Andre Gorz: Farewell to the Proletariat

Andre Gorz (1923-2007) was the pen name of Gérard Horst (he also used other names) went from being a prominent Marxist to a critic of Marxism. Born in Vienna Austria, in 1939 he moved to Switzerland and thus managed to survive the war. After the war he moved to France and became involved with Marxism during its glory days of the middle twentieth century.

His book Farewell to the Proletariat (published 1980) starts by criticizing the Marxist theory of the proletariat. The theory of the revolutionary proletariat was not based on fact but on theory. Marx took Hegel's dialectical theory of history and replaced Geist spirit with the working class. Gorz then points out that automation and computerization have eliminated the skilled working class, and replaced them with a mass of unskilled workers, who lack the initiative to become a revolutionary class.

Trump Has Failed at Foreign Policy

North Korea has launched a new missile which it claims can hit all of the US. Can it really hit the US? Truth is we really don't want to know. This shows the failure of Trump's approach to foreign policy. Trump thought he could bluff and bluster North Korea into compliance. But the North Koreans called his bluff and now he has no response. Basically, Trump failed and the US is much less safe than a year ago.

Will Demos Enter the Post-Clinton Era?

Last week Democrats won the governorships in Virginia and New Jersey, and the also did better than expected in several state-wide races. It's good to see that Trumpism finally causing a backlash, in some of the more civilized parts of the country at any rate. However, anti-Goper sentiment will only go so far.

GOP Plan to Screw the Middle Class

Congressional GOP rolled out their tax plan, after much stumbling. The plan contains (big surprise) big tax for rich individuals and corporations. But it would also limit mortgage deductions and property tax deductions. It would also eliminate state and local tax deductions. It comes down to the GOP cutting taxes for the rich, at the expense of the middle class. Which shows what their real priorities are.

Toward the Brink

The special counsel has indicted Paul Manafort and his associate Rick Gates on 12 counts including money laundering and tax evasion. At the same time George Papadapoulos, a former Trump campaign advisor, pleaded guilty to lying about his contacts with Russian officials. It is uncertain where things will go from here. Will Congressional Gopers continue to back Trump? Will Trump "pre-emptively" pardon Manafort? Will Trump still try to fire Robert Mueller?

This is no ordinary political scandal. This has the potential of a major constitutional crisis.

Trump's Bullshit Populism

Trump has been President for 9 months and he has no legislative accomplishment to show for it. His "infrastructure program" is out the window. His attempt to repeal the affordable care act failed. He might however have some legislation to point to. The GOPer congress has just passed a measure that would bar consumers from suing banks. Odd considering how Trump spent the campaign railing against the banks. It shows what his real agenda was. It also shows that he is a pathological liar. So much for his "populism."

Catalonia Update

It seems that Puigdemont, the wannabe "liberator" of Catalonia is getting cold feet or something. Instead of declaring independence he says he wants to "negotiate." At the same time he is asking the European Union for help. The EU however doesn't seem to be interested. Even if they did, however, Catalonia would not become an independent nation but a satellite statelet like Slovenia or Montenegro. Puigdemont isn't George Washington or Thomas Jefferson but is more like Donald Trump: a demagogue who riled up his followers and led them off a cliff.