The American Empire began its decline when it elected an actor (Ronald Reagan) who was allowed to remain in office when he had Alzheimer's (or dementia). The American Empire was infuriated by a black man being elected president and a woman trying to become president after that. So incensed by these two things, the American Empire made a calculated decision to destroy everything in the name of white supremacist, misogynist insanity. To ensure the total and complete destruction of itself, the American Empire ended the minute Trump slithered into the White House. Everything that has happened since then is just par for the course for those in power and their decision to end it all.
The American Empire ends with the absolute decimation of itself solely out of hatred.
Why does Trump's Mercantilism need a "neo-" on the front? I get why "Neo-liberalism" needs its neo - because "liberal" has taken on a different meaning in American political language. So you need a "neo-" to turn it into a new word. Because, for whatever reason, people don't want to call it "libertarian". I don't make the rules.
But "mercantilism" doesn't have that problem. So why bother with a "neo-".
American political economy has been eating up the middle class from the bottom up since the Taft-Hartley Labor Act of 1948, which got the ball rolling on the dismantling of organized labor. The bankers first plundered the blue collar middle class, now they are coming after the white collars.
Now to my strong disagreement with you. First of all, America isn't an empire. America acquired most of it's territory by purchases, Louisiana, Alaska, the Gadsen etc. Not all of it (for example, Texas) but most of it. And secondly, no empire ended "with the injection of a disinfectant". Nope, never happened, never will. I think it a poor analogy, Pres. Trump notwithstanding.
On May 11th 2018 I wrote:
" First of all, America is a Republic not an Empire. Pres. Trump, whether one likes him or loathes him is an elected executive not an emperor. America has no colonies (we do have Territories some of which want to become States) and doesn't wish to collect any. Capitalism is our economic system for better or for worse. Sure, I can to a degree agree that America is on the decline economically. We're no longer producing as much as we are consuming. It's been this [way] since the late 70's. But unemployment is decreasing. And economic growth is happening albeit slightly.
America will morph in many ways. But America will remain the "land of the free and the home of the brave" among other good things well into Charles' retirement here, in America decades from now."
There's been a big event since then. It's called COVID-19 pandemic. You, I, nobody predicted that on 1/1/2020 or earlier. But, I still stand by what I wrote. Once Capitalism (read: "creates a need") gets rolling again after the lifting of the mandatory "home-shelter", Americans and others will start SPENDING again. It won't be easy to be sure but it will happen.
I believe you're using history mistakenly here and in some of your postings. Yes, I get you're a Marxist and I'm a Capitalist (and an optimist to boot). But, American economic growth was extraordinary by any standard after WWII. Right after the war, the GI bill enabled common soldiers to matriculate in college. Enrollments soared. Before the war more Americans rented their dwelling. After (not right after) more Americans owned their places of residence. America became more participatory as a result of that education and economic largess. There were women's rights, civil rights and gay rights that followed. By and large, I think that positive. So much so, that people still want to immigrate here warts and all.
Charles we part here. We'll see what happens. But echoing Lincoln at Gettysburg. Maybe, COVID-19 is "... testing whether that nation [America], or any nation so conceived and so dedicated, can long endure. We are met on a great battle-field of that war...", SLOG :)
That "war" of course is against COVID-19. And we shall be victors.
How America Is A Third World Country: Health is wealth, and America is poor
https://medium.com/@indica/when-it-comes-to-public-health-america-is-a-third-world-country-3645d193f1e3
Six Ways America Is Like a Third-World Country: Our society lags behind the rest of the developed world in education, health care, violence and more
https://www.rollingstone.com/politics/politics-news/six-ways-america-is-like-a-third-world-country-100466/
The Economy’s Not Booming. Predatory Capitalism’s Eating Itself
What Happens When Capitalism Eats Itself?
