Wednesday, December 06, 2017

Notes on Manafort, Israel, the Alt Right, Sam Seder and Jack the Ripper

What a time we live in! Whenever I take a day off from writing, a hundred weird stories drop on us.

Remember when we didn't have to spend so much time thinking about politics? Remember history, science, culture, fun, art, novels, family, pets, knocking back some rum and coke? Remember stuff like that? Nowadays, I feel guilty if I take an hour off to watch Fake or Fortune.

Trump. Trump. Trump. The name has become the drumbeat of our lives. The tympani of doom. How dare you waste minutes researching lasagna recipes? Don't you know that the apocalypse threatens? Trump...Trump....Trump....

Briefly:

Trump's recognition of Jerusalem as Israel's capital was a purely symbolic gesture which will lead to very real deaths. Trump claims that he favors a two-state solution, but no Palestinian will trust him now.

His purpose, I believe, is to foment war and unrest, which will in turn enable Bibi and his fellow fascists to enact their long-planned Final Solution to the Palestinian problem.

Ironically, the anti-Semites support Trump in this. The Israel-firsters and the Dugin-loving, Jew-hating nationalists have found common cause. The ultimate goal of the neo-Nazis is a relocation (forced, if necessary) of all the world's Jews to one small strip of land in the Middle East. Once there, Jews will tell themselves: "Finally! We're safe! Jews in a Jewish land!" A sigh of relief, a moment of hubris.

Then: Nukes away.

That's the end game. The whole thing is agonizingly obvious, and any Jew who can't see it coming is an idiot. The Jews who tell themselves that they have nothing to fear from the Alt Right -- that Jewish nationalists can find common ground with non-Jewish nationalists -- are committing suicide.

Paul Manafort once struck me as corrupt but intelligent. Now, I tend to think of him as merely corrupt. His bail arrangement involved millions of dollars worth of real estate, yet he stupidly defied the court's gag order by co-writing an editorial apologia. Moreover, his co-writer was a Russian linked to Russia's intelligence community.

The big question: How did the authorities find out? We've heard some interesting suggestions, but I favor the theory that the NSA is monitoring Oleg Voloshyn (the Russin in question), and that Mueller has arranged to be notified if any such intercepts touch upon his case.

Voloshyn says that he wrote the piece on his own initiative. Yeah. Right.

Deutsche Bank is the latest target of Mueller's probe. About goddamned time. Allow me to quote an earlier post:
Trump's defenders keep saying that he has nothing to do with Russian money. Trump's lawyers have been making that same claim.

However, it is well-known that one of the few banks willing to lend big money to Trump after his bankruptcies was Deutsche Bank, which was fined for a $10 billion money laundering scheme benefiting Russians. The scheme involved something called "mirror trading," described in this fine New Yorker piece.
It worked like this: between 2011 and 2015, related corporate entities in Moscow and London bought and sold identical quantities of the same stock, through Deutsche Bank’s Moscow equities desk. By this alchemy, rubles in Russia were transformed into dollars in London. The process bypassed tax officials, currency regulators, and anti-money-laundering controls.
The head of Deutsche Bank, Josef Ackermann, was forced out by the scandal. Guess where he ended up? That's right: The Bank of Cypus -- the favorite bank of Vladimir Putin and his Russian oligarch pals. He was chosen for that position by Wilbur Ross, the Trump chum who just became our Commerce secretary, and by a billionaire crony of Vladimir Putin's named Viktor Vekselburg. It seems that Putin turned against Vekselburg late last year; they've since kissed and made up.

As it happens, Vekselburg has a partner named Len Blavatnik, worth $20 billion. Although Blavatnik made his money in Russian oil, he has strong American ties -- in fact, he owns Warner Music. He also made a seven figure donation to a Super PAC controlled by Mitch McConnell -- which explains why you should not expect Mitch to show any enthusiasm for any kind of probe (either independent or congressional) which might inconvenience Trump's Russian buddies.
Finally, a word about Sam Seder, victim of a truly evil piece of trolling by Mike Cernovich, of Pizzagate ill-fame. As Wilde said: "Quotation can be slander if you gerrymander." I feel certain that Cernovich knows full well that he has slandered Seder, just as Cernovich must have known all along that Pizzagate was a lie. These far-right ghouls have no conscience whatsoever.

Sam Seder did not say that he would approve of Roman Polanski raping his daughter. In fact, Seder is quite a bit more anti-Polanski than I am. (Way I figure it, if Samantha Geimer has forgiven him, we should follow her lead.)

If MSNBC believes that Sam Seder actually thinks that talent justifies rape, then MSNBC is run by the kind of dolts who would consider A Modest Proposal to be a cookbook.

