This is so helpful and informative, Linda Weide. Thank you. Providing the statistics of voters, looking at the German states, and all the analysis.
The influence Musk in exerting over many elections makes me anxious. False narratives looking to influence can and as we saw in the US, wreak havoc.
I’ll reread and pay far more attention, more so now with greater understanding after Trump called Zelensky a “dictator” and accused Ukraine of starting the war.
Joan, I am glad that you find it helpful. I know. my POV is unique to my experiences, but I have been analyzing German politics my whole life. My daughter's proudest period was when the US had Obama and Germany had Merkle because together they represented voting a Black man in power and a woman in power. A powerful combination that we almost had in one person in the US. Another sad outcome is that the Bundestag will have fewer women in it. I believe this is true in the USA as well. In fact, in Germany the party with the largest representation of Women in the Bundestag is the Green party. I think the Left is growing the number of women and that will in turn influence the party as well.
Yesterday I also posted a piece about voting in Germany that might interest you too.
I have more analysis to make of the German election, but I am working on a piece on immigration right now, that relates to the concerns in the election. I believe very strongly in making voters understand that their anti-immigrant politics may have a direct effect on them because being a place that no one wants to visit grows old fast unless one likes to be surrounded by the same people 24/7/365-6.
Your “take” is an analysis of all every country should do to understand who, why, and what. As I read the last part of your response to me (about immigrants) I reflected on your state and neighborhood demographics, I wondered if people of like values that are reflected by their votes choose to live together, in what areas are immigrants and of what countries welcomed?
Thank you for the link at which I will read more. As I look at countries deciding to welcome immigrants or turn them back, I look at those encouraging more of some of their “native” [in the US that does not mean “indigenous”] peoples to procreate many more and the codes are all there. Thus I shudder.
Joan I agree on your shudder. In fact, I think that there is an attempt to force "White" women to have babies in the USA. In fact, not just force to have babies but also to punish women if they don't. That includes treating miscarriages, which are terribly traumatic in and of themselves, as if the women was a criminal and there are states that are seeking to punish this by death. I am finding this a totally dangerous situation for women to be in. Even Hungary has not gone that far. I don't think Russia has either. American Christian Nationalism has its own flavor and evolution right now.
Trump does not want to get rid of all immigrants, he encourages the highly skilled. He does not seem to understand the food industry at all, or the building industry. People who do are often supporters of Trump so they are going to find out that what they know to be true is real. I think Farmers are already finding this out. Fortunately, I don't think Trump's immigration plans are very doable, and he has dropped the ball before. If people are expecting to see hundreds of immigrants paraded before them each day in cuffed and in chains, they are not going to get what they want. I am wondering at which point the US is going to find itself begging people who are "unskilled" to come back to the US.
I think none of them understand the 'real world' - remember when Oz referred to veggies as "crudites" and was the object of derision? And now Donald wants a chandelier in the Oval Office? I digress and it's because it fascinates me that people with so much money, even if they lived their early lives that way, have no sense of others. Thus no curiosity, no view of how the world works. I guess they didn't do field trips in grade school or in any part of their lives wonder.
The issues for women in the US are terrifying. The 1950s post-WWII mindset of having babies and women at home (even after they worked through the War) has returned.
The realization of having "let go" the wrong govt. employees has already hit. They are asking some to return. I'd sure put conditions on any return were I one of them.
Farmers are LIVID about USAID cuts - they were the ones who were selling their goods. Food prices and availability is right up there. I was stunned at the lack of not just eggs but all chicken products and the prices! "But he promised" and people didn't also have the knowledge to connect dots or curiosity to learn if they didn't know how food gets from the beginning to your kitchen! Next will be those who can't get answers from the IRS and taxes will be a mess and refunds worse with understaffing.
I'm a Boomer who learned sentence diagramming in school. In a sense it's like storyboarding and one can see where the connections are and why. Maybe that's a graphic to bring back.
Some schools are still teaching sentence diagramming. I know my daughter had it in high school a couple of years ago. Now she is studying linguistics she has to learn to do word trees.
