| Kensington Review |
21 January 2024 |
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Cogito Ergo Non Serviam |
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Latest Commentary: Trump Pardons 1,600 Domestic Terrorists -- One of the first things that Donald Trump did upon returning to the White House was sign a document pardoning about 1,600 people convicted of crimes related to his failed coup attempt on January 6, 2021. Some, like 14 of the Oathkeepers and Proud Boys who committed violence against the Capitol Police, had their sentences commuted. While they remain convicted felons, they are free. This is important in two ways. First, it makes clear that political violence on behalf of MAGA is acceptable. Second, Mr. Trump will go soft of terrorism to protect his minions. [21 January] Trump Will Flood DC with Executive Orders -- The inauguration of Donald Trump will be the opening event in an attempt to alter the national tone, and the primary mechanism he will use is going to be executive orders. Such orders are standard in the toolkit of an American president. While Congress alone can pass laws, the president can instruct the federal bureaucracy to implement those laws in certain ways. The whining from the ridiculous right about the Deep State is derived from not understanding that such a system gives the president, not the bureaucracy, power. They can be undone by Acts of Congress or court rulings, but those things take time. Meanwhile, the orders will flood DC making it look like Mr. Trump is a man of action when in fact, he is simply a man who likes to hold ceremonies. [20 January] TikTokGoes Dark in US -- The social media platform TikTok has 170 million users in the US, and last night, every single one of them lost access to the platform. The US Supreme Court heard arguments to overturn an Act of Congress that called for a ban of TikTok unless its Chinese owners divested themselves of their stake. The court refused on a 9-0 vote to do anything about it. The ban took effect at midnight as Saturday January 18 became January 19. The platform turned off America access around 11:30 Eastern time. Tomorrow, it may well be back with an executive order allowing it to operate for another 90 days while the relevant parties figure something out. This is all kabuki theatre to make Mr. Trump look good to TikTok users.. [19 January] South Korean President Yoon Finally Arrested -- South Korea has been a flourishing democracy for decades. Its rise has been nothing short of spectacular. Under democratic leaders, the nation has become a major industrial powerhouse and a cultural phenomenon (K-Pop for instance). When President Yoon Suk Yeol declared martial law in December, he began a constitutional crisis that persists to this day. The legislature immediately voted to reject his declaration and impeached him. He faces trial before the Supreme Court, and if convicted, will be formally removed from office and possibly jailed. His declaration put the entire democratic system under threat, and many South Koreans are opposed to it. At the same time, his supporters want the whole matter dropped. This journal thinks the trial should decide it all. [18 January] Gaza Ceasefire is Shaky -- Hamas and the Israelis have agreed to a ceasefire after more than a year of pointless violence. Tens of thousands are dead, probably more injured and countless lives are ruined. What is most depressing is that this ceasefire may not hold. The way it is arranged, six weeks from now, it could all start again. While many have noted the sea change of power that has occurred in the region to the benefit of Israel (mainly the collapse of Iranian proxies), the nub of the problem has simply grown worse. The Palestinians and the Israelis hate one another more than ever. Making peace now between the two sides is harder than at any time in this century. [17 January] © Copyright 2025 by The Kensington Review, Jeff Myhre, PhD, Editor. No part of this publication may be reproduced without written consent. Produced using Ubuntu Linux.
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21 Years Online Volume XXIII, Number 13
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