tardigrada

Archived version

Trump has always been a presence, not an absence: the presence of fascism. What does this mean?

When the Soviets called their enemies “fascists,” they turned the word into a meaningless insult. Putinist Russia has preserved the habit: a “fascist” is anyone who opposes the wishes of a Russian dictator. So Ukrainians defending their country from Russian invaders are “fascists.” This is a trick that Trump has copied. He, like Vladimir Putin, refers to his enemies as “fascists,” with no ideological significance at all. It is simply a term of opprobrium.

Putin and Trump are both, in fact, fascists. And their use of the word, though meant to confuse, reminds us of one of fascism’s essential characteristics. A fascist is unconcerned with the connection between words and meanings. He does not serve the language; the language serves him. When a fascist calls a liberal a “fascist,” the term begins to work in a different way, as the servant of a particular person, rather than as a bearer of meaning.

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Fascism is a phenomenon, not a person. Just as Trump was always a presence, so is the movement he has created. It is not just a matter of the actual fascists in his movement, who are scarcely hiding, nor of his own friendly references to Hitler or his use of Hitlerian language (“vermin,” “enemy within”). He bears responsibility for what comes next, as do his allies and supporters.

Yet some, and probably more, of the blame rests with our actions and analysis. Again and again, our major institutions, from the media to the judiciary, have amplified Trump’s presence; again and again, we have failed to name the consequences. Fascism can be defeated, but not when we are on its side.

Why is this important?

We’ve seen in the past that a rogue President Trump has ridden roughshod over international climate agreements, he’s happy to cosy up with dictators like Putin, and he’s even had his eyes on our NHS as part of trade deals. Worst of all he seems to do this all with little care for the consequences to anyone but himself.

At 38 Degrees, our supporters unite to build a society that’s fairer, kinder, respectful and more sustainable - values that, unfortunately, Donald Trump does not share.

Bomb threats sent to polling places and ballot-counting locations in at least five battleground states across the U.S. Tuesday targeted mostly Democratic counties, an NBC News analysis has found.

The full extent of who received the bomb threats is not clear. None are believed to have been deemed credible.

[The] high-population Democratic counties include voting locations for Milwaukee, Wisconsin; Detroit, Michigan; Phoenix, Arizona; Atlanta, Georgia; and Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.

Maricopa County, Arizona, which Biden won by a slim margin, has consistently been the subject of election denialism conspiracy theories. The other five — Michigan’s Wayne County, Pennsylvania’s Philadelphia County and Georgia’s DeKalb, Fulton and Gwinnett counties — were some of the largest Democratic strongholds in their respective states.

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Much is still unknown about the threats, including the identity of who sent them. They do appear to have been designed to influence either the perception of the election outcome or the outcome itself, as all the threats known to NBC News were sent to the handful of battleground states widely believed by both parties to be crucial for winning the election.

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“This is an extraordinary and very disturbing development,” said Larry Norden, the vice president of the elections and government program at NYU’s Brennan Center for Justice. “Whether it’s a foreign or domestic actor that was involved, there needs to be repercussions for it.”

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The FBI said in an emailed statement Tuesday that “many” of the threats “appear to originate from Russian email domains.” Some additional threats appeared to have been sent from a French service, a U.S. official briefed on the matter told NBC News. Anyone with unrestricted internet access can sign up for email services in other countries, making it difficult to deduce who actually sent the threats.

Georgia Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger has openly blamed Russia for the threats since late Tuesday morning, though it’s not clear if he’s referencing the ones coming through a Russian email service or has access to additional intelligence.

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Archived version

Since the summer of 2023, Russia's key interest rate has been rising steadily, making loans more expensive and pushing up debt burdens. The rate now stands at 21 percent, and the Central Bank is expected to raise it again in December. Businesses have already begun reporting a rise in late payments from counterparties — a potential warning sign of looming defaults, as many companies find it nearly impossible to meet debt obligations with interest rates above 20 percent. Meduza explains whether these fears are justified, how soon a wave of bankruptcies might hit, and why the Central Bank seems unconcerned.

Many companies in Russia now face a serious risk of bankruptcy, and it seems there’s little they can do to change the situation. The roots of this crisis go back to 2022, right after Moscow launched its full-scale invasion of Ukraine. At that time, Russia’s Central Bank raised the key interest rate to 20 percent per annum, effectively bringing all lending in the country to a halt. By April, however, the first major rate cut took place, followed by another in May, and within a few months, the rate had fallen back to 7.5 percent. Forecasts anticipated that this trend would continue and that loans would become more affordable.

