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Continue reading →: The Flip of the Board: Trump’s Return to a Pre-Rules Global OrderAt Issue: In the decades following World War II, the United States helped construct a global system that, while imperfect, brought relative economic stability. Like Luciano and Lansky’s “Commission” that curbed mob violence by enforcing a code among criminal syndicates, the postwar international order — from Bretton Woods to the…
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Continue reading →: What If the World Tariffed America’s Real Power?At Issue: Donald Trump has imposed blanket tariffs on virtually every country in the world, in an attempt to strong-arm foreign nations into relocating their manufacturing and production to the United States. It’s a strange, outdated, and ultimately self-defeating strategy — one that ignores where America’s real economic strength lies.…
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Continue reading →: End the Trade War. Tax the Sacred Cows.At Issue: Trump’s Trade War is an attempt to turn back the clock. It’s going to cause massive disruption. Manufacturing in the US was at one point as high as 30% of the economy. It’s now down to 7%. The manufacturing sector is just simply gone and the sooner that…
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Continue reading →: Taylor Sheridan’s ‘Landman’: Final ThoughtsAt issue: This is the final installment of my thoughts on Landman, the TV series by writer, director, and showrunner Taylor Sheridan. Season one has demonstrated exceptional prowess in cinematography, art direction, sound design, and musical composition—everything that attracts an audience. However, the writing is consumed by a relentless need…
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Continue reading →: It’s Not Facism. It’s Neo-ConfederacyAt Issue: Democrats and the mainstream media repeatedly warned that Donald Trump’s return to power would mark the rise of fascism in America. This message was echoed ad nauseam, only for some to walk it back after his re-election. Joe Scarborough and Mika Brzezinski, in a bizarre and humiliating turn,…
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Continue reading →: Taylor Sheridan’s ‘Landman’At Issue: When I wrote the blog post “Debunking Taylor Sheridan’s ‘Landman’” I had not watched the series. I was simply curious as to how Billy Bob Thornton was going to be the voice for the “unwoke.” He’s been doing this shit for a number of years when he acted…
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Continue reading →: From DEI to Dictatorship (Redux)At Issue: Trump’s re-ascendency is giving a renewed permission structure to return back to a time before DEI and ESG programs were put in place. Trump through an executive order has dismantled DEI programs across the US civil service and sent the DEI consultant class packing. No tears shed there.…
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Continue reading →: Critical Thinking For All: Bullshit Debating TacticsAt Issue: Bluster. Confabulation. In-your-face aggression. Bullying. People will use every tool in their distorted toolbox to win an argument, often resorting to manipulative tactics instead of sound reasoning. It’s time to stand up to it. Recognize when someone is using these tactics to sway you to their side, and…
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Continue reading →: Critical Thinking For All: The FallaciesAt Issue: In a world filled with disinformation stemming from the breakdown of traditional media—once led by dedicated, educated professionals committed to holding power to account—we now face a so-called “New Media” era dominated by a ragtag group of online influencers who have thrown out the rulebook. These influencers pose…
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Continue reading →: Saagar Enjeti: Faux PopulistAt Issue: Saagar Enjeti, co-host of the popular YouTube show Breaking Points, presents himself as a serious commentator and right-wing populist in what he keeps calling the “New Media” space (we’ll see how “new” it becomes rather than just a commercial replacement of the old), but his approach reveals significant…
Never Lose Your Entertainment Value
Why do this?
Operamode is a response to the deep divisions of our time by posing a critical question: what is the role of government? A dangerous ideology has emerged—not aimed at reform, but at dismantling government from within. Elected under the pretense of serving the public at large, are people seeking to destroy the very democratic institutions that got them there in the first place, by granting unrestricted power to private interests and minimizing the power to the public at large. As with any aria, the diva will not be taking questions.
