So there’s an orange alert in the States, eh? Oh boy I am so scared. ^NOT.

Let us conduct a little thought experiment.

Let’s say we are little birds on the windowsill, watching a NSA upper management meeting.

Someone makes a presentation. They have found a way to track EVERYTHING people do: what they buy in stores, which TV shows they watch, where they go with their car or simply with their cellphone. They can read the email, listen to the conversations, etc.

Do you think someone around that table is going to get up and say « This is illegal »?

First of all, the secret services around the world have been doing illegal things for years (even law enforcement does it!). So they don’t care if it’s legal or not.

Secondly, do you really think someone is going to risk becoming a suspect by saying « I don’t agree with this »? If it’s not the head honcho, no one will say a word. They don’t care and they are well paid.

Thirdly, organizations (bureaucracies) have a tendency to perpetuate themselves.

Finally, if a tool is available, it’s certain they will use it. Remember when income tax was supposed to be « temporary », « for the war »?

And there’s nothing like an orange alert level to convince some people that they have too much freedom and they should give it away for security. But as Benjamin Franklin said, they deserve neither.

Why do some people vote against their own best interests?

Or, if you wish, The mystery of the Tea Party

This is a topic I am really interested in. I don’t have time to write a lot about it now, but here is a series of very interesting articles I found on the Internet.

In particular, these articles contain a series of maps which allow us to understand how education gaps shape the political viewpoint of people. They are particularly interesting when taken together and superposed.

• From the BBC: Why do people vote against their own interests?
•  International Relations and Security Network (ISN)  Why Do the Poor Support Right-Wing Parties? A Cross-National Analysis (not exactly a leftist think-tank!)
• America’s Best (and Worst) Educated States (in a website for investors; not a lefty viewpoint either, though people forget we also invest!). It gives data on the percentage of the American population of certain states who has a college degrees, their income, the unemployment rate and so forth. We all have hunches about these relationships but it’s nice to see the actual numbers.
• Why The Middle Class And Poor Vote Against Their Best Interests (a bit shallow but I want to have as many points of view as possible)
• Is the Ultra-Right Insane? (They May Just Be!) – Communist Party USA so if Marx gives you heartburn, just skim it 🙂
• Tagwalk (a tool I just discovered. The possibilities are endless.)
• Review of a book that tries to establish progressives are the ones who are mad: The Liberal Mind: The Psychological Causes of Political Madness. From a right-wing blog.
• Social consensus through the influence of committed minorities. Another scholarly research with pretty scary conclusions. I like the word « committed » 🙂 in this context. Mind you, it almost worked (I am writing 2 days after Mr. Obama won a second term)
• LiveScience: Low IQ & Conservative Beliefs Linked to Prejudice (heh heh; I already imagine the shitstorm I am going to get for this). Contains links to other material.
• Facts? we don’t need your stinking facts! Why right-wing Americans are so stubbornly ignorant
• A perfect example of this attitude: Karl Rove on Fox Nov 6 and 7, 2012 – Karl Rove can’t handle the truth (L.A. Times) Cognitive dissonance at its best. If only that pesky reality-based community would only leave him alone… Well, actually he failed, but he is too ignorant to see it (Dunning-Kruger effect).
• Fascist America, in 10 easy steps Manchester Guardian From 2007 but interesting in this context. Because it works. And Mr. Obama is maintaining the trend, no mistake about it.

There is also an interaction between low education and a tendency to have racist ideas:

• Daily Mail (U.K.): Right-wingers are less intelligent than left wingers, says study
• New York Times Opinion pages: How Racist Are We? Ask Google
• Another article on the same research: Google Searches Show Where Racism May Hurt Obama’s Presidential Campaign
• Which Search Engine’s Users Are The Most Racist?

A snapshot of the world poor people live in:

• The High Cost of Poverty: Why the Poor Pay More. Washington Post. Poverty in real life as opposed to right-wing rhetoric.

Nov. 9, 2012: corrected a few typos.

Nov. 20. 2012: added Daily Mail link.

Dear Senator McCain

Dear Senator Mc Cain,

I am Canadian (and English is a second language to me) but I want to bring to your attention the increasingly hateful discourse about the current Administration and President Obama in particular. It is getting downright scary. The Republican Party you love is losing its moderate voters fast because of the hateful departures from reality spread by right-wing bloggers and talk radio hosts, not to mention certain cable TV pundits (I am sure you know who I mean). I do not want to include an hyperlink in this message (it might be considered a security breach) but I beg you to read Frank Rich’s op-ed column in June 13th’s « New York Times », the piece is titled « The Obama Haters’ Silent Enablers« .

Debate is getting irrational, some lone gunmen have reacted to the ambient hate and yet the untruths get piled up more every day. You showed on election night that you know what is right, that you are loyal to your country even in defeat. You are widely respected. Please do not let Colin Powell be alone in calling on the carpet the liars and racists and « birthers » who spread untruths. I am counting on you to protect the honour of your beautiful country and the party of Lincoln. You have nothing to lose but you can make a big difference in your country’s future if you speak up now.

PLEASE ACT MR. SENATOR.

Des affiches magnifiques inspirées par Barack Obama

Poster réalisé par Jason Urban

Des artistes sont inspirés par les élections américaines et en particulier par le grand vent d’espoir qui se lève avec le sénateur d’Illinois, M. Barack Obama.

Certaines de ces œuvres sont appelées à devenir, d’après moi, de grands classiques des arts visuels, au même titre que les affiches d’Andy Warhol ou le célèbre poster de Che Guevara.

C’est à voir ici. Vous devrez peut-être tronquer l’adresse et naviguer dans les menus du site pour voir les affiches, mais je n’y peux rien.