I think the problem is charisma. Charisma is clearly as much a property of us, the charismees, as it is of the Dear Leader, who ever that might be. For instance, I find Biden's lack of charisma positively charismatic, right now. I would follow him to the end of the earth, wherever he wanders.
N Nicholas Thompson Emeritus Professor of Ethology and Psychology Clark University [email protected] https://wordpress.clarku.edu/nthompson/ -----Original Message----- From: Friam <[email protected]> On Behalf Of Steve Smith Sent: Wednesday, January 6, 2021 11:15 AM To: [email protected] Subject: Re: [FRIAM] Where are you Gary Kasparov? I was a bigger fan of Warren before and early in her Democratic bid for the nomination... I still respect a lot about her ideals/spirit but as perhaps Glen suggests, the style of ambition required to run for President might well invalidate the one doing the running. "I wouldn't want anyone for President who wanted to be President"... maybe part of Donald's grift with some of his people? He seemed like he really didn't want it (and maybe he didnt) at some level? And I'm pretty sure that Melania (and probably Barron) are quite relieved to not have to endure proximity to the specific antics that he must play out in private that come with this role he's (mis)filled for 4 years. I agree with Glen's point(s) about "cult of personality" which as referenced, might be the risk of AOC... "the camera likes her too much". I think Katie Porter might be worth watching... she seems to be a very *serious* wonk/dork and has a presence in the "courtroom" that is impressive. Watching her bitch-slap any number of otherwise "powerful people" with their own hankies never gets old. This doesn't guarantee that *she* is uncorruptible but she seems like a good yoeman for my preferred style of democracy (though I agree it is the worst form of government, except for all the others we've tried). I think it is inevitable that some of the "winners" in this blue wave will lean as far out the left of the canoe as they can and aggravate the oscillations we are suffering in the process, but I hope there will be some/many who actually use the temporary relief from *having to compensate* for the right-leaners to do some bailing, some patchwork, and maybe even some stabilization streamlining of the Canoe of State that we sometimes seem to be. On 1/6/21 9:24 AM, uǝlƃ ↙↙↙ wrote: > I can't name people. AOC seems to have that capability. But she's too high > profile. What you're looking for are people who are good at, happy with, and > perhaps even proud of being cogs in a machine, even if they're more like a > universal belt than a localized cog. Elizabeth Warren seems like a dork. But > that she ran for President at all makes me wonder if she's an authentic dork. > > And, anyway, I'm worried that looking for the solutions in *people* instead > of institutions simply encourages the gaming, encourages attempts to collapse > the diversity and "win". I think what we need are delegates from pools like > these: > > https://constitutioncenter.org/debate/special-projects/constitution-dr > afting-project > https://reason.com/volokh/ > > ... people who seem to target the core principle of balanced power. Although > the Volokh group is starkly libertarian, their saving grace seems to be a > fairly strong commitment against partisan hegemony, against a collapse in > diversity, against cults of personality. > > I suppose if I had to choose a single fairly high profile person, I'd pick > James Mattis. Yeah, he's a bit of a hawk. But my guess is he would understand > both sides of the "bold moves" blade. > > On 1/6/21 5:06 AM, David Eric Smith wrote: >> So let’s suppose Georgia goes through the way it is looking likely to do. >> >> The Ds have two years. In addition to the overwhelming bulk of practical >> work that needs doing, which they can now keep McConnel from blocking out >> entirely as an act of sabotage, they have one other equally urgent priority: >> to put up firewalls against the next round of fascist cheating. >> >> We can see what the Rs are doing: they are taking measurements. Venezuela >> was a good model, and they know it. Also the Philippines under Marcos and >> then post-Aquino. It doesn’t matter what is written in the law if you can >> fill the political offices with people who refuse to follow it, and the >> legal offices with others who refuse to enforce it. So the Rs are taking >> stock of who they need to replace to get to that threshold locally in 2022, >> and country-wide for 2024. It’s all Darwinian. The people in these offices >> don’t fundamentally change. If you are trying to build up corruption, you >> sieve the society to find corrupt people to fill positions. Then they will >> go on being who they are. >> >> This is the time I want to find somebody whose strategic and tactical sense >> is what I have as an image of Kasparov. Yes, hardness in place is needed to >> defend positions under attack. But one needs to understand when it is time >> to move, and to do it on the necessary scale. There is no winning chess >> play that consists only of defense. Such people can be difficult. They are >> not always the right people for every moment, and too much boldness carries >> risks. But for the times when boldness is the only path to good play, we >> need to elevate the ones who know how to do it. >> >> Who are those in the US political arena right now? > - .... . -..-. . -. -.. -..-. .. ... -..-. .... . .-. . 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