Is $38 Trillion a Lot? &c.

On our national debt; a Nobel laureate and political prisoner; the fruits of phonelessness; and more

Photo from the New York Public Library on Unsplash

For years, Kevin D. Williamson has said, “If we don’t keep our fiscal house from collapsing, nothing else really matters” (or words to that effect). I thought of him, and that, when looking at this news story. Here is the opening sentence:

In the midst of a federal government shutdown, the U.S. government’s gross national debt surpassed $38 trillion Wednesday, a record number that highlights the accelerating accumulation of debt on America’s balance sheet.

Here is the second sentence:

It’s also the fastest accumulation of a trillion dollars in debt outside of the COVID-19 pandemic—the U.S. hit $37 trillion in gross national debt in August this year.

Sounds bad, right? I’m no authority, but I believe it is ...

***

Ales Bialiatski is a Nobel peace laureate (2022) and a political prisoner. He was given the prize in absentia. He is imprisoned in his country, Belarus.

The country’s dictator, Lukashenko, is a close ally of Putin. They are cut from the same, nasty, murderous cloth.

Ales Bialiatski is a great man—truly heroic. I spoke with his wife, Natallia Pinchuk, who is in exile. And I published a piece about him, and her, and them, at The Next Move (the publication of the Renew Democracy Initiative, where I am a fellow).

That piece is here.

Let me quote some words that Bialiatski once wrote:

I look inside myself, and my ideals have not changed, have not lost their value, have not faded. They are always with me, and I guard them as best I can. They are as if cast from gold, immune from rusting.

***

“What does Putin have on Trump?” That question has been asked many times, in various ways, over the last ten years. I don’t think he “has” anything—except Trump’s affinity and admiration. To me, it’s plain as day.

I very much like what Edward Luce, of the Financial Times, wrote—particularly the phrase “long past caring.” Wrote Mr. Luce,

Whatever lies behind Trump’s cupidity towards Putin, we should be long past caring why. The reality is settled fact. Putin has fewer cards in his hand than Trump supposes. One of those cards is Trump.

***

There’s so much to keep up with—so much. Every other day, there’s a Watergate-level problem, or should-be scandal, and it is quickly succeeded by the next, and forgotten.

Government by fire hose.

“Trump says he’d have final say on money he seeks over past federal investigations into his conduct.” That’s a headline over this article.

Commented David French: “It’s hard to think of an action more purely corrupt than a president ordering the executive branch to pay him hundreds of millions of dollars.”

Such matters barely elicit a yawn now.

***

This was wonderful news—truly wonderful news:

When one Florida school district banned cellphones, disciplinary issues initially spiked as schools worked to enforce the new rule.

By the second year, however, suspension rates returned to normal and test scores rose significantly ...

(For that article in full, go here.)

***

For years, some of us have been looking for Reaganism—and it turns out to be in Ontario. Or rather, in an ad campaign from the government of Ontario. It quotes Reagan on the subject of tariffs.

A revival of Reaganism in the United States would be ... well, don’t let me get too excited ...

***

Years ago, I asked David Pryce-Jones when his piece would be ready. He was working on a long essay about the political and cultural health of Britain, essentially. He said he was taking his time with it. “I’m thinking of it more as literature than as journalism.”

Kevin D. Williamson has written a piece about John Brown and the American story. I believe it rises to literature. Here.

***

In my column yesterday, I told a story about Farrukh Dhondy, the Anglo-Indian writer. Wonderful story. Later, I thought of another one. I’d like to relate it now.

An official at the Swedish Academy called up. (This is the institution that awards the Nobel Prize in Literature.) As the man started to speak, Farrukh said, “Say no more: I accept.” The man, good-naturedly, said, “Not yet, Mr. Dhondy.”

***

Yesterday, I shared some stories and pictures from Georgetown, my old neighborhood in D.C. (I have family roots there, by the way.) As I was walking through the ’hood this week, I had a memory, which I’d like to share now.

James Jackson Kilpatrick was a conservative political writer. Very conservative. Marianne Means was a liberal political writer. Very liberal. Late in life—when he was in his seventies and she was in her sixties—they married. I would see them toddling around the neighborhood.

Sweet, touching, I thought.

Hey, listen: Do you know of left-right marriages or romances you would like to tell me about? If so, drop me a line: mail@jaynordlinger.com. Thank you.

***

I have done a new episode of my music podcast, Music for a While: here. (What I have linked to is a blogpost about the episode, which links to the episode.)

You may like it.

***

Do you know what “boo” means, in contemporary slang? I will quote Urban Dictionary: “Someone you love. Someone you care about.” Etc.

Well, I had the following exchange with a spirited young woman in Union Station (D.C.) yesterday. She was behind the counter at Potbelly’s, where I was picking up a cookie (or two) for the road (or train tracks).

Me: “Have a good one.”
Her: “You too, boo.”
Me: “That rhymes—all three words!”
Her: “Yeah, and it’s Halloween.”
Me: “Oh, yeah: ‘boo’!”

***

When I returned home to New York, I saw a new face—or faces:

Thanks so much for joining me, my friends, and I wish you all the best. Have a good weekend.