Fascism.
https://eand.co/the-economys-not-booming-predatory-capitalism-s-eating-itself-a1663d94498e
The Unfounding Father: Donald Trump and the End of American Democracy
Not with a bang, ladies and gentleman, but with a pathetic whimper.
https://www.commondreams.org/views/2020/02/27/unfounding-father-donald-trump-and-end-american-democracy
Republicans Want a White Republic. They'll Destroy America to Get It
https://time.com/5628283/trump-tweets-racist-white-america/
Divided We Fall
The Founders knew that economic inequality would destroy America's democracy. So why can't the Constitution save us?
https://newrepublic.com/article/141644/divided-fall-trump-symptom-constitutional-crisis-inequality
Trump, tribalism and the end of American capitalism
Trump managed to delude the white poor that their interest lies with the wealthy elite. This is killing US capitalism.
https://www.aljazeera.com/indepth/opinion/trump-tribalism-american-capitalism-171213074012028.html
We, the People Versus We, the Wealthy
How did the United States become the land of the unequal—and how do we find our way back?
https://www.thenation.com/article/archive/we-the-people-versus-we-the-wealthy/
Inequality and poverty were destroying America long before COVID-19
https://www.thenation.com/article/society/inequality-and-poverty-were-destroying-america-well-before-covid-19/
Why American policy is leaving millions hungry
https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/made-by-history/wp/2018/08/07/why-american-policy-is-leaving-millions-hungry/
It Would Actually Be Very Simple To End Homelessness Forever
It’s really critical to remember that we didn’t always have mass homelessness in this country.
https://archive.thinkprogress.org/it-would-actually-be-very-simple-to-end-homelessness-forever-d6f15852b2ec/
The Gross Inequality of Death in America
The richest Americans live 10-15 years longer than the poorest Americans. It will take a lot more than Medicare for All to close the gap.
https://newrepublic.com/article/153870/inequality-death-america-life-expectancy-gap
Instead of trying to eliminate hunger, we continue to talk about personal responsibility.
https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/made-by-history/wp/2018/08/07/why-american-policy-is-leaving-millions-hungry/
The End of American Empire Won't Be Pretty
https://www.truthdig.com/articles/the-end-of-american-empire-wont-be-pretty/
The American Empire started long before World War II, in the Philippines, Cuba, Puerto Rico, Guam... in 1898. Or really began when whites landed on the continent in the 15th century.
@1 & @8 xina for the WIN!
@13 Lissa: Rock on, Lissa! Spot on. Go, Lindy! The Witches Are Coming. Get me a broom. :)
@15 Lissa : Buzzy Nutz @3 is in a snit because Wal* Mart's out of Kool Aid and Cocoa Puffs, and he ain't getting any. :)
I hope everyone here has already donated to The Stranger this month, in order to keep this here li'l community chat room alive that you all rely on so much for your All In the Family social time. I gave half a benjamin today. And I'll see what I've got next month, after I don't pay rent.
@19 - Sure, the current 'battle' may not be over, but the trajectory of the 'war' across the last 40 years has become pretty clear And it's the opposite of Lark's confectionary optimism. So much for the American Dream, it's back to grinding neo-feudalism for the lot of you! AND your little dog Toto too!
Charles Mudede has once again written a diatribe of complete nonsense based on outmoded 20th Century Marxist ideals. The American "Empire" will endure through technological innovation, scientific discovery, and freedom of thought and commerce.
While Donald Trump has sullied and fouled the American ship of state, and the greed and avarice of his rats in the bilge do indeed form a formidable obstacle to progress, America has always been able to overcome such barriers. The end of slavery and the Gilded Age, the adoption of economic and societal reforms after the Great Depression, the great social reforms in women's rights made possible by the birth control pill, and the advances for LGBTQ rights stand witness to this fact.
Much more needs to be done, and will be. The conservatives who stand athwart the tide of history yelling "Stop" will simply be run over. For all America's problems, it is and remains an irresistible draw for immigrants and capital from the rest of the world.
If America is so bad, why does everybody want to come here? Why does their money continue to flow? Capital isn't racing to China, Russia, or Saudi Arabia...it is fleeing those places as fast as possible.
America isn't perfect, and never will be. But, the sun never sets on the American Empire. It sets on the Chinese empire at 6:46PM UTC+5.
