The Banter Brief: Thank God For That....

World War 3 Has Been Averted. For Now.

Welcome to this week’s edition of The Banter Brief, our round up of the most important events of the week published every Friday! If you haven’t subscribed yet, drop your email in below so you can read it as soon as it comes out:

1. Most Important Story Of The Week

Iran gives Trump a way out

The most important story of the week was Iran’s response to Trump’s assassination of general Qasem Soleimani. The Iranian government ordered attacks on US military bases in Iraq that were designed to damage infrastructure, but not kill anyone. It was a coded message to Trump (no doubt that someone close to him had to explain) giving him a way out. Trump took it and decided not to retaliate, claiming a grand victory for the United States. Thank God for that….

This was a crisis manufactured by Trump that achieved absolutely nothing other than to set back relations with Iran by at least a decade. As Bob Cesca noted in his excellent analysis this week:

Yes, Trump managed to avoid war by leading us to the very brink of it. While ultimately avoiding it, though, I don’t think these events ought to be considered a win for America, and here’s why: the most positive outcome we can hope for is a considerably worse relationship with Iran than we had before Trump. It’s not even a lateral move, it’s a giant step backward. The very best case scenario in all of this is an agreement that’s far weaker than the old Iran deal, at best, and we only needed to bungle our way into a military showdown against a well-equipped nation that’s larger and more powerful than Iraq. Good job, Biff, you sure showed ‘em who’s boss.

Read Bob’s full take for members here:

Trump Totally Botched The Iran Crisis, Achieving Exactly Nothing - by Bob Cesca

Also, we took Tucker Carlson to task for his non-attack on Trump for trying to instigate World War III:

Tucker Carlson's Iran Criticism Is Far More Sinister Than You Think - by Ben Cohen

2. Poll Analysis

Trump: A detailed look at Trump’s popularity on 538 shows you how bad things are for Trump’s chances of reelection. His popularity is still in the low 40’s in an election year, far lower than any of his recent predecessors.

Impeachment: support for impeachment is up this week. Over 50% of Americans now believe Trump should be impeached and removed. Opposition to impeachment is falling in swing states like Michigan (although the majority still believe Trump should not be impeached).

Democrats: Biden is still way out ahead nationally (30% as opposed to Bernie’s 22%). A soon to be released Iowa poll should give a clear picture of who is ahead there, and that could certainly shake things up a bit. A strong showing from Buttigieg could help him take on the big three (Biden, Sanders and Warren), and a strong showing from Sanders or Warren could help unseat Biden.

3. Quote Of The Week

“The world of finance has a responsibility to the planet, the people and all other species living on it. In fact, it ought to be in every company and stakeholder’s interest to make sure the planet they live on will thrive. But history has not shown the corporate world’s willingness to hold themselves accountable. So it falls on us, the children, to do that. We call upon the world’s leaders to stop investing in the fossil fuel economy that is at the very heart of this planetary crisis. Instead, they should invest their money in existing sustainable technologies, research and in restoring nature. Short-term profit should not trump long-term stability of life.”

-Greta Thunberg in a message to world leaders at Davos

4. What to Watch

Good Girls

This thoroughly entertaining crime comedy/drama on Netflix is like Breaking Bad, but with more women, and a lot more fun. Set in the suburbs of Michigan, the show follows sisters Beth and Annie and their best friend Ruby who are all struggling with motherhood, relationships, and financial issues. In need of life saving medical treatment for one of their children, severe household debts, and a custody battle, the trio decide to “fight the man” by robbing a local supermarket.

The plan succeeds, but stolen money is hard to use, so the women need to learn tricks of the criminal underworld in order to “wash” the cash. The more they learn, the deeper they go, and a relationship with local gangster Rio makes their lives infinitely more dangerous. With murder, betrayal, and a savvy FBI investigator on their trail, the stakes get higher for the women, and they must use all their guile and wits to survive.

The show isn’t overtly political, but it has much to say about modern American life, gender roles, race, and the crushing financial situation many families face. The leading women, Christina Hendricks, Retta and Mae Whitman are superb, and the writing is top notch. Highly worth investing time in.

5. Good News

The best news this week by far was Iran’s decision not to hurl the world into World War III. As bad as the Iranian regime is, it isn’t insane (unlike the American White House), and their decision to bring the world back from the brink of war is a very welcome one.

On another positive note, Sweden is paving the way for a generation of Greta Thunbergs to emerge with its stellar environmental education. Children in Sweden learn about ecology, recycling, conservation and activism from an early age, creating the conditions for a new global culture that will hopefully become the dominant paradigm.

See you next week!

Must read articles for Banter Members:

Trump Totally Botched The Iran Crisis, Achieving Exactly Nothing - by Bob Cesca

It’s not even a lateral move, it’s a giant step backward.

Chris Cillizza Attacks Elizabeth Warren For Saying Things We All Agree With - by Justin Rosario

There is no penalty for being consistently terrible at your job if you're part of the media elite.