Donald Trump Is Nothing

Photo: FOX News

If one is to believe the polls proffered by News Corp.'s FOX News Channel, then Reality star Donald Trump is currently the candidate preferred by Republican voters out of 'a race of 20' others, mostly actual politicians. This is surprising historically for a number of reasons, but also has precedent in several other ways. Formal Bourgeois democracy has retained elements of 'spectacle' and entertainment probably since the beginning of the republic. This is evidenced by bandwagons, campaign-created sheet music, records, and the like. However, the political process (while serving as quite thrilling entertainment for Americans who consume news products) has stopped short of involving actual, active entertainers to play the roles of candidates (minus, of course, the cases of former Gov. Schwarzenegger of California, former Gov. Ventura of Wisconsin, and former President Reagan). 

American media speculate on Donald Trump for President, 2007. Photo: FOX News, America's Election HQ

Because Trump's rehabilitation in cultural prestige has been so tied up in a former that is quite prestige-less, Trump suffered from the start from a credibility problem. Add to that the perception by many that Trump has been gaming the American political system for decades by teasing a presidential run for several cycles and never following through. Each time, the American news media followed Trump breathlessly at his press-conferred and other events, half-unknowingly employing themselves in his public relations team. When these runs failed to materialize, these selfsame journalists rightly expressed that they had been used to promote his NBC show "The Apprentice," one of the 'original' shows still active from Reality's 'golden era.' As each election cycle passed, and Trump either made himself an active voice through the media commentating on events, or heavily suggesting that he would run as a candidate himself, he inserted himself more and more into the politico-media culture of the United States, thus undermining his damaged Reality-show credibility while positioning himself as a central 'outsider' figure seeking to reform the Republican party. 

The 2012 Republican primary candidates, oft-labeled as 'clowns' or 'sideshows'. Photo; RPR

Donald Trump has come to be seen as not only a realistic, but a leading candidate for the Republican nomination, Add to this the fact that the last two presidential elections have seen Republican primaries described as 'sideshows' filled with political 'clowns.' Donald Trump now not only fits in, but his certain brand of hanger-on-ism (standing on the margins of campaigns, milking them for his own benefit) is not only normal, it is political acceptable. Formal Bourgeois Democracy continues to evolve and advance forward, in the image of not the democratic ideal, but toward the image of a completely capitalized world: Elections are to be used for the promotion of products (people included). This is the situation Donald Trump has created, inherited, and stepped into in 2015. 

As journalists and pundits on American televisions actually began to realize that Trump's campaign was resonating with those polled, they began to change their tune. Up until the last few weeks, and the release of the FOX News poll, they had been summarily dismissive and skeptical of his efforts. FOX Business' Charles Gasparino was among those who have not shifted position as Trump rose in polling number, but instead still insists that Trump intends his campaign to be for promotional purposes. A vast many others are now taking Trump quite seriously, and this includes Gasparino's FOX colleagues. The change was so uniform, that one would be tempted to believe the issue was addressed in FOX's daily memos from above to journalists. For whatever reason, the most convincing being poll numbers (I presume), some Republicans are now hitching their proverbial wagons to the Trump Train. 

Gloria La Riva of the Party For Socialism And Liberation, is a non-Bourgeois candidate running for the presidency in 2016. Photo: PS Celebrities

Tomorrow, August 6th, 2015, the first Republic presidential primary debate will be broadcast on the FOX news channel. Donald Trump will appear where several other, far more sober, candidates (Businesswoman Carly Fiorina, For. Gov. Pataki of New York, and others) have been excluded due to poll numbers. It remains to be seen whether Trump's intentions will be made any clearer by this appearance, or whether he will come out stronger or weaker in his performance. None of that is of much importance unless one still buys into Bourgeois democratic politics. What I mean by that is if you believe which candidate is selected and wins is really of much consequence. When one develops what in Marxism is called a 'class consciousness,' it enables individuals (heretofore 'voters' or 'citizens') to understand that their interests lie not with the differently flavoured elites displayed on the stage, but with members of their own class, those invisible individuals of excellence, with the potential to trascend Empire and Capitalism and enable the country to survive. Those individuals are not selected by FOX to participate in the debate. These individuals won't be on television, or have Reality shows, or have enough money and connections to run. These individuals may not even vote themselves. But I am quite sure in the hidden, alienated masses there lies true leaders, like the PSL's Gloria La Riva. These unspoken, anonymous people are the latent potential of the American proletariat. 