Archived version

In a joint statement, Lawyers for Lawyers, The Law Society of England and Wales (‘the Law Society’), Lawyers’ Rights Watch Canada, Asian Lawyers Network, the International Bar Association Human Rights Institute, 29 Principles, The Rights Practice, and the Council of Bars and Law Societies of Europe (CCBE) express grave concern about human rights lawyer and legal scholar, Dr Xu Zhiyong who is currently on hunger strike in Lunan prison, Shandong province in China.

Mr Xu started his hunger strike on 4 October 2024 to call attention to the inhumane treatment he is being subjected to in prison.

[...] Mr Xu is held in a cell with three other detainees who have been instructed by prison guards to monitor and torment him, even when he is using the toilet. In the prison, he is only referred to as “prisoner No. 003”, rather than his real name. His family have been granted access to visit him once a month. However, they have experienced threats and harassment which has prevented them from visiting. Furthermore, authorities have refused to deliver his letters to his family or his girlfriend Li Qiaochu, a feminist activist, and have not permitted him to contact them by phone.1 This activity violates China’s Prison Law (1994) and the United Nations Standard Minimum Rules for the Treatment of Prisoners (the Nelson Mandela Rules).

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Archived version

In a joint statement, Lawyers for Lawyers, The Law Society of England and Wales (‘the Law Society’), Lawyers’ Rights Watch Canada, Asian Lawyers Network, the International Bar Association Human Rights Institute, 29 Principles, The Rights Practice, and the Council of Bars and Law Societies of Europe (CCBE) express grave concern about human rights lawyer and legal scholar, Dr Xu Zhiyong who is currently on hunger strike in Lunan prison, Shandong province in China.

Mr Xu started his hunger strike on 4 October 2024 to call attention to the inhumane treatment he is being subjected to in prison.

[...] Mr Xu is held in a cell with three other detainees who have been instructed by prison guards to monitor and torment him, even when he is using the toilet. In the prison, he is only referred to as “prisoner No. 003”, rather than his real name. His family have been granted access to visit him once a month. However, they have experienced threats and harassment which has prevented them from visiting. Furthermore, authorities have refused to deliver his letters to his family or his girlfriend Li Qiaochu, a feminist activist, and have not permitted him to contact them by phone.1 This activity violates China’s Prison Law (1994) and the United Nations Standard Minimum Rules for the Treatment of Prisoners (the Nelson Mandela Rules).

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Archived version

The presidential election this week marks a first in the history of the United States when Donald Trump defeated Vice President Kamala Harris while awaiting sentencing on 34 criminal charges. The president-elect has faced criminal indictments in three other cases as well.

Justice Juan Merchan is scheduled to sentence Trump on those 34 charges on Nov. 26.

In an op-ed published by the Kansas City Star on Friday, journalist Bill Dalton argued that Judge Merchan can honor "the rule of law."

Dalton writes, "The American people did the unthinkable — they elected a convicted felon president. Judge Juan Merchan should now do what was once unthinkable — force a president-elect to take the oath of office in a jail cell."

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Dalton continues, "That message needs to be sent because, after Inauguration Day, the rule of law will cease to exist for sitting presidents thanks to the U.S. Supreme Court's immunity ruling. Trump proved Tuesday, aided and abetted by 72 million voters, that crime does indeed pay. He thumbed his nose at America's once respected system of justice. He made a laughingstock of prosecutors and the judicial process. He turned what used to be a political liability for candidates into a political asset for fundraising."

Dalton argued that Merchan "should sentence and jail Trump while he is still a private citizen, no better nor more privileged than any of the millions of people who voted for or against him."

"Merchan should show the same courage that Vice President Mike Pence showed on January 6 when he stood for the rule of law, risking his life and destroying his political career in the process," writes Dalton.

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Archived version

The key to taking effective action in a Trump world is to avoid perpetuating the autocrat’s goals of fear, isolation, exhaustion and disorientation.

[A thoughtful piece imho with some great reflections.]

Archived version

California Governor Gavin Newsom wants a firewall to defend Californians during Donald Trump's second term, and he isn’t wasting time building it.