With everything you listed it sounds to me that you understand that real world. We cannot know it completely, but we seek to find out and understand. When I first heard about Covid, I made statements that were controversial at my school, because I suggested we have parent conferences via facetime. That was in January of 2020. This was at a school council meeting in which I was a representative for my division. Next thing you know, every word I said had come to pass and then some. That is because I had been reading about it.
What I learned during Covid was that a lot of people do not want to know. It was kind of forced on us. That is what is happening now with Trump. A lot of people don't want to know, but the moment bad things happen that require them to understand to survive they are forced to learn about what is going on.
I am trying to figure out both the domestic and international ramifications of what is being done. I am learning to see the world through what Trump thinks is his best interest. All fascists want the path of least resistance if they can figure it out. I am grateful people are standing up and resisting.
Thank you, Linda, for, first, speaking up about COVID. As SNL@50 learned: it’s still around.
Yes, to that and all of this, the lack of curiosity is to me stunning. And I concur: people don’t want to know. Is it easier living without asking why/how/what/who and making connections to all else? Chuckling: I can’t do it even if I try.
Thank your daughter for studying such a great field.
If you figure out how to understand Trump’s thinking or his reactions, please share .. I think. As he said after Pres Zelenskky’s visit - that it makes good television - that + revenge + greed + image all matter to him.
Joan, it sounds like you have a good grasp on what makes Trump tick. Performance that he can use to manipulate his people and others, revenge on his perceived enemies, greed, and being liked---which not many do right now, and it could get worse. I think Musk is taking a lot of the heat. Trump is intentional in that. He does not want to personally have to carry out his entire pledges to the people, so Musk is doing the dirty work for him, and being kept happy, so for them it is a win-win.
Musk has not been super interested in Ukraine because other than selling weapons systems he has nothing he can get out of them. He can sell his weapons systems to the US who are more likely to buy them anyway, and so he does not need Ukraine.
Glad to see Canadians trying to revoke his Canadian citizenship. I hope we get such a petition together when it is time, but we do not have the governmental set up to get this. I would like to make many changes to the US government, and I think all of us should be writing these down. What do we want our government to be like ideally, that will not allow for such a barrel of Buffoons to be running our nation into the ground.
My daughter is asking us questions we cannot even answer. Her question is, "Do you know if perform is a ditransitive verb?" My husbands response to her was, "I know what transitive means, I know what an intransitive verb is, I think, but I do not know what ditransitive means. " This is the kind of conversation we have in our family. We also like to do crosswords together via Signal screen sharing.
Thank you for this excellent review and analysis of the recent election. I must say I certainly learned a lot. More so from any news service in the USA. ( Have you considered submitting your work to the UK’s
Thank you Revd Dr. Gomes. I have not thought of doing that. I am glad that what I am writing is helpful. As I said to another reader. I am going to do more analysis of the German elections and politics in upcoming articles. It is a new day, and there is a lot that will be happening I am sure.
Scholz will govern until Merz forms his coalition. Perhaps he will be emboldened by no longer holding the power to make more strong moves on the part of Germany to help lead Europe to a better support of Ukraine and against Russia. No lifting of sanctions please.
Also, I think people in the USA should boycott products from Russia that they can if Trump lifts the sanctions prematurely. They may not be able to do that with energy, but whatever else they can, they should.
Thank you Jason. I am glad my posts are interesting to you. I am part of a group in Democrats Abroad that meets weekly to read about and discuss politics. One of our members is in England, but I don't know how much he is analyzing the English politics. His area of expertise is China. I will ask him if he has an analysis.
Outstanding commentary! Thanks very much!
This is so helpful and informative, Linda Weide. Thank you. Providing the statistics of voters, looking at the German states, and all the analysis.
The influence Musk in exerting over many elections makes me anxious. False narratives looking to influence can and as we saw in the US, wreak havoc.
I’ll reread and pay far more attention, more so now with greater understanding after Trump called Zelensky a “dictator” and accused Ukraine of starting the war.
