What You May Have Missed
A roundup of the past seven days, plus recommended newsletters from across Substack
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Recommended Reading
Thom Hartmann also writes three additional separate Substack newsletters. Each has both a free and paid subscription option. Below are links to one free newsletter from each Substack from the past week, plus another Substack newsletter of note that I read and recommend:
The Consequences of an Election
An Axiom is often quoted to encourage voter participation; elections have consequences. The past election is a conformation; it now appears to have had and portends seismic consequences both domestically and internationally. The deciding factor in the election seemed to hinge on the inflation of gas and grocery prices but the danger posed by the Republican candidate were there to be seen by those who really cared to look behind him and his surrogates lies and social media spread misinformation. Malignant narcissism, autocratic tendencies, admiration of a murderous dictator, disregard for the rule of law and democracy itself were there lurking awaiting the opportunity to express themselves.
Since the end of WWII 80 years ago, a world international order was established, with the support of the US as the leading world power of the time. This was a rule-based world order, though not perfect, that promoted democracy, shunned tyranny and dictatorship, protected national boundaries against the use of force. Malignant forces have always been there waiting, sometimes challenging and a Russian dictator has recently invaded a sovereign country, Ukraine, and started the largest European land war in 80 years, destroying its cities and infrastructure, murdering its citizens. For the past three years the US allied with Europe has militarily and humanitarianly supplied and supported Ukrainian democracy and sovereignty as an obligation under existing international law. Since the election, it now appears the existing international order has been upended ironically by the very country instrumental in its establishment. Our elected President appears to be taking the side of the dictator who upended international law and in the UN the US votes to support Putin and repudiate all our democratic allies. He denigrates the elected leader of the Ukraine on television in an oval office meeting after previously calling him a dictator, blaming him for starting the war and demanding, as an extortion, a share of the mineral resources of Ukraine as payment for past support or any possible future support. This is a monumental shift in the foreign policy of the US, threatening to up end relations with Europe and democracies around the world as well as dangerously destabilizing established world order.
From his first term in office and what has become readily apparent the President does not believe in mutually beneficial international agreements but instead in zero sum games where one party wins and the other loses. This has manifested itself in threats of tariffs and trade wars against long term allies with economies wholly integrated into the US economy. In the case of Canada and Mexico he seems to want to abrogate and denounce a trade agreement he negotiated himself in his first term. He threatens to take Greenland and the Panama Canal, allies sovereign territories. He pulls the US out of membership and support for the World Health Organization threatening shared information and cooperation in the fight against global pandemics. By pulling the US out of the Paris Climate Accords and any commitments to reduce fossil fuel emissions as well as canceling all investments made by the previous administration made to address the problem, he is endangering the very future of a viable and livable planet.
Actions taking during the very first month of the new administration now signal a profound, dangerous change not only in international global stability but of a threat to the very existence of democratic structures and the rule of law, the ramifications of an election apparently not seen or contemplated by the majority that voted. Democracy does have self-correcting mechanisms, and one can only hope that the majority in a future election can see through the lies and obfuscation and vote to return us to sanity.
JACK,3/3/25
Using the Principles of Stoicism to Protect Your Sanity and Wellbeing
We are on the cusp of difficult times. How you deal with the ensuing chaos and disaster is fundamental to preserving your sanity and protecting yourself and your family from the ensuing disastrous consequences. First principle of Stoicism is to acknowledge and assess as accurately as possible the situation facing the country and its potential ramifications for yourself, family and friends.
As of this writing we are only 42 days into the term of a newly elected administration but even at this point one can easily discern the drastic, unprecedented nature of the change that has occurred. Elected is a profoundly ignorant, psychologically damaged individual, diagnosed by a number of psychologists including his own niece as a malignant narcissistic sociopath with obvious megalomaniacal tendencies. As his most powerful partner in government, he has allied himself with the richest man on the planet who seems to have a matching psychological profile. At this point laws governing the separation of powers, judicial rulings are blatantly ignored. USAID which distributes the majority of foreign aid around the world is illegally destroyed with drastic ramifications including starving millions of food deprived people, killing millions by depriving them of life saving medications. Whole agencies that protect the health and the environment of the country are gutted and disempowered by sycophantic unqualified MAGA allies appointed by the President. The 80-year policy of the country to protect and defend democracies around the world is upended and replaced with a policy defending tyrannies and dictatorships. The stability of the world order, the health of billions, the viability of the planet’s ecosystems are now at risk.
It would be an understatement to say that the situation now at hand is profoundly upsetting. Stoicism would council not to get emotionally upset or angry but to assess what is in your power to change. The most power an ordinary person can have; try to take actions to protect the health, physical safety and financial resources of self, family, friends. During Hitler’s takeover of Germany in the 1930’s, in retrospect, the wisest course of action at that time was to leave Germany or endangered bordering countries. Those who did were spared the catastrophic death, hardship and destruction that ultimately was visited on the country and surrounds. Today, if one has the ability and resources, leaving the country is still a viable option. If one lives in a red MAGA state one also has the option of moving to a state which still has a sane democratically committed government. One also has the power to try to protect their financial resources by conservative means such as hedging, buying the safest assets, gold etc. Those employed in vulnerable or compromised positions can quit and try to find other employment.
Outside of protecting yourself and your family one can get locally politically involved and contribute to changing control of Congress in the next mid-term election. This may have some impact on the power of the demonic forces now at work. One also has the power to contribute to NGOs such as Doctors Without Borders, Partners in Health, CARE, that promote health and welfare around the world and have the power to replace some of the services of USAID.
All said it is critical to realistically assess the current situation even if it is emotionally upsetting. To emotionally remove yourself from a horrendous situation is the hardest part of stoicism but it is most critical to preserve your sanity, still enjoy your time on this beautiful planet and celebrate the miracle that is your life. JACK 3/1/25