Friends, putting together information from many sources: comments on my blog, comments on other blogs, articles written about the the Presidential election over many months, watching the Presidential debates, watching CNN and Faux News, watching the growing turmoil over the financial crisis in America, etc, it is obvious that feelings are running high in the U.S. of A.
A real divide seems to be opening up or, more correctly, old divides which have been hiding under the surface of American society for centuries, appear to be re-emerging. For example, the issue of electing a ‘black’ person to the office of President is causing the long running issue of racism to resurface. One survey I saw a few months ago said that more that 80% of white Americans had negative feelings about coloured people, this in spite of the fact that Americans claim they have little or no racism.
The big question that is raging in America is: what will white Americans do when they get in the voting booths? Will those who said they will vote for Obama actually do so or will they preference another white male even if he comes from a party which, after Bush, has zilch credibility.
As well as the racial issue, the global credit crisis and the amount of Government intervention thus far has reopened the fierce debate between extremists in the Liberal and Conservative camps. Despite the current evidence which shows the total failure of the free market system because of the lack of stringent Government regulation and control, there are still Conservatives who, like flat-earthers, still extol the virtues of capitalism, who still want the Government to sit on the sidelines, impose few taxes, and allow the Robber Barons to have their way.
Some of these conservatives are involved with the evangelical movement. Such fanatics are more concerned with pushing their way into heaven than they are with caring about their country. As well, many conservatives have also thrown their weight behind Sarah Palin who, despite her glaring inadequacies and extreme views, is still winking her way around the country. Choosing her as Vice President has brought the issue of gender into the simmering political mix which tends to fragment American society further.
The liberals at the other end of the political spectrum want more control over the cycle of greed which has brought America to its knees, want more tough regulations to be imposed and nationalisation of some institutions if necessary, want the Government to increase taxes to enable it to provide health care and better education, and want those who have profited from the conning and the duplicitous exploitation to be fined and/or jailed. They are immediately accused by the conservatives of being socialists and, by irrational association, dreaded communists.
When people have bought Obama posters but are afraid to put them on their front lawns because of the threat of vandalism and intimidation, though it appears to be a little thing, it suggests to me that there are huge problems developing in America which, ironically, is supposed to be THE democracy, a place of free speech and guaranteed human rights and equality. That’s the theory anyway!
When, less than two weeks from election day, accusations are flying that there is voting fraud, that people are being disenfranchised, that the voting machines are still open to tampering, that Obama associates with terrorists and will advantage Islam and create a welfare state, etc, it’s obvious that the pot is boiling and my fear is that it will boil over when the election is over regardless of who is elected. Why?
It’s a non-win situation. If Obama wins, the Conservatives will use their immense wealth and political power and media influence to undermine him in order to retain the corrupt, unregulated capitalist system which nurtures them. If McCain wins the Liberals will be outraged and enraged and claim the election was stolen from them again. They will become more militant and the country will continue its divisive downward spiral until Palin takes over! God help us then.
A serious class war is developing in America, one between the rich and the poor, between the white and coloured, between the free marketeers who believe in survival of the fittest and those who favour a modified kind of socialism, between the religious and non-religious. Given that most Americans have strong often extreme feelings and opinions, guns, a propensity for violence and have already fought a civil war…well, you draw your own conclusions!
The warning signs are there. They must be heeded or surely America will fragment even further and the spectre of another Civil War may well return.
That would be a tragedy!
Thank you so much for these very astute observations about my country folk. I predict Obama will be elected, and Congress will be more controlled by the Democrats, and DC will be still be occupied by the Zionists.
Reply
Trying to peer into the future is always a risky business, Swan. In this case I hope I’m wrong but I’m filled with disquiet!
After all, America is a country of extremes and extremists.
Cheers.
Reply
The race for the White House is getting nasty, and any one who thinks an Obama victory is a laid down mazaire had better get a reality check.
I can’t see an American civil war in the Robert E. Lee sense, but I can see it turning violent,if the left feels their man has been screwed over by voter fraud.
Politics is a serious business, it is not an area for the faint of heart,if you don’t believe totally in your cause, don’t get involved.
I have fallen out with my family over it, so falling out with strangers is a non event.So David a civil war? I doubt it, but violence and civil disobedience in a big measure just maybe!
Reply
David,
3 ways to view forecasts are possible, probable, and preferred…
- Lots of things are possible.
- Fewer things are probable.
- Yet fewer things are preferred (typically).
A civil war is possible, but very unprobable.
