I'd argue that the country has not imploded quickly but rather is at an accelerating rate nearing a crescendo that extremist far-righters have been working toward for the last fifty years or more. The far right has for a very long time recognized that its views are very unpopular across the full breadth of the increasingly diverse Americ…
I'd argue that the country has not imploded quickly but rather is at an accelerating rate nearing a crescendo that extremist far-righters have been working toward for the last fifty years or more. The far right has for a very long time recognized that its views are very unpopular across the full breadth of the increasingly diverse American electorate, therefore it would have to impose those views because the voting public would never choose them in free and fair elections.
Now, after decades of careful building backstopped by many hundreds of millions of dollars spent by ultra-conservative billionaires including the Kochs, Scaifes, Olins, Mercers, and others, the far-righters have made major inroads into or gained control of higher education, government from municipal to federal levels, the court system, the media, and non-governmental policy influencers (think: "institutes," "societies," "think tanks," etc.). The extreme right wing has been long been working to undo the social safety net and other New Deal-type programs; eliminate individual rights and choices and control non-white, non-male, non-traditional, non-Christian population groups; and reimpose white, Christian, oligarchic, corporatist rule such as what antebellum slave holders and plantation owners practiced. There's a straight ideological line running from John Calhoun in South Carolina in the 1840s and 1850s to today.
Now, well into the 21st century, since the extremists have successfully gained more influence than ever over how laws get made and how elections get run (i.e., government), how laws get interpreted (i.e., the courts), and who receives the great majority of the wealth that the country produces (i.e., the extremely rich ruling class), they intend not only to reimpose the rule they want but also to make it permanent. Democracy is anathema to them. Said differently, they've succeeded in tilting the playing field, they're busily rewriting the rules as fast as they can to ensure they'll always win the game, and they own the referees.
This didn't just happen. The country's been heading in this direction for a long time. Now, the racism and fascism and misogyny isn't cloaked or hidden any more -- it's all right out there in the open, shamelessly being preached and practiced, accompanied by overt threats of violence against any dissent or non-compliance. Every day's headlines bring new and ever more horrifying examples.
Recommended reading (forgive the lack of proper typography): Democracy in Chains: The Deep History of the Radical Right's Stealth Plan for America, by Nancy MacLean; and Dark Money: The Hidden History of the Billionaires Behind the Rise of the Radical Right, by Jane Mayer.
Oh, you are so right on! Thank you. "Now the racism, (authoritarianism) and misogyny isn't cloaked or hidden any more..) I would add those three are the tenets of conservative Christianity in our country. While never spoken as such, but indeed they are justified and practiced. They have been used to justify the inquisition, fascism, Hitler, slavery, child abuse, and now a resurrection of "a woman's place." If we include the Taliban and right wing Israelis, the world is on fire with self-appointed, self-righteous religious extremism and fascism. Include Putin in that, too.
I second the recommendation of Dark Money by Jane Mayer. Brilliant (and scary) summation of how the ultra-rich are fashioning a world that just benefits them.
I'd argue that the country has not imploded quickly but rather is at an accelerating rate nearing a crescendo that extremist far-righters have been working toward for the last fifty years or more. The far right has for a very long time recognized that its views are very unpopular across the full breadth of the increasingly diverse American electorate, therefore it would have to impose those views because the voting public would never choose them in free and fair elections.
Now, after decades of careful building backstopped by many hundreds of millions of dollars spent by ultra-conservative billionaires including the Kochs, Scaifes, Olins, Mercers, and others, the far-righters have made major inroads into or gained control of higher education, government from municipal to federal levels, the court system, the media, and non-governmental policy influencers (think: "institutes," "societies," "think tanks," etc.). The extreme right wing has been long been working to undo the social safety net and other New Deal-type programs; eliminate individual rights and choices and control non-white, non-male, non-traditional, non-Christian population groups; and reimpose white, Christian, oligarchic, corporatist rule such as what antebellum slave holders and plantation owners practiced. There's a straight ideological line running from John Calhoun in South Carolina in the 1840s and 1850s to today.
Now, well into the 21st century, since the extremists have successfully gained more influence than ever over how laws get made and how elections get run (i.e., government), how laws get interpreted (i.e., the courts), and who receives the great majority of the wealth that the country produces (i.e., the extremely rich ruling class), they intend not only to reimpose the rule they want but also to make it permanent. Democracy is anathema to them. Said differently, they've succeeded in tilting the playing field, they're busily rewriting the rules as fast as they can to ensure they'll always win the game, and they own the referees.
This didn't just happen. The country's been heading in this direction for a long time. Now, the racism and fascism and misogyny isn't cloaked or hidden any more -- it's all right out there in the open, shamelessly being preached and practiced, accompanied by overt threats of violence against any dissent or non-compliance. Every day's headlines bring new and ever more horrifying examples.
Recommended reading (forgive the lack of proper typography): Democracy in Chains: The Deep History of the Radical Right's Stealth Plan for America, by Nancy MacLean; and Dark Money: The Hidden History of the Billionaires Behind the Rise of the Radical Right, by Jane Mayer.
Oh, you are so right on! Thank you. "Now the racism, (authoritarianism) and misogyny isn't cloaked or hidden any more..) I would add those three are the tenets of conservative Christianity in our country. While never spoken as such, but indeed they are justified and practiced. They have been used to justify the inquisition, fascism, Hitler, slavery, child abuse, and now a resurrection of "a woman's place." If we include the Taliban and right wing Israelis, the world is on fire with self-appointed, self-righteous religious extremism and fascism. Include Putin in that, too.
I second the recommendation of Dark Money by Jane Mayer. Brilliant (and scary) summation of how the ultra-rich are fashioning a world that just benefits them.
Very well said!
Ironically, their victories against women's rights appear to be assuring their increasing election losses and loss of political power.
WOW!!! Took the words right away from me! Excellent post, pts!