Today's MOZEN: Irony

F LoBuono

Fareed Zakaria, the outstanding journalist who specializes in international affairs for CNN, was recently invited to Rome by President Trump's former senior adviser, Stephen K. Bannon, to conduct a wide ranging interview. It was subsequently broadcast on CNN.

I watched virtually the entire interview. In reality, it provided no new insights for me. Bannon is what he is and he will not change. He is a man with a plan that he has provided for an Administration that seems to support it whole heartily. For the sake of simplicity, let's call it New Nationalism, i.e. a desire to put America First, even at the expense of good, sensible international relationships. I find it as dangerous as it is confounding. And, as I say repeatedly: You get what you pay for. I was NOT surprised.

However, I did find a great deal of irony in many aspects of Mr. Bannon's plan, and especially that the interview was conducted in Rome. It appears that Bannon is on a European tour of sorts, meeting with various international groups that share his view of Economic (if not RACIAL) Nationalism. In the interview, he sighted growing like-minded groups in Italy, Hungary, France and elsewhere as his proof that he is at the forefront of powerful people's movement - a la Donald Trump's in America.

For me, the irony lies in Mr. Bannon's Catch-22 logic: He supports Nationalism in each individual country he visits which ultimately can come to mean that, at some point, as a foreign national, if they have there way, he may not be allowed back into THEIR countries!

So, WHEN YOU THINK ABOUT IT, in the end, it's a self-defeating policy. International Nationalism???

But, that seems to be typical of this administration and the people who support it. Logic, as well as veracity, seem to be terms inconsistent with their policies. Comparisons to National Socialism (i.e. the Nazi Party) may seem extreme but the frightening template is certainly being put in place. The President is currently setting himself to be seen as ABOVE THE LAW. Nationalism, Isolationism, condemnation of the press, and a tenuous relationship with the facts and the truth will lead us down a ruinous path. History has SHOWN us that.

Remember, you get what you pay for. It's time to return the merchandise.