"Trainwreck in a slow motion": lessons for the sane world from the not-so-sudden collapse of American democracy

[myata]

As someone from Canada put it, precisely and succinctly, where was nothing sudden about these events. For years, it was painfully clear that the political system has reached it's best before limit and moved way past it. There are no more quick band-aid fixes from this condition than trying to stick it on a broken main pipe. More alarming precedents have been created over a few years than the decades that preceded them. It has to mean something. It cannot be shrugged away. And there are some important lessons for the rest of us who value and intend to keep our democracies.

First, big business and politics is a bad and dangerous mix. Big money shouldn't be allowed anywhere near public politics, laws and regulations, firm and penalties for violations, severe.

It was plainly, dumb of Americans to view democracy as a magic well that would take in and digest any sh*t they throw at it and excrete pure ambrosia. They could have guessed nothing in this world works this way. They were warned it won't work this way because it's a dumb fairy tale that doesn't and cannot exist in this universe. Democracy is for grown up, thinking and responsible citizens. And no other magic will work to keep it. Now, looking at the example they are offering us, generously we need to recall and remember that.

Second, polarization, animosity and negativity is a serious symptom. It cannot be dismissed and ignored as "marginal" and needs to be looked at and understood by the society. In this case, traditional elites yet again sat back in their comfy chairs failing to address two importation issues of a growing concern to the broader society: stagnation of broad prosperity; and immigration.

And not lastly, democracy does not take well stalling and stagnation. When an impasse is looming, the society must look for solutions, try novel approaches but to sit back in the high tower and preach from there is a failing strategy that may very well lead to the condition we're observing these very days before us.

Democracy is no magic and reciting fairy tales won't keep it going. Daily thought and reason, thoughtful and respectful discussion of responsible citizens who value each other and their shared present and future. Today, tomorrow and every day - for as long as democracy lasts.

[Politics1990]

if the reports that are coming out  true the democracy make  start disappearing as soon as tuesday 

[myata]

A good analysis today in The Guardian on Biden's legacy. In the summary, it's hard to disagree: "The prime directive of Joe Biden’s presidency was to prevent Donald Trump’s return to power and his failure to do that is likely to be his lasting legacy.”

Given the stakes, Biden's entire mission had to be to prepare and build the strongest position possible for the 2024 elections. He delivered an astounding and unforgivable failure on this one crucial priority - and not even for his legacy: for the country and the world. I don't even want to guess how it happen. But a failure of this magnitude brings his standing as a democratic politician down several levels.

Surprising and disappointing to read:

Dean Phillips, a Minnesota congressman, announced that he would challenge Biden in the party primary, citing poll numbers and the president’s age as reasons to pass on the torch to a new generation. He told the Washington Post newspaper: “We’re at grave risk of another Trump presidency. I’m doing this to prevent a return of Donald Trump to the White House.”

In public, Phillips was ridiculed (for expressing objective, factual reality? unbelievable - m.) In private, others shared his concerns. Larry Sabato, director of the Center for Politics at the University of Virginia, recalled receiving a call from a Democratic senator in late January or early February 2024.

“I said, ‘Is there any particular reason why you called me? I’d like to know.’ He said, ‘You do realise, off the record, that Joe Biden is not going to be our nominee?’ I was stunned. I said, ‘What, how, why?’ He said, ‘I just was at a meeting with him with several other senators and he couldn’t even function. We can’t run him".

Disappointing isn't the word here, disgusting is. Unbelievable, too. At the time when... please save me repeating. This is what the ultimate, pinnacle of disconnect and irresponsibility looks like, isn't it?

We have to be fully honest about how America got to arrive at this present condition. The roots were deep and there was more than one reason.

[Aristides]

Republicans are scary, Democrats are just stupid.

[Deluge]

8 hours ago, myata said:

As someone from Canada put it, precisely and succinctly, where was nothing sudden about these events. For years, it was painfully clear that the political system has reached it's best before limit and moved way past it. There are no more quick band-aid fixes from this condition than trying to stick it on a broken main pipe. More alarming precedents have been created over a few years than the decades that preceded them. It has to mean something. It cannot be shrugged away. And there are some important lessons for the rest of us who value and intend to keep our democracies.

First, big business and politics is a bad and dangerous mix. Big money shouldn't be allowed anywhere near public politics, laws and regulations, firm and penalties for violations, severe.

It was plainly, dumb of Americans to view democracy as a magic well that would take in and digest any sh*t they throw at it and excrete pure ambrosia. They could have guessed nothing in this world works this way. They were warned it won't work this way because it's a dumb fairy tale that doesn't and cannot exist in this universe. Democracy is for grown up, thinking and responsible citizens. And no other magic will work to keep it. Now, looking at the example they are offering us, generously we need to recall and remember that.

