The Oppenhemer Report 6/27/16

The latest Chicken Little news story is of course Brexit, and financial markets tanked last Friday on news that the British voters had opted to cede from the European Union. The Dow lost 3.4% of its value in one trading day, and other financial markets were far more severely impacted. The Canadian dollar looked like a roller coaster during the last trading day of the week, and in one day dropped over a penny against the U.S. dollar. Regardless of every indication that this would cause financial chaos in world markets, British voters narrowly chose to go it alone, opting out of the EU, and clearly the country was split right down the middle. Prime Minister Cameron resigned, probably because his “remain” position was not accepted, and his ability to lead was then in question. I, like so many other people across the globe, am baffled. On CTV news last Friday night the comparison was made between the “Leave” voters in Great Britain and the American voters who so adamantly support Donald Trump. As I see it, the message is that the disenfranchised in both countries are voting against the status quo. The rich get richer and it’s time for the “masses” to throw the bums out. I heard that there was talk of re-tallying the vote, because it was so close, but regardless of the final outcome, the die is cast, and change is coming. Whether or not British voters are making an informed decision, it would be wise for the powers that be to pay attention to this not-so-quiet revolution. I wonder what part the media has in affecting these outcomes.

Trump has banned many media outlets, including The Washington Post and the New York Times, from covering his campaign. I’m not really sure how that works in a free country, but at this point I guess he can withhold information as he chooses. While I think the media is often biased, Trump clearly uses the press to his advantage, and he can’t have it both ways. Ross Perot, another rich guy who ran for president and was chewed up and spit out by the media, got very angry about the unfair press he received. Ultimately that finished him off politically. Former CBS anchor Dan Rather was on CNN the other day, talking about how reporters aren’t asking the tough questions anymore. He thinks the media is helping Trump win. In his opinion, Trump is receiving too much press, because coverage of his outrageousness boosts ratings. Rather suggests that this is not responsible reporting. I don’t know which is worse, an evasive candidate, who makes no substantive representations, or the one who outright lies. Rather makes the point that the media was complicit in Trump’s meteoric rise to the top by letting him get away with his ridiculous generalizations. It’s hard to know which is worse, disinformation or no information. I wonder what Edward R. Murrow or Walter Cronkite would make of all this. I wish there was some way to sort out the lies and the spin from the truth, but it’s getting harder and harder to figure it out. A while back I watched a brief video which explained the mess which fuels the Syrian conflict, and it was edifying. It actually made sense to me, for a minute anyway. I wish there was a video that we, the attention-challenged public, could consult which would wrap up the presidential choices in a nutshell. What will they really do, who is the bigger threat to our ever-eroding democracy? There is not; there is only innuendo, and character assassination, and fear-mongering, and half-truths. As I have said all along, the American voting public, myself included, are complicit in this lack of leadership we see today. We are spoiled children. If somebody offers us candy and we gladly accept it, but if somebody suggests discipline, or medicine, we turn our backs. We get what we give, and if the disgruntled masses are angry, perhaps they have a right to be. Nobody wants the truth.This is shaping up to be the next big class conflict. There will be a reset, there always is. Will we learn from history? We haven’t yet, but I’m always hopeful.  

 

One of the reasons I am so active as a volunteer at Hunters Bay Radio, is that the station represents the sense of community which seems to be so lacking in the world today. Last Saturday night, I played an original song at the HBR “Listen to the Radio” fundraiser concert held at Huntsville’s Algonquin Theatre, along with 20 other musicians. I was concerned that, with over twenty acts, the show would be too long, and we would lose our audience. Miraculously, I thought it was very entertaining, the music was for the most part really good, and everyone seemed to have a great time. This afternoon at 5 P.M., some of us will gather at the Hunters Bay Radio station to dedicate a bench in memory of our fallen comrade James Carroll. We will also scatter some of his ashes around a newly planted maple outside his office window. If anyone embodied the spirit of community, it was James, and we can all learn a lot from a guy like that. He was very proud of this little community radio station, as am I, and he embodied the love, generosity, and selflessness that I wish for us all. James was not a perfect man, but his love is what lingers, now that the body is gone. I suspect that he will be present for this afternoon’s dedication, in some form or another. See you there James!

 

     -Written by Jamie Oppenheimer c 2016 ALL RIGHTS RESERVED