Unhinged

Donald Trump now has most media big guns leveled directly at him. The more things that he says that seem to be over the top ... yet don't sink him ... the more unhinged the ruling class (politicians from both parties and media elites) becomes. Two cities in the United States have banned Donald Trump from entering there ... St. Petersburg, Florida and Philadelphia, Pennsylvania ... see: NBC News Story. Even the United Kingdom is circulating a petition to ban him from entering their country.

Can our political discourse get nuttier than this? We have now degenerated into exchanging playground taunts between petulant bullies. John Fetterman, the mayor of Braddock ... a suburb of Pittsburgh ... has called Trump a "jagoff" see: CNN Story. Being from this area myself, I know this refers to male masturbation effluent ... not a very elevated taunt coming from a mayor.

So when Trump suggests that, for security sake, we should place a temporary ban on Muslims entering our country, he is then banned from entering at least two major U.S. cities ... how puerile and obviously unhinged. I actually find this whole back and forth somewhat amusing ... as it puts on display the discomfort now being felt by the ruling class ... trying to exhibit moral outrage, but really worrying that their political sinecures might be in jeopardy.

A House Divided

There are more than a few political commentators who are mewing that, since the majority of Crimeans (but not the 96% as the recent voting indicated) believe that this part of Ukraine should be reunited with Russia, who are we or others to object? Interesting point … but then one must also ask why were not the Confederate States allowed to secede from the United States back in the early 1860’s? Why cannot all or part of Montreal split from Canada whenever it chooses? If Scotland soon votes to depart the United Kingdom should this be opposed or even penalized in some way?  Venice, from Italy?

As long as we are exploring the notion of national self-determination, why cannot Chechnya or other predominately Muslim republics secede unopposed from the Russian Federation? Isn’t what is good for the sow bear also good for the boar bear?  Why are not Tibet or other western Chinese provinces allowed to go their own way independent of Bejing’s tight control?

And how about the real poser … what if large portions of the American southwest, including California, now that they are predominately Hispanic, vote to rejoin Mexico?  Should this be permitted … or even encouraged? One could argue that this might significantly shift the United States’political balance rightward … and also relieve much fiscal stress on other neighboring American states.

President Abraham Lincoln once said, “A house divided cannot stand.” But as that other U.S. President, slick Willy Clinton, might have added, “It all depends on what your definition of ‘house’ is.”