Well, we could review the long litany of failings; infrastructure, education, environment, income inequality, civil rights, woman’s rights, consumer protection, worker safety, bank regulations, tax reform. We could recall that, after 17 years of continuous war, nothing has changed in the terror department. In spite of what we spend on it and how much we worship the “war fighters”, the US military is essentially impotent. All it is really good at is consuming resources and churning out casualties. Maybe putting on a good parade will be something they can manage. But I’m not sure I would bet on it.
We might consider the relevancy of a civilization that clings to religions long shown to make claims that are outright false. This isn’t to say the those who made the original claims were lying, they simply didn’t know better. But we know better now, and have no excuse for clinging to illusions. Particularly when those illusions drive us to make foolish choices like devastating the only environment we know that can support life, making unsustainable population growth a matter of obedience, and continuing support for the oppression of women and minorities. I know this is a place where religion is routinely panned, but we are in the minority and have absolutely no impact on the county’s leadership or their fidelity to religious extremism.
In spite of all the evidence to the contrary we continue to boast that the US has no equals anywhere, that we are the absolute best country in the world. Hubris, greed, and ego are the definition of the American experience. Also consumerism, lust, violence, and celebrity.
Characteristics that are as much a part of the Democratic party as they are of the Republican. Would Hillary have been a better president? I guess that depends on the measure you use. Would she have ended the wars? Would universal health care be on the table? Would she be dramatically hiking taxes on her own donor class while breaking up the Wall Street banks and openly supporting unions? Would a $15/hr minimum wage really make a difference so long as companies have a 100 different loopholes to keep from paying it out? The Paris accord was a weak, nearly toothless agreement in the first place. Would Hillary have led the effort to really address climate change?
Would anyone in the US, where 5% of the world’s population consumes roughly 25% or the world’s output in resources, support her if she did?
I don’t know that we were ever a great country but, once upon a time one could make the argument that we were trying. I don’t think you can make that argument now.
We might consider the relevancy of a civilization that clings to religions long shown to make claims that are outright false. This isn’t to say the those who made the original claims were lying, they simply didn’t know better. But we know better now, and have no excuse for clinging to illusions. Particularly when those illusions drive us to make foolish choices like devastating the only environment we know that can support life, making unsustainable population growth a matter of obedience, and continuing support for the oppression of women and minorities. I know this is a place where religion is routinely panned, but we are in the minority and have absolutely no impact on the county’s leadership or their fidelity to religious extremism.
In spite of all the evidence to the contrary we continue to boast that the US has no equals anywhere, that we are the absolute best country in the world. Hubris, greed, and ego are the definition of the American experience. Also consumerism, lust, violence, and celebrity.
Characteristics that are as much a part of the Democratic party as they are of the Republican. Would Hillary have been a better president? I guess that depends on the measure you use. Would she have ended the wars? Would universal health care be on the table? Would she be dramatically hiking taxes on her own donor class while breaking up the Wall Street banks and openly supporting unions? Would a $15/hr minimum wage really make a difference so long as companies have a 100 different loopholes to keep from paying it out? The Paris accord was a weak, nearly toothless agreement in the first place. Would Hillary have led the effort to really address climate change?
Would anyone in the US, where 5% of the world’s population consumes roughly 25% or the world’s output in resources, support her if she did?
I don’t know that we were ever a great country but, once upon a time one could make the argument that we were trying. I don’t think you can make that argument now.
