post modern Nietzschian dystopia

[Scoop Snoop]

This thread will likely be locked soon, so...

I believe I was far from alone in thinking that after the Nazis, Mussolini and Japanese militarism were defeated in WW 11, there would never be a return to fascism and authoritarianism in democratic countries, especially the U.S. And now? That take looks childishly naive. Our fearless leader refers to Putin as "my very good friend" and marveled that he was a "savvy genius" for conquering Ukraine territory. Now it is his turn to conquer, to take whatever he wants.

[Scoop Snoop]

Nice post TSmith. All I will add is that I think it is very possible that America's Hitler never would have come to power if the opposition offered candidates and programs, ideas, and policies that were acceptable to more voters. See my top signature. In another locked thread (this one is heading there) I wrote that I left the line on my ballot for presidential choice blank. I am so 'effing tired of being told that I have an obligation to pick a sh!tty alternate.

[TSmith34, Inc.]

This thread will likely be locked soon, so...

I believe I was far from alone in thinking that after the Nazis, Mussolini and Japanese militarism were defeated in WW 11, there would never be a return to fascism and authoritarianism in democratic countries, especially the U.S. And now? That take looks childishly naive. Our fearless leader refers to Putin as "my very good friend" and marveled that he was a "savvy genius" for conquering Ukraine territory. Now it is his turn to conquer, to take whatever he wants.

You would think. But, as someone else alluded to, there are fewer and fewer people alive that lived through it the last time.

And it seems to be a global historical cycle. The U.S. isn't the only country that has seen a rightward shift, we just are in the unique position of having the biggest and baddest economy and military in the history of the world.

[TSmith34, Inc.]

Nice post TSmith. All I will add is that I think it is very possible that America's Hitler never would have come to power if the opposition offered candidates and programs, ideas, and policies that were acceptable to more voters. See my top signature. In another locked thread (this one is heading there) I wrote that I left the line on my ballot for presidential choice blank. I am so 'effing tired of being told that I have an obligation to pick a sh!tty alternate.

Believe me, I am utterly frustrated at the current crop of milquetoast Democratic "leaders". It's like someone when into a lab to create the most ineffectual leaders possible and came out with Jeffries and Schumer.

[cheebs09]

Arby's to the moon! 🚀🚀🚀

[mu_hilltopper]

"Things are going to get unimaginably worse, and they are never, ever, going to get better."  ― Kurt Vonnegut

[jesmu84]

Nice post TSmith. All I will add is that I think it is very possible that America's Hitler never would have come to power if the opposition offered candidates and programs, ideas, and policies that were acceptable to more voters. See my top signature. In another locked thread (this one is heading there) I wrote that I left the line on my ballot for presidential choice blank. I am so 'effing tired of being told that I have an obligation to pick a sh!tty alternate.

I disagree.

The current regime wouldn't have come to power had politicians had backbone in 2021 and banned him from office or put him in jail for his crimes.

[Scoop Snoop]

I disagree.

The current regime wouldn't have come to power had politicians had backbone in 2021 and banned him from office or put him in jail for his crimes.

While your statement is true, there was no way in Hell that 2/3 of the Senate was ever going to convict. That's reality.

Talking At rather than With voters, lecturing them and attempting to shame them into voting for you and your agenda was Not a successful strategy. I think the Ds will probably win the next, but by default, not by conviction.

[hawk]

I think the present situation has been pretty well summed up, we are all just screwed.  I would agree that the next 4 to 6 years will be messy and unsatisfactory.  It seems to me as of now, that the most likely outcome over time is rule by the techno/AI class.  I can see a future more toward Eurosocialistic domestic policies.  It is hard to imagine the American people won't demand big changes in policy given the present situation with housing,health care costs and general living conditoons. It has been my observation that despite all the crys for freedom ppeople will give it up easily for the sense of security and well being.  Thew orld is complex and scary and mostly people just want to be taken care of.  The desire for a strong man is never really vanquished I think.  I think history is always optimistic because it is written by survivors, but that doesn't help those exerienced that history but did't survive.

[jesmu84]

I think the present situation has been pretty well summed up, we are all just screwed.  I would agree that the next 4 to 6 years will be messy and unsatisfactory.  It seems to me as of now, that the most likely outcome over time is rule by the techno/AI class.  I can see a future more toward Eurosocialistic domestic policies.  It is hard to imagine the American people won't demand big changes in policy given the present situation with housing,health care costs and general living conditoons. It has been my observation that despite all the crys for freedom ppeople will give it up easily for the sense of security and well being.  Thew orld is complex and scary and mostly people just want to be taken care of.  The desire for a strong man is never really vanquished I think.  I think history is always optimistic because it is written by survivors, but that doesn't help those exerienced that history but did't survive.

The techno/AI class does not believe in those policies

[TSmith34, Inc.]

