Political imports from Russia, the UK and France
Three overseas political stories either could, should or shouldn’t have an impact on American politics.
Russia
Trump & Co. are so set on smearing Comey, Democrats are so set on impeaching Trump and Republicans are so set on saving their skins that the Big Story from Comey’s hearing whizzed right past us.
The Russians did interfere with our election. They hacked state elections machinery. They hacked 1,000 American organizations. They spread false news. They hurt Clinton and helped Trump.
But nobody’s talking about a foreign power violating our sovereignty and undermining our democracy – and what we do about it.
We should be.
The UK
Progressive Democrats in the US love to see Tories lose and Labour gain in the UK. They love to see a Bernie Sanders-type campaign energize young voters. They love the slogan, “For the Many, Not the Few.” They love the attacks on austerity. They love the redistributionist rhetoric.
But hold on. Labour still didn’t win. And Democrats here can’t win just by promising to divide the pie more fairly. They have to talk about baking a bigger pie.
The path back for Democrats is an economic growth message. That’s why Governor Jim Hunt always talked about jobs – and education as the path to good jobs.
France
At first glance, Emmanuel Macron looked like a weakling and a little boy. Only 39 years old. Never run for office before. Married to a woman 24 years older (the same age gap between Trump and Melania).
But Macron has turned out to be tough and steely. He took down Trump in a handshake contest. He took down Putin at a joint press conference.
He organized a new political party – one that ran right down the middle, neither left nor right, but borrowing from both. He recruited new candidates, including a lot of political newcomers and outsiders, to run for Parliament. And his En Marche! (Forward!) party won the first round of Parliamentary elections.
Forward, indeed.
Political imports from Russia, the UK and France
Three overseas political stories either could, should or shouldn’t have an impact on American politics.
Russia
Trump & Co. are so set on smearing Comey, Democrats are so set on impeaching Trump and Republicans are so set on saving their skins that the Big Story from Comey’s hearing whizzed right past us.
The Russians did interfere with our election. They hacked state elections machinery. They hacked 1,000 American organizations. They spread false news. They hurt Clinton and helped Trump.
But nobody’s talking about a foreign power violating our sovereignty and undermining our democracy – and what we do about it.
We should be.
The UK
Progressive Democrats in the US love to see Tories lose and Labour gain in the UK. They love to see a Bernie Sanders-type campaign energize young voters. They love the slogan, “For the Many, Not the Few.” They love the attacks on austerity. They love the redistributionist rhetoric.
But hold on. Labour still didn’t win. And Democrats here can’t win just by promising to divide the pie more fairly. They have to talk about baking a bigger pie.
The path back for Democrats is an economic growth message. That’s why Governor Jim Hunt always talked about jobs – and education as the path to good jobs.
France
At first glance, Emmanuel Macron looked like a weakling and a little boy. Only 39 years old. Never run for office before. Married to a woman 24 years older (the same age gap between Trump and Melania).
But Macron has turned out to be tough and steely. He took down Trump in a handshake contest. He took down Putin at a joint press conference.
He organized a new political party – one that ran right down the middle, neither left nor right, but borrowing from both. He recruited new candidates, including a lot of political newcomers and outsiders, to run for Parliament. And his En Marche! (Forward!) party won the first round of Parliamentary elections.
Forward, indeed.