jon frederick
Stories (5/0)
How the Republican party legitimized fascism
I admit I am something of a history nerd. I have always viewed the maxim that those who fail to learn from history are doomed to repeat it, a truism. Current events, as they pertain to the Republican party, have only served to reinforce my view. In the case of the Republican party, the lesson in question involves the dangers of giving safe harbor to the advocates of fascism. Political parties have always attracted fringe elements of society. And it would be disingenuous to suggest that the presence of those who embody the worst of our nation's impulses is only found amongst Republican party officials. The ideological views of Southern Democrats in the south who for generations embraced the worst aspects of racism proved that neither of America's established political party has a monopoly on morality.
By jon frederick3 years ago in The Swamp
Why empathy should be a requirement for those seeking public office
Like many Americans the recent events in Washington have caused me to contemplate on the nature of public service, and specifically the qualifications that politicians should be required to demonstrate before being allowed to hold office. It has always struck me that in outlining the requirements to hold public office our founding father were remarkably generous in their assumptions about the character of individuals who might assume. Our founding fathers assume that those who held office would be individuals of character and sound judgment. Men like Jefferson took it for granted that a principled approach to governance would the standard by which all office holders conducted themselves. The creation of an ethical Republic was psychological firewall and political firewall, protecting citizens from the worst impulses of the mob. Their blind belief in the innate qualities of those who might assume public office was reflected in the language of the constitution, which requires the barest of qualifications for those seeking public office.
By jon frederick3 years ago in The Swamp
Kamala Harris: A Vice President of Consequence?
The office of Vice President has long been known as the graveyard of political ambition. Founding father, John Adams was known I have widely disparaged the office one that was heavy on symbolism, but which yielded little political power. Apart from breaking procedural ties in the US Senate, the office of the Vice President is largely seen as an agent of the President. The Vice-President may have the ear of a sitting President but ultimately is essential function is to carry out the vision of the administration he serves. The political consequences of his office ensures that he receives few of the benefits of being part of a successful administration, and almost all the blame for the failures of any sitting President. Examples of Vice President who could not transfer the successes of past administration to a successful run for the Presidency are easy to find. Vice President Al Gore, while not helped by the indiscretions of Bill Clinton, was arguably still well positioned to mount an effective Presidential campaign. Put in charge of nurturing federal support of emerging in industries in Silicon Valley, Al Gore had witnessed the emergence of a thriving tech sector that would play a key role in the creation of a thriving economy. Internationally he had been part of an administration that had waged a successful military campaign in one of the divisive regions of the world while only losing a handful of us service men. Unlike Hillary Clinton, Gore’s time in office had been free of incidents like Benghazi. Yet despite the economic, environmental and military achievements of the Clinton administration Gore found himself unable to achieve sufficient recognition for his achievements and found himself defeated by an opponent who many had perceived as a weak contender for the office of the Presidency. It is hardly that more than a few of those who have aspired to the Presidency have declined to the office of the Vice President.
By jon frederick3 years ago in The Swamp
How scammers exploit realities shortcomings
The story and the lessons I will share are not unique. They are lessons told by a relatively bright man whose academic credentials would suggest that his financial downfall should have been avoided. Being this man, I can verify that the loss of funds easily could have been avoided had I been more cynical in my treatment of a specific online relationship. It would be easy to blame the impact of failed book sales, and the ineptitude of the IRS to function at a level that could even remotely be described as adequate. To be sure, had either the IRS delivered my late father’s tax refund of three thousand dollars or my book sales reflected the capital I had invested in the self-publishing process, my financial situation would not be catastrophic. Still the totality of funds from either the IRS or the potential royalties that I hoped to accumulate from the self-publishing of my political satire would only have served as a psychological disguise, an avoidance technique that would have left the issue of my own emotional susceptibility unexamined. The simple truth is that from the moment I was contacted by a stranger on Facebook, ostensibly seeking to expand their communities, my instincts were already sounding the alarm. To date I have not been able to determine the credibility of this individual was in fact a genuine scammer. In many ways their actions fit the classic profile of scammers who rely on what is known as the love scam. Yet there were at times when they own actions seemed to run counter to the aims of a true scammer. In the end the question of identity became secondary to understanding the Faustian bargain I had made, and which I suspect represents an internal pact with fantasy that has been replicated by more millions of individuals who utilize social media platforms. I came to see that it is not merely the construction of elaborate fictional narratives that allow their victims to feel value or needed. Such narratives may result in short term gains, but they are unlikely to provide the financial pay-off that law enforcement has documented in past cases, and which can run into the millions. The true grifter who operates through the internet seeks to develop relationships with individuals who have come to see the contemporary world as inherently incompatible with providing spiritual, emotional and or physical sustenance. Fantasy, not reality becomes the preferred mode of existence. During my written interactions with a scammer, I was perfectly aware of the ludicrous nature of the scammers alleged story. My decision to maintain a dialogue reflected a cynical attitude towards reality, rather than a belief in the pseudo identity of the scammer whose narratives came complete with promises of an idyllic future.
By jon frederick3 years ago in Psyche
Why denial over slavery is unpatriotic.
I believe that if I were to hold a spontaneous quiz about the substance of the 1619 project and ask Trump supporters to articulate any of the goals associated with this project, they would fail. The vast majority would likely describe the project as anti-American, a sustained effort by American academics to taint the purity of American exceptionalism. Few are likely to be concerned about the extent to which institutionalized slavery profoundly shaped and continues to affect contemporary social institutions.
By jon frederick3 years ago in The Swamp