The Tragic State of Affairs in the USA

Preface
As a wizened old man who has had (& continues to have) a most interesting life, I find my thoughts below to be not only tragic, but comical as well.  I first developed a keen interest in American politics with the election of Ike in 1956.  So, point being:  I've lived through quite a variety of Presidents and members of Congress.  Compared to those of the past, most of the current national office holders in DC don't seem to be at all interested in representing the will of the People...all the People, not just 25% of the population.  The politicos of today are beyond the pale in a way that's darkly hilarious.  For whatever reasons, they see little to no cause to hide the fact that they are Plutocrats/Oligarchs leading us down the path to NeoFeudalism.  It's astounding...and comical.
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Here's why the USA is in dire straits, in no order of importance---

1.  The Powers-That-Be apparently have convinced the population that Debt doesn't matter...especially Gov't Debt.  The Repubs (& some Dems) plus the current Oval Office Occupier have increased our National Debt by about two trillion dollars in only two years.  And I thought Dubya Bush and Obama were bad in that regard.  Ha!  Public and private debt here is at record levels.  Corporate debt is beyond incredible.  The Debt Bubble is the mother of all bubbles, and all bubbles burst.

2.  Despite what the Gaslighter in the Oval Office claims, our GDP is decreasing.

3.  Trump continues his childish, ridiculous Gaslighting.  Most of us simply are bored with it, but many (maybe most) of his supporters still take him at his word, or worse, if he's proven wrong beyond any doubt (which happens often) about something, they don't care.  Not only is that potentially dangerous, I find it to be hilarious.  They don't care that (as the old joke goes) the lunatics are running the asylum.  Go figure.

4.  Whether inadvertently or purposely, the White House Crew and The Don are encouraging both lawlessness and racism in our Land.

5.  Encouraged by the Fed Gov't and deregulation, as well as by Propaganda, our Bubble Economy is bubbling on.  If you look at the time intervals between the Booms & Busts from the severe Recession of 1973-1975 up to present day, you'll see that we're overdue for the next Bust.  Unfortunately, the public and private Powers-That-Be seem to have convinced most Americans that's not true, that it's all under control now, that the economy "is booming"...no worries they say.  The Gaslighter-in-Chief is especially adamant about that.  Please, are you kidding us, or simply lying to us?  I find it comical that anyone believes it's all under control, and the economy is doing great.

6.  The median income of workers here is now $32,791.  So, half the workers in the USA make less than that...HALF.  That doesn't sound like the richest country in the world to me.

7.  Trump has alienated all of our Allies in the world except for the few who essentially are dictators, such as the Leaders of Saudi Arabia, the Philippines, the UAE, & Brazil...maybe another one or two, can't recall.  This is not good for us or the world.

8.  Our Two-Party System in politics is rotten to the core.  It's oligarchical in nature, and its practices rarely represent the will of the People.  Not long ago, a Princeton study found that politicians ignore that will 70% of the time.

9.  Our Gov't has managed to institute a State of Perpetual War.  The crazy idea that we are the police of the world is now taken as a given by most Americans.  Never mind that most of those actions are utterly unconstitutional, and many violate International Law.

10.  In most cases, the protections of the Fourth Amendment are totally ignored by Gov't in this day & age...all in the name of "safety".  Who's keeping us safe from those who violate the Constitution?

11.  Too many Americans no longer seem to understand the difference between nationalism and patriotism.  The former engenders arrogance and superiority; the latter engenders responsibility.  Trump and Crew promulgate nationalism.

12.  For this next point, I'll exaggerate a bit.  Exaggeration often drives home a valid point.  More and more, Americans appear to be dividing up into "tribes", so to speak.  Whether political, or religious, or economic, or cultural, or something else, these tribes often are less & less tolerant of each other than in much of the past... and more & more self-righteous.  For example, in politics the Left-leaning folks accuse the Right-leaning people of being intolerant, self-righteous, etc.  In fact, though, the Left side of the spectrum also is intolerant---of the Right side---and, self-righteous about it.  What's tragic and comical about that whole situation is that neither side thinks it's that way.  It's only the "other side" who demonstrates those failings.

13.  Finally, all across the political spectrum here in the USA, people are gulping down the Edward Bernays style Propaganda Kool Aid coming from Corporatists and Plutocrats as if there will be no tomorrow.  Certainly not everyone is, but most are.  That's the primary reason that we are in today's tragic situation.  It's not only a tragedy; it's a cosmic comedy.

Not only my opinion.  Be Well

The Following Applies to the Top Tiers of Both Major Political Parties in the USA

"Politics is the art of looking for trouble, finding it everywhere, diagnosing it incorrectly, and applying the wrong remedies."
~ Groucho Marx

"An honest politician is one who, when he is bought, will stay bought."
~ Simon Cameron, one of the USA's first political "bosses".  He died in 1889 at the age of 90.

