tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32931256.post6826051689451415750..comments2024-03-22T05:20:44.167-07:00Comments on The Disaffected Lib: "A Transformed and Blighted World"The Mound of Soundhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09023839743772372922noreply@blogger.comBlogger4125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32931256.post-49213302955000810012020-05-04T10:14:46.923-07:002020-05-04T10:14:46.923-07:00Lorne, if you called a convention of optimists tod...Lorne, if you called a convention of optimists today you might wind up with an empty room.<br /><br />I suspect that, at some level, even the most politically partisan among us must sense this void of leadership at home and abroad. There's never been a time when I felt more fearful of the neighbour on our only land border and what might befall it and on us.<br /><br />My American-born son-in-law sent me a link to a Walrus article from 2018 about the emergence of a pre-revolutionary America. I'm sure you're familiar with Chris Hedges' op-eds on this same theme. <br /><br />It makes for pretty grim reading: <br /><br />https://thewalrus.ca/americas-next-civil-war/<br /><br />I'm working my way through a refresher course on war in the 21st century. The eye-opener in the last course was discovering how modern wars are more likely to be inadvertent than planned; how adversaries blunder into becoming enemies. The Disaffected Libhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13135599782685108764noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32931256.post-69282325261007539002020-05-04T09:39:32.868-07:002020-05-04T09:39:32.868-07:00Let's remember, TB, that regulated capitalism ...<br />Let's remember, TB, that regulated capitalism in the postwar era delivered the greatest, most broad-based middle class in human history. Neoliberalism, ushered in by Thatcher, Reagan and Mulroney, has ever since destroyed that middle class and stripped it of its former political prowess.The Disaffected Libhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13135599782685108764noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32931256.post-20256437714836464812020-05-04T06:37:58.329-07:002020-05-04T06:37:58.329-07:00I think the prospects of change for the better are...I think the prospects of change for the better are slim, Mound, especially in the U.S. Far too many of the most vulnerable there have drunk the Kool-Aid of individual freedom, opposition to the 'intrusiveness of the state' into their lives, etc. to ever be able to see the situation for what it truly is. And even if they did come to a new understanding, there are plenty of very powerful forces that will never let them make anything of it. <br /><br />Captured governments are the handmaids of those forces.Lornehttp://politicsanditsdiscontents.blogspot.com/noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32931256.post-59801641811622398732020-05-03T19:30:56.896-07:002020-05-03T19:30:56.896-07:00This amount of wealth adds up to one hell of a lot...This amount of wealth adds up to one hell of a lot of power and influence. <br /><br />https://business.financialpost.com/personal-finance/high-net-worth/jeff-bezos-added-24-billion-to-his-fortune-so-far-this-pandemic-as-worlds-rich-reap-bailout-rewards<br /><br /><br />No amount of platitudes from the rich and famous is going to change the world we live in.<br /><br />We have had a huge change not just in how society works but how society thinks!<br />One huge change is that debt no longer seems to matter!<br />Deficit and debt are no longer dirty words.<br />Social programs are no longer deemed left wing fringe politics.<br />'If' debt is no longer unacceptable, and it has not with our current flock of right wing politicians and has not been for some years; then just<br />what the hell is the economy, wealth and it's distribution all about?<br />Could it be that since we invented capitalism it's all a sham designed to perpetuate those with capital to increase it with no other effort than controlling the loan?<br />If debt is indeed bad for the world then we are in deep shit as it will take generations to repay the current, and last unpaid bailouts from the 2008 crash.<br />All this with 2,4 6% interest rates? laugh on.<br />If interest rates rise, and they well could, then future generations will live lives of servitude to the system!<br />Future generations will likely be forever in debt, be it hand me down mortgages, god knows how many year car loans and don't pay for your furniture until you are 60.<br />All this on a workforce that will likely be 20% smaller than it currently is.<br />The shit has yet to hit the fan.<br /><br />TB<br /> <br /><br />Trailblazerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03436709163754934547noreply@blogger.com