Endit 122523

 This has been my non-year, no writing no pictures, very depressing; it has also been a non-year for government, nothing happened.  At least nothing positive although it did validate my political philosophy: “Don’t trust the Democrats, fear the Republicans.”   The left attempts to side step into socialism, while the right jumped right over ultra conservative into pure fascism.  To paraphrase an old car ad “Today’s parties are not your grandfathers parties.” U.S. politics today are best noted for “scream and shout while running about.”  Loud is in; people, country, truth, and governance are out.  It’s all about marketing “Entertainment” to prevent us Rubes from paying attention to the goings on in the three ring clown tent on the Potomac.
 
There is general consensus among scholars analyzing Great Powers’ political life.  Great Power states live only about a century,  their demise is not necessarily from a military defeat but rather a failure to adapt to changing world dynamics and loss of the political will to risk adapting.  In short Great Powers’ commit suicide; often even failing to notice their decline until it is irreversible.   Not fully understanding it at the time I was in 1950s England as it fell from its Great Power status.  A bankrupt England was still riding the euphoric wave of WWII victory as its Empire disappeared beneath post war calls for freedom.  Young peoples’ conversation in coffee shops ranged from elites’ plans for lucrative colonial careers, condemnation of all things American, to trying to understand why the country wasn’t profiting from victory.  England struggled under new colonial wars, calling on the new Great Power, United States to preserve its Empire.

In the 19th century, even before the United States had fully conquered its internal empire Manifest Destiny was reaching out for an external empire, America wanted to play with the big boys.  At the Versailles Peace Conference (1920s) the United States officially emerged as a world power divvying up the globe along with the decaying Great Powers.  Peace was elusive and it took another war for the United States to emerge as the only remaining Great Power.  In 1945 America was the most respected country the world had ever known.  Great masses flocked in to be part of an American dream.  Americans continued to see themselves as the “Greatest Generation” of the 1940s ignoring that the technology of their victory had diffused, developed  and matured to the point where even the smallest state can now be a world power.  Greatness is no longer dependent on large armies or strong economies.  Greatness does require smart people with a comprehensive vision of an interdependent, very small, one-world future.  America does not have a monopoly on very smart people but its political vision is a return to the 19th century of book burnings, waste, patronage and exploitation.

Rome attempted to distract its citizens from its decline and fall with spectacular games. American politicians rely on that opiate of the masses, television and social media to distract the populace while staging gladiatorial games in the halls of Congress.  America’s century began in 1945,  so the end is near.  If that is not sufficient for a large “HUMBUG”, prospects of 2024 election is on the horizon.

                                                                -30-/###