Also of note is an often cited fact about the rise of Ronald Reagan I discovered in THE JAKARTA METHOD. One of the ways Reagan raised his cache with republicans in California prior to being governor was by being a vehement enforcer of anti-communism. While he was president of SAG, he made all new actors sign a pledge against communism, an imperative for their membership. Hollywood IS liberal, in the sense that all conservatives are as well, because capitalism is a guarantee of liberal democracy. That isn’t at all a criticism of your cogent and engaging piece, as much as it is a facet of these conversations that are totally lost on democratic voters and their inability to see their tacit approval of the war machine, I.e. as you said, watching top gun maverick.
Well stated. I think a feature of the 21st century liberal ideological project is this kind of magical thinking about American military adventurism. The immediate aftermath of the Dubya Bush years came with a widespread awareness that we'd killed a bunch of people that probably didn't deserve it. The ensuing liberal hegemony never really directly challenged the Giant Death Robot that is the US Military. They just convinced themselves that it wouldn't be a problem if the "right" person was piloting the Death Robot. This is how you get Libya. Well-credentialed, means tested intervention instead of megachurch cowboy bloodthirst. The result is the same for the people on the ground.
Also of note is an often cited fact about the rise of Ronald Reagan I discovered in THE JAKARTA METHOD. One of the ways Reagan raised his cache with republicans in California prior to being governor was by being a vehement enforcer of anti-communism. While he was president of SAG, he made all new actors sign a pledge against communism, an imperative for their membership. Hollywood IS liberal, in the sense that all conservatives are as well, because capitalism is a guarantee of liberal democracy. That isn’t at all a criticism of your cogent and engaging piece, as much as it is a facet of these conversations that are totally lost on democratic voters and their inability to see their tacit approval of the war machine, I.e. as you said, watching top gun maverick.
Well stated. I think a feature of the 21st century liberal ideological project is this kind of magical thinking about American military adventurism. The immediate aftermath of the Dubya Bush years came with a widespread awareness that we'd killed a bunch of people that probably didn't deserve it. The ensuing liberal hegemony never really directly challenged the Giant Death Robot that is the US Military. They just convinced themselves that it wouldn't be a problem if the "right" person was piloting the Death Robot. This is how you get Libya. Well-credentialed, means tested intervention instead of megachurch cowboy bloodthirst. The result is the same for the people on the ground.
Love your handle.
“Evil Empire,” what
This is spot on lecturing is the opposite of entertainment 😎
“turn their brains off and have a good time” - that’s all I want. Not right wing or left wing, just entertainment and an escape for a couple hours.
https://stanleyabner1951gmailcom.substack.com/p/adrenochrome-diaries