"Politics is the gentle art of getting votes from the poor and campaign funds from the rich by promising to protect each from the other."
~ Oscar Ameringer, known as the Mark Twain of American Socialism.  He lived from 1870 through most of 1943.

"I have the most reliable friend you can have in American politics, and that is ready money."
~ Phil Gramm, a national politician who began as a Democrat and then switched to the Republican Party in 1983.  He sponsored many legislative bills favoring financial deregulation.

"There’s a whiff of the lynch mob or the lemming migration about any overlarge concentration of like-thinking individuals, no matter how virtuous their cause."  [Amen, amen, and amen to that.]
~ P. J. O'Rourke, an American political satirist.
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It isn't that all politicians are rotten and despicable; rather, it's that the Two-Party System within which they operate is such.  That system is not required by the U.S. Constitution; neither are political Parties.  Early political bosses invented both.  Perhaps it's time to re-think the entire set-up.  Any unbiased examination of history reveals that set-up has not served us well.  Plus, despite popular opinion to the contrary, the Two-Party System (including "winner-takes-all") is not set in stone.

Not only my opinion.  Be Well

Politicians Are a Lot Like Diapers

They need to be changed often, and for the same reason.  😄

The above is from the movie, Man of the Year, with the late, great Robin Williams...

and it's so true.

In 1975, the "liberal" Think Tank, the Trilateral Commission (founded by David Rockefeller and Zbigniew Brzezinski) published its first book-length report,  The Crisis of Democracy: Report on the Governability of Democracies.  The Report was written by Left-leaning/Liberal authors.  Their conclusion was this:  the crisis is that democracies have too much democracy, and that's what makes it difficult to govern them.  According to the authors, that had to change.

Since 1975, in the USA we've had an increase in the pace of the fairly steady march toward total Oligarchy and Plutocracy, and a fairly steady retreat from genuine, participatory democracy.  One, and only one, of the reasons for that is:  voters don't vote out politicians often enough.  People such as McConnell, Cornyn, Pelosi, Schumer, and the like all should be returned to private life.

Politicians are a lot like diapers.  They need to be changed often...

Not only my opinion.  Be Well

Behavior Modification by Surveillance Capitalists

At the link below, a Harvard Professor Emeritus brilliantly explains how we are being "herded", and why SMART technology & outfits like Facebook are an egregious threat to individual sovereignty.
https://www.democracynow.org/2019/3/1/age_of_surveillance_capitalism_we_thought

Perhaps in their young adulthood (or maybe mid-life), our toddler grandchildren are going to wonder:  how could our grandparents have been so dense?  How could they have allowed this Brave New World of ours to develop?  Didn't they understand the dangers of ubiquitous surveillance?  Did they really believe the argument "I have nothing to hide" meant that they wouldn't be affected?  How could they have not seen how the State-Corporate-Financial Complex most likely would use the gathered data to manipulate and control us?  Were they asleep at the wheel, or too propagandized, or too stressed by trying to make ends meet in a declining worldwide economy?  Were they too worried about, and distracted by, advancing Neofeudalism?

Kudos to Professor Zuboff for a well-spoken, insightful, and much needed interview... and for her seven years of research for the book, The Age of  Surveillance Capitalism.

Not only my opinion.  Be Well

It's Not Fake News - It's Incomplete News

Anyone who has followed this blog for the last twelve years knows that I'm no fan of the Corporate Media, aka, the Mainstream Media.  Unlike the Trumpistas, however, my reasons for that dislike are grounded in reality rather than the psychological gaslighting of the current Oval Office Occupier.

A "free press" is known as the Fourth Estate, and it serves a valuable function in our society:  making sure that government is accountable and transparent.  In many/most democratic countries (including the USA), the Corporate Media comprise the Fourth Estate.  Over many decades, their failure has given rise to the Fifth Estate:  "acceptable" critics of the Fourth Estate.  Examples here would be:  PBS, NPR, The Intercept, Democracy Now, Reason.com, BillMoyers.com, David Stockman, Jim Rickards, Paul Craig Roberts, and many, many others.

Fake News does exist, but it's very rare and put out by pretty much unknown nutcakes.  One exception:  probably 99.999% of all Fake News (originating in the USA) comes from a well-known person--- our Fake President.  It's not a practice of the Corporate Media.  Their sin is putting out Incomplete News, and being mouthpieces for the Crony Capitalists and Corporatists in government.  Examples follow.

I'll exaggerate for effect.  When the Jobs Report comes out, it is reported something like this:  "The Labor Dept. reports that a gazillion jobs were added last month.  That will boost our current booming economy.  Blah-blah-blah.".  What's left out is the following.  How many of those jobs are temporary, or part-time, or both?  How many are low-paying?  How many have any associated benefits to speak of?  How many people still are grossly underemployed?  Another example:  "The economy is booming this year...blah-blah-blah.".  What's left out is---booming for whom?  In fact, there are two economies in the USA:  the one that's booming encompasses only the top 15-20% or so of income earners.  The rest of us are either barely hanging on, or in poverty, or both.  Another example:  violations of the Constitution of the United States are rarely ever reported.  I easily could cite dozens & dozens more examples, but time and energy constraints prohibit that.