Okay, a little background info on this bleach business...
What had gotten Trump's attention is chlorine dioxide, chemically similar to bleach but not bleach.
This stuff has been promoted for years by a small cult of believers ... originally hawked by a Scientologist guy named Jim Humble who touted it originally as a malaria treatment and later as a cure-all.
The narrative runs that it was proven effective, incredibly effective, but since Big Pharma could not patent it and make billions from it they launched an effective campaign to discredit it.
The believers tout its efficacy using the language of colonic cleansers and such, how it has free radicals that bond to the toxins and kill them and eliminate them from the body. Like many such claims, there is a grain of truth wrapped in a bullshit sandwich.
Now the friend that I have who is all in on chlorine dioxide is a hard-core leftist whose deep distrust in chemical and pharmaceutical corporations makes him sympathetic to the narrative of a Jim Humble.
So it is not just the right who is peddling snake oil.
@18 kristofarian: I keep telling Buzzy Nutz if he zipped his fly and sprayed himself thoroughly with an industrial sized can of Raid, the buzzing around his head would stop.
But 404s never listen.....
The American Empire began its decline when it elected an actor (Ronald Reagan) who was allowed to remain in office when he had Alzheimer's (or dementia). The American Empire was infuriated by a black man being elected president and a woman trying to become president after that. So incensed by these two things, the American Empire made a calculated decision to destroy everything in the name of white supremacist, misogynist insanity. To ensure the total and complete destruction of itself, the American Empire ended the minute Trump slithered into the White House. Everything that has happened since then is just par for the course for those in power and their decision to end it all.
The American Empire ends with the absolute decimation of itself solely out of hatred.
@3:
What does it say about you that you seem to obsess over someone else's "obsession"?
Why does Trump's Mercantilism need a "neo-" on the front? I get why "Neo-liberalism" needs its neo - because "liberal" has taken on a different meaning in American political language. So you need a "neo-" to turn it into a new word. Because, for whatever reason, people don't want to call it "libertarian". I don't make the rules.
But "mercantilism" doesn't have that problem. So why bother with a "neo-".
American political economy has been eating up the middle class from the bottom up since the Taft-Hartley Labor Act of 1948, which got the ball rolling on the dismantling of organized labor. The bankers first plundered the blue collar middle class, now they are coming after the white collars.
Good Afternoon Charles,
I do hope you are well.
Now to my strong disagreement with you. First of all, America isn't an empire. America acquired most of it's territory by purchases, Louisiana, Alaska, the Gadsen etc. Not all of it (for example, Texas) but most of it. And secondly, no empire ended "with the injection of a disinfectant". Nope, never happened, never will. I think it a poor analogy, Pres. Trump notwithstanding.
On May 11th 2018 I wrote:
" First of all, America is a Republic not an Empire. Pres. Trump, whether one likes him or loathes him is an elected executive not an emperor. America has no colonies (we do have Territories some of which want to become States) and doesn't wish to collect any. Capitalism is our economic system for better or for worse. Sure, I can to a degree agree that America is on the decline economically. We're no longer producing as much as we are consuming. It's been this [way] since the late 70's. But unemployment is decreasing. And economic growth is happening albeit slightly.
America will morph in many ways. But America will remain the "land of the free and the home of the brave" among other good things well into Charles' retirement here, in America decades from now."
There's been a big event since then. It's called COVID-19 pandemic. You, I, nobody predicted that on 1/1/2020 or earlier. But, I still stand by what I wrote. Once Capitalism (read: "creates a need") gets rolling again after the lifting of the mandatory "home-shelter", Americans and others will start SPENDING again. It won't be easy to be sure but it will happen.
I believe you're using history mistakenly here and in some of your postings. Yes, I get you're a Marxist and I'm a Capitalist (and an optimist to boot). But, American economic growth was extraordinary by any standard after WWII. Right after the war, the GI bill enabled common soldiers to matriculate in college. Enrollments soared. Before the war more Americans rented their dwelling. After (not right after) more Americans owned their places of residence. America became more participatory as a result of that education and economic largess. There were women's rights, civil rights and gay rights that followed. By and large, I think that positive. So much so, that people still want to immigrate here warts and all.
