(1) Thread: Left vs right in 2021

If you read Thomas Sowell or any other free markets economist or thinker, you can learn why the left is now on the ascendancy in so many countries.

Where did the "right" go so wrong?
(2) IMO, when right wing parties fail to get their economic messages across, a lot of ground is ceded, & a lot of damage can be done to a country. During a pandemic or other crisis it's x1,000.

Then add in extremism. (Actually, don't do that, OK?)

(3) The extremist ideology and tactics that were escalated by most of the GOP leadership in the past 18 months has blown away any hope of reaching new voters, or keeping the ones they had.

(4) Because of the current GOP leadership's deathlike grip on their "#MoveOn from 1/6" false narrative, I can't support them anymore. And I certainly can't get far in challenging Democrats' anti-free market policies, bc the GOP atm is rotten to the core re domestic terrorism.
(5) Which brings me to the main point of this thread.

I'm 50-ish and can remember a USA in which most people trusted the democratic process enough to discuss issues and resolve them peacefully. Pretty much everyone was clear on what terrorism is and what to do about it.
(6) Both sides have an extremist wing that needs to be kept contained so that the grown-ups can get on with the job in peace.

For now, the far right is a far more clear and present danger to the US than the far left. (GOP won't even concede this point.) fbi.gov/file-repositor…
(7) While I wait for the proper 1/6 accountability to be sought (largely through the criminal courts) I've brought my attn back to economic, social, & natsec policy. (The latter includes counter-terrorism, led by the DHS.)

Because one day we might all get back to that.
(8) Discussing economics with the followers of the left in 2021 is very different to say 1991, because there was a higher level of education and understanding of the subject. It's truly alarming to read survey results of college students on this stuff.
(9) I won't do it here very often now. My hunch is that at least among people over 30 years old, there is a lot of emotional and physical exhaustion from the events of the last decade or so, & then the pandemic arrived.

Most are too busy with their lives to care about politics.
(10) It's those voters, the moderates & swing voters, that must be reached in order to have a chance at winning elections.

Younger folk tend to have a more B&W view of politics, & now tend to insert it into every aspect of life. That's a known selling tactic of extremists, BTW.
(11) Non-moderates on both sides believe their opponents are trying to change the electoral system in their own favor, because demographic shifts mean "they can't win it any other way."

Seriously. They both use that false assertion. It's sad to watch.
(12) So I found a new dimension of the current divide. Not just left v right, it's also young vs middle aged/older voters. (*Yes these are generalizations, deal with it. If you learned about the subject.)

Trust in institutions is near rock bottom in the US. Other countries too.
(13) Restoring trust in institutions is vital if the US & others are to rediscover the beauty of a truly peaceful transfer of power, & how that flows on to all aspects of having a rules-based country & world.

My perspective is foreign, and I think that adds a bit of value.
(14) I'm more likely than most to dig in to the political history of many countries, looking for patterns & differences.

Unfortunately there are & were many dictatorships/ authoritarian regimes all over the world. Their actions are more telling than if they're left/ right.
(15) All authoritarian regimes use similar tactics to seize & maintain power.

Some folk in both US major parties work toward that goal year in, year out. They play the long game (another accusation both toss at their opponent.)

Anti-hypocrisy has never been more necessary.
(16) Summary: Don't expect most folk to work on the assumption that healthy civic discourse & institutions are critically important, or even possible.

I continue speaking into the void in case someone out there wants to listen. It helps me, too.

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More from @FreedomFriesInc

13 Jun
(1) My sincere condolences to the family and friends of Christopher Sign.

Here's a short thread with some background into what the internet will be talking about today in relation to his death.

Nowadays when I write about those claiming #Arkancide is real, I pull no punches.
(2) I'm the first to admit that years ago I believed that at least a few of the so-called Arkancide cases likely were homicides, not suicides. I still don't know if they were, and nor do you.