I dont know where you get your news but one or a few people being scared to put up political posters is a long way from things turning violent. I’ve heard that same fear in every election since Goldwater v LBJ.
I live in a redneck, conservative, republican area (it don’t get more redneck than central texas in a small farm and ranch town that voted 92% for W’s re-election) and many people have obama signs in their lawn and on their vehicles (BMWs and Audis).
You are misreading the country as a whole.
Concerning Racism and hatred
The KKK is dead except for maybe a few extra-stupid 1000 or 2000 rednecks. The mayor of our town is gay and everybody knew it when they elected him. Generally, people do’t care about sexual preference any more. Many people I know are thinking of voting for Obama to put the whole racial thing in the grave (including me). Yes there are white racists and there probably always will be – but that is a few twisted individals compared to a population of 300 million.
Economy
Yep, people are hurting, especially retirement accounts, but if you are over 55 you shouldn’t have pension and retirement vehicles in high risk investments (stock market). Many people chose poorly. Unemployment is going to go up and that will hurt people. But nationally we are talking about 8% unemployment, not 20% aka 1920′s. Right now gas prices are down to $2 around here so folks are getting a little break. Foreclosures are historic highs but we are talking about fewer than 10% of Americans.
The press and entertainment industries thrive on negativity and conflict. The press and entertainment industries have become the worst enemy of America. MOST RECENT EXAMPLE: every day for over 30 days in a row on the CNN morning show (Robin & Crew) they said “THE DOLLAR FELL TO THE EURO TO A NEW ALL TIME LOW!”. Well, it is now back to historical norms and there has been no mention of this at all on Robin & Crew. We wouldn’t want any good news would we. We wouldn’t want anything that doesn’t slam Bush and the republicans would we. The PRESS IS A DISASTER and they misrepresent the views of all but about 15% of America – they seem to be perfectly in tune with the far left and the doomsdayers…
Try to bring this back home. No civil war looming on the horizon.
Sorry David.
Q
Reply
Obama will not be a threat to our ruling corporate overlords. They have chosen him to lead America into the next stage.
The US uses divide and conquer as a strategy. The peoples of Yugoslavia and Iraq have found that out.
If the people of the US rebel, we will be turned against each other. It is cheaper for the government to have us kill each other than it is for them to use overt repression. Although they will also use that. Most likely, they will foment civil unrest, possibly using death squads (as in Iraq) in order to bring in the troops “to restore order”.
The hatred is being fomented in the political rallies. Although McCain is trying to dampen overt calls for murder, you can listen to his rallies to see the hatred that Republicans have for Democrats. But, you can listen to Democratic rallies to hear the hatred that Dems have for Repubs.
Then there is the Black-White divide. The American born vs the Foreign born. Religious idiots vs heretics. Old vs young. City vs country. North vs South. East and West coasts vs flyover country.
Oh, yeah, we’re being set up all right.
Reply
Civil war will never look like the one from the past. All is not quiet on the western front. Wagelaborer is most accurate, imo. Republicans are appealing to the lowest common denomintor and riling people up at their rallies. Most protesters of the Republican diaspora like Rage Against The Machine, Winter Soldiers, CodePink and many others, come armed with “reality–based” facts. All the Repu’s have is slander. Divide and Conquer always worked in the past. So damn they will try it from every angle with the media’s complicity. Also to quote, “If the people of the US rebel, we will be turned against each other” This is the current weapon. This is what I see, which is only one view in (250)million.
Nothing is certain but death and taxes. Am full of old one-liners today, but damn, aren’t we supposed to learn from old lessons?
Reply
1,2,3, I bite my tongue. 1,2,3,4,5,6,7,8,9,10.
This is for me not to respond to one of the comments to David’s post above..
1,2,3,…
I repeat to myself.
Everything is fine.
Everything is just fine. Maybe everything is just fine indeed?
Maybe I m just being manipulated by media?
I remember CNN until Dow lost the gains of 5 years in ONE single day, that CNN saying “there maybe a slight economic slowdown”..
I Never remember them to avert the shit that was coming..
Maybe again poor people wanting to save their shitty retirement, earned hard, taxed hard, to save it from a REAL INFLATION (calculated like last time, on REAL MEAT, and REAL BREAD, not on a McDonnalds Cheapest Burger shit available in the “economical basket of Inflation Remodelled to look good”.. and INVESTING in a SOUND ECONOMY is not GREED is HOPE..
Maybe it is..
But then, again…
Maybe I missunderstood.
Maybe I m a far leftist and a doomsdayer and I don t even realize it..?
Shame on me. I ll sit still.
And I’ll meditate on the topic.