Charles we part here. We'll see what happens. But echoing Lincoln at Gettysburg. Maybe, COVID-19 is "... testing whether that nation [America], or any nation so conceived and so dedicated, can long endure. We are met on a great battle-field of that war...", SLOG :)
That "war" of course is against COVID-19. And we shall be victors.
How America Is A Third World Country: Health is wealth, and America is poor
https://medium.com/@indica/when-it-comes-to-public-health-america-is-a-third-world-country-3645d193f1e3
Six Ways America Is Like a Third-World Country: Our society lags behind the rest of the developed world in education, health care, violence and more
https://www.rollingstone.com/politics/politics-news/six-ways-america-is-like-a-third-world-country-100466/
The Economy’s Not Booming. Predatory Capitalism’s Eating Itself
What Happens When Capitalism Eats Itself?
Fascism.
https://eand.co/the-economys-not-booming-predatory-capitalism-s-eating-itself-a1663d94498e
The Unfounding Father: Donald Trump and the End of American Democracy
Not with a bang, ladies and gentleman, but with a pathetic whimper.
https://www.commondreams.org/views/2020/02/27/unfounding-father-donald-trump-and-end-american-democracy
Republicans Want a White Republic. They'll Destroy America to Get It
https://time.com/5628283/trump-tweets-racist-white-america/
Divided We Fall
The Founders knew that economic inequality would destroy America's democracy. So why can't the Constitution save us?
https://newrepublic.com/article/141644/divided-fall-trump-symptom-constitutional-crisis-inequality
Trump, tribalism and the end of American capitalism
Trump managed to delude the white poor that their interest lies with the wealthy elite. This is killing US capitalism.
https://www.aljazeera.com/indepth/opinion/trump-tribalism-american-capitalism-171213074012028.html
We, the People Versus We, the Wealthy
How did the United States become the land of the unequal—and how do we find our way back?
https://www.thenation.com/article/archive/we-the-people-versus-we-the-wealthy/
Inequality and poverty were destroying America long before COVID-19
https://www.thenation.com/article/society/inequality-and-poverty-were-destroying-america-well-before-covid-19/
Why American policy is leaving millions hungry
https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/made-by-history/wp/2018/08/07/why-american-policy-is-leaving-millions-hungry/
It Would Actually Be Very Simple To End Homelessness Forever
It’s really critical to remember that we didn’t always have mass homelessness in this country.
https://archive.thinkprogress.org/it-would-actually-be-very-simple-to-end-homelessness-forever-d6f15852b2ec/
The Gross Inequality of Death in America
The richest Americans live 10-15 years longer than the poorest Americans. It will take a lot more than Medicare for All to close the gap.
https://newrepublic.com/article/153870/inequality-death-america-life-expectancy-gap
Instead of trying to eliminate hunger, we continue to talk about personal responsibility.
https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/made-by-history/wp/2018/08/07/why-american-policy-is-leaving-millions-hungry/
The End of American Empire Won't Be Pretty
https://www.truthdig.com/articles/the-end-of-american-empire-wont-be-pretty/
Trump's secret mission is to put @TheOnion out of business by killing satire.
"Man Just Buying One Of Every Cleaning Product In Case Trump Announces It’s Coronavirus Cure"
https://local.theonion.com/man-just-buying-one-of-every-cleaning-product-in-case-t-184249376
The American Empire started long before World War II, in the Philippines, Cuba, Puerto Rico, Guam... in 1898. Or really began when whites landed on the continent in the 15th century.
@11: Covid loves men most of all, so I guess the patriarchy will be getting culled and Lindy will have the last laugh. Xoxo
https://www.npr.org/2020/04/08/830205897/scientists-want-to-know-why-more-men-than-women-are-apparently-dying-of-covid-19
Awww 404 got his comment @ 11 deleted. Poor baby.
@3, please see your own sweet self @2
I mean you really are entirely lacking is self awareness. It's amazing.
@1 & @8 xina for the WIN!
