Ship of Fools

Global warming proselytizers leaving big clodhoppers of carbon footprints. Fascist antifascists. Unapologetic racists calling everyone but themselves racists. Forever accusing us of "hate," one of the more loving things you can do in life and a surefire way of bringing us all together. Obama has recently dusted off an old Democrat standby, that the other side "governs through fear" (sans examples of course). Isn't making grave, vague pronouncements about "fear" intended to scare you? Best of all, you don't have to back it up. The party of specious platitudes. I'll take blunt candor any day. Our side is trying, successfully, to do something about the violent MS13 gang, as the other side points out that they have "a spark of Divinity" in them. Their victims' families will be happy to hear that. There's the real division right there. Feigned piety trumps Trump. Or so they're banking on. Their "success," like many of these unfunny uninteresting and unstable entertainers (why are "creative people" all the same?) is dependent on people being undiscerning and unquestioning starry-eyed and vapid blind followers. Reminiscent of a nauseating, warmed-over (half-baked?) 60's pose: the pathetic notion that there's some sort of virtue culled from playing the wide-eyed innocent. War is bad for children and other living things. Love trumps hate. And it's been a veritable love-in since the election. A female comedian called Ivanka the c-word. On another day won't she be calling people "misogynists" at the drop of a hat? And that trumped the heck out of hate. Bravo TV's Andy Cohen on a show called "Watch What Happens Live" played a clip of Ivanka's three-year-old daughter singing a song in a recital as set-up to a ugly jab about "your mother's sweatshops." Their three-year-old child. Tell me something commensurate done by those of us who live to hate? And for the record, if that was the child of someone I don't like politically, I'd feel the same way about that. Maybe that's the real difference between us and them. Also for the record, I don't think we should just let thousands of people into the country willy-nilly every few weeks (I agree with one of Barack Obama's opinions about that) because I'm not insane and would like to still have a country in the future for people to seek asylum in. But I also have nothing but sympathy for them and hope a resolution can be reached. Maybe they can stay on Rob Reiner's lawn in the meantime. And if it doesn't go without saying, Bravo is now running insipid, somber "stop the hate" spots. Don't know if any toddlers are derided in them (that's why our remotes have fast-forward) but they obviously see their audience as hateful (not to mention simple-minded) and in need of a good talking down to. I feel we've turned some corner, a new spooky soullessness couched in smirks and smarm. A "new infernal mockery sniggering down the alleys of the earth." Jack Kerouac in 1965. "A type of sadistic facetiousness and sickjoke grisliness about human affairs, a grotesque hatred for the humble and the suffering heart." He put the sea change in the culture at 1960. It's a tsunami now. Maybe the down side of a successful long-lasting and rights-laden democracy like ours is it eventually spawns its own breed of utterly self-obsessed consummate reality-free narcissism. Rob Reiner has to be in his 70's. How could he not know that claiming Americans (i.e., white ones) fear "the browning of America" is the exact same thinking as "all blacks are lazy and shiftless?" And you can almost hear the racial barriers crashing down with this type of self-serving (and RACIST) vitriol. They're the impediments to change, the willful perpetuators of racial discord. Archie Bunker was right about him. (So was Frederick Douglass, a former slave, who wrote about these exact same people in the 19th Century) If Trump is so terrible you have to do better than that. You have to do better than "F Twump. He's a disgwace." Well said, but you have to flesh that out a little with your obvious gift for articulation. Especially if you want to put a stop to Evil Incarnate. (Didn't we always suspect he was about as intelligent as that one character he plays?) Alec Baldwin has recently called for "the overthrow of the United States government blah blah Trump." And? Why not expound on that after the applause dies down? It's pretty bad when that's not the worst thing we've heard out of him. Not by a long shot. The divide in the country isn't "political," it's personal. It's between b-word-ass f-wording s-word-heads (see above) and those of us who aren't. There are apparently people in this country who watch Joy Behar on purpose. Without morbid incredulity. That's what we're up against. Trump death squads killing gays per her? I think the media would have been all over that one. If they weren't preoccupied with investigating alleged collusion between Trump and Yakov Smirnoff. Ellen DeGeneres said on her show that she wouldn't have Trump on because he's "a danger to the country, a danger to the world, and a danger to me as a gay woman." And now a word from our sponsor. No elaboration on that needed or sought by anyone. Let's get this government overthrow started. And it's us who trade in "fear?" Obama and his minions bludgeon us with fear tactics and hysteria exclusively. In lieu of having anything else to offer. So someone I've certainly always liked doesn't just disagree with me, she hates my guts. As well as much of my friends' and family's guts. Probably every one of them an Ellen fan. Yet somehow they're in on endangering her as a gay woman? Having people in mind in that way isn't something at least akin to racism or blatant prejudice? We're seeing increasingly "my side, right or wrong" zealotry. Donald Trump's election has only served to expose it. They've been looking down their noses at us all along. Elvis never lost sight of who paid for Graceland. Everything Trump has accomplished has been in spite of the powers that be, not because of them. The performing monkeys' bully pulpits aren't working. The flat-out fake news isn't working. (look into the Kitty Genovese story from 1964) There's a big problem with gratuitous Trump-hating. If you voted instead for the shocking fraud and repugnant harridan who ran against him, then you shouldn't be voting at all. You know, the one knowingly married to a sexual predator (just like one her top aides who was married to that skeevy "Weiner" dude, currently in prison) who let her go on TV and defend him against allegations he knew to be true. Yet a victory for her was to be a victory for women? Only in their grotesque Bizzaro World. More like a victory for Harvey Weinstein. Words like "hypocrisy" and "dishonesty" and "corrupt" don't begin to cover it. Just plain nutty is more like it. Cray-cray, if you will. It's the believers in the trenches who make the world go around (with their "guns or religion or antipathy to people who aren't like them..."), not these inveterate sneerers, sniffing and pooh-pooh-ing and demonizing and denigrating and sniveling and simpering from a great, great distance. Canada, for example. Richard Branson's private island. Beverly Hills. Midtown Manhattan. Any Democrat who hasn't condemned that, that Maxine Waters, which is to say EVERY Democrat, can take their purported "principles" and high moral ground and polished bromides and do something unpleasant of a personal nature with them. Please. Ship of tools. Maybe one day we can move beyond our inherent racism and myriad "phobias" and all this hate hate hate and a gay woman can be one of the most successful and beloved entertainers in the country or a black man can even be elected President. You may say I'm a dreamer. Thanks for the important book and your important show, Tucker. VOTE, mother-effers! Against lying, pomposity and the rest of it...

