Archive for the 'Criticism' Category

McCain & Dumbfuck Politics

Published
by
Gary
on August 15, 2008
in Criticism
. 3 Comments

McCain’s ads demonstrate that it’s really not that hard to convince people of pretty much whatever the hell you want.

His basic formula: take a fact, add his campaign message, and repeat it again and again. The truth of the former becomes associated with the subjectivity of the latter. Bingo, people believe both. Add in some good ol’ “he’s not like you, he’s different!”

For example:
Narrator: “Obama is a celebrity! Obama’s bad for America!”
Dumbfuck American: “Well golly, that Obama sure is a celebrity… he must be bad for America! Imma goin’ vote me some McCain!”
Gary: “No, Dumbfuck American, those two things have nothing to do with each other. Don’t you see, your sadly binary reptilian brain has once again made a false connection between ‘difference’ and ‘incompetence’!”
Dumbfuck American: “But, he’s popular! That’s a fact and a fact is true! You liberals are destroying the country with your lies!”

It’s the foundation of successful advertising, and a depressingly strong foundation it is.

Barack’s right to refuse public financing

Published
by
Gary
on June 20, 2008
in Criticism and News
. 8 Comments

Last year, Barack signed a promise to accept public financing of his general election campaign if his Republican opponent did the same. Now it’s general election time and McCain has accepted public financing. Barack has refused, and some people are understandably pissed—they don’t like Barack going back on his word. But I think Barack made the right choice.

The reason is found within intent. Public financing gives each candidate up to $84 million in taxpayer money in return for forgoing private funds. The point is to severely limit the financial influence of special interests. Does it work? No—like cockroaches and rats, when it’s not the will of the candidate then tainted money finds a way in. Barack has already stated he hasn’t and won’t take money from special interests. Moreover, his campaign is unprecedented both its innovative fund-raising prowess and its grassroots support from small donations (55% less than $500, versus McCain’s 31%). He’s already fulfilling the intent of public financing and then some, refusing money diverted from other government programs in favor of legitimate interest from the American people. Combine that with the most successful fund-raising apparatus in history and refusing public funding is both ethically clear and pragmatically correct—everybody wins except the McCain Campaign.

But doesn’t this mean Barack is untrustworthy? I’d argue that’s a useless absolute. Politics isn’t black and white, it’s a constantly changing tableau where the current reality takes a front-row seat. Barack went far beyond the signature and considered context, intent, and impact—he found the pros outweighed the cons and made the smart decision. He didn’t hide anything—everything happened in plain sight. He realizes, regardless, that he’s gone back on his word; he’s prepared a clear and concise case for doing so and is prepared to defend it against detractors. Barack’s demonstrating exactly the sort of astute logic, judgment, wisdom, and pragmatism the American Presidency is sorely lacking, and for rational people he should come out smelling like a rose.

McCain merely Republican

Published
by
Gary
on February 8, 2008
in Criticism and News
. 5 Comments

Alright, scratch what I said earlier, McCain’s clearly an idiot—or, if he’s not, he’s willing to act like one to be elected, which is even worse:

I believe that [setting a date on troop withdrawal] would have catastrophic consequences…. I believe that al Qaeda would trumpet to the world that they had defeated the United States of America, and I believe that therefore they would try to follow us home. (Reuters, “McCain challenges Democratic rivals on Iraq war“)

al Qaeda? What is this, 2001? Iraq’s at tremendous risk because we knocked out their government, meaning that we knocked out the [dictatorial] status quo among Sunni Muslims, Shia Muslims, and Kurds. The number one thing we should all be worried about is the incredible destabilizing effect an Iraqi Civil War would have on the rest of the Middle East, with Iran ready to take the Shiite side and other powers ready to take side of the Sunni majority, as well as the Kurds agitating for self-government together with their brethren in Turkey. That is the threat, and also the only really valid reason for the U.S. to stay in Iraq: the tremendous and generations-long consequences to the region if Iraq falls apart. Not this “oh no, al Qaeda’s going to git us” crap.

