Many people think that Hitler was democratically elected chancellor of Germany. He wasn’t. In fact, some highly influential conservatives convinced President von Hindenburg to appoint him to the position. The Nazis never won a majority in German elections. In July, 1932 they won a plurality with 37 percent of the
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Views from the Beltline: When Trump and the left agreed
A recent article in The New York Times took me back to the latter decades of the 20th century and the debates over free trade agreements. The 1988 federal election was fought over the issue and the free-trade side led by Prime Minister Brian Mulroney won the day. A free
Continue readingViews from the Beltline: How Trump unleashed Iran
In 1953, Iran’s democratic government led by Prime Minister Mohammad Mosaddeq was toppled by a military coup backed by the CIA and the British Secret Intelligence Service. Mosaddeq had nationalized the British-controlled Iranian oil industry, and the Americans and the Brits weren’t having any of that. The coup transformed Iran’s
Continue readingViews from the Beltline: The contagious toxicity of Trump
Rudolph Giuliani was once a man of substance. A man of integrity. He served as the U.S. Associate Attorney General from 1981 to 1983 and as the U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of New York from 1983 to 1989. In the latter role, he led the 1980s federal prosecution
Continue readingViews from the Beltline: Trump simply never grew up
There seems to be no limit to the incendiary statements ex-US President Donald Tump is capable of. Earlier this week he made an egregious attack on General Mark Milley, recently retired chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, accusing him of treason and saying he should be executed. Trump is
Continue readingViews from the Beltline: An American hero
The U.S. has come a long way. Any doubt about that was erased last Monday. On that day, a Southern black woman announced that she would hold a former president accountable for his actions. Fulton County, Georgia, District Attorney Fani T. Willis announced that a grand jury had indicted former
Continue readingViews from the Beltline: Biden, Trump and the authoritarian urge
Recent polls show that Donald Trump and Joe Biden are tied in this very early stage of the 2024 presidential race. Each has just over 40 percent support of registered voters. To many liberals everywhere this is a puzzlement. Joe Biden is a decent man who has restored sanity to
Continue readingViews from the Beltline: Trump, would-be autocrat
There is a common assumption that Adolf Hitler was elected to the position of Chancellor of Germany. That isn’t strictly correct. In 1933, the Nazi Party held the most seats in the Reichstag (although not a majority) and traditionally that meant its leader was appointed Chancellor. However, President von Hindenburg
Continue readingViews from the Beltline: Johnson, Trump and contrasting ethics
Boris Johnson and Donald Trump are two buffoons who embarrassed two major democracies by their election to national leadership. Both are now gone and much good riddance. Both are also now in disgrace and facing punishment for their sins. On Monday, the UK House of Commons ratified a parliamentary committee
Continue readingViews from the Beltline: Finally—Democrats romance the working class
Early in the 2016 U.S. presidential election campaign, Donald Trump was the subject of much mockery. No way this buffoon could win said the pundits. Michael Moore, left-wing rabble-rouser and and film-maker, disagreed. To put it in his words, “This wretched, ignorant, dangerous part-time clown and full time sociopath is
Continue readingViews from the Beltline: First the U.S., now Israel
2015 was a good year. May brought the “Orange Chinook.” After 44 years of Conservative rule, the longest-serving provincial government in Canadian history, the NDP won a close-fought election. Then in October, Justin Trudeau and his Liberals defeated the Harper Conservatives to end a decade of Conservative rule. To quote
Continue readingViews from the Beltline: Homo sapiens—a hierarchical species
Observing the recent political shenanigans in Alberta one notes an intriguing pattern of human behaviour. During the recent competition for leader of the UCP, and therefore for premier of the province, we saw candidates ridiculing Danielle Smith’s proposed Sovereignty Act. Yet after she became leader and the bill was introduced
Continue readingViews from the Beltline: U.S. voters (and conservatives) trash Trump
The Democrats are quite pleased with their showing in the U.S midterm elections. From where I sit, it doesn’t look quite that cheerful—they lost the House of Representatives and may yet lose the Senate. Nonetheless, the prediction was for the usual midterm result which is a drubbing for the president’s
Continue readingViews from the Beltline: Have conservatives all gone mad?
As a social democrat I may be prone to seeing the virtues in progressives and the vices in conservatives. But I challenge any objective observer to deny that a streak of madness hasn’t overtaken the conservative political world. Consider the UK. Run by the Conservatives for the past dozen years
Continue readingViews from the Beltline: Trump’s triumph
Donald Trump only served one term but his legacy will last decades, if not generations. He ensured that by appointing no less than three right wing justices to the U.S. Supreme Court. All are in their 50s and they serve for life, so they will be inflicting their will on
Continue readingViews from the Beltline: Perhaps the party of Lincoln isn’t dead yet
The Republicans backing Trump again would be the definition of insanity. Who said that, you ask. A Democrat perhaps? Or a journalist? An academic? No, as hard to believe as it may be, the speaker was a prominent member of the Republican Party. He is, in fact, Larry Hogan, Governor
Continue readingViews from the Beltline: How Dick Cheney’s daughter became a hero
The Prince of darkness. Thus was Dick Cheney, one of the most unpopular figures in the history of American politics, known when he was George W. Bush’s vice-president. Cheney oversaw the first invasion of Iraq as Bush senior’s Secretary of Defense and then promoted the second invasion of Iraq as
Continue readingViews from the Beltline: Was Trump right about the WHO?
Former U.S. President Trump (how pleasing to say “former”) was not a fan of the World Health Organization (WHO). In fact, he had withdrawn his country from the organization effective this coming July. President Biden has since cancelled the withdrawal. But was Trump onto something? He questioned the WHO’s uncritical
Continue readingViews from the Beltline: Trump and the definition of fascism
Is Donald Trump a fascist? He has been accused of being one, including by me in previous posts, but the left is inclined to label conservatives they particularly dislike as fascists, just as conservatives label progressives they particularly dislike as communists. So let’s take a close look at the Trump
Continue readingViews from the Beltline: Democracy and mass delusion
I have always been intrigued by people’s tendency to believe what they want to believe rather than what the facts are telling them, to believe what their innate biases desire rather than what is true. I do it myself, of course, although I hope that for the most part I
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