Reply
Phill, I suppose the distinction between a Revolution and a Civil War is not clear cut. When people of the same nation fight over conflicting political ideologies like Republicanism and Democratism it seems it’s a Civil War. When people rebel against their government or against oppression or class distinctions perhaps it’s more a Revolution. Whatever, troubled times are coming.
Q and Wagelaborer (welcome to my blog), you have both presented very different viewpoints, perhaps ones which, in part, reflect where you both live.
But regarding the mention of hatred, Wagelaborer, that is what I see developing. I can see it at the rallies, the booing, the look of fanaticism on people’s faces. I don’t need any media goon to tell me what’s happening. I can see it for myself. I see too how the police handle protesters.
Grace, I agree that any Civil War will not be as clear cut as the last one was (North versus South). If it occurs, it will be war fought by disparate tribes each struggling for control or for equality.
Adina, the media operates on a ‘crisis’ mentality. Everything is elevated into a crisis except that which runs against the capitalist agenda (profit). I get my news from many sources and, together with what intuition I have, form my own opinion.
Cheers to all and thanks for your comments!
Reply
I can’t see there being a civil war but as someone mentioned above, i can see riots if Obama supporters think they are being shafted.
I do think that there is far too much expected from Obama if (when?) he gets in office. I think many people outside of the USA will be disappointed that he is not as radical as they seem to be thinking. Read his views on Israel, Pakistan & Afghanistan. Scarily similar to what is happening now.
Reply
And today, when speaking at a War Memorial in a moderate sized city, the first thing Obama did was speak about remembering the murder 25 years ago of 250 some American soldiers stationed in Lebanon. No further discussion of the incident. And then when he alleged that we should be spending in the US those amounts which, he said, we are spending on rebuilding Iraq, his face showed so much bitter fury that you would think Iraq invited us to destroy their country. Yeah, he will do whatever Israel wants him to do. billions that could be spent on
Reply
Lucy and Swan, thanks for your contributions. Faux News reported this morning that a McCain campaign worker was robbed and had a ‘B’ carved into her cheek with a knife!
This may be a Republican tactic of course (I wouldn’t put anything beyond them) or, if true, it may reflect the serious undercurrents which I suspect are filling America.
Cheers.
Reply
David, firstly Q must live in another dimension to us,he obviously is not seeing the truth unfold before his eyes.
Did you see the 7.30 report on the health care in the U.S.? I forget which state, but they set up a tent city where volunteer Doctors were treating sick people in cow sheds, barns, and tents.One of the Doctors used his own vehicle full of medical equipment bought by his good self.The locals were turning up in their thousands, a lot being turned away.
Some people were having all their teeth extracted to save on future problems and pain.
And now I see car parks being set up every where for people to sleep in their cars.This in the land of the free.
I do feel sorry for them,of course they believe that an Obama victory will improve things,that all the problems created by a coterie of social misfits over the last eight years, is going to just go away.
Yes David there will be violence,when things get tough, it will be the immigrants, as in all countries that will suffer first.
If Obama is elected, his first day in office should be spent signing the arrest warrants for Bush,Cheney,Rove,Powell,etc, etc, etc,.this may just tone the anger down, I hope so.
Peace.
Reply
Phill, the illusion about America, the land of unlimited opportunity, has been faulty for a long, long time.
It is, however, a land where small numbers of hustlers and those without morality can do very well. But even they have over-reached and killed the golden goose.
Obama represents one of the two political extremes. Whether he can move into the middle between them and whether the establishment will allow him to will decide whether any real change takes place.
Unless change takes place, America is finished!
Reply
Phill,
I completely believe the data you reported about the tent city and the cars.
However, I have not seen the things you describe. All I have to offer is that in the past year I’ve been in many parts of the U.S. including: Arizona, New Mexico, Oklahoma, Missouri, Arkansas, Georgia, Maryland, Virginia, the District of Columbia, Louisiana, Colorado, Mississippi, Alabama, and Texas.
In remote areas small towns have dried up with the decline of the oil industry, steel industry, and auto industry, and many of the small towns (under 5,000 people) don’t have a local doctor and never had a hospital even at the peak of the oil industry circa 1970. However, most are also within an hour or so of larger towns (over 100,000). For instance in Texas, most towns are within an hour of larger towns like Odessa, Midland, Lubbock, Abiline, or Amarillo that do have major medical centers.
Much of the U.S. is shifting from rural to urban and are experiencing similar issues with medical care.
Of course, in the inner cities there is a lacking of health care as well. That also is not new.
