News Burst: May 28, 2017
Added 2017-05-28 22:46:07 +0000 UTCHello Guys and Gals,
Happy Sunday! For my many American followers, allow me to wish you a very happy (early) Memorial Day. I hope you enjoy yourselves, find some rest and relaxation, eat some good food, and -- above all else -- don’t lose sight of what the day actually means. Remember to remember, as it were.
Otherwise, I’m about to duck into the studio and use my new camera tripod and lights for the first time. Hopefully it kicks the production value up a bit. I’ll leave that verdict up to you. I’m super excited about the subject of tomorrow’s video, and think a lot of you will get a kick out of it… especially if you liked the NASA video.
‘Til then!
Has Memorial Day Lost its Meaning?: https://www.apnews.com/f810835dad2c4715bff7f4a105c271ef/To-many-Americans,-Memorial-Day-has-lost-its-meaning
My Take: I thought this was a good story to start off on, because I truly and firmly believe that if you went up to 10 Americans and asked them what Memorial Day was a celebration of, nine would have no clue whatsoever. And that makes me sad. Some folks conflate it with Veterans Day, but it’s not the same. This is a holiday specifically designed for those who died in valiant service to our country, and even though it’s an automatic day off, there are some good sales, and it’s a great reason to break out the BBQ, it’s important to remember what the day really means.
The United States, since the 1770s, has lost around a million men (and women) in military conflict. As the AP article suggests, I think we’ve lost sight of that as a people. I don’t think there’s malice in it, and I also think it’s fair to point out that we forget why we celebrate other days, too. Labor Day is a great example; so, too, is President’s Day. Still, in virtually every respect, forgetting what this day is about is far more egregious.
I ask that you simply read the article, and, as I mentioned in my intro above, remember to remember. That’s all. Enjoy the day, enjoy the time off, enjoy the beautiful weather and the beach or the backyard, enjoy the BBQ and the food and friends and booze. But just give a second to those that aren’t there with any of us, and why that might be.
Can Europe No Longer Rely on the US?: https://www.yahoo.com/news/merkel-warns-us-britain-no-longer-reliable-partners-130825785.html
My Take: As I said in the previous News Burst, I don’t think anyone quite expected Donald Trump’s voyage to Europe to go very well. By most accounts, he did okay, but there were some events on the ground worth examining, and a few comments made that suggest Europe may start moving in a different direction, away from their reliable American alliance and more towards a self-reliance, Europe-protects-Europe posture. Which I’m totally fine with, and which I think most Americans are totally comfortable with, too.
In Munich, German leader Angela Merkel apparently told a crowd: “The times in which we could completely depend on others are on the way out. I’ve experienced that in the last few days. We Europeans truly have to take our fate into our own hands.” Although it’s meant as a jab, I certainly don’t take the sentiment as negative. Europe needs to start leaning on itself more for its own defense. The United States heavily subsidizes NATO, as an example, and that needs to end. My bigger concern here, though, is why Merkel is so concerned about Europe as a whole. What happened to Germany? Isn’t that her country? Why are there so many people in Europe so incredibly eager to give up their sovereignty? As an American, it’s strange to watch.
A lot of folks were also taking notice of Emmanuel Macron of France, not only for his apparent snub of Donald Trump in one instance and his apparent aggressive handshaking in another, but of his “bromance” with Canada’s Justin Trudeau. My take on both of these men is style over substance; I’m seeing that being said with Trudeau more and more in what I read (it’s far too premature with Macron to make such a concrete assessment). More than anything, though, now that Trump is back in the States, I’m eager to see what kind of bullshit begins to erupt this week, more bullshit in a sea of bullshit.
Related Story | Macron <3 Trudeau: https://www.bloomberg.com/politics/articles/2017-05-27/macron-erupts-onto-world-stage-with-trump-snub-and-a-bromance)
Updated on The Kush: http://www.politico.com/story/2017/05/28/trump-kushner-kelly-mcmaster-russia-238900
My Take: I’ll ask the same question I’ve asked so many times in the past in regard to Donald Trump, Russia, various investigations, political motivation and expediency, and more: Is there anything here, or is this more nothing? Is it possible that Donald Trump has surrounded himself with so many inept and clueless people that it will take down his presidency, or is it possible that we’ve entered true witch hunting mode? I simply don’t know. I don’t think anyone does. I feel so redundant saying that again, but I firmly believe it’s true.
