Creating the Narrative for the New USA.

"We have always been at war with Eurasia"

The desire to rewrite history to fit ones chosen narratives is as old as humanity itself. If you don't think the first cave dwellers weren't exaggerating the size of the animals on the cave walls they supposedly slayed you haven't been paying attention to humanity.

Today in America is no different. Media outlets and politicians are the best at this. Take, for example, the NY Times 1619 project, a tome so flawed, so fundamentally out of focus with historical reality that the publication ultimately was forced to abandon all of its central tomes and basically try and white wash its entire original purpose from existence.

It's too late though, the damage is done. Because no one notices corrections or retractions, they just focus in on the original narrative not matter how flimsy or bizarre the main idea is.

This is the problem the GOP faces right now. The choice, of some of their members, to follow the Bronzed Ego down his fever dream of #StopTheSteal they ran into the harsh light of reality displaying some (not all) of Trumps followers as 100% batshit crazy. Once they realized this, and many recanted their support, the damage was already done. The narrative set so to speak.

This could possibly diminish the GOP for a generation in America. Think California but with an unlimited budget and power to inflict harm. The belief, on this blog, was not that Donald Trump would destroy America (It takes more than the ego and bloviations of one man to topple a free society with laws and structure), but that he might all but destroy the GOP and leave the country looking at the very real possibility of facing the abyss of single-party rule.

And, to be clear about this, there is very little separating single-party, monolithic rule from pure authoritarianism. Certainly this is the case if the courts have decided to sit on the sidelines and just observe. This gives those whose goal it is to tear down the existing order pretty much a blank check to do so.

The belief here at TPM headquarters is that it will be fascinating to watch America and China spiral closer to one another (albeit from different directions) as authoritarian ruled, crony capitalist economic powers.

The media will be more than happy to keep this division alive as they will continue to focus on both the mis-deeds of Trump (even long after he is gone) and any instance where a member of the GOP might have agreed with him on anything, even something that made sense. (and, even though Trump himself was a personal disaster, not all of his policies were. It's important to separate the two) Part of the reason for this is that the media is lazy, and an even larger part of it is because the media does not particularly like the GOP.

There was a great scene is the 80's movie "Moon Over Parador" that comes to mind.

This was a harmless little Richard Dreyfus vehicle that took place in an authoritarian country that ostensibly elected it's leader through free and fair elections. The problem was the ruler of the land was on the ticket for both parties. Near the beginning of the movie two peasants are looking at two campaign posters, one with a red background, one with a blue background, both with the picture of the President on them.

"Who are you going to vote for? Red or Blue?"

"What does it matter?"

Without a meaningful, serious, opposition party the real elections are going to occur in the Democratic Primaries. Who is selected in those races will ultimately determine the direction of the country. If you don't think this is possible, look at California on the Left and Texas (for now) on the Right.

"Who are you going to vote for? Democrat or Democrat?"

"What does it matter?" 

The Attack on the Holy Temple Will NOT go Unpunished.

 Yesterday was ridiculous. There is no other word for it.

If you've not paid attention, and I would not blame you if you didn't, yesterday possibly the most motley group of protestors ever 'stormed' the US Capitol with the sole intent of disrupting the Congressional certification of the Electoral College vote for the 2020 US Presidential election.

It should come as no surprise that the ruling class is viewing this as a Holy War. Upon reconvening every Representative or Senator was afforded the chance to record themselves a future campaign ad where they rallied around the iron tree of Democracy and were allowed to denounce the protestors in one form or another. Many (Democrats) called for Trump to be impeached, many (Republicans and Democrats) denounced this 'unprecedented' attack on Democracy and all but stripped the humanity away from the protestors, suggesting that they might be willing to support stripping away their rights as well.

Of course, all of this was done after they had emerged from their "secure locations' some of them remaining cowering in lock down hours after the Capitol had been cleared.  "Fighters" for the little man indeed.

Sen. Chuck Schumer (D - The village that's missing it's idiot) took the booby prize however when he compared this dust-up with Pear Harbor.  I shit you not.

As is custom these days, social media erupted. On the Left there was rending of garments and gnashing of teeth, as well as, not surprisingly, a surprising amount of blood lust as many called for pain and death for the rioters. On the Right there was a desperate search for equivalence and hypocrisy, as people desperately searched past tweets of Ilhan Omar, AOC and others for Tweets in support of BLM and Antifa (and they found them).

Reactions went from falling on the fainting couch and rending garments, to wishing pain and death on all of the protestors, even IF they did not partake in the storming of the Temple walls. There were many calls for Trump to be impeached or removed from office via the 25th Amendment. Twitter, of which I am a member, fell rapidly into a sewer of bad takes, name-calling and otherwise intelligent people losing their damn minds.  I've taken a break from the platform for a few days to allow these spleens to fully vent before I return.

