2020.11.13 20:23
https://news.joins.com/article/23920230?cloc=joongang-home-opinioncolumn
왜 그렇게 이상적이라던 미국의 민주주의는 이처럼 분열한 것일까. 모두 트럼프 탓일까. 오랜만에 프랑스 정치철학자 토크빌의 『미국의 민주주의』를 다시 읽었다. 내가 미국 민주주의 체제를 이해했던 교과서 같은 책이다. ‘평등’이 민주주의를 가능케 하지만 사람들이 그에 안주하면 자신의 사익 추구에 몰두한 나머지 정치에는 무관심해지고, 그러다 보면 마침내 국가가 모든 개인의 권리 위에 신적 의지로 군림하게 된다는 것. 그리하여 대중민주주의는 ‘다수의 폭정’ 혹은 ‘말랑말랑한(soft) 전제정치’로 타락할 수 있다는 경고. 평등은 생각이 다른 사람들에게 동질화를 요구하는 압력으로도 작용하고, 다수의 의견이 허용하는 범위 안에서는 자유롭지만 그에서 멀어지면 사회적으로 추방되는 도덕적 압력으로도 존재한다는 게 토크빌이 말한 ‘민주주의의 부작용’이다.
선데이 칼럼 11/14
트럼프에 대한 평가는 극단적으로 엇갈렸다. 미국에서 안식년을 보냈던 한 교수는 “1년 내내 트럼프 욕만 들었다”고 했다. 한 재미교포
2020.11.14 07:10
2020.11.14 07:54
American majority rejected Trump this time but it was not an overwhelming one.
And they gained seats in the House of Representatives.
They will most likely maintain the majority in the Senate. I am afraid that
American conservatives are still living with the remnants of Calvinistic
discipline and the red scare of McCarthyism. They hate high taxes and wasteful
welfare. They want strong defense. They are against abortion and gay marriage.
They do not like national health insurance and socialized medicine.
These are very sound opinions. The most concerning problem is the far-right agenda;
"White America First." The mentality of "We(white Americans)-against-them(non-whites)"
are a growing concern in America as white Americans are losing their established position.
2020.11.14 12:46
BBLee-National Lymphedema Day-2020.ppt
I spent full three hours with my Latin American colleagues this morning till noon for the virtual conference to deliver the opening address and chair the session for National Lymphedema Day of Argentina and had chances to talk with many of them after the session. Besides, I received a good half dozen short messages through the chats for the congratulations on such ecstatic news to get rid of mother fucker Tramp!
But I felt so annoyed by one friend from Colombia saying the USA to become a socialistic county led by liberal Democrats! Too many freeloaders? Then, how much is too much?
Indeed what Bernie and his follower's demand are not much different from a socialistic system like medicare for all, full expanded welfare to feed all the freeloaders, free for all and all you need is fucking all day to produce the same animals and get more government subsidy!!!
That is the reason why half of the people voted this mother fucker on behalf of Republicans who take advantage of this resentment, I believe!
Agitated,
BB Lee
P.S. BTW, for the virtual/zoom conference for Argentinian National Lymphedema Day I participate in this morning, I wore a nice cap - see the attachment- to celebrate the farewell to SOB, instead of delivery of Trump's Greeting: "Fuck you All", this time.
2020.11.14 16:58
Doc, please don't get too agitated. That's exactly what Trump wishes you to do.
Please make sure he gets agitated. I think he got about 20 years older for the last 4 years.
He probably will not make it through the next 4 years as the damn president.
As mentioned above, politics and personal desire ruins a well-run democratic society.
However, America has been run so far remarkably and miraculously well until Trump came along.
There, the good nation got broke and America has become a shame to the world.
Trump needs to be punished severely and painfully and "not to be forgiven" for the crime
so that the same fiasco does not happen again.