The new developments here in regard to allegations made against Jared Kushner seems more now to do with the response of the Trump administration and the larger GOP. Trump is Tweeting about it, Homeland Security Secretary John Kelly is defending Kushner on network television, General HR McMaster is also defending Kushner publicly, and Trump seems genuinely incensed by the attack on his son-in-law.
What’s most interesting to me, though, is Senator Lindsey Graham -- who clearly doesn’t like Donald Trump -- saying that he doesn’t believe this particular line of inquiry at all. Meanwhile, Senator Bob Corker has said that Kushner has agreed to speak with the Senate about the matter in order to put it to rest. He’s certainly not acting guilty -- or even worried -- but it’s hard to tell, as usual, where reality ends and politics begin.
(Related Story | Trump Attacks Fake News Again: http://thehill.com/homenews/administration/335453-trump-many-leaks-are-fabricated-lies-made-up-by-fake-news-media)
People Are Going Insane: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/mississippi-multiple-shooting_us_592adde9e4b0065b20b71018?9xr&ncid=inblnkushpmg00000009
My Take: The article above is one specific link concerning one specific, recent crime, but you can find more “craziness” in the related links below. There are a series of fucked up things going on in the United States and around the world. Isolated incidents, obvious mental breaks, and outright heinous acts of senseless violence. People often talk about society’s desensitization to this sort of thing; I’m starting to become acutely aware of (and concerned by) my own desensitization to every act of violence. Crime is down in the US; it’s merely our awareness, because of the ubiquity of information today that’s increased. It just sees like another day, another act of violence that we'll ultimately lump in with all of the other ones.
For starters, we have Cory Godbolt, who killed eight people down in Mississippi. In a world full of senseless violence, Godbolt’s violence appears to be exceptionally senseless. He’s a coward and a piece of shit, and he will be executed for his crimes -- I have no doubt about that -- but that doesn’t bring the innocent people back that he killed. It makes me sad. I don’t understand why or how shit like this happens. Isolated as these incidents are, they wreak havoc on people’s lives to an unfathomable degree. I couldn’t even imagine being a family member of one of the fallen.
The story linked below, though, is something different. Another piece of shit felled two innocent people after they were brave enough to step in when he was harassing some Muslim women on public transportation. Not only were these people innocent; they were also good citizens who were trying to right a wrong. Just terrible, awful stuff. Jeremy Joseph Christian, another piece of shit who should get a needle in his arm. Death penalty’s still legal in Oregon. Hopefully, he meets the fate he deserves.
(Related Link | Two Men Killed by Asshole: http://www.reuters.com/article/us-usa-muslims-portland-idUSKBN18N080)
How about a couple of quick reads/comments to round things out?
Will the US Ban Laptops on International Flights?: http://www.reuters.com/article/us-usa-airlines-electronics-idUSKBN18O0KL
My Take: Just when you thought the American government couldn’t ratchet up the security theater any higher than what the TSA already does and the byzantine rules the FAA already has on the books, the federal government is now considering not allowing laptops to be used on flights leaving the United States or coming back into it. That’s dumb.
Inside Trump’s War on Regulations: http://www.politico.com/interactives/2017/trump-war-on-regulations/
My Take: This is a really cool article that goes quite deep into some of Trump’s lesser-known “successes” in dismantling federal regulations of all kinds. There’s even a neat little module built into the article that lets you organize lifted regulations by type. Go have fun!
Comments
Cheers, eh!
Ross Arbour
2017-06-01 06:11:13 +0000 UTCAn innocent enough mistake, but one pointing out, for sure.
Colin Moriarty
2017-05-31 18:35:17 +0000 UTCIf NATO didn't benefit us greatly, it would not exist.
