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Showing posts from April, 2024

Oath and Honor

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  After the November 2020 elections, President Trump made several high-profile firings and personnel changes, particularly in positions related to national security and election security. Notable individuals who were fired include: Mark Esper , Secretary of Defense - Fired on November 9, 2020. Esper's dismissal raised concerns due to the crucial role of the Pentagon during the transition period between administrations, which is a time of potential vulnerability for the United States . Chris Krebs , Director of the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency at the Department of Homeland Security - Krebs was fired after he countered President Trump’s claims about election fraud, asserting that the 2020 election was secure and that there was no evidence of voting systems being compromised. His firing was announced via a tweet from President Trump . These firings were part of a broader pattern of replacing key officials with loyalists, which heightened concerns about the stabilit

Age of Revolutions: Progress and Backlash from 1600 to the Present

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  Age of Revolutions: Progress and Backlash from 1600 to the Present   Fareed  Zakaria Synopsis  Fareed Zakaria's book *Age of Revolutions: Progress and Backlash from 1600 to the Present* delves into the transformative periods of history, emphasizing the shifts in political, technological, and economic landscapes. The book is divided into two main parts: 1. **Revolutions Past:** This section explores historical revolutions, beginning with the First Liberal Revolution in the Netherlands, moving through England's Glorious Revolution, France's Failed Revolution, the Industrial Revolution in Britain, and the American Revolution's industrial impact. 2. **Revolutions Present:** This part addresses contemporary global trends, such as the extreme pace of globalization, the unbound nature of technology, the resurgence of identity-based tribalism, and geopolitical shifts. Zakaria argues that the essence of politics, a constant struggle for power, hasn't changed much over cent