-unsure predictions of things to come, by Ian Tanner!
The atmosphere of the days of 2008 seem to point to one conclusion, especially for someone from outside the bubble - that we are witnessing the beginning of the end of the American dream - the American Empire. Fukayama wrote that history died some years ago and that all that remains for the planet Earth are various variations on previously written material.
We've seen the gradual erosion of signs of humanity in America over the last 100 years, and for many of those years, dismantlings of the US constitution were conducted under cover of night with many grave errors only being noticed years after they mattered. But in the last 20 years or so, the American dream has taken on entirely different meanings. It's been a good time to be alive if you work for an Oil Company, Pharmaceutical Company, Financial Institution, Major Corporate Conglomerate or either of the major political parties. For the average "Joe," the American dream has become something you see in lousy "U-S-A, U-S-A-type" movies but not something tangibly experienced by the people.
Flash forward to today and you see gross hemorrhaging of the rights of individuals at the benefit of the elite league of multi-millionaire policy makers. We've seen George W. Bush all but defecate on the US constitution through his launching of evil, un-lawful wars in foreign lands, his use of the Patriot Act to invade the privacy of American citizens, his aggressive desire to condone torture in lands far and wide, and his ability to pander to born again Christians while lying through his teeth about all of the above. The Neo-Cons have truly hijacked the concept of the American dream by emphasizing the concept of American Acceptionalism. They see America as the world's master-race and power source, thus permitting them any act, legal or otherwise, in any area of the planet Earth, if there is any perceived threat to the way of life in America.
They have two political parties with very few differences. What real choice do Americans have when it comes to elections? They can choose between the Republican candidate, who will always pander to the social-economic self-centredness of the religious 'right,' or the Democratic candidate, who will pander to the moderately liberal leftists. Both parties function in the same way. They say what they have to say to get elected, and then with a few exceptions, they continue with "business as usual," and the poor, un-involved electorate continue to debate the silly issues that kept them interested in the election process in the first place.
So where is this leading?
I see this as the beginning of the end of the great America. It may not collapse entirely in my lifetime, but I honestly believe this is the start of the downward spiral which will see other countries emerge in the role formally played by the United States of America. America is in such debt to China and so massively tied up in world wars that it cannot provide any kind of quality living for its own people.
The America of John McCain arrogantly professes it's greatness in the world without any care to examine the facts of the matter. I've met people in the American south who have never been to another country and have never even ventured outside of their own State in their lifetime. How great a bubble it must be to be a Conservative American. These are the same people who believe that the attacks of 9/11 were because of the World's jealousy of American values and so-called "Freedom!" To believe that the 3000+ Americans who died on that day died because of some form of payback or "blowback" is a concept completely outside of their lexicon. "Nope, the terrorist Muslims hated our freedoms and now they're gonna get a can of America whoop-ass to learn 'em a lesson!"
America is not the #1 country in the world anymore. It may have been at some point, but it isn't anymore. If Barack Obama wins the Presidency, there is some fleeting hope that the reputation of America being a land of freedom loving people might once again spread through the world. But if John McCain wins instead, it will bring the death sentence that much closer.
Perhaps in some not-too-distant future, we'll see another civil war in America. If Barack gets elected and then assassinated by a white supremacist, Charles Manson's "Helter Skelter" race war may finally gets its genesis.
Who knows how it will all play out, but like Chalmers Johnston wrote in his book "Nemesis," it would appear that the USA has already crossed its Rubicon and there is no turning back. The empire has begun its final days and the future can only get uglier and more pathetic.
Should be interesting.
R.I.P. America
Ian Tanner
October 29/08
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