here there's a frost and coffee ( and there will be a three part list.)

the issue with the krapp putsch is whether it is ceasarism or dictatorship or fascism (or even a coup attempt)  - the dictator is elected by the political structure to have absolute power for a fixed time period (in time of war for example), or once elected dictator decide to hold on to power (ceasarism). they don't arise proclaiming a  fascist ideology but can arise just as easily out of liberal democratic ideology. 

the golden emperor instructs the mob to burn down the crystal palace. the mob marches up the hill and attempts to burn down the crystal palace. no blame. 

it was poorly prepared (but then was it ever envisaged that it would succeed?). it's more in the line of a public relations event  - a of creating an event that shows the policy proposal (of er. take back control)

even after the invasion of the capitol and its repulsion many republican politicians continued to argue against ratification of the election result. a large proportion of republican voters believe the stories of the stealing of the election and indeed support the attempt to occupy the capitol. 

they provide a new base and low level membership for the republican party. now the republican party can either spend the next five years fighting its own base or it can work out a way of pretending that there is no contradiction between their interests and those of its more militant members.

in one scenario trump slits out to the right of the republican party and splits their (and his) vote. 

in another scenario he shuffles off into retirement (keeping his head down for fear of prosecution) the republican party elects a smarter version of him (ted cruz for example) and does well in five years time having had a night of the long knives moment with its more enthusiastic supporters and a productive sit down with the bankers.  

really we were fortunate that trump was so dumb. 

can the golden emperor actually be brought to trial? 

horsemouth should go back to his reading of hannah arendt's the origins of totalitarianism  but the print is small, and the light in his room is not good. the last time horsemouth looked we had just finished a dark reading of hobbes and were on to the lack of an effective contradiction between nationalism and imperialism. 

outside horsemouth's window there is a frost and red berries (and small birds feeding on them). horsemouth will get up and sit where he can see them. cold and clear skies. an egg for breakfast. 

last night horsemouth chatted with howard and drank two bottles of beer. they started with a discussion of guitars. later he watched spirals with is mum. 

horsemouth continues to hide out in the wilderness  far away from the seaside towns and the salt marshes. he was supposed to be going out for a long planned walk with enza (but he is still out of town). oh well plenty of time when he gets back.  the next thing they are doing together is an email interview about the fall of the house of fitzgerald.