I can guess how the Cernoviches of the world would go after me, if I were considered worthy of their attention. Here's my Blogger profile:
I'm a Democrat. That means my goal is to enslave humanity beneath the spike-heel boot of Bolshevism. We, the elite, the few, shall one day rule the planet. Until then, we gather in secret, sacrificing goats, devouring newborns, studying the ancient Goetic rites, and luring unsuspecting youths into the evil and mysterious worship of the Mighty Satan. Soon, soon, all humanity shall tremble at the supernatural power of our Dark Lord, and the puling, putrid, pious partisans of the pretender from Palestine (who died because he was weak and stupid) shall be consigned to the ovens and used to feed our dogs.
Lots of material there for a Cernovichian smear-meister to work with.

We now live in a world which forbids sarcasm unless one adds the words "I'm being sarcastic," which I refuse to do. Adding that tag insults any reader with an IQ over 90 -- a category which apparently does not include the folks who run MSNBC.

It's hard for a guy like me to find his way through this new world, since I often operate in sarcasm mode.

For example, if I ever were to encounter one of those dour ultra-feminists who believe that all heterosexual sex is rape (yes, such people do exist), my first response would be to channel the Divine Marquis: "But of course I favor rape! That is why Nature, in her sublime perfection, made Man the stronger. A week without rape is like Christmas without a buche de Noel." Ideally, I would deliver this response in a YouTube video while wearing a powdered wig and speaking in zee outRAYzhus French accent.

Similarly, if I debated an NOI member who considers all white men to be the Devil, I'd wax nostalgically about my beautifully embroidered Klan robes which they won't even let me wear in public any more. If trapped by a Zombie Catholic who can't stop talking about the need to reverse Roe, I'd offer my favorite recipe for Aborted Fetus Chocolate Torte. If buttonholed by an Ayn Randroid reciting John Galt's big speech, I'd have no choice but to shout: "The individual is nothing! The collective is all! LONG LIVE THE STATE!" And if forced to converse with a cliche-spouting socialist or BernieBro...

Well, no need to continue: By now, you understand the principle. Many people derive a nearly-orgasmic joy from fear, indignation, outrage and feelings of moral superiority. Being a people-pleaser, I am happy to satisfy their emotional requirements. If, in order to enjoy your day, you need a fiend to hate, contact me at the email address above: My rates are very reasonable.

A final thought. You know how Bernard Shaw first made his reputation? In 1888, at the height of the Whitechapel murders, he wrote an article praising Jack the Ripper:
Private enterprise has succeeded where Socialism failed. Whilst we conventional Social Democrats were wasting our time on education, agitation, and organisation, some independent genius has taken the matter in hand, and by simply murdering and disembowelling four women, converted the proprietary press to an inept sort of communism. The moral is a pretty one, and the Insurrectionists, the Dynamitards, the Invincibles, and the extreme left of the Anarchist party will not be slow to draw it. "Humanity, political science, economics, and religion," they will say, "are all rot; the one argument that touches your lady and gentleman is the knife."
What would a late-Victorian-era Cernovichian smear-monger have done with that kind of ammunition? You know the answer full well. Would the brain-dead  louts at MSNBC allow a modern GBS on their airwaves? You know the answer full well.

13 comments:

Anonymous said...

Hi Joseph,

Watching the obvious ongoing smear job against Franken unfold is depressing but not surprising as it's predictable how easily the Democrats get rolled. Didn't we warn them how the #metoo movement was going to get weaponized against them? Didn't we warn them that conflating any accusation from he looked at me funny to he dragged me into an alley and raped me and accepting it on a "just believe", and often anonymous, basis was open to the kind of chicanery we're seeing now against Franken?

I mean they're not even trying hard anymore as we're supposed to now just believe Franken tried to kiss somebody 3 years before he became a Senator while claiming "it was his right as a celebrity" which is a shamefully obvious variation on Trump's Access Hollywood tape line.

So now in order to avoid being accused of having double standards (oh no!) we dump Franken and others while they elect Moore and others. Uh huh.

What's even more depressing is that the next stage is also predictable. We think replacing Franken et al with women will be the answer while Roger Stone et al are going to laugh and start the same type of campaigns against them when needed and since we now accept any and anonymous claims, we're going to have to boot them too when the time comes.

Anonymous said...

Gawd, I love it when Joe gets hot & bothered.

Keep on being Joe Cannon Joe.

Mr Mike said...

An ethnic group too stupid to grow a tuber that sprouts on its own left in the pantry is too stupid to get sarcasm.
These are the same people who gave us Bush the Lesser.

http://howhegotthere.blogspot.com

Joseph Cannon said...

Anon, I've said from the start that Believe Women or MeToo is a GOP op. Franken is going and Moore is gonna take his place. This latest story is inane. What sealed it for me is that unbelievable piece of dialogue. It reminded me of the Katie Johnson Complaint -- in particular, the scene in which Trump supposedly throws money at her and shouts "Get an abortion!"

Bad fiction.

Anonymous said...

Joseph,

Bad fiction indeed.

I think there's an intended and unintended side effect. The intended side effect is to beat Dems over the head with their good faith like when Franken apologized to Tweeden while rewarding those who brazen it out like Moore. Guess who that benefits?