Trump & co. are nothing more than expensive American post-modern entertainment. They are best to be not taken seriously, or if 'taken' at all, 'taken' as continued representation of the illegitimacy of the American form of government. Whomever of these elect few are, in the end, selected, they will continue to act as functionaries for their class, raping and pillaging American worker's wealth, sending it overseas to corrupt American client states, being used to attack independent Syria and other states outside of the American axis, and (most horrific of all) being used to maintain the Apartheid system in the state of Israel. 

Donald Trump is worth as much as the American political system. By this, I don't mean in dollars. Those will be worthless in the end as well. I mean worth as in historical worth, significance of moving history forward, helping man in society achieve his potential in the human project. And, by this definition of 'worth,' Donald Trump is worth precisely as much as the United States' Capitalist Formal Democracy: Nothing.

Leaders of Ukraine: Helenus, Priam II, Helenus II, Priam III, Archaeanax, Satyrus, Satyrus II, Dynamis, Balamber, Attila

Ukraine is @ the centre of 'The New Cold War'

Ukraine has been a major flashpoint in terms of world conflict since the beginning of the country’s civil war in early 2014. From this point until now, Ukraine has been a major news story. As perhaps the centre of the ‘new Cold War’ it is necessary for news consumers (& learned people) to understand at least some contextual history of Ukraine. For Ukraine has not always existed, and as a national idea has a much shorter ‘history’ than, say, a unified China.

Flag of the Hellenistic Bosporan Kingdom

So what was occupying the modern territory of Ukraine before ‘Ukraine’? It turns out that the area has a rich & exciting history behind it. Many languages have been spoken, many spiritualities practiced, & many cultures developing have been a part of the Ukrainian (pre)history. An obvious place to start, controlling for personal interest & jumping to the ‘Classical Age,’ we find that Ukraine was a major centre on the periphery of Hellenistic culture. The powerful, culturally Greek Bosporan kingdom is first-and-foremost among these Greek-Ukrainian polities. The Bosporan kingdom occupied what is now known as the Crimean peninsula (today claimed by both Ukraine & the Russian Federation), & was ruled by a succession of semi-legendary rulers of high repute. Apparently this older empire specialized in the trading of slaves, that is, live human beings captures from outside the Hellenic world. Bosporous maintained very close ties to the Athenian City-State, & could provide the esteemed city with slaves for labour, funneled from Central Europe, Asia, or perhaps even the Caucasus. In a sense, Bosporous functioned to fuel the ‘underside’ of the Athenian order, though it was not viewed that way at the time, of course.

Helenus, King of Bosporous, Son of Priam & Hecuba, Brother of Prophetess Cassandra

Along with the spoken Greek language, the Polytheistic faith practiced in Achaea was also present here in Bosporous. The story of Bospouran leader Helenus betrays the close ties between Greece & Bosporous at this time. Helenus, who became one of the early kings of Crimea, was the brother of the Trojan Prophetess Cassandra. In accounts of the fall of Troy, he is also known as Scamandrios. Helenus somehow survived & became quite successful, ruling over a vast realm as King of Bosporous. Of the members of the Trojan diaspora, Helenus was a fortunate inhabitant of a rather unfortunate city. Even when he lived in Troy, prior to its fall, he was renowned for his ability to see into the future. Unlike the disbelief & ignorance that befell Cassandra, Helenus was believed by the leadership of Troy. Despite this, it was Cassandra who was given the ability as an Apollonian boon first. Cassandra then taught this power to her brother, he seemed to have more success in converting it into practical use (Cassandra was never listened to).

A Medieval rendering of the ancient city of Troy

Not only was Helenus a member of Troy’s royal family (He was a Prince), but he also participated in the war. The future king of the Bosporous participated in a Trojan raid against the Greek camp “on the west plains” of Troy. These forced were led by the brother of Helenus, Hector, who was also a prince. Unlike Hector, Helenus survived and thrived after the war. In the midst of this, Helenus prophesied the founding of Rome. This is ironic, as it was the empire that sprang up from Rome that ended up subjugating, then puppeteering the Bospouran kingdom much later.

Bosporan money depicts one of Helenus' successors 

Independent kings of Bosporous followed Helenus: Priam II, Helenus II, Priam III, Archaeanax, Satyrus, Satyrus II. A queen, Dynamis, led the kingdom into its terminal period as a Roman client state. Rome was changing as a polity itself, making the transition from Republic to Empire, and was subjugating several neighbouring nations that had previously existed on the periphery of the Greek world (which was now in total Roman control). In the years since Helenus, Greece had deteriorated as a nexus of political power (if not cultural power), and the new leaders of Crimea submitted to Rome. Dynamis was installed by the Romans after a bizarre & quite complicated succession struggle by her relatives. The figured she would serve as a reliable client Queen, grateful to be given power over her squabbling male rival relatives. They were correct in this assumption.

