The FBI and Department of Justice Assert The Jeffery Epstein Client List Does Not Exist

 

The FBI and Department of Justice announced that the Epstein client list does not exist. To the general public, this seems difficult to believe. For decades Jeffery Epstein had been engaging in sexual violence with the help of  Ghislaine Maxwell. The crimes and number of victims would indicate that both had to keep track of individuals who were active on his properties. The possible explanations are cover-ups or destruction of evidence. The reason that the client list would be hidden is that it contains names of major political figures. Being a prominent financier, Epstein had access to a number of public figures. Politicians, celebrities, and numerous entertainers could have been on the client list. The case is not closed, because it just creates more questions. The video released of Epstein does not reveal much either. The assertion was that Epstein committed suicide. However, the bones broken in his neck did not appear to be caused by hanging. The only way to get answers would be to question Ghislaine Maxwell. Currently serving a 20 year prison sentence, she would have more information about Epstein's criminal activity. The Epstein case further demonstrates why the public does not trust law enforcement agencies. The protection of the upper class and wealthy elite shows how criminal justice is undermined. There could be more powerful public figures that have sex trafficking networks unknown to the public.  

Iceland's Women Workers Strike

 

Iceland saw women workers do a labor strike across the country. Taking place on October 24, it only lasted a day. This was not genuine labor action or protest. Labor strikes are designed to last as long as certain demands are met. The focus was also to draw attention to unequal pay and gender based violence. These are feminist concerns that should have their own demonstration. The attempts at worker solidarity have limitations. If there is a concern about domestic violence, then more laws should be made to address it. When it comes to income inequality, as long neoliberal capitalism exists equal pay is not possible. Prime Minister Katrin Jakobsdottir claimed she remained home to show her support. The move was more of a public relations stunt, rather than a serious political position. The strike itself seemed to lack direction or purpose. The World Economic Forum has ranked Iceland one of the most gender equal countries. The problem with international institution rankings is that they do not recognize the reality of the experiences of the regular person. The strike ignores the immigrant women's struggle in Iceland. The tactics of fouth wave feminism could be self defeating. Making all men seem like an enemy disregards that men of low income are exploited. Building an alliance requires compromises and collaboration with  various organizations. The discussion of domestic violence at a worker's rights demonstration becomes a non-sequitur. Unequal pay does not just effects women. Among various racial and ethnic groups there is a gap. Then it must be understood, that women are not going into certain sectors as men are. More women have to get involved in mathematics, science, technology, and engineering. Working women should question why Prime Minister Katrin Jakobsdottir has not made economic and women's issue a priority. New legislation has not been introduced since the October labor strike.  

Indonesia Criminalizes Premarital Sex

A new criminal code is being imposed which will restrict sex before marriage. Doing so would result up to a year in jail if charged. Indonesia has democratic structures, but religion undermines them. The law also places restrictions on cohabitation between unmarried couples . Foreigners visiting or temporarily in Indonesia are not exempt from the criminal code. Women are going to be impacted by this disproportionately. The conservative interpretation of Islam is not compatible with a democratic system. Indonesia is placing more restrictions on its citizens personal freedom. The president or state institutions are not to be vituperated. Protests are  now going to have authorized notification before taking place. Expressing views that do not support state ideology could result in punishment. The new criminal codes will go into effect three years. How the law will be enforced and regulated remains uncertain. Indonesia could be falling back into a regime similar to that of Suharto. The awful legacy of the colonial criminal code still haunts the country. Attempts to change it were done in 2019, but failed. The motivation for President Joko Widodo is clear. Upcoming elections are the reason he wanted the bill passed in parliament. Votes can be gained from the more conservative religious constituents and opposition parties can be censored. The law is presented as protecting family values and Islam. What it is designed to do is create a semi-authoritarian regime. Indonesia gradually could be come more theocratic in the coming years. Women, the LGBT, and the tourism industry are going to be negatively impacted. Investments from other nations might be withdrawn from Indonesia. A theocratic regime cannot produce stability or economic progress.  

