The Myth of the General Strike

Georges Sorel in the first few decades of the 20th century wrote about “The Myth of the General Strike.”  He felt that it wouldn’t work and wouldn’t happen, but that it should be held out there to keep the workers engaged and hopeful.

Now we get a call from the “No Kings” people for a general strike on May 1, the traditional holiday for lefties across the globe.  The problem with a “general strike” is that there is no way to measure its success.  This is the first major failure of the anti-administration organizations.  It is also a slap at all the working class people who are struggling to make ends meet.  If you are a fire fighter, are you really going to skip work that day?  If you are a kitchen worker at Wendy’s, will your boss understand?  It’s great if you are retired, but how will this involve younger people?

I’m not supposed to drive, but if I have a doctor’s appointment, I am keeping it, and I will hope the doctor will also be there.  

At our previous “No Kings” demonstrations, you could count the participants.  You could get aerial photos from drones of people filling the streets.  What are you going to get now?  “It was a success because no one showed up.”  That just doesn’t work. 

Damage beyond repair

The first two years of the Biden administration were consumed with fixing the harm that Trump had done to environmental laws, educational policy, and overall governmental functioning during his first term.  In the case of immigration Biden made the problems worse, but overall the feds did manage to put things pretty much back to normal.

I am hoping that a sane, intelligent, and reasonable candidate will be elected in 2028.  That leaves out almost all of the potential Republican frontrunners (Rubio, Vance, DeSantis, Ted Cruz, Tucker Carlson), although almost any of the Democratic frontrunners (Beshear, Shapiro, Newsom, Buttigieg, and many more) would be fine.  

This time I’m not optimistic that we can repair the damage.  A kid born in 2012 will be 16 in 2028.  That means from age 4 to age 16 she will have grown up in the “Trump era,” with slanted news, daily chaos, A.I. development, a trashed environment, and a world in which over half the people live under authoritarian governments.  She will have experienced an ineffective Congress, a supine Supreme Court, and an Executive branch staffed with clowns and incompetents.

Just today, in one day, I read that European countries are thinking about alternatives to NATO, the independent newspaper that covers news for American service members fired its advocate for independent journalism, the negotiators trying to end the Iran war were recalled, the President launched a tirade against Indian and Chinese immigrants, the plan to deport Afghans who aided American forces to the Congo continues, the federal government now says the death penalty may be carried out by firing squads, a new agency has been set up to fast-track offshore drilling and seabed mining, Trump wants to paint the bottom of the reflecting pool in front of the Lincoln memorial blue, and historians are trying to prevent the destruction of Trump’s social media posts.  

That is in one day.  I’m not sure this can be fixed.  And the MAGA base still runs to about 40% of the population.  That means four out of ten people think what is happening is acceptable.

Happy 250th anniversary.  Or is it a wake?

Triple Crown Winner "Justify"

In 2018 the horse Justify became the 13th horse to win the Triple Crown.  Like many sports heroes, Justify was invited by President Trump to the White House.  He turned down the invitation, issuing this statement:  “If I had wanted to see a horse’s ass, I would have come in second.”

My friend Bill sent me some classic memes from the past, and this was one of them.  I thought you might appreciate something light for a change.  I’ll be back to more depressing subjects tomorrow.

 

7th Congressional District Debate

The Carbon County Democrats sponsored a debate among the four candidates running in the May primary for a chance to beat the incumbent, millionaire MAGA toady Ryan Mackenzie, supporter of ICE and the debacle in Iran.  

The debate was televised and lasted two hours.  No clear winner emerged, but an informal poll of watchers thought that Lamont McClure and Ryan Crosswell both did well.  Carol Obando-Durstine received kudos for her discussion of data centers.  Most watchers agreed that Bob Brooks, favorite of the Democratic establishment, turned in the worst performance.

Betraying Our Afghan Allies

The United States provided a haven for translators and soldiers who aided U.S. forces in the Afghan War and managed to get out of Afghanistan when things fell apart.  They and their families were legally admitted into the United States to protect them from certain imprisonment but more likely death from the Taliban.  

Now they and their families are being deported.  They have been given a choice.  They can go back to Afghanistan, or they can go to the Congo, an unstable country where they have no connections and which the U.S. has bribed to take them.

I don’t understand this cruelty for the sake of cruelty.  I don’t understand why my country has so little honor.  I don’t understand why members of Congress don’t do something.  I certainly do understand why countries do not trust our government and do not wish to cooperate with our President.

Satisfaction guaranteed or money back?

The environmental group Save Carbon County ordered an air quality monitor.  It was fairly expensive, but it was also quite sophisticated, able to monitor and record six different kinds of air pollution.  The monitor was imported from New Zealand.  Then Trump slapped his tariffs on goods from countries around the world, including New Zealand.  The price went up $600.

The Supreme Court subsequently ruled that the tariffs were illegal.  Money had to be returned.  The New Zealand company should get the $600 back.  What do you think the chances are that Save Carbon County will get its money returned?  

Protecting Big Oil from lawsuits

Congress in 2005 passed the Protection of Lawful Commerce in Arms Act that shielded companies that manufacture guns from getting sued.  We saw how that worked.  Hey, we just make the guns.  Not our fault if they are used to shoot up schools.

Now oil companies want the same protection from lawsuits that involve climate change.  In March Utah enacted a law that shields oil companies from any climate-related damage lawsuits.  Republicans have introduced similar bills in Louisiana and Oklahoma.  And the Trump administration wants the same policy at the Federal level.  

We will pay additional insurance and deal with climate change while the oil companies continue to rake in profits and wreck the globe.  Over 100 Republican members of the House agree.

See Dave Jones, “Oil CompaniesWant What Gun  Manufacturers Have,”  New York Times, (April 19, 2026), p. SR8.