A reader sent a note saying that I did not fully credit Rebecca Solnit for her saying, "A vote is a chess move, not a Valentine." Although I included a hyperlink to my previous discussion of Ms. Solnit's quote and the original source, the reader felt I should have credited Ms. Solnit in the text of the newsletter (as required by the MLA style guide).
The criticism of President Biden's handling of the Israeli-Hamas-Palestinian disaster highlights the stark reality of communication that moves faster than events: there's much more that we don't know than what we know, and what we don't know, we assume. I have much more confidence in President Biden's judgment in global matters than my own, so I'm not going to second guess him.
Nov 27 p.s. I just read Joyce Vance's piece about the upcoming week, and was pleased to read a piece she cited by Jorge Ramos of Univision voicing criticism of his employer's coverage of the Defendant. In addition to his claim that journalists should be asking the hard questions, I'd add that the questions should be of equal importance. Hard questions about unimportant matters are not helpful. Here's Jorge's piece: https://jorgeramos.com/en/the-danger-of-not-confronting-trump-2/
I just finished writing my weekly allotment of postcards for getting out the vote in 2024, a discipline I have committed to for the duration. I may not have the time or bandwidth or money for postcards and postage to churn them out by the dozens every week, but I have set goals for every week. A friend who makes blank note cards with her photographs gave me 100 that had been slightly misprinted, and I sliced off the misaligned edge and added them to my stash. Even the small things that we do contribute to the greater cause, as the travesty in the Netherlands illustrates. We must encourage each other in this way.
Nov 25, 2023·edited Nov 25, 2023Liked by Robert B. Hubbell
The political situation situation in the Netherlands is nowhere near as cut and dried as it has been portrayed here. I have some Dutch friends who have explained things to me, so I will take this opportunity and explain them to you all.
Yes, as the party that won the most votes, Wilders would ordinarily be given the opportunity to form the new government. However, the Center-Left party and the Center-right party - the normal "governing parties" - which came in second and third respectively in the votes, have already stated they will refuse to serve in a coalition government with Wilder's party. That leaves only a very small majority that Wilders could form a coalition with, and the three parties that came in fourth, fifth and sixth, have said they will not serve in a coalition in which Wilders is the leader, though they did not close off entirely being part of such a coalition as the two larger parties did.
Right now, the only way a government could be formed that included Wilders would be a coalition in which he was not the leader. The Swedes did this earlier, when their far right party came in the largest by vote - their current governing coalition is "supported" by the far right party, which provides the votes to make a majority, but it does not lead and is not officially a memember of the governing coalition though they have to be "listened to" regarding priorities and plans and bills submitted. (that according to a Swedish friend of mine.)
The main point to be drawn from the Dutch vote is that 51% of voters didn't vote. This cost the two normal "governing" parties their usual positions as either first or second.
Obviously the lesson to be learned for us is - turn out as many voters as possible and convince the halfwits not to vote like idiots for the so-called "third parties" the fools and nitwits are promoting.
“Voting is a chess move, not a Valentine’s Day card.” That's a keeper, Robert! May many millions of all generations and demographics, and especially of the 4 million who become old enough to vote every year, understand and act on some version of this powerful statement.
When a country is blatantly attacked by an army in a horrendous manner that provokes retaliation, and puts the country’s very survival at risk, it is appalling that other countries, including allies, pressure the attacked country to initiate a cease fire that will benefit the aggressor.
Yes there are innocent hostages that must be considered and innocent civilians that are being used as shields by the aggressor, but the country fighting for its very survival must be permitted to fight its own battles as it sees fit. It must make the difficult and heart-wrenching decisions that will enable it to defeat the terrorist aggressive enemy in the most effective way possible, while trying to retrieve hostages and save civilians that are being exploited by the enemy.
Unlike the fictitious stories from the mass media, Israel was not an occupier of Gaza. In fact people from Gaza came to work in Israel and received medical care in Israel. Israel provided fuel, food, medical supplies and water to Gaza.
After Russia blatantly attacked Ukraine, would anyone, in their right mind, have suggested that Ukraine declare a cease fire after less than two months? Did anyone take steps to negotiate with Putin to declare a cease fire? This is what war is all about.
"[Joe Biden]makes a point that deserves serious consideration. If he had demanded an immediate cease-fire, Israel’s willingness to agree to a temporary humanitarian pause might have been different." Qatar gets a lot of credit for brokering the cease fire or pause in the war. Their influence is with the Palestinians. Who influenced Israel to pause when it was not in their military interest? The families of the hostages. And Joe Biden. Does the Main Stream Media even notice his role? Do those who vow to vote for third parties have a clue about Biden's influence in obtaining a pause?
Robert, Thank you for understanding how difficult, in fact excruciating, it was to watch Biden, who I support and will vote for, not support a ceasefire while we witnessed a genocide in Gaza. Thank you for clarifying Wilders' "victory" ... that he in fact got only 24% of the vote...a real wake-up call for third and fourth party candidates in our next election. And that in fact a Trump win would be much worse for Palestine supporters. Your newsletter brings me knowledge, clarification, perspective, and often hope for our most trying times.