The Masha Amini Protests

 

The death of Masha Amini has sparked protests over Iran. The morality police have been under much criticism for their conduct in Iran. A new attention to women's rights has been the focus. This is different from the 2009 protests. Those were directed at the administration at the  the time. Iranian women have a new desire to have more freedom and access to the public sphere. The protests are indigenous,  meaning that there is no external force attempting destabilization. If Iran wants to change its government, it will have to come from the efforts of the people living there. Exiles and foreign entities are not going to form a genuine revolution. Other social pressures could be driving discord. Sanctions and the war in Yemen are sources of contention. The growing possibility of a conflict with Israel is a concern. Saudi Arabia continues to be a security risk to the Islamic Republic. The economic and social challenges are not being addressed. The theocratic regimes in the Middle East are some of the worst human rights abusers. Iran and Israel demonstrate why theocracy is not preferable form of government. Women are subject to more abuse under theocratic regimes. More restrictions are placed on women  the more religious a society is. The demonstrations are not as massive as the 1979 Iranian Revolution against the monarchy. The reason is because  the issue mostly effects women. Men probably are not going to be supportive of a social  or cultural change related to sex politics. Although the demonstrations might not be successful, a growing number of Iranian women are reaching a new political consciousness.    

Accusations of Sexual Harassment At The United Nations

 

The United Nations has been accused of creating a hostile workplace for women. The international body has been exposed to have massive amounts of sexual harassment claims. Those who were subject to abuse either had their claims ignored or faced retaliation. The accusations come as the UN faces challenges related to the Russia-Ukraine conflict, climate change, and growing US-China tension. The cases of sexual violence and abuse  are not shocking considering more egregious incidents. UN peacekeepers have engaged in sexual violence in conflict zones. Seeing as women are also a part of those forces similar cases have occurred. Although  the UN has denied whistleblowers were targeted for exposing crimes, evidence suggests some were terminated because they exposed this to the press. The slow response and limited investigation implies cove-up or guilt. The UN has presented itself as the institution that promotes human rights and the protection of international law. The image that has been presented to the public has gradually faded. Corruption and an unsafe work environment has damaged the UN's credibility. Women who thought the United Nations could advance the cause of women's rights are faced with a dilemma. The world's most powerful supranational institution has a sexist and male dominated workplace culture. Creating gender balance in leadership will not help, unless culprits are punished for their actions. If the United Nations does not fix failures in policy and the organization, it might not survive. The UN could become defunct from internal problems that it refuses to resolve. The exact number of incidents is unknown. The United Nations has not provided data related to sexual harassment in its offices or sexual violence during peacekeeping operations.  

Kellyanne Conway's Controversial Comments

 

Kellyanne Conway had defended President Donald Trump's behavior and policies throughout his first term. There is a pattern in which the administration has women, make excuses for his past sexual misconduct. Conway during the 2016 campaign  received much criticism for her comments regarding rape and sex crimes. She stated that "rape would not exist if women were physically stronger." Conway articulated this  on a panel discussion from PBS program To The Contrary . The panel was talking about women in combat roles and Kellyanne was using her statement to exclude women from frontline combat positions. Her statement reflects major ignorance about rape and sex crimes. Men in prison are subject to custodial rape and children can be victim to molestation. Rape can occur with the presence of alcohol, which has been an issue on college campuses. Kellyanne Conway's statement demonstrates that there are women in the Republican Party and the conservative movement that assist in keeping misogyny alive. It was announced that Conway will be resigning from the White House staff. Trump was able to get some women voters, but overall he will struggle in 2020. Many of the women that serve in his administration do not advocate for women in terms of equal pay, reproductive rights, or addressing sexual violence. Simply having a woman in a cabinet position does not ensure women's rights will be protected.     

Angela Davis on Feminism

 

Angela Davis never considered herself a feminist. She stated "I'm not a feminist, I'm a revolutionary." The reason being was that the movement was white dominated and at times used women of different races to advance their cause at other's expense. Without intersectionality the feminist movement is nothing more than a special interest group for white women. African American women contributing to it to a degree broke the long term project for black empowerment in the United States. Fractured movements for liberation will never be successful. Intersectionality has limitations, because various groups have different objectives. Women are divided by race, class, gender, and sexual orientation.  Society functions as an unequal hierarchy. The reality is that white women face little oppression in modern day America. African American, Latino, Asian, and poor women face significant barriers. The concept of inclusion will not solve these problems or emphasis on diversity.  The goal should be acceptance of different types of people. The only logical conclusion is complete dismantling and replacement of the system. Mainstream feminism will not do that and simply has no more relevance in liberation. Third and the emergent fourth wave feminism are gradually becoming more divisive. The path to women's equality rests on the defeat of  neocolonial imperialism, neo-liberal capitalism, and a racist society. 