Early-Modern depiction of the Hunnic invasions

In the 200’s, the balance of power in eastern begin to shift dramatically. The disruption did not derive from any of the recognized centres of power in the Roman world, but from the very sorts of migrating tribes that would later cripple & supplant it. After the year 200, tribes that had previously occupied the steppe began to move into peripheral ‘civilized ‘ nations, such as Bosporous. This was devastating to the Roman satellites, and Crimea & Bospouran Anatolia were raided & plundered of wealth by Goths & others at this time. The kingdom of Helenus & Dynamis was beginning to be swept into the sea by uncouth, barbaric, Asians. The economically important practice of shipping slaves (oftentimes the same peoples that were now invading Bosporous) was disrupted & ultimately destroyed by these doings. This removed the lynchpin of Bospouran prosperity. Rome apparently did not send any aid to its subservient, & was overrun by the latest group of roaming barbarians (The Huns) in the century after. After the Huns destroyed what was in-essence the only successor-state to Ancient Troy, they quickly moved for Rome itself.

Areas under the Hunnic Hordes (@ their greatest extent)

Wave after wave of ‘barbarians’ trampled over the territory of what is now Ukraine in the coming centuries, as fleeting as fast-moving clouds. These groups rarely left much permanent material that can be analyzed today. As a result, the cultural history of the Ukraine @ this time is difficult for even professional historians to piece together. The Huns so effectively wiped out not only the Hellenistic culture present, but also smashed the other roaming groups that came before them. The Goths reported that the Huns were led by a chief named Balamber, who defeated them in battle. The Hunnic horde first attacked the southern Goths, who had become situated in what was the heartland of the Roman Empire. Balamber’s forces entered the Italian peninsula, defeated the Ostrogoths, & moved onto the Visigoths, who they also promptly defeated. Remaining Goths retreated into the Roman Empire (itself retreating Eastward). The Hunnic hordes followed into the Eastern Roman Empire. The Huns (led by Uldin) ransack Thrace & then, for unknown reasons, begin to retreat toward their previous lands. The Romans, under Eutropius, scored a few mostly symbolic victories against the retreating hordes.

European rendering of 'barbarian' leader Attila

The roaming hordes had left the lands of the Roman Empire completely, just three years after first entering them. To avert future encroachment by the hordes, the Romans came to a compromise with the Hunnic tribes. In the resulting treaty, Rome agrees to unhand any refugees of Hunnic lands & send them back (to almost-certain death). After ‘eliminating the threats to their power,’ the brother-chiefs of the Hunnic tribes, Attila & Bleda, decided to break the treaty by invading a market-town named Castra Constantias. in 440, Castra Constantias stood on the banks of the Danube, & also included one of the forts that marked the frontier of the Roman Realm. “In the following campaign,” Hunnic “armies came alarmingly came alarmingly close to Constantinople” (Now the capital of the Roman Empire)...

For more on the 2nd Cold War

For more on King Satyrus II of Bosporos

For more on the Treaty of Margus, broken by the Hunnic Hordes when they invaded Castra Constantias

The Police Have 'Had Enough'.....Of The American People

FOX News host Megyn Kelly has inserted herself into another controversial topic: Civilian deaths at the hands of US police forces . Ms. Kelly has been serving as host of “the Kelly File” since her return from maternity leave in 2013. During “The Kelly File”’s somewhat-short life, the host generated several controversies owing to her very explicit on-air opinions. The first concerned Jesus Christ & Santa Claus -- & now Kelly is offering Conservative analysis of anti-police sentiment in the United States.

Megyn Kelly helms a weather report in an earlier era

In a January editorial delivered on “The Kelly File” she spoke for “supporters of police” who “have had enough.” Enough of what? The segments & others on FOX News have implied that those associated with law enforcement have had enough of various things -- criticism, bad press, protest, questioning, loss of respect, & the widespread dissent that had racked majority-black areas of the United States in 2014. I would argue that there are several factors that render Megyn Kelly a more effective vehicle for FOX’s Conservative editorial position than other ‘outrage’ hosts. Number 1, Kelly is a former legal professional & is obviously an intelligent and articulate woman. Her professional presentation, & persona of a “newswoman,” rather than an ‘outrage’ host gives her credibility that Sean Hannity, for example, does not possess (& likely never will). The second reason I believe Ms. Kelly is among the most influential assets of FOX News is her physical attractiveness. She is very pretty & somewhat of a sex symbol, while still fitting the mold of FOX News-women before her. She wears dresses (not pants) & her hair is volumized with hairspray. It is definitely a traditionally feminine presentation, but not a very feminine way of behaving -- Kelly is acerbic, rude, condescending, demeaning, and charming (sometimes in the same segment). For Liberal media-critique organizations & MSNBC①, she has been difficult to pin down. Is she a Trojan-horse news anchor, or a less-belligerent, more-acceptable outrage talker? Who knows. But this identity may have moved toward the ‘outrage’ since being awarded her own primetime show. This puts her in the same general neighbourhood as Sean Hannity & Bill O’Reilly.