Biden's comment reminded me of some advice I was given years ago when I was learning to ride a horse. I had a particularly stubborn horse who wanted to go one way, when I was trying to rein him toward the other. The teacher said: "When you have a very stubborn horse who is determined to go his own way, go ahead and rein him in that direction so he'll think that's the direction you wanted him to go." That seems to be Biden's approach to Israel's actions.
It gives me such comfort to daily read the posts of Robert, Joyce Vance, Heather Cox Richardson, and so many others, as well as the hundreds of comments that follow. I enjoy commenting, too, but I am now concluding each comment with a note to my fellow Texans. It’s harder to register and vote here, but every one of us can take some action(s) to register more voters, and NOW is the time to do that. In this document, there are suggestions for every person to register voters. https://docs.google.com/file/d/1VcHgVEw__Yh_7j-FWoUt3jpWe4TsJl0V/edit?usp=docslist_api&filetype=msword. Texans, please spread the word. Thank you.
While we have no choice but to play the board in front of us, it's essential that we remember games previously played so that we can reuse successful strategies and avoid repeating the mistakes. President Biden has done a masterful job of using his accumulated memories and natural reticence to muddle through both the political mess at home and the wars in Ukraine and Israel. God grant he will stay the course and persuade Congress and the bureaucracy to support him.
The ignorance of fellow citizens is what worries me. That, and the lemming tendency of ignorant people. Combined with polls that commercialized media love to tag with worrisome headlines, it's no wonder I stick with Substack writers for my news.
I think it was only appropriate that some hostages were released on the week end we in the US were celebrating Thanksgiving. For that I am thankful. If you have a chance I recommend watching Rachel Maddow and Chris Hayes discussion together around the Maddow book Prequel and how she got the idea about the book and how it relates to today. It feels in part that today is a rerun of a previous time in our history. Rachel made a comment which I believe sums up where we need to be. “ Calibrate your level of political involvement, to match exactly your anxiety about the polls and other disturbing events. Turn the anxiety into positive energy. Think about it.
If the Palestinians would have had a leader like Sadat and had they used Gandhi’s tactics of resistance rather than jihad, there would already be a Palestinian state.
A reader sent a note saying that I did not fully credit Rebecca Solnit for her saying, "A vote is a chess move, not a Valentine." Although I included a hyperlink to my previous discussion of Ms. Solnit's quote and the original source, the reader felt I should have credited Ms. Solnit in the text of the newsletter (as required by the MLA style guide).
So, just in case anyone was confused, here is the original source of Ms. Solnit's quote: https://www.thenation.com/article/archive/the-2000-election-unleashed-disaster-on-the-world-we-cant-let-that-happen-again-in-2016/
The criticism of President Biden's handling of the Israeli-Hamas-Palestinian disaster highlights the stark reality of communication that moves faster than events: there's much more that we don't know than what we know, and what we don't know, we assume. I have much more confidence in President Biden's judgment in global matters than my own, so I'm not going to second guess him.
Nov 27 p.s. I just read Joyce Vance's piece about the upcoming week, and was pleased to read a piece she cited by Jorge Ramos of Univision voicing criticism of his employer's coverage of the Defendant. In addition to his claim that journalists should be asking the hard questions, I'd add that the questions should be of equal importance. Hard questions about unimportant matters are not helpful. Here's Jorge's piece: https://jorgeramos.com/en/the-danger-of-not-confronting-trump-2/
I just finished writing my weekly allotment of postcards for getting out the vote in 2024, a discipline I have committed to for the duration. I may not have the time or bandwidth or money for postcards and postage to churn them out by the dozens every week, but I have set goals for every week. A friend who makes blank note cards with her photographs gave me 100 that had been slightly misprinted, and I sliced off the misaligned edge and added them to my stash. Even the small things that we do contribute to the greater cause, as the travesty in the Netherlands illustrates. We must encourage each other in this way.
The political situation situation in the Netherlands is nowhere near as cut and dried as it has been portrayed here. I have some Dutch friends who have explained things to me, so I will take this opportunity and explain them to you all.
Yes, as the party that won the most votes, Wilders would ordinarily be given the opportunity to form the new government. However, the Center-Left party and the Center-right party - the normal "governing parties" - which came in second and third respectively in the votes, have already stated they will refuse to serve in a coalition government with Wilder's party. That leaves only a very small majority that Wilders could form a coalition with, and the three parties that came in fourth, fifth and sixth, have said they will not serve in a coalition in which Wilders is the leader, though they did not close off entirely being part of such a coalition as the two larger parties did.
Right now, the only way a government could be formed that included Wilders would be a coalition in which he was not the leader. The Swedes did this earlier, when their far right party came in the largest by vote - their current governing coalition is "supported" by the far right party, which provides the votes to make a majority, but it does not lead and is not officially a memember of the governing coalition though they have to be "listened to" regarding priorities and plans and bills submitted. (that according to a Swedish friend of mine.)
