Every American president who’s dealt with Putin has overestimated their own ability to verbally persuade him to act in good faith—while vastly underestimating Putin’s capacity for mafia-style thuggery and sheer evil. That said, almost every above-referenced American president has realized they’ve been duped, and worked to correct their mistakes. Except one.
Not only must we acknowledge our shortcomings, but we must also, without compromising our point of view, realize and support other points of view. We cannot be successful if we ignore other Citizens' rights as they have ours.
I agree that there is no choice between authoritarianism and democracy. To uphold democracy, it is necessary to objectively evaluate where we have failed and what needs to be done to strengthen our democracy.
You make a clear case for why we should not be like MAGA, for one thing. Unlike most of Trump fervent adherents, we should be able to self reflect, admit where we could be on firmer ground & being smarter strategically. Standing your ground doesn’t mean being provincial: my cause, my group, etc right or wrong. It seems like that is best practice for many of the greatest military leaders for instance.
I do think that Kasparov has a bias against the Democratic Party. It’s OK to be critical, but I would appreciate him more enthusiastically endorsing the only viable national American political party which stands for liberal democracy and human rights. All I’ve actually read about him is criticism of Democrats, and my feeling is that he prefers the GOP, but just not with Trump in charge.
Every American president who’s dealt with Putin has overestimated their own ability to verbally persuade him to act in good faith—while vastly underestimating Putin’s capacity for mafia-style thuggery and sheer evil. That said, almost every above-referenced American president has realized they’ve been duped, and worked to correct their mistakes. Except one.
Not only must we acknowledge our shortcomings, but we must also, without compromising our point of view, realize and support other points of view. We cannot be successful if we ignore other Citizens' rights as they have ours.
I agree that there is no choice between authoritarianism and democracy. To uphold democracy, it is necessary to objectively evaluate where we have failed and what needs to be done to strengthen our democracy.
You make a clear case for why we should not be like MAGA, for one thing. Unlike most of Trump fervent adherents, we should be able to self reflect, admit where we could be on firmer ground & being smarter strategically. Standing your ground doesn’t mean being provincial: my cause, my group, etc right or wrong. It seems like that is best practice for many of the greatest military leaders for instance.
I do think that Kasparov has a bias against the Democratic Party. It’s OK to be critical, but I would appreciate him more enthusiastically endorsing the only viable national American political party which stands for liberal democracy and human rights. All I’ve actually read about him is criticism of Democrats, and my feeling is that he prefers the GOP, but just not with Trump in charge.
Mike you are absolutely spot on.
I have just compiled the undermining of the pillars of democracy from Reagan onwards.
Many deliberate acts - although often without considering follow up consequences.
Some inadvertent acts but plenty of “damn the consequences”.
And from Obama and Biden, moderation, timid responses for fear of a backlash or in Biden’s case recovering from Covid.
Trump saw that there were little consequences, or none that he couldn’t deny, delay, deflect. And drive right through the gates opened by Reagan.
Unhappy reading!
https://substack.com/@ricknoz/note/c-111919575?r=ukln1&utm_medium=ios&utm_source=notes-share-action