10/31/22

This expansion on 'eyes front' is long enough to move to its own post, and made specifically for the portion of this article that reads:

"There are multiple reasons for this (sense of political movements being welcoming or alienating, if I understand correctly), but one speaks to the fundamental difference between left and right. The (who?) speaks for and from power and is about preserving it. The (who?) is about challenging it. Whenever the (who?) is forced to yield or capitulate, it seeks to reorder the terms of debate, allowing some who were previously excluded into the charmed circle. That also puts the (who?) in the position of defining social relations, starting with who the heroes and villains are, and why. Those outside the circle of power are compelled to compete against each other, struggling against the defined social relations that are imposed on them."

Addressing the Whos in some semblance of order - first, a quick look at the composition of the government as it is now, with the current and forecast numbers beneath the map.

Second, since money is one measure of power, I'm re-upping links from earlier that have information on donors and funding, as well as adding this table on cash totals and this article from a site that has little reason to spare either side of the divide. Of course, influence is another measure of power; and for that measure, I'd encourage another look at those donors, taking specific note of the number of co-founders, directors, and producers.

Third, I've some e-mails and the odd screenshot that would address the 'terms of debate,' but for convenience's sake, I'll just add links to articles that show how one side seeks to reorder these terms, accompanied by examples providing the counters to that reorder. (Let me also keep reminders of any attempt to reorder by obscuring.)

Fourth - the most visible example of 'defining... who the heroes and villains are' I can think of surrounds the largest shopping spree I've read about, from genius to Phony Stark and wow, um, back; and those articles are just from one publication among many. (I'm almost certain - make that entirely certain - there's a way to check keywords in headlines and articles over time, so I wonder if there's already a word cloud around this segment of time, right before and after.)