The unintended side effect is that no lawyer in his/her right mind will advise a client to settle such cases going forward. Why bother since it's going to be all over social and regular media anyway and the mob will take a settlement as an admission of guilt. Just pay the lawyer and keep the plaintiff(s) in court forever.

Anonymous said...

Democrats just love to destroy each other. I Wish Al is tough enough, but...

Anonymous said...

Here's the latest Franken accusation, IN ITS ENTIRETY:

"He immediately put his hand on my waist, grabbing a handful of flesh. I froze. Then he squeezed. At least twice."

Anonymous said...

Taking your Pussyhat to a gun fight always a bad idea. I know someone is offended I said that... Which is precisely why Democrats don't seem to have what it takes to UNITE and put up a fight against Republicans who are not so easily bruised and scattered.

All of these women who are calling for Franken to step down? Let's see if tomorrow all of these women stand up and call for Trump's impeachment for grabbing women by the privates. I DOUBT IT.. Nancy Pelosi lacking both balls and a spine will once again cry out "Impeachment is off the table!" None of these invertebrates belong in the Senate and Congress because they are too fucking weak. When attacked by Republicans these idiots self-mutilate rather than fight back.

Rachel Maddow lacking balls and Lawrence O'Donnel a spine... (O'Donell apologizes profusely to his audience just about every night that he has a dick and pair of balls instead of a Vagina) will not focus their efforts on impeaching Trump over grabbing pussy or allegedly raping a 13 year old.. But they are ALL IN with airing anonymous unsubstantiated accusations against Al Franken??? And they will bring on plenty of women on their show calling for Al Franken to be removed for fake grabbing a rightwing plant's boobs during a comedy show and hugging women by the waist or too close to their butt cheeks? Is that it??!! Jesus Fucking Christ, people have lost their fucking minds... Essentially stupid fucking Democrats are trying to create a zero tolerance purity test in which all males can fail simply by hugging someone wrong, flirting in the office, saying something too naughty for some prude,etc. STUPID DUMB FUCKING DUMBASS DEMOCRATS.

Democrats couldn't punch their way out of a wet soggy torn paper sack.

How many times has Joe Biden hugged or touched women unasked. A LOT...there are videos all over YouTube about it. BFD. So I guess he can never run for President? Not in this climate. Then there is the whole Bill Clinton thing which if true is worse than the Al Franken thing. They give Bill the benefit of the doubt but not Al Franken? Why exactly is that? The logical reason? There is no logical reason you say??? Of course there is no logical reason. Just a stupid angry kneejerk emotional reaction.

Stupid dumb fucking Democrats always taking down their own, infighting, allowing themselves to be weakened and divided. Dumb, Dumber and Dumbest.

Anonymous said...

Democrats need to understand something... The Power Structure (The PussyGrabbers) does not cede power to victims, the passive (PussyGrabbed) .... This is playing out in the case of Roy Moore. Republicans are not ceding ground... They don't give a flying fuck if you perceive them to be a bunch of child raping Russian moles..... They simply don't care. Zero fucks to give. And if they had a fuck they wouldn't give you one anyways. And they are winning.

The Democrats on the other hand, (the majority of which seem to be fully invertebrate) are ceding ground by removing fighters like Al Franken over much more minor infractions and leaving passive non fighters like Nancy Pelosi and Schmucky Chucky who for some reason don't have it in them to want to impeach the primary PussyGrabber in the White House although the entire world sees him as a danger. Why is that?

Will Democrats ever learn? Recent events say no.

Matt@Occidentalism.org said...

I think you are wrong about the alt-right position on this. Check out what they are saying on Twitter. There is virtual unanimity that this act by Trump displays the power of the Israel lobby, and that this will lead to needless deaths.

It's also worth pointing out that the alt-right is solidly anti-war, and has been from its inception.

Gus said...

Matt@Occidentalism.org,

So the alt-right doesn't want to kill all Muslims in a new holocaust? Is there some other alt-right that you are talking about? If they actually were anti-war, why do they pick such hawkish bedfellows to represent them?

Matt@Occidentalism.org said...

Gus,

Exactly who do you consider to be alt-right? Lots of people are getting labeled 'alt-right' these days, including neo-conservatives like Benjamin Shapiro (this might be the person that you are thinking of, among others).

The alt-right is anti-war. The alt-right is currently the only major anti-war faction around. Have a look at the alt-right reaction to Trump's aggression in Syria.

http://www.slate.com/blogs/the_slatest/2017/04/07/why_the_alt_right_hates_trump_s_syria_strike.html

Matt@Occidentalism.org said...

Gus, I will add one more thing. You don't seem to understand the alt-right because you don't understand how it developed. The alt-right developed in opposition to the regime of the war criminal George W. Bush. Bush embodied a form of soulless chauvinism, picking fights in foreign countries, bombing the hell out of them, and then importing the victimized populations into the USA.