Joan, I am glad that you find it helpful. I know. my POV is unique to my experiences, but I have been analyzing German politics my whole life. My daughter's proudest period was when the US had Obama and Germany had Merkle because together they represented voting a Black man in power and a woman in power. A powerful combination that we almost had in one person in the US. Another sad outcome is that the Bundestag will have fewer women in it. I believe this is true in the USA as well. In fact, in Germany the party with the largest representation of Women in the Bundestag is the Green party. I think the Left is growing the number of women and that will in turn influence the party as well.
Yesterday I also posted a piece about voting in Germany that might interest you too.
https://lindaweide.substack.com/p/the-german-election?r=f0qfn
I have more analysis to make of the German election, but I am working on a piece on immigration right now, that relates to the concerns in the election. I believe very strongly in making voters understand that their anti-immigrant politics may have a direct effect on them because being a place that no one wants to visit grows old fast unless one likes to be surrounded by the same people 24/7/365-6.
Thank you for continuing the conversation, Linda.
Your “take” is an analysis of all every country should do to understand who, why, and what. As I read the last part of your response to me (about immigrants) I reflected on your state and neighborhood demographics, I wondered if people of like values that are reflected by their votes choose to live together, in what areas are immigrants and of what countries welcomed?
Thank you for the link at which I will read more. As I look at countries deciding to welcome immigrants or turn them back, I look at those encouraging more of some of their “native” [in the US that does not mean “indigenous”] peoples to procreate many more and the codes are all there. Thus I shudder.
Joan I agree on your shudder. In fact, I think that there is an attempt to force "White" women to have babies in the USA. In fact, not just force to have babies but also to punish women if they don't. That includes treating miscarriages, which are terribly traumatic in and of themselves, as if the women was a criminal and there are states that are seeking to punish this by death. I am finding this a totally dangerous situation for women to be in. Even Hungary has not gone that far. I don't think Russia has either. American Christian Nationalism has its own flavor and evolution right now.
Trump does not want to get rid of all immigrants, he encourages the highly skilled. He does not seem to understand the food industry at all, or the building industry. People who do are often supporters of Trump so they are going to find out that what they know to be true is real. I think Farmers are already finding this out. Fortunately, I don't think Trump's immigration plans are very doable, and he has dropped the ball before. If people are expecting to see hundreds of immigrants paraded before them each day in cuffed and in chains, they are not going to get what they want. I am wondering at which point the US is going to find itself begging people who are "unskilled" to come back to the US.
I think none of them understand the 'real world' - remember when Oz referred to veggies as "crudites" and was the object of derision? And now Donald wants a chandelier in the Oval Office? I digress and it's because it fascinates me that people with so much money, even if they lived their early lives that way, have no sense of others. Thus no curiosity, no view of how the world works. I guess they didn't do field trips in grade school or in any part of their lives wonder.
The issues for women in the US are terrifying. The 1950s post-WWII mindset of having babies and women at home (even after they worked through the War) has returned.
The realization of having "let go" the wrong govt. employees has already hit. They are asking some to return. I'd sure put conditions on any return were I one of them.
Farmers are LIVID about USAID cuts - they were the ones who were selling their goods. Food prices and availability is right up there. I was stunned at the lack of not just eggs but all chicken products and the prices! "But he promised" and people didn't also have the knowledge to connect dots or curiosity to learn if they didn't know how food gets from the beginning to your kitchen! Next will be those who can't get answers from the IRS and taxes will be a mess and refunds worse with understaffing.
I'm a Boomer who learned sentence diagramming in school. In a sense it's like storyboarding and one can see where the connections are and why. Maybe that's a graphic to bring back.
Some schools are still teaching sentence diagramming. I know my daughter had it in high school a couple of years ago. Now she is studying linguistics she has to learn to do word trees.