I later changed my view and in 2019 became so furious I wrote about it (next tweet)
(3) Please note the context of the below thread; the date on which it was written, and proximal events.

It represents my attempt to accurately (at the time) assess the threat level of the "Q" movement that would later be implicated in 1/6/21.

Read 7 tweets
12 Jun
Current mood: Savoring the musicality and memories of my favorite song for the past 23 years. Dr HW prescribes it for both the down times and the up times.

Life lesson: You make it happen in your life, no one else will, or can. #YouGetWhatYouGive

I'm aware this the greatest one hit wonder of the 1990s was also Beau Biden's song.🇺🇸 Let's call it even, bc most of us around in 1998 who heard the song loved it too.

I was gutted they didn't keep going, but I get it. Unwilling to do the round of promoting gigs & albums.
The lyrics are so good, every one of them.

I can't tell you how many times I thought of or played this song to get me through difficulties. Not going to complain but yeah, I've had my fair share of troubles in five decades. Songs like this were a big part of surviving them.
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1 Jun
(1) Thread: The self-exiled Harry recently claimed his father was a bad parent, and he had no kind words to say about anyone in his "family of origin," except his late mother, who can't be called to testify.

Watch this short 1992 clip:

(2) I remember watching the great royal wedding of 1981, then seeing two newborn princes carried down the steps of the Lindo Wing in 1982 and 1984, respectively.

That short clip from Balmoral shows the 10 and 8 year old brothers relaxing as they kick around a soccer ball.
(3) It was 1993 not 1992, sorry. I watched the clip a few times, listened to Charles' wise words, and noted the body language throughout.

After the past few months I like and respect my two future Kings even more than I did before. William has really come into his own.
Read 6 tweets
1 Jun
(1) A quick thread about my pinned tweet of June 1, 2021.

And some updates to my profile bio. A huge proportion of 2016 and 2020 Trump voters admired Margaret Thatcher & her economic, social, & national security policies.

They're ignoring that now.

(2) Trump & the GOP were in a good position electorally in January 2020. But he & they threw it all away, for nothing.

Sure, they blame the pandemic. Some of us don't tend to buy excuses. We prefer logic & evidence.

Anyone living in the UK between the 1960s & the 90s gets it.
(3) Don't call it "The Troubles." It was an ethno-nationalist separatist IRA insurgency campaign that murdered more than 3,500 people and injured more than 50,000.

If 1/6 isn't properly addressed, you will see something similar in the USA.
Read 6 tweets
1 Jun
(1) Thread: Public figures and mental health.

I'm glad Naomi Osaka has withdrawn from this event and of course I hope she gets the help she needs.

Prior to this announcement a lot of people were angry with her, including me.
(2) IMO this unfortunate saga would not have happened if her manager (who she employs) had given her better advice & arranged for an excellent sports psychologist to work with her. Now, it may turn out that her manager did do this, we'll see. I can only work from what is public.
(3) As someone who has PTSD myself, I believe I understand the kind of issues at stake here. I welcome the increased focus on mental health issues throughout society we've all seen of late. I detest it when people fake it or publicly blame others who can't defend themselves.
Read 14 tweets
28 May
For those who believe Sicknick's stroke right after an improvised chemical weapon was sprayed in his face is just a coincidence,

The mob trampled a woman to death

Two cops suicided from the PTSD

The cop who had to use lethal force on Babbitt is being doxxed by the far right
That's right. Q cult victim Ashli Babbitt tried to climb through a broken window that a team of cops were defending while innocent bystanders were still evacuating.

Y'all defend a POS like Derek Chauvin while doxxing and threatening an LEO who did his duty, lawfully.
Trump and the rest of the MAGA movement do not support the police.

I became a Trump supporter in 2016 for reasons like his promise to support LEOs & military. His encouraging, enabling and condoning of 1/6 endangered hundreds of cops AND abandoned all the others in the country.
Read 5 tweets

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