Second, polarization, animosity and negativity is a serious symptom. It cannot be dismissed and ignored as "marginal" and needs to be looked at and understood by the society. In this case, traditional elites yet again sat back in their comfy chairs failing to address two importation issues of a growing concern to the broader society: stagnation of broad prosperity; and immigration.

And not lastly, democracy does not take well stalling and stagnation. When an impasse is looming, the society must look for solutions, try novel approaches but to sit back in the high tower and preach from there is a failing strategy that may very well lead to the condition we're observing these very days before us.

Democracy is no magic and reciting fairy tales won't keep it going. Daily thought and reason, thoughtful and respectful discussion of responsible citizens who value each other and their shared present and future. Today, tomorrow and every day - for as long as democracy lasts.

You mean the collapse of wokeness, and I am 100% here for it. 

1 hour ago, Aristides said:

Republicans are scary, Democrats are just stupid.

Wrong. 

Democrats are stupid AND scary. 

Republicans are patriotic. 

Edited January 18 by Deluge

[myata]

1 hour ago, Aristides said:

Democrats are just stupid.

That word just isn't expressive, colorful enough. Imagine, Heaven forbid Putin just launched an n-strike. Where's the CinC? What's this sound zzzzzz--. Can he be waken up, any chance in the next fk minutes, hours to the reality? But seriously. How do one comments on this condition? Like some bizarre absurd tragicomedy show from the alternate universe. Is that what insanity is, on the outside?

Edited January 18 by myata

[robosmith]

3 hours ago, Aristides said:

Republicans are scary, Democrats are just stupid.

Wrong. There are very smart Democrats and very stupid RepubliCONS.

 

[Aristides]

20 minutes ago, robosmith said:

Wrong. There are very smart Democrats and very stupid RepubliCONS.

 

I mean't as a group. Democrats lost the election more than Republicans won it. 

[robosmith]

21 minutes ago, Aristides said:

I mean't as a group. Democrats lost the election more than Republicans won it. 

Well, Joe Biden has admitted that he spent more time/effort on policy than on politics.

That is a repeating theme; not just Joe expecting the voters to understand and give credit for smart policy that has not yet borne fruit.

[blackbird]

3 hours ago, Deluge said:

Republicans are patriotic. 

If Trump is not stupid, why is he threatening to destroy the trade system with America's neighbours and start a trade war with Canada by imposing a tariff on the American people of 25% for imported goods from Canada?  Where is the claimed unfairness in the existing trade between Canada and the U.S.?  Where is the logic in what he is doing?

[myata]

13 minutes ago, blackbird said:

Where is the logic in what he is doing?

You're looking in the wrong place - it's not logic, not reason that these ideas are driven by. Or rather different kind of logic. As every aspiring dictator he needs to raise the stakes so that everyone is instantly baffled and distracted from other issues including very real ones including the ones he promised solutions to like food prices. In the struggle mode it's easier to keep distracting the pueblo as Maduros of the world know very well. And so he's launching several at once. Will it pay off? Will pueblo swallow it? We will have to see.

[Deluge]

6 hours ago, blackbird said:

If Trump is not stupid, why is he threatening to destroy the trade system with America's neighbours and start a trade war with Canada by imposing a tariff on the American people of 25% for imported goods from Canada?  Where is the claimed unfairness in the existing trade between Canada and the U.S.?  Where is the logic in what he is doing?

He's using that to get our allies off their asses with illegal immigration. Will it work? Trudeau certainly seemed spooked, and I don't see Mexico pushing back. Trump seems to think it'll work, so let's see!  

[myata]

Sleepwalking into disaster: Democratic elites are learning nothing from the defeat. Most likely, they are too disconnected and entrenched to have the ability to learn. The decay consumed the entire political system: both of the main parties, and a large part of voters turned pueblo living in a fairy-tale world. That's why "let's just wake up in four years" is the dumbest idea possible. No such miracles. When entropy went this deep and far, there's simply zero chance that it'll fix and reverse itself.

[myata]

That would be like, in the times of WWII look we planted all these cute daisies but forgot to show up for the main battle with the Axis. Mindboggling. Astounding. Perplexing. But this is the true state of today's America, behind all fancy facades. The decay has reached the very core.

[gatomontes99]

19 hours ago, Deluge said:

You mean the collapse of wokeness, and I am 100% here for it. 

Wrong. 

Democrats are stupid AND scary. 

Republicans are patriotic. 

Not all of them. More than the Democrats but less than it should be.