The techno/AI class does not believe in those policies

Agree. Musk, Thiel, et al want a version of Libertarianism where all the spoils flow to them but no rules or regulations apply to them. Ain't no way they'll be in favor of a fairer tax policy, affordable healthcare, etc.in the European style.

[Scoop Snoop]

Agree. Musk, Thiel, et al want a version of Libertarianism where all the spoils flow to them but no rules or regulations apply to them. Ain't no way they'll be in favor of a fairer tax policy, affordable healthcare, etc.in the European style.

Libertarianism sounds great....until you dig a little deeper. I see it as political Darwinism.  Strict Libertarians are, if I recall, opposed to public schools.

[Shaka Shart]

As long as there's no DEI

[TSmith34, Inc.]

As long as there's no DEI

And Riley Gaines can finish 4th instead of 5th in a collegiate swimming meet

[hawk]

As an old 60's liberal most of what I see today is hair on fire stuff but I was also well educated at Marquette.  If you consider that all of our European allies at some point were autocratic kingdoms it might be the case that this is just a  historical Hegalian dialetic of America becoming a mature nation.  Somewhat ironic to me that it would be on the 250th birthday of democracy that is would crumble into authoratarin rule.  I would agree that the dems win in 26 and 28 by default.  I would also agree that, that win produces nothing in terms of progress because the nation seems evenly divided and there is no case in which one or the other party gets 60 votes in the Senate or that any president of any party is going to give up the gift given by the supreme court making the presidency more powerful than any other branch of government.  All that considered I think it is going to be a long pweriod of tribulation and I can't see ann outcome.  Even a techno oligarchy will need to deal with the real condition of the common citizen .

[Scoop Snoop]

I will not name this man, but the husband of one of my former employees was a 10 term congressman and a member of the Blue Dogs, a group of moderate Democrats. They were all in districts that could easily vote Republican in the next election, so they had to keep their constituents happy if they wanted to keep their seats.

My wife and I got to know him as well and they stayed overnight at our house one time when Congress recessed for the summer and they were driving home in an adjoining state.  He just couldn't help himself, returning to the subject of politics even as his wife tried to get him to talk about something else. What struck me most was that, without anything to gain by telling me his thoughts, he was genuinely in love with our country and really upset about some of the things going on at the time. He is retired now, but I still remember well my impression of him back then as I reflect upon the horrors of today's Congress.

They joined us for the Marquette/Georgetown game a couple of years ago, and he quickly focused on Kam as his favorite player as he made one 3 pointer after another. He and I spoke briefly about the "state of the union" and his sadness was overwhelming.

Where are the members of Congress whom we need who genuinely care? I'll vote for them even if we do not have much in common.    

 

[Shaka Shart]

I will not name this man, but the husband of one of my former employees was a 10 term congressman and a member of the Blue Dogs, a group of moderate Democrats. They were all in districts that could easily vote Republican in the next election, so they had to keep their constituents happy if they wanted to keep their seats.

My wife and I got to know him as well and they stayed overnight at our house one time when Congress recessed for the summer and they were driving home in an adjoining state.  He just couldn't help himself, returning to the subject of politics even as his wife tried to get him to talk about something else. What struck me most was that, without anything to gain by telling me his thoughts, he was genuinely in love with our country and really upset about some of the things going on at the time. He is retired now, but I still remember well my impression of him back then as I reflect upon the horrors of today's Congress.

They joined us for the Marquette/Georgetown game a couple of years ago, and he quickly focused on Kam as his favorite player as he made one 3 pointer after another. He and I spoke briefly about the "state of the union" and his sadness was overwhelming.

Where are the members of Congress whom we need who genuinely care? I'll vote for them even if we do not have much in common.     

 

Died with citizens united

[jesmu84]

As an old 60's liberal most of what I see today is hair on fire stuff but I was also well educated at Marquette.  If you consider that all of our European allies at some point were autocratic kingdoms it might be the case that this is just a  historical Hegalian dialetic of America becoming a mature nation.  Somewhat ironic to me that it would be on the 250th birthday of democracy that is would crumble into authoratarin rule.  I would agree that the dems win in 26 and 28 by default.  I would also agree that, that win produces nothing in terms of progress because the nation seems evenly divided and there is no case in which one or the other party gets 60 votes in the Senate or that any president of any party is going to give up the gift given by the supreme court making the presidency more powerful than any other branch of government.  All that considered I think it is going to be a long pweriod of tribulation and I can't see ann outcome.  Even a techno oligarchy will need to deal with the real condition of the common citizen .

When was the last time federal government was truly focused on the "common citizen"?

[jesmu84]

The biggest issues I see are the severe short and long term damage done by elimination of funding, infrastructure and institutions around science and research.

It will take decades, if ever, to get back to where we were as a country just a couple years ago.

Let alone the damage down to public trust in science