If you're looking for a trend here, it's this: The protestors who entered the Capitol and scared a bunch of politicians were not simple political protestors taking things too far. No, while that may seem what it is you're viewing this through the wrong lens. What this was, to the ruling class, was a sullying of the Holy See of America and an attack on the Religious Order to which they worship.

In short, the invaders were attacking the House of God. This was sacrilege. 

And the punishment for it should be Biblical.

This is why the Democrats are suddenly the DC Police best friends, despite spending the entire year demanding they be "defunded". This is why Republicans have fled from Donald Trump despite initially backing him and showing willingness to dispute the Electoral count to bolster their own political aims.

From that perspective this is a very simple matrix.

Joe Biden is God.

The Democrats in Government are his Angels.

Donald Trump is the Devil.

His supporters are the Demons.

The ruling class views this (falsely) to be American Armageddon. 

In reality, we are not witnessing the fall of Babylon at this moment, but it could not be too far away if our ruling class is not up to the job.  Early returns from Biden ("America is better than this") and Obama (America needs to come together in support of Biden and his policies) are not promising.

Happy New Year's Houston: No Reason to pay any attention to the news, here's ALL you need to know in 2021

 As you wake up this morning, either hungover or no, and celebrate the death of 2020 and new life in 2021. Here's everything that is going to happen to your fair city (and region) in 2021.  The below are absolutely guaranteed to happen with a margin of error of 100%.

January: Disgusted with the CDC guidance for the COVID-19 vaccine, Harris County Judge Lina Hidalgo discards it in the name of 'economic justice' and declares that anyone within the county making more than $60,000 per year immediately will be placed in distribution group 1000Z which means that you will receive your vaccination just after the animals in the Houston Zoo.

February: Sylvester Turner, not willing to give up the position of Mayor that he has dreamed about since he was a child in Acres Homes, ram-rods through a City Ordinance allowing him to bypass term limits and remain Mayor for Life, or until he finally satisfies all of his political patrons financially.

March: Houston firefighters are told that they will get the vaccine eventually or, once they come back to the bargaining table and accept Turner's changes to their pensions allowing the HPD to continue to have Most Favored Department status forever.

April: HPD Commissioner Art Acevedo remains coy regarding his political future still suggesting that he's "looking for the right opportunity" to run for higher office. In reality he's hoping to let memories of his HPD mismanagement fade.

May: The Houston Chronicle Editorial Board writes a positive editorial on Biden's first 100 days in Office, continues to run it every week until Biden is eventually removed from office, in which case they just change all instances of "Biden" to "Harris" in the copy.  No one notices this because no one pays attention to them any longer.

June: Houston firefighters and zoo animals finally begin receiving vaccines for COVID-19. The County give Judge Lina Hildago an "Excellence in Leadership" award that's really a recycled participation trophy from a youth soccer league with tape over the face plate and the new information written in permanent marker.

July: Erica Greider hears about Lina's award from Miya Shay at a dinner party in Asia Town and pens a column terming Lina's Excellence in Leadership a "Major Award". No one notices because no one pays any serious attention to her any longer, except for waiting for her next Twitter meltdown.

August: The Federal Government finally releases vaccine to private healthcare entities thus thwarting Judge Lina Hidalgo's attempt to keep it from certain groups indefinitely. In a hastily called press conference she bemoans her "lack of authority" to prevent anything she does not like from happening.

September: A major milestone is hit as most Houstonians have now received the COVID-19 vaccine and new cases are as close to zero as makes no difference. Governor Abbott removes all restrictions, Turner and Judge Lina Hidalgo hold a hastily called press conference calling this decision irresponsible.

October:  Trick or Treating, and anything fun, are banned in Harris County on penalty of permanent imprisonment. Due to bail reform the prison guards are getting bored.

November: Eating Turkey for Thanksgiving is also now punishable by a criminal offense, as is gathering with anyone outside of your immediate household for any reason. The reason for this is because private jail firms have threatened to sue the City and County for default on their contracts. COVID-19 cases in Harris County are still zero.

December: Santa Clause is named an "enemy of the County" due to his failure to pay property or sales taxes on all of those gifts he carries. The City of Houston wants to fine him "exactly the amount of the budget short fall for the next fiscal year.

January 2022: Under intense pressure from unions and other groups who have been out of a job all year Judge Lina Hidalgo FINALLY relents and lowers her COVID alert-level thingy to Orange.

Happy New Year everyone.