Jeremy Meyer
2017-05-31 14:50:42 +0000 UTCYes, you are completely right, a USE won't work because the creation of such an entity would require each national state to lose part of their political influence and power and no one would be willing to vote for this. However, the EU has never been created to compete with the US in the first place. The basic foundation of the current EU area was made not only in the 50s but also during the Re-Unification in Germany in 1989 and 1990. Several countries within Europe, i.e. France and UK hesitated towards a bigger, stronger German economy, hence Francois Mitterrand basically demanded the creation of a common currency. So it was never, ever the main idea to create a competitor to the US, but as a way to prevent Germany to become a dominant power in Europe. While Mitterrand wanted to have a economic unity, Helmut Kohl also wanted to have a political unity as well, however his ambitions were not met with other leaders, hence only parts of his ideas were implemented. Furthermore, of course, in the last 20 years, the EU has grown substantially in eastern Europe, without making major changes to the european political institutions, therefore we are seeing some of those imploding tendencies you are currently seeing (especially since the financial crisis 2008/2009) If you like to read something more about the building blocks of today's EU, there is some fascinating read from former US ambassador Bindenagel and a long article from Spiegel <a href="http://www.aicgs.org/issue/germanys-historical-euro-responsibility/" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">http://www.aicgs.org/issue/germanys-historical-euro-responsibility/</a>#_ednref5 <a href="http://www.spiegel.de/international/germany/the-price-of-unity-was-the-deutsche-mark-sacrificed-for-reunification-a-719940.html" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">http://www.spiegel.de/international/germany/the-price-of-unity-was-the-deutsche-mark-sacrificed-for-reunification-a-719940.html</a>
Arvel Crynyd
2017-05-31 07:06:19 +0000 UTCAs a veteran, I want to give you props for pointing out that Memorial Day is not just a second Veterans Day. Every year it seems my own friends and family feel a need to wish me a happy Memorial Day, and every year I have to point out that the day belongs solely to those who didn't make it, not us who did. Also, I'd like to take a moment to let you know that I have yet to be disappointed in your current content, keep up the good work!
My Dude
2017-05-31 06:03:33 +0000 UTCWe fought against each other and side-by-side, but I don't think anyone down here looks at Canada as anything less than kin. <3
Colin Moriarty
2017-05-31 03:48:32 +0000 UTCI completely agree.
Colin Moriarty
2017-05-31 03:48:00 +0000 UTCHe turned around on NATO real quick, I'll give him that. I have no problem with NATO, as long as everyone pulls their weight monetarily and logistically. After all, it doesn't exist for our benefit; it exists for Europe's.
Colin Moriarty
2017-05-31 03:47:31 +0000 UTCThe US of Europe, as it were, simply isn't possible in my estimation, because many European countries aren't only sovereign, but have been for centuries. That's why I think it's strange that the EU, which was clearly created to compete with and draw parity with the US politically, economically, and diplomatically, is acting like the US, which was 13 colonies under the rule of the same empire. We were never independent countries (with the exception of Texas and, depending on how you want to interpret it, Vermont), and so our union is practically a blood oath. We are one people here. The European countries are not one people. The EU will ultimately implode. I truly believe that.
Colin Moriarty
2017-05-31 03:46:49 +0000 UTCI'm merely shocked at how unprepared everyone is for everything, not only with Trump and his administration, but also with Congress. It's an incredible sight to watch.
Colin Moriarty
2017-05-31 03:44:26 +0000 UTCYour input is fair and well-taken, but the American government isn't the EU or the UN. We're a single country. We have been for nearly 250 years (with a little four year interruption in there). We're not a diplomatic, economic, and/or logistical organization. I'm absolutely against the US being in the UN, and I will make a video about that sometime. And I don't think countries need to make massive agreements with each other for political union when nothing binds them but geography. The US is fully capable of interacting with, making trade deals with, and having diplomatic relationships with each country individually. That's my take.
Colin Moriarty
2017-05-31 03:43:51 +0000 UTCYour Memorial Day is similar to our Canadian/British Remembrance Day - and to all serving members of the Canadian Armed Forces, that is a day that approaches "holy" status. On behalf of all Canadian Soldiers, cheers to your fallen; the day will never come when we will see American troops as anything other than our brothers in arms 🇺🇸🇨🇦
Marc Boggio
2017-05-30 22:19:15 +0000 UTCEurope should rely on Europe and the countries should in turn rely only on themselves. The US has made a habit of tending to other countries, and outside of extreme cases I believe needs to stop. Government shouldn't be relied upon to make all things right. People who are able to do so should only rely on themselves and those close to them. This reliance on the government has grown to a fever pitch and needs to stop. If you truly need assistance (determining where applicable is part of the issue) than government programs should be there for you.
