Summary: Here are a few of today’s big stories that have gotten too little attention. At the end are suggestions about places to find interesting or useful insights not found in the mainstream news.
I’m often asked what sources I use for news, and what are the big stories of the day. Here some major stories that journalists undercover or I believe misinterpret — trends that deserve attention (with the best shown last). At the end of the post are recommendations about useful sources.
(1) The most important graph in American politics.
Trump’s survival lies in the hands of the Republican majority in Congress. They will move against him if he threatens to seriously damage the party — and they can do with little political risk. The former seems likely to happen eventually, as Trump stumbles clownishly from crisis to crisis. The latter requires a collapse in the public’s support for Trump — the most important trendline in American politics today.
See the results of Gallup’s daily poll asking about people’s approval or disapproval of the job Donald Trump is doing as president, based on telephone interviews with approximately 1,500 national adults; It is a three-day moving average; the margin of error is ±3 percentage points.
Both the approval and disapproval lines appear close to breaking their trendlines — the rising disapproval trend is about to break down, the falling approval trendline is about to break out. The sharp moves are two datapoints — representing four days of polls.
Why the rising support for Trump? We can only guess. I vote for a “rally around the flag” effect responding to Trump’s sabre-rattling at North Korea. Since 9/11 American’s are belligerent, getting excited at the thought of attacking small nations. Trump — careless, ignorant, a bully — well represents much of America.
The U.S. has been talking to North Korea, and paying them extortion money, for 25 years. Talking is not the answer!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) August 30, 2017
Others echo his madness, such as this CNN op-ed by Hamish de Bretton-Gordon: “Accepting North Korean nukes is not an option.” How dare North Korea develop the only sure defense against America’s efforts to overthrow regimes it does not like (e.g., Iraq, Afghanistan, Libya, Syria — and dozens more during the Cold War)! Trump’s grandstanding — risking nuclear war — has boosted his ratings.
This might encourage Trump to further aggressive moves against North Korea or elsewhere. Much as with Clinton’s launching missiles at Sudan in December 1998 to distract the public from Monica Lewinsky’s testimony to Congress — which ultimately got him impeached by the House (acquitted by the Senate) and a five-year suspension of his law license. See details here about the attack and about its hasty and ill-advised planning. The use of war to boost a president’s ratings is mocked in “Wag the Dog” (1997).
Our threats — and perhaps war — ignores the safer alternatives. We could guarantee North Korea’s territory from invasion and other attacks, or take William Lind’s advice and be creative. Ignore the propaganda; see other posts about North Korea. We enjoy attacking small nations and even weaker non-state actors. While satisfying — all bullies love kicking the weak — how long until one of them hits back at us?
The major media’s stories about North Korea’s threat are ludicrously biased. They seldom mention that North Korea is reacting to large war games nearby in which the US, Japan, and South Korea simulate an invasion of North Korea. They also include one of the great fear-mongering war horses: EMP weapons. Journalists love these stories, and seldom mention the many debunkings by experts (see this summary).
Update from Reuters: Putin rebukes America’s belligerence and urges a more rational response.
“Russia condemns North Korea’s exercises. We consider that they are a provocation …{But} ramping up military hysteria will lead to nothing good. …It could lead to a global catastrophe. …There’s no other path apart from a peaceful one.”
(2) Another warning about AIs causing WWIII.
China, Russia, soon all countries w strong computer science. Competition for AI superiority at national level most likely cause of WW3 imo.
— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) September 4, 2017
Friday’s post discussed the dangers posed by the coming rapid evolution of AI in Films show us how smart machines will reshape the world. One film showed Musk’s scenario: Colossus – The Forbin Project
(3) An inflection point for Antifa.
Political violence is like a virus in its ability to spread through a nation, as both Left and Right support “their” street-fighting thugs (example here). The Left’s strong support for Antifa’s violence — as they attacked the Right’s events — put America on the fast track to serious violence (example here). But we may have passed an inflection point. First journalists began to turn against Antifa’s violence, no longer concealing their actions and making excuses for them. Now even Berkeley’s mayor condemns them. See this story by CBS News 5 KPIX.
“A large number of masked Antifa activists were seen jumping the barriers at a largely peaceful demonstration in Berkeley’s Martin Luther King Civic Center Park on Sunday. Some began attacking Trump supporters at the rally. …KPIX 5 news crews observed that most of the conservative demonstrators in the park were Trump supporters who repeatedly denounced Nazis and racists.” …{Jesse Arreguin, Berkeley’ mayor, spoke about} the black-clad activists who showed up in force and took over both the protests and the park.” Mayor’s remarks:
“I think we should classify them as a gang. They come dressed in uniforms. They have weapons, almost like a militia and I think we need to think about that in terms of our law enforcement approach. … I think we are going to have to think ‘big picture’ about what is the strategy for how we are going to deal with these violent elements on the left as well. …We also need to hold accountable and encourage people not to associate with these extremists because it empowers them and gives them cover.”
CBS also noted two other statements by the mayor that in effect supported Antifa’s violence. He applauded the police for enjoying coffee and donuts while watching Antifa bash heads. Then he recommended that Antifa be rewarded for its violence by Berkeley U cancelling “Free Speech Week.”
“And while it didn’t look good, the mayor also praised Berkeley police for holding back and ceding the park to the anarchists when the group jumped the barriers. …the mayor also called on UC Berkeley to call off next month’s Free Speech Week featuring Milo Yiannopoulos.”
Progress is always incremental. Let’s applaud Mayor Arreguin even for baby steps. Let’s hope other on the Left (both liberals and far Left) will follow his example.
Video of the CBS News 5 KPIX story.
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(4) Sources for your morning reading.
I subscribe to the daily summaries of stories by National Review and Alternet to cover Left and Right, Naked Capitalism for the Center-Left, and Zero Hedge for weird fringes. I have subscriptions to and skim the WaPo, New York Times, London Review of Books, NY Review of Books, the Marine Corps Gazette, and Science. I get many leads to good stories from Twitter. These posts gives tips to help you modify your own list.
- A guide to sources of geopolitical insight on the Internet,
- Suggestions for your daily info diet. You are what you read!
- Economics can help understand events in America and the world. Here’s where to find those answers.
- Finding insights in the seas of information & misinformation.
(5) For More Information
If you found this post of use, like us on Facebook and follow us on Twitter. Also see these posts about journalism, about information and disinformation, about reforming America – steps to a new politics, and especially these…
- Important: Politics in modern America: A users’ guide for journalists and reformers.
- Journalists suffer from the crisis crisis, warping America’s vision.
- We live in an age of ignorance, but can decide to fix this – today.
- Ways to deal with those guilty of causing the fake news epidemic.
- The secret source of fake news. Its discovery will change America.
- A new year’s gift: two tools to help discover truth in the news.
- Trump brings the crisis in journalism to a flashpoint.
My favorite film about journalism.
His Girl Friday
This is one of the few films I have seen with great acting, a strong plot, fast pacing, and wonderful dialog. The only flaw, in my opinion, is the ending. It shows no character development. That’s realistic, but I prefer more optimistic films.
