Coop Scoop: The War, Nazis, DVE's, France and Cancel Culture Too

A potpourri of truths

April 20, 2022

Welcome to my now regular feature, curated recommendations for reading and listening. I have made a selection of the material I have been looking at that I think is worth sharing.

Some of these items I wholly endorse. Others are presented to stimulate thought and discussion and keep minds open. Enjoy and let me know what you think!

THE WAR AGAINST UKRAINE

This piece I do endorse. It is without question the best analysis of the roots and consequences of the war currently available. It is an exhaustive look at the complicated history of Ukraine and Russia and an excellent probe of the how the actions of the Russian, Ukrainian and US governments contribute to the conflict. It’s very long but I wished it was longer. A wonderful smorgasbord of details as well. No slogans. No polemics. Just the facts! Tony Wood in New Left Review.

Journalist Matt Taibbi has been quite vocal on the war. Initially scoffing at the notion that there would be an invasion by the Russians and mocking those who were predicting it. His podcast remains littered with pro-Russian and very fringe anti-American tankies but Matt himself did apologize to his readers for his mistake. Perhaps to salve his conscience and/or putting the big bucks (6 mid six figures) he’s earning from Substack to some use, he did create a new Substack only for dissident Russian writers and others. That’s something he should be applauded for. Especially for his decision to stay out completely from the Russian Dissident site after setting it up. There’s some very good material on it now. I point to Russia’s leading Marxist dissident Boris Kagarlitsky who has written a fine piece from Moscow on the “failure of Putin’s blitzkrieg.” He underlines how this war fought on the “pretext” of confronting NATO is only leading to its strengthening. The Blitzkrieg Failed. What’s Next?

OUR DEMOCRACY IN PERIL

It might be the first time in my career, but here’s a shoutout to The New Republic. This venerable mag has gone through a a very turbulent decade or so, including a near-death experience, renewal, decline again, and now another incarnation that is really working. Kudos to editor Mike Tomasky (former colleague at the Village Voice 30 years ago!). He has found a formula that works and makes the magazine an enjoyable and unpredictable read, one that has totally eclipsed its historic rival, The Nation. The current issue is great, dedicated in totality to to the ongoing threat to our democracy. And you do know, I assume, that the band of Trumpy subversives are back and laying the groundwork to nullify the 2024 election while the DOJ dithers and the 1/6 Committee has only a half year of life left in it. If you are not a subscriber I think you get 3 free articles. But at $10 annual, a sub is a bargain.

THE UNQUALIFIED JUDGE WHO LIFTED THE MASK MANDATE

Do you know anything about the 33 year old Trump-appointed judge who threw out the mask mandate on Monday? Well, read it and weep in the Daily Beast. The ABA had rated her as “not qualified.” But here she is, essentially dictating federal law from the bench about a public health pandemic about which she is completely ignorant.

FASCIST FRANCE?

We will find out next week when long time right wing extremist Marine Le Pen faces moderate right winger Macron in the run off vote for the French presidency. Macron is favored to win by a couple of points but serious French analysts are in no way ruling out a victory by the Neo-fascists. Substacker and professor Peter Beinart invites those who join his Substack to participate in a Zoom forum on Thursday with WaPo columnist James McAuley who is based in Paris. I will be there for sure.

THE DEMOCRATS’ DILEMMA

Writer Freddie de Boer, one of the more lively voices on the American center-left is always worth reading. His latest piece, For Democrats, It’s the Worst of Both Worlds is really on target and comes close, if not exactly, to my view. Should the Dems move to the center and minimize the Bernie Left. Or should it go the other way and isolate the centrists and conservatives in the party? Or maybe none of the above. I’ll let Freddie answer that one. And it’s not a simple answer.

THE NATION MAGAZINE DISCOVERS CANCEL CULTURE

It looks like The Nation gets two sorta negative mentions in this edition. Could this in anyway be a product of unfinished business and resentments from a disgruntled former staff writer who severed his relations with the mag a year ago (and they were just as happy as I was with the divorce)? Of course not! LOL How could anybody who worked for and with a left organization for 20 or 30 years ever feel that? It’s just that my former association gives me, um, what you might call perspective! I don’t much read The Nation anymore as I am allergic to superficial agit-prop as well as relentless and clueless celebrations of Wokeness. But I did catch this column last week by former colleague and veteran Nation columnist Katha Pollitt who now informs us — oh, about 8 or 9 years late— that Cancel Culture Exists. Can you imagine that?!?! Who knows what these sleuths will discover next? I don’t think Katha’s column surprises anybody with this new found knowledge, except maybe the editors of the mag who are superbly skilled in denying any faults on the Left as well as maybe some of the 85 year old Stalinists who compose most of the rag’s funding base. I don’t want to put out any spoilers but do pay attention to the last couple of lines of what Katha wrote where she hedges her column — just in case. Fantastic.

That’s it. Let me know what you think of these pieces.

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