First of all, this is a long introduction to my review. I am neither a Democrat or Republican. I have always voted for the person I felt was the most qualified. My family background is middle class with Dad being a HS teacher and Mom a Nurse. I don't remember politics being discussed in our family at all.I do remember with great clarity the day President Kennedy was assassinated in 1963 as I was a Jr. in High School. I also remember Dr. Martin Luther King Jr's assassination followed a few months later with that of Robert Kennedy in June of 1968.And, of course the Civil Rights movement in the US. Somehow, despite this turmoil in our nation (including the Viet Nam conflict), I enlisted in the United States Navy in 1971 and remained on active duty for 20 years retiring as a Chief Petty Officer. Each time I raised my hand and took the Oath of Enlistment, I swore to obey the orders of the President and of the Officers appointed over me. It was an oath I took most seriously.So, here I am 27 years later...and wondering what in the world is going on in our country. I am trying to understand what has happened to the moral compass in the US and the pure hatred and venom that is being spoken on both the Republican and Democratic side. Rancor, a lack of civility and derisive descriptions are everywhere. Respect has gone out the window. I like to remember the days of President Reagan and Speaker of the House Tip O'Neill. In 1980, it was a divided government and Tip said 'We will cooperate'.As an individual, I decided that I could educate myself more and have started reading political views. Hopefully, this will give me a clearer understanding of both sides of the aisle. So, I read with objectivity and a desire to learn.'Ship of Fools' is an outstanding book that is written in great detail. Tucker Carlson explains the reasons that America is the country it is today. For me, it is an invaluable lesson in history backed up by facts. And, this is exactly what I was searching for in my quest.It contains a plethora of information including the reason that a democracy doesn't exist except in middle class countries. And, according to the author the US ceased being a middle class country in 2015. The rich became richer .The immigration problem was addressed, once again with facts, including in 1970. less than 5% were immigrants. Fast forward to 2018, and it is up to nearly 14%.For me, an extremely engaging read as well as interesting. The historical portion really jogged my brain including the Manhattan Fire in 1911 when 150 died. WW I is mentioned, Amazon Uber, and Apple, as well. Chelsea Clinton also has quite a few pages written about her...For more recent events, Iraq, Iran, Afghanistan as well as other foreign countries are included. The most recent political races are included as is President Trump's election.A surprise to me was Cesar Chavez and his 1960's United Farm Workers stand. I should have remembered that he was not for illegal immigration but I had forgotten.A couple of my greatest worries.... Free speech is going down the tubes and the United States has lost its middle class.I have a much greater understanding now of the reason the press is so against Trump which I certainly knew existed. The author provides the reasoning for this, as well. Finally, an explanation for some of the hatred and animosity.For me, lots of information to digest and I feel as though I am well on my way to figuring this mess out that is enveloping our country today.Most highly recommended.

This book was a great read, easy to understand and fly right through. When you read it, its like you can hear Tucker talking to you. Doesn't feel like you're reading an advanced textbook or anything, it's for everyone. This book discusses a lot of issues that have come up in today's society & gives great info behind them. Historical facts you can look up and see did in fact happen. Read about Clinton's, Obama's, and other's involvement & views they've held in the past through speeches but have now done a complete 180 on. Celebrities that fight for one thing & behave in ways contradictory to what they preach. Gives good arguments in issues like women oppressed, racism, climate change & other environ... issues. Discusses today's educational institutions. Facebook's involvement in our gov. I found myself wanting to highlight throughout the book but am planning to first share the book with people I know would appreciate it.

Anybody who enjoys Tucker and his interviewing skills will enjoy this read. Many great truths and at times, felt like Tucker was speaking directly to us( my husband read it also). Great read for anyone interested in U.S. politics.

Excellent

Tucker Carlson writes a gripping account of why we are in such a political mess; the amazing thing is that he wrote it nearly 5 years ago. This book will resonate with readers in the UK and US.

Muy bueno

The book is a must read in order to understand the dynamics that brought not only the United States, but also the majority of the western world (including my own country, Italy) to a populist "revolution". The book provided a lot of insights and facts to show how the ruling classes have been trying for years to belittle the value of the middle lower classes, leaving them alone and unlistened to. Thanks to the writer Tucker Carlson and the publisher for this disturbing, but very intriguing journey.