Megyn Kelly looks somewhat forelorne on the "O'Reilly Factor"

Kelly’s ascendance was not a token quickly given to a pretty blonde. Starting around the time of the 2004 US presidential election, Kelly found success at FOX News -- First contributing segments on legal issues, becoming a weekend host, hosting a weekly piece on Bill O’Reilly’s show, hosting the prominent & popular “America’s newsroom with Megyn Kelly,”②& on-to “The Kelly File” after about 10 years with FOX. Kelly not only is seen as a newswoman with a semi-serious pedigree, but she is also considered one of the “100 Most Influential People.”③ Megyn Kelly serves as a lynchpin for FOX News as its audience ages, & the overt outrage appeals lose their novelty. Megyn Kelly represents the same values FOX has more-or-less always advocated, but delivered in a subtler, almost sub-conscious fashion. This is enough to terrify Liberal & progressive critics,④ who have warned of her ‘Trojan-horse’ potential for years.

Megyn Kelly hosted 'Newswheel' programme "America's Newsroom" in the 2000's

But being FOX’s trojan-horse woman does not mean that Kelly goes out of her way to offer provocative messages in non-threatening ways. In fact, since being awarded her own programme, Kelly seems to have developed a habit of responding to online articles in controversial & scandal-provoking ways.

Slate Blogger Aisha Harris made several TV news appearances after Conservative analysts, led by Megyn Kelly, drew attention to her work

When a Slate Blogger by the name of Aisha Harris inaugurated a discussion of the racial depiction of the mythical figure Santa Claus, Kelly was pre-eminent among critics proclaiming that Santa Claus was, definitively white. Kelly’s response, predictably, garnered more attention than the original Slate article & burnished Kelly’s reputation as a ‘maverick.’⑤ Kelly then later apologized, saying she was joking, though not before she was taken very seriously by other media outlets & those online.⑥ Harris said that the ‘hare-trigger’ outraged responses by Kelly

⑦ & other white hosts “Kind of reinforced my point actually.” This didn’t stop Kelly from editorializing on the racial character of another mythic figure, the deity jesus Christ, whom she also stated was definitively white.

Reports emerge every day in the United States that reveal police brutality & killings of human civilians and animals, such as this dog

Thus, ‘Newswoman’ Megyn Kelly is an outlet for the outrage of law-enforcement to being challenged by civilians. She has spent the last few years garnering her reputation as one who could be something of a Conservative opinion-leader.⑧ Used to experience impunity, overworked, frustrated, & perhaps psychically-traumatized police forces do not react to criticism well (apparently). When one can taze, beat, choke, kill, slam, punch, yell, demean, arrest, & otherwise control other people, (& this power is mandated by law) the wisdom or necessity of criticism seems to fall away -- Thus FOX & its hosts become the nexus for reactionary police associates. (Bernard Kerik, Police Benevolents etc…) Megyn Kelly is by no means the exemplar here: Other hosts reportedly accused Democratic elected officials, Mayor DeBlasio of New York, Al Sharpton of MSNBC, Attorney General Eric Holder, & the President of having “blood on their hands” after two police officers were killed by civilians. What FOX, Judge Jeanine, & Megyn Kelly are obscuring is the fact that America’s black people didn't need these figures to incite them to fight back: The insolence, privilege, & violent actions of the police did that for them.

Who has blood on their hands?

Notes:

①Same thing? lol

②Despite being a ‘Newswheel’ programme, “America’s Newsroom” was personality-driven

③According to one of “TIME” magazine’s spurious lists

④Media Matters, for example

⑤If that is what we are to call it

⑥Which included an appearance on CNN’s “Reliable Sources’ by Aisha Harris where she responded to the attention her post has received

⑦Kelly received support & backup from others like Bill O’Reilly. One could view this as her welcoming into that ‘big-time’ milieu. He later said the controversy was a “Conspiracy” by the Far-Left in the United States

⑧Tho this has not stopped her from challenging prominent Reactionary leaders (Dinesh D’Souza, Vice President Cheney…)