What is new is not the number or quality of hospitals and doctors in the U.S., but the thinking that health care is a right versus a privalege. The shift in thinking has happened in my life time.
So, I offer first hand experience versus whatever you saw.
Q
Reply
Q, Your own McCain has more or less indicated the redistribution of wealth is akin to communism itself.Unless of course it’s to bail out the home owners,who might be tempted to vote republican.
Health care is a right and always has been,most of the Doctors in my country apart from the last ten years,were trained via the tax payer.What happens in your country I must confess I do not know.However this does not change the fact, that health care as well as housing and care for the disabled and others less fortunate than ourselves, is what makes Grt Britain, Australia,Scandinavia, and parts of Europe social contract the envy of the world.
A man in our country tried to turn Australia into a mirror image of the U.S. and the Australian people gave him short shrift.
Of course all this has to be paid for by some body, but that somebody is all of us, and that is the difference between the society’s in which we live.The go it alone and wild frontier Danial Boone mythology, is good in books of poetry, but the reality is,in your country people are left after a short period of help, to fend for themselves.
So sorry Q I don’t believe your country is all you say it is, what I said about the health care doco I saw is true.
Should by some quirk of fate, and if God if there is one by taking the piss, puts McCain and Palin in office my next investment will be, an air raid shelter.Any other problems we think we have now, will be a nothing.
Reply
My most recent post offers the view that we’re stuffed which ever one is elected, Phill.
Americans (most) appear to be locked into a mindset that cannot be changed. They seemed destined to bring about not only their own downfall but the rest of the world as well.
Perhaps that’s the destiny of humans, to make the same mistakes over and over until, mercifully, we become extinct.
I need a drink!
Reply
“My most recent post offers the view that we’re stuffed which ever one is elected, Phill.”
I agree David, I watched a short burst by Palin this morning CNN, did you see the guys in the hard hats and yellow jackets in the crowd? They clapped heartily with the tempo increasing as it was shoveled on.My God if they were seals you’d throw them a fish.They probably had about the same i.q. combined as a garden worm.
Sorry to all the garden worms.
Still I don’t blame the Bush’s,
McCains, and Palins of the world,they are doing what they do best, it is the mugs that vote for them.They are all more plastic than a Chinese toy factory.The more lies they spew out, the more the mugs love them.
The sad part is, these mugs do really believe that McCain and for that matter Obama can save them.The economy is tanking and what do we get? more anti Iranian and Russian bluster,reds under the beds.These people really are beyond the pale,as if the average working Russian or Iranian would give America a second thought? the mind does indeed boggle.
Still when you see the morons some of the media outlets produce like Fox, is it any wonder we have to suffer these people.
Still despairing.
Reply
Dear all, you know by now I m not a big fan of certain things.. I look at myself in the mirror. And tell myself. I do not live in America.
Why is it the fault of an American that my life is screwed? How come do I allow my own country to follow the lead of America?
They are not bombing us, and yet we copy ad literam their examples, behaviour, and the mocking thing is, we think we re better.
How?
beats me.
How can they drag us all down?
I always hated this saying, which was repeated to me thousands of times.. by am American boss. when you point the finger at someone, five fingers point back to yourself.
I always hated people boosting themselves: I ve suffered. we had a dictator.. What? Cut the crap. He is one. You are millions. Then, by saying he screwed us all, you admit his POWER and GENIUS which WE LACK to put him in his place….
Please help me understand. Why is the whole world collapsing if america does?
If we are better, we shouldn t be affected. If we are not , we share the same responsibility and just playing throw the ball in eachother’s court..
Please help me find an argument that can prove it is only America’s fault..
I d like to believe it.. but it Beats me..
Reply
Phill,
I see your points.
In America the rights are defined in the constitution and the bill of rights. Nothing in either about health care… yet. I expect this will change. Soon, “free” transportation will become a right…
Canada is supposed to have great health care, but I work with several Canadians and when they aren’t being defensive they complain about it a lot – long waits, limited sevices! Also, many rich Canadians come to America for health care – or so I’m told by my 4 Canadian co-workers…
Q
Reply
Phill,
I don’t know what you mean by “my” McCain. I haven’t voted and frankly I’m completely distraught over the two candidates.
I’ve met McCain and he seems to be a decent fellow. But none of his policies sway me.
In my lifetime the only president that has had a huge impact on living in America was LBJ, so I’m not sure it even matters who gets to be president.
I tell you right now that I would vote for Obama, except he sounds like LBJ. And that scares me.
