Tuesday, March 01, 2016

A Teeny Tiny History Lesson Re: Trump

Americans have no time for the social sciences.  We are either working, getting ready to work on vacation or sleeping.  Or football is on TV.  Schools and students are tested on math, reading and the hard sciences, so social sciences - like history or economics - isn't taught much anymore in primary school.
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So much so that most people don't have a context for the rise of Donald Trump.  And his rise follows the footsteps of Mussolini and Hitler to a "T"ee.  We have regulated Adolf Hitler and Benito Mussolini to the ashcan of Great Evil, so much so that we forget that they came to power via elections.  And via a plurality, not a majority, of voters in both countries.  Exactly as Trump has won in the primaries.
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So why?  Why are people voting for Trump.  Well, the same reason they voted for Adolf Hitler and Benito Mussolini.  People are dissatisfied with the way government works and believe that their countries are not living up to their potential, tied down by the political class.
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Great Book - I read it years ago
In the US, money speaks.  We know this because the desires of the voters do not correlate to actions by Congress, but the desires of major donors correlates almost 1 to 1 to the actions of our elected representatives.  And this has made the US a wonderful place to have a large corporation or be rich, but not the best place if you are neither of those.
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We don't discuss class in the US, but Americans are not stupid and many see their lifestyles stagnating or declining.  For years, a combination of dropping prices for luxury goods, a minimal - but effective safety net, and focused anger at minorities kept the electorate in line.
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But Donald Trump has arrived at the perfect time.  Or, to give him credit, taken advantage of the perfect time to run.  Nearly all Americans (of both parties) despair at the process where they have no voice.  Significant parts of the electorate despair at economic stagnation or loss.  Donald Trump has simply capitalized on their frustrations to get votes.  Blaming Mr. Trump is like blaming a vulture that happens upon a dead cow.  The vulture didn't kill it, it has just found a tasty meal.
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And, in other ways, Mr. Trump is perfect for the country.  Not as in, the right answer, but as in such the wrong answer that it is obvious.  Maybe this is the kick in the ass the country's plutocracy needs to wake up.
Its not the Vulture's fault the cow is dead
Don't think for a minute, however, that Fascism can't happen in the US.  The security apparatus of this country is totally willing to follow a strong man.  We already conduct remote assassinations via drone.  We already spy on 100% of Americans and as many foreigners as we can both legally and illegally.  And the Secret Service is more than willing to be muscle for a strong man, just yesterday the Secret Service team assigned to Trump beat a Time Magazine reporter for have a single foot outside of the taped off area (already at the farthest point from Donald Trump) as he took a picture of a protester being walked out. (link).
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We will either pull our collective heads out of our asses, or its about to get real ugly folks.