It's becoming less and less tolerable that functioning progressive governments keep making it harder and harder to afford to live somewhere. I think Massachusetts generally tries to do the right thing, but in this past year they're supercharging local review, slashing property taxes for seniors, and establishing new licensing and regulatory bodies for health care. I'd love to get more Democrats elected in red states at the national level, but we seriously need to get better at persuading Democrats in extremely blue areas, too.
I was reading Ezra’s interview with Jake Auchincloss and maybe it was because he was talking to Ezra but the messaging seemed way too complicated. The sole message should be, “Make stuff cheaper!”
I’ve been fully onboard the ”focus on making Dems better by appealing to normies” but Trump’s increasingly deranged and authoritarian behavior makes me think you Americans need to start protesting him as well. Right now it seems that the future of the West and the post-1945 world order hinges on a coalition of Europe (minus Hungary and possibly a few more countries), Canada and the 50% of America that hasn’t fallen off a fascist cliff. I can’t remember ever feeling more worried about the US. I used to belong to the faction that was only mildly worried about Trump but the alarm system is increasingly blinking red. The Hugo Chavez- and Victor Orban-comparisons were if anything too relaxed.
Possibly, but the future is deeply uncertain—a fact that’s always hard to appreciate during turbulent times. Yet history is filled with fears of collapse or tyranny, most of which failed to materialize.
Moreover, this is still just the cult of Trump, and he is poised for a Biden-esque deterioration with age. He has no anointed successor, and it doesn’t appear that anyone can similarly capture the adoration of Republican voters or command the same fealty from Republican politicians. Trump’s decline—whether pre- or post-presidency—will almost certainly involve internecine conflicts and a weaker coalition. Notably, the conflict between the Tech Right and MAGA will escalate into a hot war as members of each faction fight for control of the party.
So yes, the next few years will be chaotic, and there are some real tail risks. Yet there’s no value in speculating about how bad these risks could be because they are truly unknowable. Doing so even risks demotivation and distraction, weakening our ability to respond to both the good and the bad—both as individuals and as a competing political coalition.
Probably because it’s intended to appeal to the median American voter, who doesn’t give a fruit fly’s fart about foreign policy?
That might change once Poland, South Korea, and Japan race to develop nuclear weapons since it’s clear that they can’t rely on the US for protection anymore. But I wouldn’t count on it.
Certainly not more relevant than during the wars that directly involved America and consumed significant fractions of US GDP! Relative to most of US history and modern US history, FP is even less relevant than it normally is, and it normally isn't.
It's becoming less and less tolerable that functioning progressive governments keep making it harder and harder to afford to live somewhere. I think Massachusetts generally tries to do the right thing, but in this past year they're supercharging local review, slashing property taxes for seniors, and establishing new licensing and regulatory bodies for health care. I'd love to get more Democrats elected in red states at the national level, but we seriously need to get better at persuading Democrats in extremely blue areas, too.
Thanks for posting everything together. This will be a convenient reference.
I was reading Ezra’s interview with Jake Auchincloss and maybe it was because he was talking to Ezra but the messaging seemed way too complicated. The sole message should be, “Make stuff cheaper!”
I’ve been fully onboard the ”focus on making Dems better by appealing to normies” but Trump’s increasingly deranged and authoritarian behavior makes me think you Americans need to start protesting him as well. Right now it seems that the future of the West and the post-1945 world order hinges on a coalition of Europe (minus Hungary and possibly a few more countries), Canada and the 50% of America that hasn’t fallen off a fascist cliff. I can’t remember ever feeling more worried about the US. I used to belong to the faction that was only mildly worried about Trump but the alarm system is increasingly blinking red. The Hugo Chavez- and Victor Orban-comparisons were if anything too relaxed.
Possibly, but the future is deeply uncertain—a fact that’s always hard to appreciate during turbulent times. Yet history is filled with fears of collapse or tyranny, most of which failed to materialize.
Moreover, this is still just the cult of Trump, and he is poised for a Biden-esque deterioration with age. He has no anointed successor, and it doesn’t appear that anyone can similarly capture the adoration of Republican voters or command the same fealty from Republican politicians. Trump’s decline—whether pre- or post-presidency—will almost certainly involve internecine conflicts and a weaker coalition. Notably, the conflict between the Tech Right and MAGA will escalate into a hot war as members of each faction fight for control of the party.
So yes, the next few years will be chaotic, and there are some real tail risks. Yet there’s no value in speculating about how bad these risks could be because they are truly unknowable. Doing so even risks demotivation and distraction, weakening our ability to respond to both the good and the bad—both as individuals and as a competing political coalition.
Thanks for posting. Can't help noticing that there is nothing here about foreign policy.
Probably because it’s intended to appeal to the median American voter, who doesn’t give a fruit fly’s fart about foreign policy?
That might change once Poland, South Korea, and Japan race to develop nuclear weapons since it’s clear that they can’t rely on the US for protection anymore. But I wouldn’t count on it.
Fair, just seems like foreign policy is suddenly becoming newly relevant.
Certainly not more relevant than during the wars that directly involved America and consumed significant fractions of US GDP! Relative to most of US history and modern US history, FP is even less relevant than it normally is, and it normally isn't.
As a drosophilist, are you concened about fruit flies' farts?