The Age of Trumpism

When Donald Trump was elected president of the United States in 2016, there was a major shift in American politics. Political centrism and triangulation had seen defeat. What is attempting to take its place is a new era of far-right politics. Observers were either shocked or confused at this development. Conservative Trumpism has challenged the established order of American politics. The conservative movement has even questioned what it core beliefs are. The two party system has failed to meet the needs of  large sections of the American population. Partisanship or negotiation to the extent that policies produced are what the majority dislikes caused much frustration for US citizens. Disillusioned voters then chose an extreme alternative vexed at both the Republican and Democratic Party. Donald Trump through deception, social media, and racism was able to gain support. His victory was not due to the mistakes of the Hillary Clinton campaign or low voter turnout for the Democratic Party. Russian interference was not even a factor in his success. The triumph of Trump was the product of bigotry, class division, and the flaws of the liberal democratic system. Conservative Trumpism  is a dangerous political movement that seeks to reverse the advance of the civil, feminist, and gay rights movements. Trumpism combines both elements of paleoconservatism and neoconservatism mixed with xenophobic nativist nationalist ideology. It also wants to bring fiscal and social conservatives into the larger wings of the movement. This technique of making a large mass conservative movement does produce schisms along ideological lines. This explains the numerous resignations in the Trump administration. A new political age has come and many do not understand or how to oppose it. The age of  Tumpism encourages intolerance, division, and disregard for the rule of law. Political culture and American society have been corrupted to such a degree that rational debate, civility, and even truth itself are absent from the discourse. The culture of Trumpism creates an atmosphere of hate, anti-intellectualism, fear, and anger.
      The age of Trumpism is a period in which racial hate is embraced by a portion of white Americans. There has been a rival of stronger anti-immigrant sentiment that was seen in the early 20th century similar to laws such as the Immigration Restriction Act of 1924 and the Chinese Exclusion Act of 1882. Prior to those laws the Alien Act in 1798 was the beginning of a long history of anti-immigrant sentiment in the United States. The common themes in American xenophobia were disloyalty, suspicion, or scapegoating various immigrant groups for social and political problems. The Irish, Germans, Italians, Japanese,  and Chinese were subject to discrimination, yet there was a difference in terms of experience. White immigrants were welcomed into the melting pot, but the Asian, Latin American, and peoples of Africa descent were excluded. There has always been in American history a fear of non-white take over. Changes in the population cause a number of reactions . The dramatic shift to the extreme right can be explained by the anger of demographic shift. It may come a time when whites will  not be the majority  in the United States. The backlash from the increase in South American and Asian immigration is the embrace of white nationalism. It is not just illegal immigration President Donald Trump and his supporters want to stop, rather there is a desire to reduce legal immigration from particular countries. He has expressed that ideally he wants immigrants from northern European nations. Norway and Sweden Donald Trump seems in particular has more respect for . This indicates that President Trump favors some from of nordicism a eugenic racist ideology in which northern Europeans were the most superior race on Earth. They either had to separate from the African, Asian, and Latin American peoples of the world or exterminate them to maintain racial superiority.

  
To President Donald Trump, people who are not white are not "real" American citizens. Many of his supporters share this sentiment, which explains why congresswomen such as Ilhan Omar, Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, and others are targeted with racist attack. The chants of "send her back" represent the feeling that only whites have the right to be in the United States and other races are basically have a parasitic existence . The prevalence of police brutality directed against African Americans and a more aggressive Immigration and Customs Enforcement demonstrate there is more willingness to use violence against non-whites in the country. There remains a section of white America that fantasizes about a lost period after World War II. A golden age of America in their minds was when society was rigidly segregated and certain ethnic groups were banned from entering the country. This era of the 1950s, which white conservatives think as a period of equanimity was actually a time in which white privilege was at its height. With the social changes brought by the civil rights movement and black power struggle white privilege was effectively weakened. Republicans and the wider conservative movement knew they could manipulate anger over these changes to win votes. President Richard M. Nixon used the southern strategy to appeal to racists and pro-segregationist to gain a Republican advantage in that part of the United States. President Ronald Reagan appealed to the white fundamentalist Christians to build the conservative base even bigger. What President Donald Trump brought into the Republican party was a new wave of anti-immigrant factions.

