Reformation of the USA is Not Possible

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All levels of government (federal, state, local) in the USA are soooo bloated and corrupt that internal, political reform is also not possible. The "right guy" will not get voted in, "the right law" can't be passed. Things are just plain so FUBAR that all we can do is let this train wreck take it's course, it has already jumped the tracks and the inertia will have to play itself out.

Dissatisfaction is on the rise. It may not be at the tipping point yet, but it's headed that direction. Eventually, even with all the media distractions, people will eventually realize that the "american dream" isn't possible.

I don't think an outright revolution is possible, mostly due to technology making the surveillance state nearly omniscient.
But eventually a technical glitch, or vulnerability will handicap big brother. Anyhow, an armed revolution will only replace one gang of violent thugs with another gang of violent thugs.

My speculation is that the US will just plain collapse into disarray under it's own weight and inefficiency. The corrupt politicians will have exhausted all the wealth & resources they can squeeze out of the populace, they will withdraw into their bunkers and let the masses fend for themselves.

You see some of the symptoms but aren't yet aware of what's really happening. It's all about energy. We are approaching the peak of energy production, and this is causing all sort of repercussions. First of all in finance. The recession is a direct result of not being able to generate capital like we used to, therefore money must be conjured up through increasingly obscure financial instruments. This led to the collapse of the markets, since no one really trusts this sort of scam for too long. Dimitri Orlov outlined the 5 stages of collapse in his recent book of that title.

Stage 1: Financial collapse. Faith in “business as usual” is lost.

Stage 2: Commercial collapse. Faith that “the market shall provide” is lost.

Stage 3: Political collapse. Faith that “the government will take care of you” is lost.

Stage 4: Social collapse. Faith that “your people will take care of you” is lost.

Stage 5: Cultural collapse. Faith in “the goodness of humanity” is lost.

It is not inevitable that we will go through every stage, we might end up at stage 3 or 4.

I don't disagree with the assessment in the OP at all. Sadly, most of the 99% do cling to the delusion that they will someday be part of the 1%... and they sure don't want to change the system BEFORE they can put the screws to the rest of us.

Revolution and reform in America are funny things...


The American revolution was driven by New England tax evaders and Rich Southern spendthrifts looking to default on loans to English banks...

As soon as the revolution was over things went back to "normal." Nothing much changed except the seat of political power, because the "revolution" was really just a power grab by economic elites. They didn't want to change anything--not really--they just wanted to call the shots.

Our revolution wasn't about freedom for the common man. It was about merging economic and political power and creating a new patrician class.

And even a century later, after the gilded age, progressive reforms were driven as much by the guilt and boredom of middle class house wives as anything else...

To be sure there were a few militant radicals in the socialist and anarchist movements. They killed a president, set off some bombs on Wall Street... In the end, the patricians bribed just enough plebs, dished out just enough bread and circuses to diffuse any real unrest and undermine any real chance at meaningful reform. And they kept peddling that "American Dream" myth the whole time.

And that's what will happen next time too.

Americans are DUMB GREEDY AMINALS!

As Mao said, a revolution is only 9 missed meals away. So when that happens, regardless of any political ideological thinking, revolution will occur and they'll make up an ideology as they go.

I'm oddly agreeing with the OP.

America's a capitalist nation, and most of us happy with how things generally are. Some wants are different between the democrats and republicans...but they are few and trivial ultimately sharing donaters. Some Americans votes as their parents did not even voting for any partisan issues beyond not liking the other side.

In short, right or left...most NT's think basically alike and make up the voting majority. We are all humans with wants, needs and desires. Most humans are ambitious to varying extents and many aspire for some modicum of greatness. Be it however an individual desires, the "American Dream" while not easy, is one most Americans seek. It can be to headline a band, head a company, write a book, fall in love or anything and everything. It's more than hope...it's desire.

Basically, OWS people are asking folks who are already eating steak, or Hamburger seeking steak....to go without.

Instead telling them to accept the grilled cheese so everyone can get a bite.. Problem is some finicky folks can't eat it and most others just won't.

So yeah I agree with the OP, and to quote the liberal republican Ronald Reagan...voters can always vote with their feet. I hated the leftist police state of New York so I now live in Montana. Almost anyone right or left asking the majority of voters to change their lives, will be perceived as an imposition and often labelled an extremist. That's why the state system is so great, we can leave part of the country for a better place...America is about options.

Extremists try to impose sweeping laws to effect the whole country, not just their cities or state. They rightly invite derision by everyone.

Lot's of folks are moving to Belize thinking the nations moved to far left, others have moved to Canada because the countries too far right. If a country is not what one likes, instead of ruining for those living there, folks can find a place more fitting to them.

One underestimates the United States at one's peril.

The great issue in the United States--the one issue which dwarfs all others, and from which most others arise--is income disparity. The income gap is widening, the middle class is being stretched, and political lines are being drawn to entrench, or disestablish this gap. In a country in which every conceivable good, service or benefit is available at a market price, the single most important factor in daily living is income.

So is this a fixed pattern? Of course not. The United States has been here before. Take a good look at the Gilded Age (tm). Take a look at the banking crisis of 1907. At some point the body politic will shift, as it always has. At some point politicians pandering for dollars will put them at odds with the political imperative of pandering for votes.

If the current economic structure of the United States is allowed to continue unchanged, there will arrive a tipping point at which a critical mass of voters are compelled to act through their votes to effect systematic change. Voter rebellion brought about the New Deal in the 20th century, and it will inevitably do the same in the 21st.

Of course change is possible. But the critical mass of political will has not yet been established to fuel that change. More destruction is necessary before United States v. 4.0 arises phoenix-like from the ashes of this version.

Trying to "reform" any state is a pointless endeavor.