Life and Times of Alex Esguerra — Trump's America

Antidemocractic tactics of deceit, lies and confusion for media domination

Publicado por noreply@blogger.com (Alex Esguerra) en



Famous authoritarian rulers historically can be remembered as the greatest manipulator of the media, the air waves on tv, newspaper print and now in this century, "the social media" It's surprising to note that common laymen like all of us have to go to so much verification and scrutiny to create a username, handle, page or even an ad on the this platforms if they think it has some kind of relation to politics or political views and opinions. Yet those, in the highest places of power are the exceptions to all of us that they can say or advertise anything they want. Of course this is a debate-table statement however this is based on my own personal views and experience. 

I highlighted, "Antidemocracy in America" as a reference point. This book written in 2019 made a statement on how there could be a unsettling turn toward authoritarian rule. It warn from the social impact of tweets, the breaking news stories using political drama as a strategy. The /fake news/ statements has gotten so much dominance on psychological reverse mentality aiding with the daily shows for everyone to watch.

George Packer of the Atlantic wrote in April 2020, "But a simple intuition had propelled Trump throughout his life: Human beings are weak. They have their illusions, appetites, vanities, fears. They can be cowed, corrupted, or crushed. A government is composed of human beings. This was the flaw in the brilliant design of the Framers, and Trump learned how to exploit it. The wreckage began to pile up. He needed only a few years to warp his administration into a tool for his own benefit. If he’s given a few more years, the damage to American democracy will be irreversible.

In page 136 of this book "How We Got Here" it talks on the roots of our current criminal justice system in the 1960's. The debates and need for legislation already started then. Sad to say during the Nixon presidency the US Federal government withdrew resources from the cities where these debates started. It expanded support for law enforcement and design a more punitive criminal justice system.  Hence, in the on-going street protest a big part of the battle cry is start the change way down from the local governments.

The calls for overall of the criminal justice system was fortified by the Black Lives Matter movement and books like The New Jim Crow. On the book's page 140, it writes, "President Trump's repeated calls for "law and order" represent a clear turn backward to the rhetoric used by Richard Nixon in 1968". The last few days we know what law and order means "Domination"  

Certain TV  networks that promoted Trump and is still is; the primary voters who elevated him; the party and politicians who eventually surrendered and glorified him, the so-called intellectuals who argued for him, and the donors who, however grudgingly, wrote checks to him—all of them knew, by the time they made their decisions, that Trump lied all the time, about everything. They knew that Trump was ignorant, and coarse, and boastful, and cruel.

After all it is a show and the higher the ratings are means, the road to re-election. There are so many ways we can act and fight for the cause of equality. One big part  is to continue correcting the propaganda,

Leer más →


Yes We (Still) Can, a Preview

Publicado por Alexander Esguerra en


Yes We (Still) Can

As my writings are more link to current issues and events including current governments, I normally don't do a lot of reading and writing on the past.
For some reason, I was convince to preview the few parts of this book precisely due to the humble introduction made by the author, Dan Pfeiffer when clarified through his Reader Beware annotation saying that the book is not about the Obama years, continuing that he is not an historian but mostly a journal of how remembers his Obama affiliation, and Obama's last Pod Save interview with him. He wanted to connect the present state of politics and his thinking on the future is why I sort of said it may be relevant to the present.
This book is a side by side challenger to Trump's America authored by Former Speaker Newt Gingrich where he compared the anti-Trump Coalition and the Trump die hard. Contrary, Dan Pfeiffer navigates to Why and What happened to the election of the new president which leads to the Anti and Pro Trump coalition in Gingrich's book. The main relevance for me is that Pfeiffer tries to create an argument to young people that politics is worth engaging to. The very essence of why I continue on youth advocacy through my blogs and writings. I do credit the author Former President Obama as indeed it was in 2008 that change the scenario of US elections when the young people in that election was historic in votes making Obama President. 
As Pfeiffer explained, just on the Obama written book of Dreams of My Father, touch on being young, mixed cultural race towards a rising minority to the highest office in the most powerful country in the globe. The author himself cited his personal travails starting in 7th grade in Japan, his recollection of the politics and presidents from that time forward. Later towards Obama's presidency that he created his executive order on DACA and the Dreamers knowing the broken immigration system. Obama knew it was not going to be on watch even if some day there was indeed an overhaul on the immigration system.
His first year in office was spent on the Financial overhaul and modernization needed to come out of the deep recession. Any business person including the current commander in chief have a an understanding of what and why this crisis was. Of course how the statements of the current administration on this a deliberate attempt of mere discredit to a legacy.
The Affordable Care Act in another issue has been debated through this day at the start of the new administration. The goal of eradicating a legacy keeps popping up from all fronts including fake news and the democrats. As I end on this short commentary, another interesting piece I read while previewing this upcoming bestseller is on how President Trump has change the traditional ways of Presidential communications.
On this part regardless, I will have to agree on how Mr. Trump has revolutionized the structure of easy communications from a sitting president through constant daily tweets. This part I find President Trump also a businessman gains credit. The files of paper overloads and staff just to answer letters and communicate by previous presidential staffs  were tremendous. Not only had we reduce waste of paper etc.., The Office of the President has shown a better each to reality. I would end on what Dan Pfeiffer said that instead democrats should be looking on the history on how Obama won in 2008 using social media and the youth instead of looking at each tweet President Trump does everyday.




Leer más →