The new anti-immigrant faction of the Republican party has the desire to see more strict and harsh treatment of both refugees as well as asylum seekers. The United States admits few refugees and asylum seekers compared to European nations, even though the country's military actions have caused an influx of  migration. US involvement in both Iraq and Syria has created refugees, but the US contributes little to resettlement or humanitarian efforts. The travel ban list has added more countries which include Myanmar, Eritrea, Sudan, Tanzania, and Kyrgyzstan. Travel bans really have nothing to do with security or foreign policy disagreements, rather they are showing how racial intolerance has become government policy. The travel bans are not directed at European nations. The intent is to reverse the changing demographics of the United States. Hate groups have seized upon this rise in racist sentiment and have  recruited more to their organizations. Racial hatred has once more become acceptable in American society and President Trump uses it to manipulate constituents.
       Fear and paranoia have become more commonly expressed in both the public and media. The continued fear of terrorist acts has sparked a wave of Islamophobia. It never disappeared after the 9/11 attacks of 2001. It has only become a political weapon used by the Trump administration to ensure re-election. A population that has a fear or suspicion of some group will  not be using critical thinking skills when selecting a president. When President Trump claims that immigrants are "rapists and murders" this is a means of scaring people who limited knowledge. People who do not interact with others of different religions, races, or beliefs  can easily fall to prejudice. Groups are not the only ones that are subject to a the public's trepidation. Entire nations are demonized as being threats when from a military standpoint they would not be able to defeat the United States. Russia, China,and Iran have been classified as enemies and dangerous threats. Both the left and right of the political spectrum present these countries as the embodiment of evil. The over exaggeration has become so intense that some Americans think that all the people living in these nations are malevolent as well. The media aids this by giving a distorted image of international affairs, presenting America as generally a force for good. The narrative becomes a simple dichotomy of America versus a China-Russia alliance. The reality is that there is an emerging mulipolar system in which America will no longer be able  to do as it pleases. Sudden changes and a combination of insecurity have caused the American public to embrace a new era of fear. Certain ideas are also viewed with paranoia in the Trump era.

    

Socialism has been made to seem like an extremist movement. This sentiment has even been articulated by moderates and centrists in the political spectrum. Terms and  ideas developed by far-right groups have now entered the mainstream discourse. Cultural Marxism  has been used to disparage anyone with ideas that differ from the status quo. Socialism has been made such a hated term, that Americans associate it with some form of authoritarianism. Trumpism frames left-wing politics as a threat just as perilous as terrorism. Part of the reason my there has not been improvements to the healthcare system is that many America's believe that be the first  step to a socialist government. Social democracy has worked well for Scandinavian countries. Reforms and new programs are need in the US, but paranoia has prevented real change. The Trump administration not only uses preexisting fears, but also relies on right-wing conspiracy theories. Big government wants to disarm people, flood the country with immigrants, and a leftist elite is attempting to destroy America. President Trump has expressed or  promoted various right-wing conspiracy theories in speeches, rallies, as well as Twitter. Infowars and  Brietbart  have similar ideas which seems to be where the president gets a portion of his information from. Social media enables more disinformation to spread at a rapid pace. The negative consequence of this is that more people embrace being afraid and acts of scapegoating. 

          America through its history has been a divided nation. What began as colonies with distinct cultures formed a country based around a longstanding US Constitution. The question of citizenship and government power was not fully resolved. Enslavement and expansion of the Union made these two questions needing a solution. The  American Civil  War was fought and ever since, the United States has struggled to act as one functioning country. Racial, class,  political, cultural, and religious divisions are a constant challenge. Donald Trump realizes that there is much resentment about the current political and economic conditions. As long as that resentment and rage grows the movement he started will. The most ignored division among the American population is the class disparity. The chances of upward mobility have been dramatically reduced over the past decades. The citizens of the rural and urban areas have been dramatically effected. Unemployment and limited financial security have created a portion of society left behind. The poor and middle class are forced to work harder for wages that do not go up, while corporations see immense profits. Supply side economics, neoliberal capitalism, and  corporate tax cuts have cause the gap between rich and poor to become wider. If this is not adequately addressed it will escalate into mass civil disturbance. The more ominous possibility is that more of the disenfranchised or struggling will gravitate to more xenophobic nationalist authoritarian movements. The age of Trumpism has allowed for anyone of these scenarios to be possible. Civility and rules of general discussion about the nation's affairs have gotten more vitriolic. Between the average citizen and political leaders, simple discussion devolves into vicious argument.The new era makes insults and rudeness  normal part  of political discussion. The home, workplace,  and the general public  arena have become divided among ideological lines. If two people of different political beliefs cannot have a basic conversation, then it will impossible to have a functional government. The US Senate and Congress are so divided bipartisanship no longer seems politically realistic. The two party system is being tested under a president that is like any other. Polarization and a divided country is how President Donald Trump finds political success. Republicans are also using this strategy to win combined with gerrymandering. Under the Trump era compromise and negotiation are seen as signs of  treachery. 