The main point to be drawn from the Dutch vote is that 51% of voters didn't vote. This cost the two normal "governing" parties their usual positions as either first or second.
Obviously the lesson to be learned for us is - turn out as many voters as possible and convince the halfwits not to vote like idiots for the so-called "third parties" the fools and nitwits are promoting.
“Voting is a chess move, not a Valentine’s Day card.” That's a keeper, Robert! May many millions of all generations and demographics, and especially of the 4 million who become old enough to vote every year, understand and act on some version of this powerful statement.
When a country is blatantly attacked by an army in a horrendous manner that provokes retaliation, and puts the country’s very survival at risk, it is appalling that other countries, including allies, pressure the attacked country to initiate a cease fire that will benefit the aggressor.
Yes there are innocent hostages that must be considered and innocent civilians that are being used as shields by the aggressor, but the country fighting for its very survival must be permitted to fight its own battles as it sees fit. It must make the difficult and heart-wrenching decisions that will enable it to defeat the terrorist aggressive enemy in the most effective way possible, while trying to retrieve hostages and save civilians that are being exploited by the enemy.
Unlike the fictitious stories from the mass media, Israel was not an occupier of Gaza. In fact people from Gaza came to work in Israel and received medical care in Israel. Israel provided fuel, food, medical supplies and water to Gaza.
After Russia blatantly attacked Ukraine, would anyone, in their right mind, have suggested that Ukraine declare a cease fire after less than two months? Did anyone take steps to negotiate with Putin to declare a cease fire? This is what war is all about.
"[Joe Biden]makes a point that deserves serious consideration. If he had demanded an immediate cease-fire, Israel’s willingness to agree to a temporary humanitarian pause might have been different." Qatar gets a lot of credit for brokering the cease fire or pause in the war. Their influence is with the Palestinians. Who influenced Israel to pause when it was not in their military interest? The families of the hostages. And Joe Biden. Does the Main Stream Media even notice his role? Do those who vow to vote for third parties have a clue about Biden's influence in obtaining a pause?
Robert, Thank you for understanding how difficult, in fact excruciating, it was to watch Biden, who I support and will vote for, not support a ceasefire while we witnessed a genocide in Gaza. Thank you for clarifying Wilders' "victory" ... that he in fact got only 24% of the vote...a real wake-up call for third and fourth party candidates in our next election. And that in fact a Trump win would be much worse for Palestine supporters. Your newsletter brings me knowledge, clarification, perspective, and often hope for our most trying times.
Biden's comment reminded me of some advice I was given years ago when I was learning to ride a horse. I had a particularly stubborn horse who wanted to go one way, when I was trying to rein him toward the other. The teacher said: "When you have a very stubborn horse who is determined to go his own way, go ahead and rein him in that direction so he'll think that's the direction you wanted him to go." That seems to be Biden's approach to Israel's actions.
"An Eye for an Eye makes the whole world blind." Gandhi and Christ would have agreed on that one!
It gives me such comfort to daily read the posts of Robert, Joyce Vance, Heather Cox Richardson, and so many others, as well as the hundreds of comments that follow. I enjoy commenting, too, but I am now concluding each comment with a note to my fellow Texans. It’s harder to register and vote here, but every one of us can take some action(s) to register more voters, and NOW is the time to do that. In this document, there are suggestions for every person to register voters. https://docs.google.com/file/d/1VcHgVEw__Yh_7j-FWoUt3jpWe4TsJl0V/edit?usp=docslist_api&filetype=msword. Texans, please spread the word. Thank you.
As in all things Biden:
The work behind the curtain is not the work of an Ozian Wizzard.
It's real work by a top-level staff, headed by a man of this moment,
A man with a lifetime of dedication to making life better, fairer, more decent,
more inclusive for all of us.
And in a world that needs a sane and stable America?
Joe Biden stands very tall.
While we have no choice but to play the board in front of us, it's essential that we remember games previously played so that we can reuse successful strategies and avoid repeating the mistakes. President Biden has done a masterful job of using his accumulated memories and natural reticence to muddle through both the political mess at home and the wars in Ukraine and Israel. God grant he will stay the course and persuade Congress and the bureaucracy to support him.
The ignorance of fellow citizens is what worries me. That, and the lemming tendency of ignorant people. Combined with polls that commercialized media love to tag with worrisome headlines, it's no wonder I stick with Substack writers for my news.
Hope everyone enjoyed a happy Thanksgiving!
I think it was only appropriate that some hostages were released on the week end we in the US were celebrating Thanksgiving. For that I am thankful. If you have a chance I recommend watching Rachel Maddow and Chris Hayes discussion together around the Maddow book Prequel and how she got the idea about the book and how it relates to today. It feels in part that today is a rerun of a previous time in our history. Rachel made a comment which I believe sums up where we need to be. “ Calibrate your level of political involvement, to match exactly your anxiety about the polls and other disturbing events. Turn the anxiety into positive energy. Think about it.
If the Palestinians would have had a leader like Sadat and had they used Gandhi’s tactics of resistance rather than jihad, there would already be a Palestinian state.