“We are all different, but we all have at least one thing in common; society doesn’t fucking fit, and we all want out. None of this is a coincidence. It is all connected, from my so-called mental illness to yours. The growing diversity of people choosing to live outside the increasingly stultifying boundaries of normal is spreading and it’s about time. One of my favorite Marxists, Antoni Gramsci, referred to us as the Subaltern. Karl himself more derisively labeled us as the lumpenproletariat. Both essentially amount to an unorganized underclass amongst the post-colonial masses that exists on the margins — criminals, vagrants, migrants, convicts, drifters, loners, and lunatics, the homeless, the unemployed and the unemployable, an entire caste excluded from the socioeconomic institutions of society in order to deny the strange agency. But when society itself has become a sickness, we on the outside become the cure.” (11/10/24)
Source: Foundation for Economic Education
by Marcos Falcone
“A few weeks ago, Uruguay—a country known for its political and economic stability in an otherwise usually turbulent South America—held what many considered to be one of the world’s most boring and uneventful presidential elections. But on the same day, Uruguayans also went to the polls to decide on a proposition that raised some eyebrows both at home and abroad: the nationalization of private social security, along with the lowering of the retirement age from 65 to 60 and the establishment of a minimum pension equivalent to the national minimum salary. The proposition was ultimately rejected, as a majority could not be reached. However, 39 percent of Uruguayans still voted in its favor, and its mere existence was a major cause for concern to investors.” (11/10/24)
“Many progressives remained silent about ending the genocide in Gaza because they were afraid speaking out would both harm Kamala Harris’[s] chances and propel Donald Trump back into The White House. If those organizations and leaders don’t want to be on the wrong side of history, it’s time to get off the sidelines and join the fight to stop the genocide. The election is over. Trump won. While many in the United States are justifiably filled with fear and dread about another Trump presidency, our Palestinian and Lebanese neighbors are also filled with fear and dread about the U.S.-made bombs falling on their families. ” (11/11/24)
“Donald Trump will presumably swear the oath and assume the office on January 20, 2025, having received votes from about 22.5% of the population. … Kamala Harris, having received votes from only about 21% of the population, probably has a more enjoyable life awaiting her as she re-enters the ‘private sector’ after 35 years in various government positions. … About 57% of the population didn’t vote for ANYONE for president. Some of them had no opinion. Some of them had an opinion but chose not to vote. Some may or may not have had an opinion but just weren’t allowed to vote. So if you hear someone claiming a ‘landslide’ or ‘mandate’ for anyone but NOTA, well, now you know better.” (11/09/24)
“Recently, online society was outraged over the unnecessary death of a pet squirrel and raccoon. Intelligent people were angry over the absurdity of ‘saving’ animals by killing them. Others said the uproar showed how far society had fallen — why would anyone care about a squirrel? … It’s not about the squirrel and raccoon. It’s about those who would steal happy, healthy pets and kill them because an arbitrary rule had been broken. It’s about those who will do anything they are told to do, no matter how obviously wrong it is, because they follow orders. It’s about the poor judgment of every government employee involved, and about the poor character of the person who ratted them out to the state.” (11/10/24)
Source: Orange County Register
by Veronique de Rugy
“Supporters of Vice President Kamala Harris are surely experiencing disappointment, but one of the Biden-Harris administration’s pillars — ‘industrial policy’ — won big on Tuesday. That’s because it’s already been embraced by both parties. President-elect Donald Trump loves expensive tariffs, and Harris loves big subsidies to big businesses, and to some degree vice versa. That, my friends, should disappoint us all. Industrial policy represents one of the most dangerous economic illusions of our time. Often presented as a populist program, it’s usually implemented in a way that makes it no different than the worst crony programs.” (11/09/24)
“As a Never Trump voter who thought January 6 was disqualifying but who respects the results of this election, I urge this from fellow Trump skeptics: Stop indulging the fantasy that outrage, social stigma, language policing, a special counsel, the Twenty-Fifth Amendment, or impeachment will disappear him. And stop talking as if normal political opposition is capitulation. Everyone should normalize Trump. If he does something good, praise him. Trump is remarkably susceptible to flattery. Don’t hesitate to criticize him when he does something bad, but avoid overstatements. They are self-discrediting. And know that new House elections are just two years away. Focus on offering a better alternative to voters, not ousting the person they chose. Meanwhile, oppose Trump’s bad ideas by drawing on the normal tools Americans use to constrain all presidents.” (11/08/24)
“‘Is there any point to which you would wish to draw my attention?’ ‘To the curious incident of the dog in the nighttime.’ The dog did nothing in the nighttime.’ ‘That was the curious incident,’ remarked Sherlock Holmes. This exchange comes from ‘The Adventure of the Silver Blaze,’ a short story by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle. Even though the story is more than 100 years old, I won’t spoil it if you haven’t read it. But I will tell you what was so curious: The dog didn’t bark at an intruder. I tell you this because Tuesday’s election had its own dog that didn’t bark. That is, abortion rights.” (11/09/24)
Source: Caitlin Johnstone, Rogue Journalist
by Caitlin Johnstone
“Israel is really struggling with how difficult its present circumstances make playing the victim. It keeps having to invent new abuses to be victimized by like the imaginary Amsterdam ‘pogrom’ and the fake mass rape narrative that surfaced months after October 7, because it can’t sit comfortably in the role of victimizer while on trial for genocide in international courts. Playing victim is too deeply ingrained in the narrative control strategies of Israel and its apologists, so they have to keep coming up with new and innovative ways for Israel to be victimized even when it is very clearly the last state on earth who has any business being viewed as such. … We keep seeing the word ‘pogrom’ used to refer to Israeli hooligans getting their asses kicked for obnoxious behavior in Amsterdam even as Israeli settlers keep committing textbook pogroms in the occupied West Bank.” (11/10/24)
