Every time I come into contact w/ The Realignment my IQ goes up 5 points. Then I read Aaron's work and fell dumb again. LOL
This show is among your best. I've finally gotten acclimated to Marshall's loooong questions (no, it's not him; it's me) that in themselves are enlightening b/c they frame the topic and the inquisition so neatly. I missed that up till this episode and so I'll probably have to re-listen (again) so some of your greatest hits!
I started Christopher's book last night and it's fantastic.
But here's the sad part:
I don't think the current system can be fixed. The rot is just too widespread: our leaders are owned, our media is propaganda, our corporations are ravenous, and our population is scared.
This is unsustainable. And I think it's going to collapse w/in 10 years (2 prez election cycles should just about do it). The atomization of the electorate prohibits any sense of cohesion around a national identity or agreed priorities. I don't necessarily see a violent civil war; instead I see more of a continuous erosion of ability until everything's at a standstill. Ten years from now the USA will resemble the USSR just before the walls fell. It's already mostly there.
The hordes from Latin America will overwhelm the border, bringing a harvest of despair and violence we as a nation spent decades creating and nurturing in their home countries. Their drug cartels feed our habit, and $ is spent on enforcement and incarceration that could be reversed w/ a single law: legalization. The money we now waste on enforcement could be directed to treatment, and we'd earn a fortune on taxing narcotics the same way booze and cigs are taxed today.
Never, ever gonna happen in the dysfunctional system that exists, and that's just one facet.
Don't get me started on how Russia will take over Ukraine and China will duke it out w/ Taiwan and we'll stand on the sidelines. That will mark the end of American Empire and the rest of the world will turn away from us.
Then the US $ will lose it's place as reserve currency. And hooo boy will the shit hit the fan domestically. You think inequality's bad now? HA!
Both Leonard's and Marche's books will be studied in the future as source materials on the depth and pervasiveness of the rot in America just prior to it's destruction.
Sure fuckin' glad I left NYC for Canada in the 80's! I thought it sucked then, but now, those were halcyon days compared to now.
Also, FWIW, I actually found that the warning for the Glenn Hubbard pre-disposed me to turn off the episode, but his actual positions, while more traditionally Republican, weren't as bad as I expected. I think the warning might have had an unintended consequence.
Every time I come into contact w/ The Realignment my IQ goes up 5 points. Then I read Aaron's work and fell dumb again. LOL
This show is among your best. I've finally gotten acclimated to Marshall's loooong questions (no, it's not him; it's me) that in themselves are enlightening b/c they frame the topic and the inquisition so neatly. I missed that up till this episode and so I'll probably have to re-listen (again) so some of your greatest hits!
I started Christopher's book last night and it's fantastic.
But here's the sad part:
I don't think the current system can be fixed. The rot is just too widespread: our leaders are owned, our media is propaganda, our corporations are ravenous, and our population is scared.
This is unsustainable. And I think it's going to collapse w/in 10 years (2 prez election cycles should just about do it). The atomization of the electorate prohibits any sense of cohesion around a national identity or agreed priorities. I don't necessarily see a violent civil war; instead I see more of a continuous erosion of ability until everything's at a standstill. Ten years from now the USA will resemble the USSR just before the walls fell. It's already mostly there.
The hordes from Latin America will overwhelm the border, bringing a harvest of despair and violence we as a nation spent decades creating and nurturing in their home countries. Their drug cartels feed our habit, and $ is spent on enforcement and incarceration that could be reversed w/ a single law: legalization. The money we now waste on enforcement could be directed to treatment, and we'd earn a fortune on taxing narcotics the same way booze and cigs are taxed today.
Never, ever gonna happen in the dysfunctional system that exists, and that's just one facet.
Don't get me started on how Russia will take over Ukraine and China will duke it out w/ Taiwan and we'll stand on the sidelines. That will mark the end of American Empire and the rest of the world will turn away from us.
Then the US $ will lose it's place as reserve currency. And hooo boy will the shit hit the fan domestically. You think inequality's bad now? HA!
Both Leonard's and Marche's books will be studied in the future as source materials on the depth and pervasiveness of the rot in America just prior to it's destruction.
Sure fuckin' glad I left NYC for Canada in the 80's! I thought it sucked then, but now, those were halcyon days compared to now.
Incredible writing for a high school senior!
Also, FWIW, I actually found that the warning for the Glenn Hubbard pre-disposed me to turn off the episode, but his actual positions, while more traditionally Republican, weren't as bad as I expected. I think the warning might have had an unintended consequence.