        The Trump era embraces an anti-intellectual position. Over the past decades a portion of conservatives have become critical of academia, climate change, and human evolution. This faction has articulated that universities have become nothing more than left-wing indoctrination centers. The irony is that the neoconservative movement's inception  was the University of Chicago. President Donald Trump denies that climate change is occurring and repealed many environmental protections.Statements regarding the matter range from lies to uninformed opinions. Once he claimed that climate change is a hoax. The data collected from scientists has shown the Earth's temperature is rising. Floods, more powerful hurricanes, and forest fires indicate that climate change has been exacerbated by human activity. The Trump administration does not care what the data says. The intent is to protect the fossil fuel industry, while ignoring more efficient alternatives. Windmill technology  and solar panels could be lucrative innovations. Science education will also be limited, seeing as the administration is more responsive to cultural conservatives. The teaching of human evolution in certain parts of the country is limited due to the fact the  Christian right are politically organized and having an influence on local school boards. Students are getting a low quality education. Funding has been an issue, but the Department of Education under Betsy Devos demonstrates that it favors gradual privatization of the school system. A large faction of conservatives have become anti-education and there may be a strategic reason for this. Voters with less education have a tendency to favor conservative candidates. The problem with this method is that it creates a workforce that does not have the skills to be active in a knowledge based economy. Automation will make various jobs of all skill levels disappear. Workers and employees are going to have to make learning new skills a life long commitment. If a population is unwilling to learn or adjust, there may be an employment and economic crisis. Logic, facts, or critical thinking skills do not matter to certain factions of Trump supporters.
         Anger at the establishment and mainstream media is more prevalent. The two party system and political centrism cannot solve the new challenges of the 21st century. The Democratic and Republican Party has distance itself so far from the average person, that it created this rage.Vexed by an Obama presidency that did not deliver radical change, some Democratic voters went with a person they believed was a maverick. The Democratic Party focused too much on the middle class, rather than expanding its base to people who were ignored. A vote for Donald Trump was an indirect message that a large section of the US was dissatisfied with the current two party establishment figures. Promises and common talking points were not enough to get voters to the polls. Mainstream media also contributed to growing polarization. CNN, Fox News, MSNBC, NBC, and ABC no longer attempt to be objective, rather dictate to their viewers which candidate they should support. The paradox was that the coverage of Donald Trump aided his election , even though he has disdain for the press. Donald Trump knows from all the years of being a public figure how to manipulate media through distraction and antics. America's obsession for celebrity and popular culture makes them not concentrate on  serious domestic and foreign affairs. The mainstream media only enable this distraction by focusing on his Tweets and  uncivil behavior. Realizing this is good for ratings all the 24 hour cable news networks compete with one another for coverage of the latest scandals from the Trump White House. The networks with more of a Democratic leaning  want to sabotage his character, yet this does not phase his base. It only invigorates their hatred and assumptions about liberal bias in media. There is media bias, but it is not solely liberal. The factions are either Republican supporting or Democratic supporting networks. Fox News and CNN are the most recognizable symbols of this division in media. President Donald Trump plays on these factions of media to promote himself and his beliefs.Every single day becomes a media circus, with anticipation about what will President Trump do next. Considering social media makes information travel faster, the problem becomes more severe.
        Political corruption is a part of American politics, yet a interesting phenomenon has developed. The public does not seem to care about it. Trump supporters are content with his abuses as long as he continues to promote their conservative values. A large web of intrigue and deception has been present since 2017. When Donald Trump fired FBI Director James Comey, this started the Russia investigation. The Muller Report concluded that there was Russian interference in the 2016 presidential election. This interference aided Donald Trump, which he sought to cover up. When James Comey refused to not drop the investigation, Trump sought to end it by removing him. President Donald Trump now has been impeached for abuse of power and obstructing congress. He attempted to extort Joe Biden through his son's business affairs in Ukraine. President Donald Trump demanded that President  Volodymr Zelensky  provided information on the Bidens involvement in Ukraine or else aid would not come. An anonymous whistle blower exposed the phone call, which them resulted in impeachment, The Republican senate will most likely acquit him and certainly will not result in his removal from office. Unlike President Richard M. Nixon, Donald Trump  has not fallen from political corruption. Donald Trump has not provided any evidence that he paid federal income tax. His refusal to release his tax returns raise questions about whether or not he has done so. While there have been multiple demonstrations against the president a mass movement demanding his resignation has not materialized. The public may not care or they feel too powerless to stop Trumpism as a political force. Even when the Trump administration ends, the movement he started will continue. The age of Trumpism has ushered in a more malevolent, hateful, and disturbing form of politics.