@13 Lissa: Rock on, Lissa! Spot on. Go, Lindy! The Witches Are Coming. Get me a broom. :)
@15 Lissa : Buzzy Nutz @3 is in a snit because Wal* Mart's out of Kool Aid and Cocoa Puffs, and he ain't getting any. :)
@auntie G:
They're blue
and they buzz so
'cause buzzy's just
so Good at Incelling.
I really hope this is the end and destruction of the united states.
I hope everyone here has already donated to The Stranger this month, in order to keep this here li'l community chat room alive that you all rely on so much for your All In the Family social time. I gave half a benjamin today. And I'll see what I've got next month, after I don't pay rent.
@19 - Sure, the current 'battle' may not be over, but the trajectory of the 'war' across the last 40 years has become pretty clear And it's the opposite of Lark's confectionary optimism. So much for the American Dream, it's back to grinding neo-feudalism for the lot of you! AND your little dog Toto too!
It's the United States of Battle Royale!
@23 Can’t pay your rent and probably have a college degree?
That will look fabulous on your credit score in 12 months.
Charles Mudede has once again written a diatribe of complete nonsense based on outmoded 20th Century Marxist ideals. The American "Empire" will endure through technological innovation, scientific discovery, and freedom of thought and commerce.
While Donald Trump has sullied and fouled the American ship of state, and the greed and avarice of his rats in the bilge do indeed form a formidable obstacle to progress, America has always been able to overcome such barriers. The end of slavery and the Gilded Age, the adoption of economic and societal reforms after the Great Depression, the great social reforms in women's rights made possible by the birth control pill, and the advances for LGBTQ rights stand witness to this fact.
Much more needs to be done, and will be. The conservatives who stand athwart the tide of history yelling "Stop" will simply be run over. For all America's problems, it is and remains an irresistible draw for immigrants and capital from the rest of the world.
If America is so bad, why does everybody want to come here? Why does their money continue to flow? Capital isn't racing to China, Russia, or Saudi Arabia...it is fleeing those places as fast as possible.
America isn't perfect, and never will be. But, the sun never sets on the American Empire. It sets on the Chinese empire at 6:46PM UTC+5.
@26 that's called hubris and it's what brought down the Roman Empire. Believing the sun will never set on America is sheer fantasy.
@27 Ambition and hubris are two sides of the same coin. If you don't play, you can't win. You can give up anytime. I won't.
And clickbait was all that remains....and I fell for it.
@25 brilliant idea. Charge per comment! That’ll keep the poors out. After all, free speech is a privilege, not a right.
Okay, a little background info on this bleach business...
What had gotten Trump's attention is chlorine dioxide, chemically similar to bleach but not bleach.
This stuff has been promoted for years by a small cult of believers ... originally hawked by a Scientologist guy named Jim Humble who touted it originally as a malaria treatment and later as a cure-all.
The narrative runs that it was proven effective, incredibly effective, but since Big Pharma could not patent it and make billions from it they launched an effective campaign to discredit it.
The believers tout its efficacy using the language of colonic cleansers and such, how it has free radicals that bond to the toxins and kill them and eliminate them from the body. Like many such claims, there is a grain of truth wrapped in a bullshit sandwich.
Now the friend that I have who is all in on chlorine dioxide is a hard-core leftist whose deep distrust in chemical and pharmaceutical corporations makes him sympathetic to the narrative of a Jim Humble.
So it is not just the right who is peddling snake oil.
@31,
Thanks for the info. I thought there might be more than one narrative. I won't ingest any of it any time soon. But, that was fascinating.
A spoonful of Clorox...
https://www.huffpost.com/entry/randy-rainbow-spoonful-clorox-trump-covid-19_n_5ea4b0e3c5b6805f9ece2978
sss
@18 kristofarian: I keep telling Buzzy Nutz if he zipped his fly and sprayed himself thoroughly with an industrial sized can of Raid, the buzzing around his head would stop.
But 404s never listen.....
@23 treacle: Yes. I donated to The Stranger. May Seattle's last remaining true weekly never die.