tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32931256.post770617665434360969..comments2024-03-22T05:20:44.167-07:00Comments on The Disaffected Lib: A Must Read - Why America Is Not in Decline, Except at Home.The Mound of Soundhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09023839743772372922noreply@blogger.comBlogger9125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32931256.post-19527810915544092762014-02-26T11:01:16.614-08:002014-02-26T11:01:16.614-08:00No I hadn't (been busy and behind on my readin...No I hadn't (been busy and behind on my reading/research), but just read it and yep.. I agree completely. That's exactly what's happening.<br /><br />I'd almost suggest providing a link to it in this post as it's perfectly complementary.Richardhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15473265775588031435noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32931256.post-129830002748206542014-02-26T10:28:10.587-08:002014-02-26T10:28:10.587-08:00Hi, Richard. Did you read my post on the "De...Hi, Richard. Did you read my post on the "Deep State"? It confirms your view of the state of sovereign government, at least in the U.S.<br /><br />American "power" in the sense of its global hegemony has plainly declined, particularly from the resurgence of Russia under Putin and the ascendancy of China.<br /><br />Thwap, I think your analysis is solid. As mentioned in that Deep State essay, the plutocrats are blunder-prone and, when they screw up, their instinct is to double down. I'd love to know what the Chinese and Russians make of this circus act.The Mound of Soundhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09023839743772372922noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32931256.post-85960452572859626552014-02-26T08:25:57.313-08:002014-02-26T08:25:57.313-08:00Yeah, i've been arguing for a long time that t...Yeah, i've been arguing for a long time that there's a fair bit of resiliance left in the United States economy.<br /><br />These successful corporate titans are the ones behind the "deep state" you referred me to earlier. And this sort of thing has always been identified by Marxists and other left-wing radicals. That the battles between the bourgeois parties are a sham contest meant to hide the real power behind the scenes while giving people the illusion of choice.<br /><br />The asinine behaviour of the Repugs and the blatant hypocrisy of the Dems shows us this in technicolor.<br /><br />But PLG is on to something when he says that the might of US corporations is dependent upon the US military. (The velvet glove on the iron fist of the US military as Thomas Friedman gushed.) To the extent that the US gov't becomes starved for revenues, to that extent is the military threatened.<br /><br />Furthermore, these guys might be maintaining their profits and market shares, but it's based on export-led development in other countries, which has to be kept in line; by high levels of household debt, and with the largest sector (finance) on direct state subsidy.<br /><br />Because these masters of the universe are actually ignoramuses, living in a bubble. They're causing immiseration in the rich countries and that's what produced the rampant speculative bubble economy that burst in 2007-08.<br /><br />The French Revolution started because the King was forced to call the Estates General to deal with a revenue crisis. The nobility and the Church had the money to help their country, but they wanted more power first. Then, things sort of spun out of control, didn't they?thwaphttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15399550285738440669noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32931256.post-33087539969622670042014-02-25T22:07:49.019-08:002014-02-25T22:07:49.019-08:00Excellent article, though I wouldn't say "...Excellent article, though I wouldn't say "American power" hasn't declined, per say. It has. America is the nation and while yes these folks might be American citizens I do not believe this power in turn is controlled by the U.S. at all.<br /><br />What I would say instead is the soverign state itself, worldwide, is declining and transnational corporations are rising. Free trade agreements are the trans nationals creating a new, alternative, system of "global governance" and debt is the mechanism of governmental control.<br /><br />The transnationals looted the U.S. - America, and every nation state is in serious decline. Globalization has lead to global corporatism, fascism, and politicians paid off by these transnationals are trading national sovereignty to them.Richardhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15473265775588031435noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32931256.post-78643298165226469532014-02-25T15:28:27.737-08:002014-02-25T15:28:27.737-08:00Yes and if history can teach us anything your last...Yes and if history can teach us anything your last comment Mound reveals a blueprint of history.<br /><br />>Usually your rival will rise up to bite you in your a**.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32931256.post-34437082228761191032014-02-25T12:24:18.034-08:002014-02-25T12:24:18.034-08:00@ PLG. I don't know about the imperialism arg...@ PLG. I don't know about the imperialism arguments you advance but it is the recurrent history of empires that each eventually gives up the manufacturing base it rode to greatness and financializes its economy while investing its capital into developing the economy of its rival.<br /><br />Kevin Philips has an excellent discussion of this economic 'hand off' in his 2005 book, "American Theocracy."The Mound of Soundhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09023839743772372922noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32931256.post-31597118229864681892014-02-25T12:18:13.581-08:002014-02-25T12:18:13.581-08:00Hi Sean. Fine piece of well-researched writing. I...Hi Sean. Fine piece of well-researched writing. I have forwarded it to a prof in England.<br />You're doing very important work and please don't stop. Good luck in Asia.The Mound of Soundhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09023839743772372922noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32931256.post-31698693242114273212014-02-25T11:59:02.747-08:002014-02-25T11:59:02.747-08:00Thanks for the compliments, and I like your openin...Thanks for the compliments, and I like your opening words! SeanAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32931256.post-13696832812493967852014-02-25T11:00:17.173-08:002014-02-25T11:00:17.173-08:00This is an excellent point, corrects some oversimp...This is an excellent point, corrects some oversimplified perspectives about US decline and makes for a point of view worth keeping in mind. <br />I do have a caveat, though. It may oversimplify things in a different direction.<br />I see two limiting factors to this outlook: Skills and imperialism. On the first front, if a lot of high tech stuff is manufactured and even, at the nuts-and-bolts level, designed in a country, then the people who know how to do that stuff live in that country; in the medium term that will have implications. This is not the first time in history a country has shifted its basis of dominance from manufacturing to finance and ownership. The British Empire did that, shortly before it ceased to be an empire.<br /><br />Which brings us to imperialism. Part of the point of this globalized approach by American (and other) capital is tax avoidance and, in general, autonomy from the US territorial government. The problem is that US capital depends to a fair degree on US military might to enforce it. But the US tax base and military remains bound to the geographic US. If US transnational capital allows the US to decline at home, US military might will wane and find it harder to enforce the ownership rights of US capital abroad.Purple library guyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01930984683714519212noreply@blogger.com