On Wednesday 15th March, the Netherlands will hold a general election. In the American and British popular imaginations, the Netherlands is a socially progressive nation with a well-functioning democracy, and a high trust in its institutions. Relatively speaking, that perception is largely correct. But the Dutch increasingly believe their values are under threat, not from …
Am I the only person (apart from my wife) who writhed in acute embarrassment at the point in Trump’s speech to Congress last week, when the cameras played upon the poor, grieving, widow of the dead soldier, Ryan Owens, killed in Yemen on an assault on Al Queda? For years Presidents on this type of …
This is part of a posting on Tomgram, Feb 6, 2017, (Copyright 2017 Tom Engelhardt) “We have here in the United States the wealthiest cabinet in our history, a true crew of predatory capitalists, including a commerce secretary nicknamed “the king of bankruptcy” for his skills in buying up wrecked companies at staggering profits; a Treasury …
Breibart News is the ultra-right wing outfit associated with Bannon. It espouses ultra-nationalism and hatred of Moslems, homosexuals, liberals etc etc. It now aims to subvert the elections of several European countries, and any advertising revenue paid to it helps in this effort. Several organisations have been campaigning to get advertisers to stop supporting Breibart …
In the American imagination, Britain is an old-fashioned country, where the rules of chivalry, courtesy, civility and general politeness are rigorously enforced. The myth of a kind Britain is sometimes believed by the British, who contrast our manners with the boisterous, rude and unnecessarily outspoken personalities of our American cousins. This is certainly the myth …