Chris Eboli
2017-05-30 12:58:57 +0000 UTCI think you got it right. The EU to survive and thrive should become the United States of Europe and govern as such or something in the same vain. Sovereignty can exist as a smaller scale and people can be proud of where they come from. Country, States/Provinces, County, Cities, Town, etc... its all the same thing but at a smaller scale. There's no reason why the EU can't be govern as such, with elected officials. But for this to succeed every members need to rely on and help all other members, just like states/provinces all pitch in to the federal government in the benefit of the whole nation. It's sucks that Trump is "destroying" alliances that have been thriving for so long but this is just temporary. Either he will smarten up, or this is just a temporary retreat for the US.
GrisWold Diablo
2017-05-29 19:14:26 +0000 UTCIf NATO didn't exist, Trump would want to build it. (1) It lets us spy on all of europe and feed real-time intel to our IC. (2) it gives us a strategic military footprint wherever we want. (3) We funnel all the military spending through US companies and US worker households. It's the ultimate 'heads we win, tails you lose.' And we get to sell the thing as 'Peace through strength.'
Jeremy Meyer
2017-05-29 15:54:11 +0000 UTCRE: Can Europe No Longer Rely on the US? Well, historically European nations always tended to start a war pretty often and for a long time. However, since World War 2 there haven't been any conflicts that have resulted in a European war and this is due to the creation of the European Coal and Steal Community and the European Economic Community in the 1950s which built up the core of the later European Union that resulted in the Maastricht treaties and the creation of the Schengen area. Those were key components of creating peaceful relations among the Western European countries. Angela Merkel has always been somewhat loyal to her former boss, i.e. Chancellor Helmut Kohl who brought her into his cabinet in the 90s as a minister for the environment (of course, Kohl was one of the key figures in creating the foundation of today's EU together with Francois Mitterand). However, you are at least partially right, the question still remains, why some countries would want to give their power to a European institution. And this is the major question that no one is actually able to answer. Is Europe going to be a collection of European countries with a stripped-down parliament that can only decide on relative small political items or is it going to be a United States of Europe type of thing. Anyway, in the last couple of years, especially since the financial crisis with Greece and the refugees crisis, some countries within the union are willing to question the functionality of the union and whether to remain or exit (hence Brexit). However, now, it does seem that there are some guys that do not understand the European culture that are actually encouraging states to break away from the EU by campaigning for Brexit ("Brexit is a good thing") or support politicians like Marine LePen who are strongly fighting to kill the EU. At that point, someone has to draw the line. Right now, it seems to be Merkel, who does not want to see more than 70 years of peaceful living among each other without major hostilities in Europe to be washed away by some toddler that lives at the other side of the the Atlantic. I have never been a big supporter for Merkel, but this is actually one of those things where she may be actually right.
Arvel Crynyd
2017-05-29 06:49:35 +0000 UTCThe quote from Phillip Wallach is probably the most telling part of the article on Trump's deregulation campaign. If he wants to move his own agenda forward he's going to have to more than simply reverse course from Obama's legislation. What I see is an administration with an ax and just ready to hack away with no replacements or guidelines for what comes next. It also seems incredibly private sector focused and I'm not convinced that most of these cuts benefit the individual citizen or consumer.
Matthew Kohlman
2017-05-29 02:03:58 +0000 UTCWith respect, I disagree with what would appear to be a global version of protectionism and isolationism, should America remove itself from the European stage and should European countries then follow Trump's example and remove themselves from each other. This was how the world was at the beginning of the 20th century, and I feel this was a major reason we fought two world wars during that time. The European Union and the United Nations are large, ungainly, often overly bureaucratic constructs but, as my late historian mother used to say, they are better than nothing. Far better than all countries adopting a go-it-alone approach. It's the same reason I would never favor disbanding the US Federal Government (or weakening it to the point of being effectively non-existent), and letting most laws be determined on a state by state basis. That's not a country; that's a loose association of fiefdoms more likely to be in constant conflict with each other than to be at peace for any length of time. On a personal note, history has already shown me that I would likely not do well in a country where my rights could wax and wane in any state at any time. Similarly, I don't think returning Europe to it's early 1900's form is a wise course of action, as it would, once again, make war a more tempting option for conflict resolution than it is now. I respect and often admire the part of American culture that prizes individualism, but i don't think it should be rigorously pursued in all situations nor do I think it should be the only model for the rest of the world.
Stephen J Seidler
2017-05-28 23:59:32 +0000 UTC
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