This wonderful opening paragraph by Nick Cater also appeared today in The Australian. "Bill Shorten is a man of conviction according to union boss John Setka. Setka, on the other hand is man with convictions, at least 40 of them at last count, and he is facing charges under section 87 of the Crimes Act, which prohibits making demands with menace to gain an advantage." (John Setka is the Victorian head of the Construction Foresty Maritime Mining and Energy Union)

A parody of Hitler and the Nazis, and paradoxically excusing Donald Trump.

Fictive language at work, some would and some would not agree.

Or the rise of D Trump in the very best democracy money can buy? Alan B.

Hi Alan,

I've been interested in patron-client systems, corruption and power structures for at least 35 years and I've just come across Niall Ferguson's 'The Square and The Tower' (very strongly recommended) which pulls much of it together. Criminal networks like the Mafia or Putin's close circle also relate to political systems of absolutism, what is termed sultanism, and totalitarianism generally.

Reading over this material, one can't help, over and over again, but compare much of this ghastly stuff with Trump and his obvious preferences for totalist or absolutist or dynastic rule. If his half-witted kid was a few years older, one might expect Trump to be grooming him to take over. Cf. the Kims in North Korea - maybe that's why Trump thinks he can relate to, and dominate, Kim Jong-Un. Yeah, right.

You may remember 'Catch 22', especially the film, in which Orson Welles, playing the role of General Dreedle, was sure that he had the right to arbitrarily demand the execution of whoever he didn't like (i.e. Richard Solomon in the film). I dare not pursue the possibility that Trump also believes that he ought to have the right to have someone executed on his say-so. Like his bum-buddy Kim.

Maybe I have a very warped sense of vision, but has anybody else seen parallels in the posturings of Trump and Mussolini ? The out-thrust jaw ? The passionate blather ? Of course, different times, but is there much commonality between the political leanings of the two - the resort to populism of the crassest sort, the simplification of complex issues, the racism and rattling of sabres ? All Trump needs is a uniform.

Joe

Fuhrer Howard and Emperor Gee Dubblya Bush, in cahoots with Don Tony Corleone Blair carried out the best propaganda campaign since the Goebells & the aforementioned with the War On Terror.

No WMDS here...move along ! US $8 Triilion missing from the documents...what you say ? Next day all blowing in the winds as Twin Towers mysteriously fall over..no problem !

Another excuse to whip impressionable young canon fodder into uniforms and send them off to the Meatgrinder...only to return, dejected and rejected by their governments and sleep rough on the streets.

A day after ANZAC Day & where will all the jingoistic and well meaning platitudes mouth-pieces be ? Safe in their comfortable beds at home nursing hangovers paid by the taxpayer on the backs of those who served and suffered.

Never a truer word said....but only the wall heard you

What is it with Trump ? Why does he feel the need to brush dandruff off Macron's coat ? Imagine if Macron has whipped out a hanky and said "And there's some snot on your cheek, here, let me wipe it off", and then handed his hanky to an aide to burn immediately.

And is it normal protocol for guests to tail behind when the two come out to speak to the public ? I keep asking myself, "What would a Mafia boss do to reinforce his dominance over lesser dons", since explicit power seems to be always on Trump's mind: "Me Number One !" How old is he ? Twelve ?

If Trump's meeting with Kim Jong-Un goes ahead (and I don't think it will), I suspect that young Kim will run rings around him, there won't be any "Me Go First !" in any such meeting. I suspect that it will be more likely that South Korea (and China and Japan in the background) will do the running on some workable arrangement with Kim, perhaps a non-aggression pact while Kim keeps his weapons, that the Yanks will be pushed to the side-lines, like blowflies - a lot of buzzing, but not much tangible outcome.

Absolutism, or Mafia tactics, don't always work.

Joe