[Deluge]

2 hours ago, gatomontes99 said:

Not all of them. More than the Democrats but less than it should be.

That's true, but the numbers are shifting in our favor. We're going in a good direction. 

[myata]

Where "good direction" is:

Twice impeached, attempted to subvert election and sack White House; convicted on 34 counts, charged with a conspiracy to subvert democratic government... that's Maduro, right? Wait there's more: cancelled by plebiscite the rule of law, as universal applicability.

Be wary of bad directions America!

[Nationalist]

On 1/18/2025 at 3:48 AM, myata said:

As someone from Canada put it, precisely and succinctly, where was nothing sudden about these events. For years, it was painfully clear that the political system has reached it's best before limit and moved way past it. There are no more quick band-aid fixes from this condition than trying to stick it on a broken main pipe. More alarming precedents have been created over a few years than the decades that preceded them. It has to mean something. It cannot be shrugged away. And there are some important lessons for the rest of us who value and intend to keep our democracies.

First, big business and politics is a bad and dangerous mix. Big money shouldn't be allowed anywhere near public politics, laws and regulations, firm and penalties for violations, severe.

It was plainly, dumb of Americans to view democracy as a magic well that would take in and digest any sh*t they throw at it and excrete pure ambrosia. They could have guessed nothing in this world works this way. They were warned it won't work this way because it's a dumb fairy tale that doesn't and cannot exist in this universe. Democracy is for grown up, thinking and responsible citizens. And no other magic will work to keep it. Now, looking at the example they are offering us, generously we need to recall and remember that.

Second, polarization, animosity and negativity is a serious symptom. It cannot be dismissed and ignored as "marginal" and needs to be looked at and understood by the society. In this case, traditional elites yet again sat back in their comfy chairs failing to address two importation issues of a growing concern to the broader society: stagnation of broad prosperity; and immigration.

And not lastly, democracy does not take well stalling and stagnation. When an impasse is looming, the society must look for solutions, try novel approaches but to sit back in the high tower and preach from there is a failing strategy that may very well lead to the condition we're observing these very days before us.

Democracy is no magic and reciting fairy tales won't keep it going. Daily thought and reason, thoughtful and respectful discussion of responsible citizens who value each other and their shared present and future. Today, tomorrow and every day - for as long as democracy lasts.

I don't know about others but, when I read your prose, all I understand is...

"WHAAAAA! WE HAD IT IN OUR GRASP AND THESE BAD BASTATDS ARE TAKING IT ALL WAY!"

You must have been an interesting child...

[myata]

And for Joe... well it was a failure. His legacy; his party; his country; and the world. To leave this kind of problem for the posterity to figure out, well it's a failure Joe. The legacy.

[Aristides]

https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2025/jan/19/trump-democracy-orban-modi-franco

[Deluge]

On 1/18/2025 at 1:48 AM, myata said:

As someone from Canada put it, precisely and succinctly, where was nothing sudden about these events. For years, it was painfully clear that the political system has reached it's best before limit and moved way past it. There are no more quick band-aid fixes from this condition than trying to stick it on a broken main pipe. More alarming precedents have been created over a few years than the decades that preceded them. It has to mean something. It cannot be shrugged away. And there are some important lessons for the rest of us who value and intend to keep our democracies.

First, big business and politics is a bad and dangerous mix. Big money shouldn't be allowed anywhere near public politics, laws and regulations, firm and penalties for violations, severe.

It was plainly, dumb of Americans to view democracy as a magic well that would take in and digest any sh*t they throw at it and excrete pure ambrosia. They could have guessed nothing in this world works this way. They were warned it won't work this way because it's a dumb fairy tale that doesn't and cannot exist in this universe. Democracy is for grown up, thinking and responsible citizens. And no other magic will work to keep it. Now, looking at the example they are offering us, generously we need to recall and remember that.

Second, polarization, animosity and negativity is a serious symptom. It cannot be dismissed and ignored as "marginal" and needs to be looked at and understood by the society. In this case, traditional elites yet again sat back in their comfy chairs failing to address two importation issues of a growing concern to the broader society: stagnation of broad prosperity; and immigration.

And not lastly, democracy does not take well stalling and stagnation. When an impasse is looming, the society must look for solutions, try novel approaches but to sit back in the high tower and preach from there is a failing strategy that may very well lead to the condition we're observing these very days before us.

Democracy is no magic and reciting fairy tales won't keep it going. Daily thought and reason, thoughtful and respectful discussion of responsible citizens who value each other and their shared present and future. Today, tomorrow and every day - for as long as democracy lasts.

Poor comrade myata. Sometimes I wonder how you even get out of bed in the mornings.