As a Western Europe based, peace loving, tolerant, introvert software dev I'm highly worried by what's happening in the world but at the same time feel totally powerless (I admit to be - for now - selfish enough to not be willing to jeopardise my family and career above this worry).
The frustrating thing is that there must be so many 'of us' and I can't help but think 'we' should organize. Not sure if this (blog) could be a starting point for that?
I cannot stress this enough: for those of us not in the US, do not get sucked into the circus, focus on addressing the same forces locally where you can more easily make a difference.
The post doesn't make specific claims but as a non-American observer (and without taking a position here) the major changes planned/in progress seem to be DOGE, deportations and tariffs. The proponents claim all of these are for the benefit of working-class Americans and not the elites.
Without addressing that it's hard to see what this post actually adds to the conversation. It makes vague assertions against parties unnamed that Business is not the Way to Run a Civilisation. Those that see a clear and urgent need to reduce spending, immigration and globalisation will not be moved one iota by this because it will not make sense to them. They believe they are already saving civilisation.
the major changes planned by DOGE are gutting the US FedGov in ways that allow the hyper-wealthy access to everything without restraint. e.g. hitting the Dept of Tresury, annihilating all of the Inspector General positions, removing oversight and regulatory groups, etc.
some of those hyper-wealthy happen to be the Russian president + Chinese + Israeli + Saudi, et al, and would love to see NATO split apart and the US economy sputter. They are, arguably, the strongest of the hyper-wealthy vying for influence but not the only ones, though they are likely the most successful.
deportations and tariffs exist to serve as a distraction, or as a way to further the above to points.
> It may feel like we have more freedom if some of us are successful. But that's a myopic view. We are not free. It is more like an addiction. Genuine freedom can happen only if it is available to everyone.
>If we truly are to be a society of people who live on this planet together – a civilization - we must take care of each other.
I'm not even really seeing the short term gains here. It seems like despite making grandiose claims, the administration and the "broligarchs" are relying on cheap political wins ("owning the libs/woke") to placate their base in place of even pretending to accomplish anything that helps their constituents. This honestly surprised me. I'm not a fan of the MAGA set but I genuinely expected there to be some upsides here and not just an immediate private equity style looting frenzy
The short term gains are things like $TRUMP bringing in a huge amount of money for insiders. The long term gains are things like firing the FEC, enabling erosion of voter rights.
The supporters aren't really in this for the money, they're in it for the blood. I don't know if that will change once some crisis forces gas prices up.
I read that as a preemptive counter against any argument involving upsides; even if they are there (possibly only for or in the eyes of some of the beholders), the division and abuse of power are a(n immediate) problem (and that's putting it lightly).
You don't believe their stated assertions that e.g. they are genuinely disturbed by the size of public borrowing and the growing debt and are taking what they see as desperate measures?
It would be nice to declassify vaccination trials data. Perhaps this "broligarchy" could take a spin on them. Old guards and their "zero evidence of lab leak" is very old.
icoder|1 year ago
The frustrating thing is that there must be so many 'of us' and I can't help but think 'we' should organize. Not sure if this (blog) could be a starting point for that?
pjc50|1 year ago
I cannot stress this enough: for those of us not in the US, do not get sucked into the circus, focus on addressing the same forces locally where you can more easily make a difference.
moconnor|1 year ago
Without addressing that it's hard to see what this post actually adds to the conversation. It makes vague assertions against parties unnamed that Business is not the Way to Run a Civilisation. Those that see a clear and urgent need to reduce spending, immigration and globalisation will not be moved one iota by this because it will not make sense to them. They believe they are already saving civilisation.
red-iron-pine|1 year ago
some of those hyper-wealthy happen to be the Russian president + Chinese + Israeli + Saudi, et al, and would love to see NATO split apart and the US economy sputter. They are, arguably, the strongest of the hyper-wealthy vying for influence but not the only ones, though they are likely the most successful.
deportations and tariffs exist to serve as a distraction, or as a way to further the above to points.
baxtr|1 year ago
A society that is able to spread power as much as possible is more resilient in the long run.
How to maintain a wide spread dispersion of power? I have no idea.
icoder|1 year ago
mamonster|1 year ago
>If we truly are to be a society of people who live on this planet together – a civilization - we must take care of each other.
Sublimated trotskyism on full display.
relaxing|1 year ago
advael|1 year ago
pjc50|1 year ago
The supporters aren't really in this for the money, they're in it for the blood. I don't know if that will change once some crisis forces gas prices up.
icoder|1 year ago
moconnor|1 year ago
maxglute|1 year ago
smitty1e|1 year ago
throwjrjtiri|1 year ago