July 2018 - Robert Kuttner

Time to Retire “Red States” and “Blue States”

Reporters and commentators use red states and blue states as if these were God-given characteristics. It’s bad journalism and it tends to reify what are only partial and often temporary characteristics. Polarization in America is bad enough without Orwellian language needlessly exaggerating it. Even states that are heavily Republican have plenty of Democratic voters, not to mention independents and swing voters. So there is no such thing as a “red” state. It’s better and more accurate (and conducive to better [...]

By Robert Kuttner|2018-07-30T16:05:26-05:00July 30th, 2018|Kuttner on TAP|0 Comments

Trump and Trade: Will the Voters See Through the Charade?

Trump, having started a trade war without having a clue of how to win it, now is trying to claim victory for token gains. He went to Illinois yesterday to speak at a reopened steel mill in Granite City, Illinois. But elsewhere in the Midwest, soybean farmers are furious at him for inviting retaliatory tariffs, depressing their exports and earnings. In a broad-stroke agreement Thursday with the European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker, the two sides agreed to roll back recent tariffs—which [...]

By Robert Kuttner|2018-07-27T18:35:55-05:00July 27th, 2018|Kuttner on TAP|0 Comments

Is Kirsten Gillibrand Another Lincoln—or a Rank Opportunist?

I’ve been saving string for a piece on Senator Kirsten Gillibrand’s odd makeover as a progressive, but the Times beat me to it. Here’s the link. Gillibrand started out as a Wall Street Democrat and Chuck Schumer’s protégé. As the Times reports, in the 2012 election cycle, she ranked third among Republicans and Democrats alike in her donations from the banking and investment sector. Today her strategy seems to be to embrace anything Elizabeth Warren is for, and then [...]

By Robert Kuttner|2018-07-25T16:52:39-05:00July 25th, 2018|Kuttner on TAP|0 Comments

Feminists Against Nominating a Woman Democrat for President (#fanwdp)

OK, there is no such group, but there might as well be. You have undoubtedly been part of such a conversation, and it usually involves heartbroken Hillary supporters of a certain age: “As a feminist, I hate to say this, but we need to nominate a white male who can win. There is just too much misogyny in America to elect a woman.” Jesus wept! (Or maybe Mary wept.) Call me a mansplainer, but here goes: People, get real. [...]

By Robert Kuttner|2018-07-23T14:50:41-05:00July 23rd, 2018|Kuttner on TAP|0 Comments

Why Do We Give a Damn About Those Thai Boys?

Along with everyone else I was fixated on that cave rescue. At stake were the lives of 12 kids and their coach. The world spared no expense to get them out. Then I started thinking about all the people whose lives are at stake, who don’t present that kind of high drama. Like the people still suffering from the failure to get basic services back up and running in Puerto Rico. Or the people who don’t get needed medical [...]

By Robert Kuttner|2018-07-20T16:00:59-05:00July 20th, 2018|Kuttner on TAP|0 Comments

Making Russia Great Again

One of my favorite quotes is from the British historian A.J.P. Taylor, who was referring to the aborted democratic revolutions of 1848: “History reached its turning point, and failed to turn.” Will the week of July 15, 2018, be remembered in the same way? By all rights, this should be the beginning of the end of Trump’s presidency. Republican defenders can swallow a lot, but flagrant treason is a bridge too far. Or is it? Polls now show that [...]

By Robert Kuttner|2018-07-19T00:26:45-05:00July 19th, 2018|Kuttner on TAP|0 Comments

It Must Be Nice to Have Washington on Your Side

Vladimir Putin has to be heading home scratching his head. His meeting with Trump was choreographed to be cordial. But why on earth did Trump need to repeat, in even stronger terms, that he believes Putin’s denials over the extensive investigations of the entire U.S. intelligence establishment? “They said they think it’s Russia; I have President Putin, he just said it’s not Russia,” Mr. Trump declared at the joint press conference—right after Putin admitted that he had favored Mr. [...]

By Robert Kuttner|2018-07-17T13:25:22-05:00July 17th, 2018|Kuttner on TAP|0 Comments

Trump Gave Theresa May What She Deserved

Poor Prime Minister May. She has not been able to get her Conservative Party to agree on a Brexit formula, members of the cabinet are deserting her left and right (mostly right), and now she gets sucker-punched by Donald Trump. May, braving broad hostility to Trump throughout Britain, went out of her way to host a friendly visit for our lunatic president, assuming that Trump might reciprocate with a bit of gratitude. But Trump doesn’t do quid pro quo [...]

By Robert Kuttner|2018-07-17T13:22:41-05:00July 13th, 2018|Kuttner on TAP|0 Comments

If Putin Is Trump’s Chum, Why the Pressure to Spend More on NATO?

OK, it’s not exactly news when Trump contradicts himself, but consider this doozie: Trump is excoriating America’s NATO allies for failing to meet the agreed-upon target of spending at least 2 percent of GDP on the military. The U.S. spends close to 4 percent, and Trump has just urged NATO members to double their target to 4 percent, too. But hold on. If memory serves, NATO was created to protect Western Europe against Soviet Russia. The Kremlin is no longer [...]

By Robert Kuttner|2018-07-13T14:11:28-05:00July 13th, 2018|Kuttner on TAP|0 Comments

Kielbasa Republic

Question for today: What exactly is the difference between the way Poland’s autocratic rulers have disabled its Supreme Court and the way the Republicans have taken over the U.S. courts? Poland, where the governing party has an absolute majority in Parliament, is in trouble with the leaders of the European Union and many of its own outraged citizens for jamming through a measure requiring mandatory retirement at 65 for Supreme Court justices. This thinly disguised coup will force the [...]

By Robert Kuttner|2018-07-08T01:22:15-05:00July 8th, 2018|Kuttner on TAP|0 Comments

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Monthly Archives: July 2018