Once one of the president-elect's most visible critics during his first term, Newsom announced a special session of the California legislature ahead of Trump’s inauguration. Newsom said the session would focus on shoring up protections for women, LGBTQ+ people and immigrants before Trump takes office.

“The freedoms we hold dear in California are under attack — and we won’t sit idle,” Newsom wrote. “We will do everything necessary to ensure Californians have the support and resources they need to thrive.”

Archived version

Canadian YouTuber and CEO of the far-right Tenet Media Lauren Chen appeared before a parliamentary national security committee to discuss the allegations she took money from Russian state media.

Despite having parliamentary privilege extended to her for the appearance in front of the Standing Committee on Public Safety and National Security, she refused to respond to questions asked by the committee.

Chen and Tenet Media are at the center of an investigation into Russian nationals Kostiantyn Kalashnikov and Elena Afansyeva, alleging violations of the US Foreign Agents Registration Act, and conspiracy to launder almost $10 million through payments to Tenet Media.

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Founded by Canadian Chen and Tenet’s president Liam Donovan, Tenet Media is home to some of the largest conservative political commentators on YouTube. Among its roster are big names in digital content including Tim Pool, Dave Rubin, and Benny Johnson.

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Chen developed her brand much like another member of the Tenet roster, Lauren Southern, by creating videos that reinforced popular arguments against left-leaning or progressive politics. Chen often cast her opponents as individuals who hated traditional beauty standards or were hostile toward traditional concepts of femininity. She typically lambasts transgender people for either propagating and/or being victimized by “gender ideology.”

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Central to Australia’s cultural and political identity is the notion of a “fair go”. But recent elections, including in the United States, have highlighted the challenge of maintaining shared norms and support for institutions when many voters don’t believe they’re getting a “fair go”.

Australia has maintained a reasonably high satisfaction with democracy. However, this satisfaction is slipping.

A recent study, published by the Australian National University in partnership with the Department of Home Affairs Strengthening Democracy Taskforce, explored this issue further. It analysed how perceptions of income inequality relate to satisfaction with democracy.

It found concerns about income inequality in Australia are strongly related to dissatisfaction with democracy. This suggests Australia’s satisfaction with democracy is at risk. It may erode further if voters think the major parties aren’t sufficiently responsive to the economic pressures they are under.

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Archived version

Though it’s already been overshadowed in the deluge of post-election analysis of Donald Trump’s victory, Tuesday also marked a serious escalation of Russia’s global campaign of sabotage and intimidation targeting the US and other Western powers.

Polling sites in several states received bomb threats — later determined not to be credible — which the FBI said in a statement “appear to originate from Russian email domains.” The threats forced several polling places to close temporarily in the swing state of Georgia. Georgia Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger told reporters on Tuesday, “We identified the source, and it was from Russia.” Polling sites in the swing states of Michigan and Arizona also received threats, though it’s unclear if these was part of the same campaign.

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As anyone following American politics over the past decade knows, the Russian government has tried to meddle in US campaigns before. As was the case in the past two elections, the Russian government was believed to prefer Trump, who speaks frequently of his good relationship with President Vladimir Putin and has been critical of both NATO and US support for Ukraine.

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Andrei Soldatov, an investigative journalist and analyst who has written several books on Russia’s security services, says this year’s campaign targeting the US election differed from past efforts. It was also different from recent alleged campaigns of fraud to help Moscow’s preferred candidates in elections in the former Soviet states of Georgia and Moldova.

“The goal was not actually to change the results of the election,” Soldatov told Vox. “It was about posturing, about reminding Americans what’s at stake, and sending a message about what might happen if America continues its support for Ukraine.”

Though the election is over, Russia’s efforts to transmit this message are not, and they ultimately might take forms that are more violent and destructive than empty bomb threats.

Out of the gray zone and into the blue

Two days before the election, the Wall Street Journal reported that Western security services believed two incendiary devices seized on board planes in Europe over the summer were a test run for a Russian operation to start fires on US-bound planes. The devices detonated without injuries at logistics hubs in Germany and the UK, but the head of Poland’s intelligence agency said, “I’m not sure the political leaders of Russia are aware of the consequences if one of these packages exploded, causing a mass casualty event.” The Russian government has denied involvement.

This follows a campaign of arson and sabotage across Europe that intelligence officials say demonstrates an increasing recklessness on the part of the Kremlin. As the head of Britain’s foreign intelligence service MI6 put it, “Russian intelligence services have gone a bit feral, frankly.”

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