I have often claimed to be outside the meaningless Republican/Democratic fixation that traps so many people in the U.S., but I have fallen into the trap of partisanship from time to time. The perpetual dysfunction, gridlock and paralysis of Washington DC are features (and the desired status quo) for many who control our corrupt political duopoly. While national political debates provide endless distractions, nothing changes – and policy differences have changed little since the 1980’s. Only the cast of characters and the total amount of money our criminal oligarchy spends on campaigns has increased – but principally to ensure nothing is accomplished and the status quo is maintained.
As atheists and agnostics know far more about the history and beliefs of various major Religions than their actual followers know, most non-partisan observers may be better able to discern the real personas of the two major political parties in the U.S. than those who still belong to them and vote accordingly.
The overall status quo since the 1980’s has changed – slowly and imperceptibly for many – but the general dismantling of the American middle class is practically complete. We now have three (3) broad classes based upon various economic and social attributes. A very wealthy and powerful 1% (aided by another 9% who are their courtiers/courtesans/servants/professional shills) who control most large corporations, Congress, the Administration and overall business/economic policy.
About 40% of the U.S. population constitutes the bottom poor class that has no real economic or political power. The middle 50% has the delusion that it can make it into the top 10% but is much closer in economic wealth, income and power to the perpetually poor. One mistake or some bad luck is the only thing that separates the people in the middle from the bottom.
After years of debate, into what class one falls is principally dictated by one’s parents’ economic, educational and social status, with mobility limited by special connections to extended family, friends, mentors and luck. Hard work, persistence, special skills, intelligence, education and many other factors are becoming far less important in the U.S. – and overall social and economic mobility in the U.S. is stagnant and far lower than many other advanced and developing nations.
Advancements in technology, computers, robotics, and outsourcing labor to low-cost countries, all have eliminated tens of millions of jobs from the U.S. mainland. The onslaught on meaningful work and decent wages is a bi-partisan effort because they solely serve the needs of the top 10% of the nation. About 100 million Americans between the ages of 18 and 65 do not work – and they are not principally stay-at-home parents, on disability, in school, or heirs to large fortunes. The U.S. government produces self-serving fraudulent statistics concerning unemployment, inflation and other economic indicators that cover up the ugly reality of life in the U.S. today.
In order for the top 10% to keep their wealth and power, they must perpetuate the endless wars, bitterness, resentment, bigotries, prejudices, and jealousies among the other 90%. And when so much of the population is consumed with just surviving in a world of low-wage, part-time, benefit-less jobs, deeply in debt, and uneducated but perpetually entertained, then meaningful change is impossible. Now this division of society may have existed throughout human history but overall human knowledge and capabilities are so much greater today than they were just 200 years, it is a sign of moral, ethical and intellectual bankruptcy that we cannot maintain a better existence for the vast majority of human beings on the planet.
Many Republicans live in a world where everything is subservient to their warped worldview. They elevate limited anecdotal and moralistic stories to cover entire groups of people – facts simply do not matter in their world dominated by rigid, simplistic religious, ideological, and extremely dogmatic beliefs. All people on public assistance are lazy, fat, welfare queens who need to get jobs and stop “mooching.” There is an arrogant control-freak mentality that permeates many of the easily fearful, angry and ignorant groups that now make the GOP home. Fortunately these supporters and likely voters will not change positions. They see the rest of America as “enemies” with which any compromise (except to preserve themselves for future battles) is generally out of the question. Too many embrace the false idea that all government is bad and only the private sector is worthy of blind support. Those who do not participate in the far-right belief system are simply excluded or expelled from the Party. They are the Party of Bad ideas.
Many Democrats live in another fantasy world where everything is relative and subject to compromise and their primary focus is looking and sounding good. It’s the diversity fetish to an extreme in that having every type of person (particularly racial, sexual, ethnic and other silly groups such as Vegans) must have an equal place in various public photo-ops. The mere existence of an Asian/Hispanic openly gay vegetarian is of great important in a visible government position. That person doesn’t have to stand for anything or accomplish anything – they merely have to be in an ostensible position of power or influence – and the Democratic Party justifies its existence.
Most policy positions are irrelevant to many Democrats because of pervasive and overriding demands of being “politically correct” in everything one does and says. Saying or doing the wrong thing that might offend any of the multitudes of special interest groups that constitute the Democratic Party is also a kiss of death and cause for permanent exclusion. They can endlessly debate what the word “Redskins” means and how wonderful the world would be if no sports team had this meaningless moniker. They have hundreds of words that can suck up all their intellectual time. Too many embrace the false idea that all government is good and the private sector is worthy of blind opposition. They are the Party of No ideas.
True American liberalism died in 1968 with the assassinations of Dr. Martin Luther King and Sen. Robert Kennedy. The election of Richard Nixon as President at the end of the year (who actually was far more “liberal” in his policies than the last few Presidents and the current White House Occupant) was the final nail in the coffin of the Left.
Too many Democrats believe in the cult of the perfect candidate – and have suffered from it for decades in not building enough strong candidates at the national level. Their two exceptions were Presidents Clinton and Obama – the latter being more disappointing when had had all the perfect resume credentials and spoke so well. In general he has been a mere servant of the 1% criminal oligarchy. He’s an empty suit who never prosecutied the many criminals on Wall Street (they are his big campaign contributors) and has increased the size of the Military and Security state to strangle most civil liberties we once enjoyed as citizens.
The successful democrats in local, state and Congressional office long sold their souls to some of the criminal oligarchy who is the nation’s wealthy 1% that may embrace many of the fetishes of the left but are in reality cut-throat business types. To embrace a worldview that advocates making the most money by any means possible is an abrogation of most liberal principles.
