Los Angeles and other places 2017 part II

Sometimes, further experiences broaden one's perspective.   Although Los Angeles is all the things I said in my previous piece, there are many aspects to this metropolis that inspire.   The LACMA for example, which is showing an outstanding exhibit of Picasso and Rivera, visiting the periods of their great work and contrasting them at the same time.  Not to mention its impressive permanent collection of French impressionism, old masters and renaissance art.

The diversity of the people and the harmonious California tolerance for others does not match the gullible xenophobic environment of Middle America, victimized by the hucksterism of Trumpian averments and mendacity.   However, in all fairness, these people are being left behind because of the failure of our educational system.  But it is doubtful that Trump budget cuts will do anything for that.

The people here exude tolerance for the diversity.  Mexicans, Asians, Muslims and all manner of people congregate here to achieve the Hollywood dream, even though it is illusory.

Although the United States is going through a period of transition, a period of taking stock of what will work in the coming years, California represents the leading edge of the recognition that global engagement is the only way forward.  California, the fifth largest economy in the world, only has two senators for its 35 million people.  Wyoming with its 500,000 people has the same.   Seems like the days of the Missouri compromise should have been over a long time ago.  A Constitutional amendment should be the order of the day.

The Boulevards, jammed with traffic, the grove full of shoppers and the cinemas full of moviegoers all of whom wish to commune with the latest offerings of the 21st century art form that has transitioned from the 20th century, not missing a beat.    IMAX, enormous screens, that magnify the movie experience populate the multitudinous theatres, the lifeblood of the Hollywood film.

Artists and most people whom I have met here are progressives who care deeply about the crypto-fascist element that inhabits the corridors of power in Washington, and fear the emanations of the new administration and a regression to the 1950s--a time when our country was not so great, because the underlying racism and fear of others was well disguised under a veil of secrecy and a homogenized view of the American polity.  Not that Hollywood did not participate in a blacklist for fear that their point of view would be antipathetic to box-office revenues.    Bryan Cranston, brilliantly portraying Dalton Trumbo, a blacklisted writer-genius had to conceal his work under nomes de plume in order to support his family.  Many other screenwriters and actors had to suffer as well.

McCarthyism, like Bannon/Trumpism used demagogic fear mongering and bullying to intimidate and get its own way, even without the benefit of Twitter.

Now the chickens are coming home to roost; the POTUS circus is being revealed for what it really is:  a circumlocution bureau of lies.  President Obama was not born in the US.  President Obama tapped the Donald's phones in his gold plated tower, a "better" replacement for Obama care that will boot 24 million Americans off their insurance plans, billions for a "beautiful wall, believe me." that will keep Mexican "rapists and criminals" out and Medicaid for the poor, an exploding deficit and don't forget, tax cuts for the richest "job creators."  And by the way, Ivanka and Jarred can pick their own fruit.  But billions more for aircraft carriers and submarines to fight ISIS in the desert.

And let's not forget the picture of Andrew Jackson, a racist murderer, now ensconced in the Oval office, together with the new gold "dictator chic" curtains.

Presently, Donald's presidency apprenticeship is not doing well either in LA, NY, Miami or even in flyover country where workers are going to lose their health insurance, coal mining jobs among all the other promises purveyed by prevaricating GOP politicians.   So far nothing has happened except virulent tweets, a health care plan, which is dead on arrival, and a budget that is nonsensical.  Thank you Paul Ryan for your cowardice and obsequious support for party unity at the expense of the middle class.

Oops.  I forgot the British intelligence tapping of Donald's phone, the source for such information a former "very talented legal mind" on Fox news (later disavowed by Fox itself).  Judge Napolitano, obviously more reliable than the chiefs of all the national intelligence agencies.