It’s this “us versus them” “secure the borders” 20th Century mentality that’s so disappointing about McCain and infuriating about the Republican party—and exactly why the dumb party as a whole is unfit to lead America. It’s a new world out there, and I don’t mean a new world of fear. No, it’s a world of alternatives—alternatives to America—and any President that tries to push instead of gently and mutually promote is just going to further sink America’s ability to influence second states in comparison to the EU and China.

We have learned the hard way that what others want for themselves trumps what we want for them—always. Neither America nor the world needs more competing ideologies, and moralizing exhortations are only useful if they point toward goals that are actually attainable. This new attitude must be more than an act: to obey this modest, hands-off principle is what would actually make America the exceptional empire it purports to be. It would also be something every other empire in history has failed to do. (NYT Magazine, “Waving Goodbye to Hegemony“)

On the bright side, it lets Obama show that his “fundamental understanding” trumps McCain’s.

I think [the Iraq War] has been an enormous strategic blunder on the part of the United States. It has made us less safe. It has cost us dearly in blood and treasure. (Reuters, “McCain challenges Democratic rivals on Iraq war“)

Absofreakinglutely. Imagine a world where the U.S. never unilaterally invaded Iraq, where we didn’t completely blow the historically unprecedented good will we received after 9/11, where we didn’t give every anti-American on the planet completely justified reason to hate us. That’s the kind of world we’ll never live in with a Hawk in the White House.

The U.S. and Pakistan

Published
by
Gary
on November 10, 2007
in Criticism and News
. 2 Comments

As of late, Pakistan’s been in a bad way. U.S. and C.I.A. plans to moderate Musharraf’s madness and build his legitimacy through cooperation with opposition leader Benazir Bhutto have completely collapsed: post-martial law, post-house arrest, Musharraf has emerged as the oppressor, Bhutto as the freedom fighter, Musharraf marshaling thousands of police against protest and Bhutto in eminent danger of assassination. U.S. fumbling and incompetence has made a complete clusterfuck out of a crisis.

Pakistan police attack demonstrators

The U.S. needs to immediately stop supporting General Musharraf. After all, what was the rational for aiding Musharraf’s government?

  1. he’s America’s ally in anti-terrorism.
  2. he’s promised a “path to democracy” for Pakistan with fair elections, free press, the works

Now he’s neither. As of November 3, 2007, he’s certainly no path to democracy I’ve ever seen: declaring martial law and suspending the supreme court to protect his presidency, removing dissenting judges, censoring the media, arresting over 3,500 lawyers, civil rights leaders, and liberal politicians, banning public protest, and suspending the Constitution are all decidedly un-democratic moves. Musharraf’s been smart enough to frame his dictatorship as an anti-terrorist move:

In the last few months, our situation has changed dramatically. Terrorism and Extremism are rampant. Suicide bombings are widespread. In Karachi, Rawalpindi, Sargodha, fanatacism is now common. Fundamentalist extemists are everywhere. They are not afraid of law-enforcement agencies.
(Musharraf’s address to the nation)

Yet, U.S. support continues because Musharraf still represents security in Pakistan and thus that corner of the Muslim World… except he doesn’t. First of all, the U.S. is undermining its own credibility (as usual) by publicly supporting an obvious dictator just because of empty sweet talking. This subsequently creates yet more completely legitimate reasons to hate the U.S. Second, the people of Pakistan, more than ever, now have [even more] legitimate reason to rebel against their government—Musharraf argued that he imposed martial law to stabilize Pakistan, but ironically he’s done just the opposite. So, in effect Musharraf is fanning the complex flames of terrorism in his own interest—and America’s paying him to do it. Meanwhile, the possibility for safe, free elections and the establishment of a moderate government with a true mandate to fight terrorism is quickly fading.

The bigger picture is that America needs to stop supporting dictators under the mistaken impression that it can somehow control them. That’s complete fiction, as has been proved time and time again in Iraq (Saddam Hussein), Chile (General Pinochet), Argentina (General Videla), Indonesia (Suharto), Iran (The Shah), Zaire (Mobutu), Cuba (Batista), Haiti (Papa & Baby Doc), and so on. America’s arrogance consistently undermines both its own best interest and the self-determination of people in non-Western countries.