American Conservatism ended when the myth of Ronald Reagan died (and the intellectual rigor of William Buckley fell apart) as it existed principally to oppose American liberalism and global communism – around 1989. With effective control over all 3 branches of government, plus dominating most political and economic thought in America, Conservatives ultimately rebelled against themselves – the Tea Party’s ascendancy since 2008 is evidence. To embrace a worldview that advocates making the most money by any means possible is an abrogation of most conservative principles.
For all the empty talk of morality, the U.S. has no real ethical, moral or humane instincts left. Instead we have left ourselves to the mercy of completely amoral, narcissistic, greedy, uncaring, soulless, conscienceless, and nasty sociopaths and psychopaths. They control most of our corporations, foundations, governments and other prominent institutions in America. As a people we were too lazy, distracted, disillusioned, apathetic, ignorant and congenitally stupid to do anything about it – American Exceptionalism at its worse.
The new Pope Francis comes at a unique point in the history of the world. His emphasis on the dignity of all people – particularly the poor and powerless, is in direct conflict with the prevailing corrupt capitalistic worldview today. Profits are placed above everything – including a sustainable and habitable planet. If something is for the common good, or it does not make obscene amounts of money, then it should not be pursued or valued. Private wealth expansion among the globe’s 1% stands in direct moral, ethical and human conflict with most of the world’s authentic religious traditions and beliefs – particularly the three major Abrahamic ones.
One reason for America’s extreme embrace of winner-take-all capitalism may have to do with the prevalence of many business-like Protestant and other “Christian” denominations that are more than happy to bend their belief systems to accommodate such misguided, evil policies. I may be a non-practicing and barely-believing Roman Catholic, but most advanced nations around the globe with decent living standards, social safety nets, and universal healthcare, have had long Catholic histories that positively influenced their moral and ethical characters. There are other historical mindsets found in Anglo/English-speaking nations that encourage people to disdain and mistreat others who are different from themselves.
I do not think either Party will suffer in the 2014 elections due to the recent Federal shutdown and game over raising the debt limit. We’ll get to replay that stupidity in January 2014 and every few months for the foreseeable future. The status quo will likely remain until the American Empire collapses in its own hubris.
Gerrymandering has been greatly abetted by advances in technology and Metadata. People of like minds do tend to move to the same communities and only major upheavals will change their worldviews. It is entirely possible in a Ted Cruz versus Hillary Clinton 2016 Presidential contest, it won’t matter who wins – despite the rantings of both Republicans and Democrats.
It has been interesting to note that recent polls indicate that a majority of American voters would like an alternative party to Republicans and Democrats. (Polls and election results are irrelevant to our ruling 1 %.) However, when elections come around, most of the electorate just never votes for an outsider – brainwashed by both major parties that such a vote is akin to throwing a vote away – when continuing to vote for R’s and D’s is the ultimate waste of a vote. Do you think the criminal oligarchy will give any money to third party candidates who oppose their policies? Will the controlled mass media give any coverage to outsiders when they are paid shills of the same ruling elites that prefer a meaningless choice between R’s and D’s?
I admitted several times in prior TMV posts that I am a registered Republican in Arizona. Why? It is still the majority party in all statewide offices and it controls the State Legislature. Yes, the cities of Phoenix and Tucson are overwhelmingly Democratic but that shows the voluntary geographic separation of people by worldviews. If I lived in California or Illinois, I would be a registered Democrat. Why – for the same reasons but in reverse.
When I vote in Arizona, election officials (all R’s) will make every effort to count my vote (being a white male over 50 is also helpful) whereas votes from registered Democrats or Independents are far less important. Even though my ballot contains votes for many 3rd party candidates, Democrats and just a few Republicans, I know it will be counted. This is just the way things are arranged in the U.S. and in most states. I may not support such an arrangement but one has to live in the world as we find it. Sadly, I do not believe change is possible in a totally dysfunctional and collapsing Empire.
I will not apologize for the length of this post – this is typical of the vast majority of them. I appreciate those TMV readers who have made it so far. I always welcome your comments but do not be disappointed if I never respond. Best wishes in all your upcoming endeavors.
Respectfully submitted on 10/17/13 by Marc Pascal from sunny and mild Phoenix, Arizona. Please keep exploring these recommended blog sites to learn more about Modern Monetary Theory (MMT):
• MONETARY SOVEREIGNTY by Rodger Malcolm Mitchell (http://mythfighter.com)
• NAKED CAPITALISM is probably one of the best aggregator site of many different blogs and news sources with many posts written & edited by Yves Smith & Lambert Strether, and it strongly features MMT contributors (http://www.nakedcapitalism.com)
• NEW ECONOMIC PERSPECTIVES is the MMT site for the professors at the University of Missouri – Kansas City (http://neweconomicperspectives.org) including Michael Hudson.
• MMT Primer from UMKC http://neweconomicperspectives.org/p/modern-monetary-theory-primer.html
• MICHAEL HUDSON is a professor at UMKC and has an exemplary resume. He has his own website here (http://michael-hudson.com)
• PRAGMATIC CAPITALISM is edited by Cullen Roche (http://pragcap.com) of Orcam Financial Group in San Diego, CA.
• Social Science Research Network (http://www.ssrn.com) has a link to Mr. Roche’s well-written paper explaining Monetary Realism (AKA MMT) at this link: (http://papers.ssrn.com/sol3/papers.cfm?abstract_id=1905625)