Essays 7, 8 and 9 comprise a speech delivered by Martin S. Kaplan at the Humanity in Action International Conference in Berlin on June 23, 2017. See the About This Essay page for more information. The annual conference is the concluding program for the 160 HIA Fellows, who are comprised of university students, half from the U.S.,… Continue reading Essay 9 “Trump and the End of the American Century”; Part 3 – Trump and the Future

Essays 7, 8 and 9 comprise a speech delivered by Martin S. Kaplan at the Humanity in Action International Conference in Berlin on June 23, 2017. See the About This Essay page for more information. The annual conference is the concluding program for the 160 HIA Fellows, who are comprised of university students, half from the U.S.,… Continue reading Essay 8 “Trump and the End of the American Century”; Part 2 – The American Century

Essays 7, 8 and 9 comprise a speech delivered by Martin S. Kaplan at the Humanity in Action International Conference in Berlin on June 23, 2017. See the About This Essay page for more information. The annual conference is the concluding program for the 160 HIA Fellows, who are comprised of university students, half from the U.S.,… Continue reading Essay 7 “Trump and the End of the American Century”; Part 1 – Prelude to the American Century

Essays 7, 8 and 9 comprise a speech delivered by Martin S. Kaplan at the Humanity in Action International Conference in Berlin on June 23, 2017. See the About This Essay page for more information. The annual conference is the concluding program for the 160 HIA Fellows, who are comprised of university students, half from the U.S.,… Continue reading Essays 7, 8 and 9 – Trump and the End of the American Century

France held a final election for President of the Republic on May 7. By all indications, no one stood in line for longer than 15 minutes at polling stations, which were only open from 7 AM to 7 PM. Results began to be announced by 9 PM, and by 11 PM, all results were complete.… Continue reading Essay Six – Vive la France! For the Election Process and Result

“Sure I talk large when I’ve  got nothing to back it up, but I’m not talking wild just the same. I know I can fool them—-I know it—and that’s backing enough for my game.” “Aren’t I the Emperor? The laws don’t apply to him….There’s little stealing….and there’s big stealing….For the little stealing they get you… Continue reading Essay Five – Trump is President, a Loser and “The Emperor Jones”

The term “Banana Republic” was coined by O. Henry in “Cabbages and Kings” (1904) to describe a fictional republic marked by an authoritarian dishonest government run for profit by the ruling family and friends. The name refers to the United Fruit Company’s influence in Central America, its singular goal being economic and political power for… Continue reading Essay Four – The Illusion of “Exceptionalism” vs. the Reality of Just Another Banana Republic

Prior to being elected President in 1952, Dwight Eisenhower was the Supreme Commander of the Allied Forces in Europe in World War II, and the first Supreme Commander of NATO. The influential commentator and historian Walter Lippmann stated: “Eisenhower brought NATO its greatest ally—the Republican Party”. It now appears that Trump is attempting to lead… Continue reading Essay Three – America Held an Election in 2016: Russia Won!

“Big Brother” is a fictional character in George Orwell’s novel Nineteen Eighty-Four. He is the leader of a totalitarian state wielding total power and every citizen is under constant surveillance through visual telescreens. Trump relies on the “Big Lie”, as discussed in Essay One. He lies about almost everything, and cannot escape his reality television… Continue reading Essay Two – the “Big Lie” and “Big Brother”

Cassandra, the daughter of King Priam of Troy, had the gift of prophecy, and she foresaw the destruction of the city during the Trojan wars. She warned that Greek warriors were hiding inside a huge wooden horse that the Greeks had built as a peace offering to Troy. In spite of her fervent pleas, the… Continue reading Essay One – The Trojan Horse of Trumpo-Fascism and “The Big Lie”