Under LBJ millions of Americans ended up in Vietnam – my ass was damn near there – and under him, a democrat house, and democrat senate, the tax rates were as high as 95% for some income brackets…
If I vote for McCain it will be to create an obstacle to what looks like a neo-LBJ jugernaut (sp?)…
Q
Reply
Q please, I know for a fact that heaps of U.S. citizens end up in Canada for health care.To be honest, there is a waiting list in Australia for certain procedures to be sure, but one does not die in Australia due to a waiting list.
America as I have said many times in many places, is/was one of the most generous countries on the planet.It has a can do attitude,it leads the world in certain technological areas,and has saved both Britain,Australia,and Europe from certain destruction in two world wars.
However, it has lost its way in the world, and has been hijacked by a load of rabid right wing nutters.Your current President, and the coterie of social misfits you call a government, is as popular as the plague any where in the world.So please tell me that the rest of the civilised world is all wrong, tell me Bush is just a mis understood good ol boy’ and Cheney should be nominated for sainthood.Tell me the war in Iraq was necessary, and there really were heaps of weapons of mass destruction.
Tell me why the Saudi’s possibly involved in 9/11 were allowed to flee U.S. soil, after the whole U.S. domestic air services apart from domestic U.S. military aircraft, were grounded.
Explain to me why the Palestinians shouldn’t be allowed to fight for what is rightfully theirs, why the Iranians shouldn’t have the bomb, after all only the U.S. has ever used one in anger, and Israel has hundreds of them.
I could go on about U.S. involvement in getting rid of governments they don’t like in sunny South American country’s, and how Mc Carthyism is alive and well in some of your media outlets.All of this is well known’ and documented,to deny its existence is to insult the intelligence.
We are all currently reaping, or about to reap its effects.
Reply
Adina, you said: “
Please help me understand. Why is the whole world collapsing if america does?
If we are better, we shouldn t be affected. If we are not , we share the same responsibility and just playing throw the ball in eachother’s court..
It seems the whole world wanted to believe in an American Magic Kingdom that would save us all. When we went to Disneyland last year, I realized how it embodied the disparities of a Capitalist system. First of all, Word on the Magic Kingdom streets was that this was the last year they would keep “It’s a small world” the ride where we realize what a small world we all share and that we are all connected. Then I heard they would keep the ride open, but they had to refit all of the boats to accomodate the extra-large American bodies that were sinking the boats.
We had approached this vacation with a socialism package deal: you know, where you pay one rate and all is included. Sounds good, but once you get in the gates you realize that was only the half of it. Over 100*, no drinking fountains in sight and small little bottles of cold water were sold on every corner for $5- per bottle. When I splurged and bought us slices of $8 watermelon, I saw many hungry and thirsty faces looking at us.
We all want to believe in magic kingdoms and fairy tales. We all need to wake up. No one is going to save us. Some of us are now holding out hope for space aliens to save us in the nic’ of time, but again, this is magical thinking. I do believe in miracles though, so there is some place in my psyche that dares to hope, dream and wish. However, I have learned to do this without expectation of how exactly it will turn out. Like that Buddhist saying: No expectation, no disappointment. This is what I strive for, tho not always easy.
We are all in the same boat. There is only one planet that we know of that is habitable by humans. Keeping this planet intact is all of our concern. The sooner we all realize that America isnt going to throw off its glasses, rip its coat open to reveal its true self: Superman, the sooner we are free to plan for our survival.
Peace.
Reply
So beautifully said. Thank you Grace. I can not imagine paying a 8 usd on a piece of melon. But I bet it is worth it compared with other unecessary crap that we are buying. I also try to keep my hope intact. It is difficult. It is really difficult. But i ll keep trying.
Thank you.
Reply
In hindsight one can see how stupid you are. Your little phony god has now taken control of industry and shown himself to be the disgusting marxist that he is. There is a great documentary about the Obama administration that you really should watch. It is called Idiocracy. Maybe the great liberal Al Gore can use some of the hundreds of millions he has made to help the people in the tent cities. He is a liberal and therefore one of the most compassioante people on earth. Maybe Bill or Hillary will donate some money. Maybe the president of BET will. Fat chance because they do not give a crap! You are all useful idiots in Mr Obama’s army of idiots. You talk about the republican’s media influence, but who has the media been covering for and fawning over? Yeah that is right, the Mess-iah. You are blind to the truth. Obama is just Jim Jones in a $1500 suit and you are all lining up to drink the coolaid.
Reply
David G Reply:
June 11th, 2009 at 1:42 pm
Tyree, have you been smoking something you shouldn’t?
Reply