With everything you listed it sounds to me that you understand that real world. We cannot know it completely, but we seek to find out and understand. When I first heard about Covid, I made statements that were controversial at my school, because I suggested we have parent conferences via facetime. That was in January of 2020. This was at a school council meeting in which I was a representative for my division. Next thing you know, every word I said had come to pass and then some. That is because I had been reading about it.
What I learned during Covid was that a lot of people do not want to know. It was kind of forced on us. That is what is happening now with Trump. A lot of people don't want to know, but the moment bad things happen that require them to understand to survive they are forced to learn about what is going on.
I am trying to figure out both the domestic and international ramifications of what is being done. I am learning to see the world through what Trump thinks is his best interest. All fascists want the path of least resistance if they can figure it out. I am grateful people are standing up and resisting.
Thank you, Linda, for, first, speaking up about COVID. As SNL@50 learned: it’s still around.
Yes, to that and all of this, the lack of curiosity is to me stunning. And I concur: people don’t want to know. Is it easier living without asking why/how/what/who and making connections to all else? Chuckling: I can’t do it even if I try.
Thank your daughter for studying such a great field.
If you figure out how to understand Trump’s thinking or his reactions, please share .. I think. As he said after Pres Zelenskky’s visit - that it makes good television - that + revenge + greed + image all matter to him.
Joan, it sounds like you have a good grasp on what makes Trump tick. Performance that he can use to manipulate his people and others, revenge on his perceived enemies, greed, and being liked---which not many do right now, and it could get worse. I think Musk is taking a lot of the heat. Trump is intentional in that. He does not want to personally have to carry out his entire pledges to the people, so Musk is doing the dirty work for him, and being kept happy, so for them it is a win-win.
Musk has not been super interested in Ukraine because other than selling weapons systems he has nothing he can get out of them. He can sell his weapons systems to the US who are more likely to buy them anyway, and so he does not need Ukraine.
Glad to see Canadians trying to revoke his Canadian citizenship. I hope we get such a petition together when it is time, but we do not have the governmental set up to get this. I would like to make many changes to the US government, and I think all of us should be writing these down. What do we want our government to be like ideally, that will not allow for such a barrel of Buffoons to be running our nation into the ground.
My daughter is asking us questions we cannot even answer. Her question is, "Do you know if perform is a ditransitive verb?" My husbands response to her was, "I know what transitive means, I know what an intransitive verb is, I think, but I do not know what ditransitive means. " This is the kind of conversation we have in our family. We also like to do crosswords together via Signal screen sharing.
Thank you. Have you considered submitting your work to The Guardian? This is world class reporting.
Thank you Carol. I am glad you find it helpful.
Excellent idea!
Thank you.
Thanks for the maps of geopolitical data. Very interesting!
Glad it helps to visualize what is going on Ilona.
Thank you for this excellent review and analysis of the recent election. I must say I certainly learned a lot. More so from any news service in the USA. ( Have you considered submitting your work to the UK’s
Independent?
Thank you Revd Dr. Gomes. I have not thought of doing that. I am glad that what I am writing is helpful. As I said to another reader. I am going to do more analysis of the German elections and politics in upcoming articles. It is a new day, and there is a lot that will be happening I am sure.
Scholz will govern until Merz forms his coalition. Perhaps he will be emboldened by no longer holding the power to make more strong moves on the part of Germany to help lead Europe to a better support of Ukraine and against Russia. No lifting of sanctions please.
Also, I think people in the USA should boycott products from Russia that they can if Trump lifts the sanctions prematurely. They may not be able to do that with energy, but whatever else they can, they should.
Linda…I love everything you write. Please continue with more ( as you can). I learn so much from your articles ( posts)
Linda - Your last two posts were outstanding! Thanks much. I found it interesting that the AfD appears to have dominated in the old East Germany.
Wish I could find someone who has done similar analysis of the UK; my families easiest escape option.
Thank you Jason. I am glad my posts are interesting to you. I am part of a group in Democrats Abroad that meets weekly to read about and discuss politics. One of our members is in England, but I don't know how much he is analyzing the English politics. His area of expertise is China. I will ask him if he has an analysis.
Thx much!