Sure, once in a blue moon, someone in the Corporate Media puts out a factually incorrect piece of news...inadvertently.  Once in maybe twelve blue moons, the same thing happens...but on purpose.  That person becomes thoroughly disgraced by the News industry.  So, the current Fourth Estate rarely ever creates Fake News; but there's a serial liar in DC who does so on an almost regular basis.  That's a common characteristic of gaslighters:  whatever they falsely accuse others of doing is precisely what they are doing...knowingly.

Not only my opinion.  Be Well

Finally - It's About Time!

A day or two ago, there was a unanimous SCOTUS decision against excessive fines, fees, & civil asset forfeiture imposed by State, County, & City authorities.  Texas, in particular, is infamous for such practices, plus "Debtor's Prison" if you can't afford the freight.  Example:  a fine of $569 (if I recall correctly) for grass too high in a vacant lot (the back lot of a residential double lot).  The "court fees" are added to that...hundreds of dollars more.  If you can't pay immediately, chances are great that you go to jail.  In California, if you run a red light, the fine is $100; but $390 is added to that in the form of "fees".  $490 for trying (and failing) to make a yellow light.  Outrageous.

I didn't see this story on the Corporate TV News, but it was a lead story on Democracy Now.  The Corporate Media seem to avoid any stories that have even a hint of the growing poverty in the USA.

In some local jurisdictions, you can be fined hundreds of dollars for having anything dangling from your interior, rear view mirror...including a simple, small chain.

Civil (not Criminal) Asset Forfeiture (CAF) applies even if you're not convicted of whatever "crime" or code violation is involved.  Your assets can be seized in addition to fines imposed, or simply because they "look suspicious".  When you apply to get your property back, it has already been auctioned off...& you get no cash compensation.  This has been going on in the Land of the Free for about 25-30 years.  It started because counties & cities lost huge tax revenue when manufacturing moved South of the border or overseas---Corporatist Globalization.  So, excessive fines & fees AND CAF have been used to raise local revenue.  SCOTUS finally ruled against it.

Apparently, even NeoCon Justices do something ethical once in awhile.

Not only my opinion.  Be Well

The REAL National Emergencies in the USA

There are many; below are several of them.

1.  Expanding our Nuke arsenal when we should be reducing it.  Along with that, withdrawing from international nuke treaties.  Finally, some of the Powers-That-Be believing nukes can be used without any serious long-term consequences.  All the above is simply unmitigated ignorance, and it borders on insanity.

2.  Our Gov't doing little to nothing in terms of combatting Climate Change, or as one researcher refers to it, Climate Disruption.  In fact, the current Administration's actions will make the Climate problem worse.  I'm no expert in this area, but do have a Master's Degree in the fifth study tradition in Geography, Environmental Studies, or human impact on the environment.  In those studies, it became clear to me that---no matter to what extent greenhouse gas emissions do contribute to the Climate problem (and they do)---it makes no sense whatsoever to fail to reduce those emissions.  Despite Corporatist Propaganda to the contrary, greenhouse gas emissions contribute to Climate Disruption to one degree or another.

3.  The Financialization of our economy.  At one time, the Financial Sector made up about 3% of the economy; now it's about 33%.  At the expense of the rest of us, that primarily benefits the Upper Crust.  Small Business and wage earners both suffer.  NeoFeudalism is approaching rapidly.

4.  The continual expansion of the National Surveillance State.  That's in concert with the virtual destruction of the Fourth Amendment.

5.  The adoption of the Machiavellian concept of Perpetual War, which is being used to manipulate everyday people and further enrich the Super-Rich.

6.  The Trump Presidency.  His Administration is:

a.  violating both Statutes and the Constitution;

b.  harming the economy;

c.  instituting NeoFascism into our Gov't;

d.  promoting Crony Capitalism and the Oligarchy;

e.  normalizing deceit, falsehoods, and propaganda;

f.  alienating Allies;

g.  promoting Authoritarianism;

h.  accelerating NeoFeudalism;

i.  making our country the laughingstock of the world;

j.  encouraging lawlessness; and,

k.  endangering all civilized countries and their peoples.

Trump's supporters had good reasons to be fed-up and angry prior to his election; however, I'm astounded that they still believe he's good for the country and the common people.  It's plain that he's not, and never mind what a danger he is to the entire world.

Not only my opinion.  Be Well

p.s.  Again, a reminder:  I'm not a Democrat or a Republican; and I've been keenly observing American politics ever since 1956.