Thin Slicing New Music: Aug-Nov 07

Published
by
Gary
on November 9, 2007
in Criticism and Entertainment
. 0 Comments

I was found out last night in studio when I didn’t recognize Nine Inch Nail’s “Closer“—my elderly studiomates latched on but I was just “huh?”

  • Animal Collective (Strawberry Jam 2007): Yes? Incredibly inventive and absolutely alive, I really should like these guys more. May be in a few more listens. “#1.”
  • The Avalanches (El Producto EP 1997): Nooo. Let’s get this straight: I love The Avalanches like FOX News loves Jesus, but El Producto is nothing like the Since I Left You train I boarded in ‘06. The sampling is genius but the rapping really ain’t.
  • Beirut (The Flying Club Cup 2007): Yes! Somehow even better than 2006’s Gulag Orkestar. This album is pure atmosphere: spin it on a sunset afternoon and you’re in last century’s grainy, sepia-toned French countryside. “Nantes” and “In The Mausoleum.”
  • Carla Bruni (Quelqu’un m’a dit 2002): Yeah. Sultry French folk in the chansons tradition.
  • Corinne Bailey Rae (Corinne Bailey Rae 2006): Yep. Reminds me of a completely real California with palm trees, bikes, and a fish eye lens—nice on 44-degree New Haven days. “Put Your Records On.”
  • Feist (The Reminder 2007): Yes. Honest, understated folk, like a smoother less-surly Cat Power. “One Two Three Four” (of course).
  • Field (From Here We Go Sublime 2007): Eh. Upbeat but restrained electronica, pretty good but not deep enough to hold up to replays—that is, by the third or fourth time there’s nothing new to listen to. “Silent” and “Sun & Ice” would be best when high on hashish.
  • Gogol Bordello (Gypsy Punks Underdog World Strike 2005): Sort of. Insane immigrant punk rock, sometimes I’m in the irreverent mood. “Sally” and “Start Wearing Purple.” (Fun fact: plays in the office of Stanley Saitowitz, ‘cept back then I didn’t know who they were.)
  • KanYe West (Graduation 2007): NO. Complete and utter shit, unbelievably disappointing after Late Registration. “Stronger” makes me want to beat KanYe with a rusty-nailed bat.
  • Grizzly Bear (Yellow House 2006): Yes. Perfect middle-of-the-night music. Long lazy echoing indie rock, atmosphere so thick you can scoop it with a spoon. “Knife” and “Lullabye.”
  • Jens Lekman (Night Falls Over Kortedala 2007): Yes. Epic wryly melancholy sampled indie pop from the country that does pop best—Sweden. “And I Remember Every Kiss” and “Sipping On The Sweet Nectar.”
  • Kevin Drew, Broken Social Scene Presents (Spirit If… 2007): Yes. Glorious textured soundscapes, incredible instrumentation, and longing voices intact. Better then [the self-titled album] Broken Social Scene. “Bodhi Sappy Weekend” and “F—Ked Up Kid.”
  • LCD Soundsystem (LCD Soundsystem 2005): Eh? I might warm up to these guys after another half-dozen plays.
  • M.I.A. (Kala 2007): No. Energetic, innovative, big, but I just don’t get it.
  • Madeleine Peyroux (Half The Perfect World 2005): Yeah. Sort of jazzy folk, best for the amazing “Blue Alert.”
  • Panda Bear (Person Pitch 2007): Eh. Somewhere between the aforementioned atmospheric Grizzly Bear, The Microphones, and a busted amp, all recorded in a giant echoing New York loft. Fun at times but otherwise just too damn detached. “Bros.”
  • The Smiths (Strangeways, Here We Come 1987): Eh? Not really sure what to think of these guys, ‘cept that something so clearly 80s is a bit before my time. “Last Night I Dreamt That Somebody Loved Me.”