. Same thing with race. There are not that many old-school racists around who believe that other races are inherently inferior in some way. But many believe that other CULTURES are inferior. I don't know what they call it over there, but here it's called "American Exceptionalism." Which is the belief that the US is unique in its values and our values are superior to everyone else's and that's why we are the baddest ass country on the planet. They don't want diversity because why should they accept the inferior and wrong? Their culture is dying. Economically, but also spiritually. That's what they are trying to defend.
We are living in a seriously phony age http://blogs.spectator.co.uk/2017/01/living-seriously-phony-age/
