Note: before anger – my challenge to YOU: do REAL research on everything I say – that means beyond the I-net, beyond bumper sticker slogans, beyond your “echo chamber” comfort zone.
America 2022 is NOT an accident. Deliberate planning created this. Winners are well known ; the top 1% and corporations [note: do extensive income research from un-spun IRS stats, pre- & post-1980; WHO got the income, the shift in tax burdens]
But greed is only part of 2022 America. Fear, misplaced anger, misinformation are as well.
America, 1789-1980, has been DELIBERATELY poisoned: changed rules, massive misinformation, sabotage of the political, judicial, and economic systems.
Those over age 60 lived during what is now the statistical and actual lived experience of America’s peak society, 1947-73. We can tell you stories – but you won’t believe them. Because it was an age of innocence, when anything was thought possible, when people trusted others and government, when people worked together, when “average” people thrived and succeeded.
There have been two major “modern” American eras: 1933-65 Roosevelt progressive era; 1980-2022 Reagan reactionary counter-revolution. Judge by INTENT. The intent of the Roosevelt era was to help “the forgotten man” – and it did. The intent [we have the quotes!] of the Reagan era has been to destroy the Roosevelt era improvements – considered to be “too good a deal” for the “undeserving” lower 90%.
Judge by “signature’ policies. The Roosevelt era produced Social Security, keeping people alive during the Great Depression, labor rights, G.I. Bill, civil rights, Medicare, creating the U.N. for world peace.
The Reagan era has produced attacks on labor, reverse Robin Hood tax cuts for the rich, blowing up the national debt, attempts to “privatize” Social Security, the Iran-contra scandal, the immoral Iraq war, corruption of the judiciary, gutting civil rights, “financialization” of the economy, not enforcing anti-trust laws, ending broadcast neutrality, and much more anti-democratic laws and works.
From 1789 to 1980, each generation of Americans almost always did better than their parents. Since 1980, that is in doubt. It is NOT an accident.
1] the economy. The signature reactionary right-wing [R-Ws] achievement and their Republican MOUTHPIECES is shifting the bulk of American wealth from the equitable 1947-73 “great compression” to the “winner-take-all” post-1980 “America.”
The first step was attacking labor unions, which reduced the incomes for ALL Americans. Then came the “outsourcing” of jobs anywhere ‘south” [which has now also created the supply chain crisis]. this also weakened national security, because “American” industry ISN’T – its in China [which wants to destroy America].
Reverse Robin Hood tax cuts for the rich [1980s, 2000s, 2017] cut taxes for the rich and – shifted the burden onto YOU – either in reduced services or regressive taxes like sales and property. Then there are the “Panama Papers,” the “Pandora Papers,” Swiss banking revelations, anonymous shell companies – all showing how the rich hide wealth so it can’t be taxed [do REAL research here, plus other nation’s research – a world-wide problem]
Then there are “private equity” firms LOOTING America. See “Mother Jones,” May & June, 2022 issue: “Looted.” There is much beyond this. YOU are paying more for housing and almost EVERYTHING because of the legal PIRATES.
2]. information. R-Ws have succeeded transferring blame for 2022 America unto others because of their alternative universe of misinformation: media morons and internet idiots., some making $10-30 million annually to LIE to YOU. They’re very good: the proof is how divided America is on basic FACTS, some of which have been photographed!!! R-Ws have mastered the “divide-and-conquer” strategy.
LIES111 Almost ALL R-Ws “information” to YOU is LIES, twisted and manipulated semi-truths, cherry-picked events. They HAVE TO LIE – if they told you the truth – nobody would support them. They have ADMITTED this [we have the quotes] Their #1 job: create FEAR in YOU, manufactured anger at “them” [the “other”] – all of whom are “out-to -get-you.” The “only’ way to “save” yourself is to “vote Republican.”
3] changing the rules. Rules of 1947-73 were increasingly fair, more equitable. That allowed “average people” to live decently. This could not be allowed to continue – so the rich and corporations changed the rules. They attacked labor in every way possible to cut wages. they bribed Congress [“campaign contributions”]. They created their own federal judiciary [“business-friendly’ judges]. Most of all, they got their very own “supreme court – the McConnell/Roberts “court” has given them a 70% win rate. Anti-trust laws not enforced; major retailers allowed disproportionate market shares; most industries controlled by 2-3-4 players; entire American economy “financialized” – to satisfy Wall Street.
4] FEAR. “Normal” 1947-73 people didn’t live with the fear YOU do in 2022. We weren’t constantly bombed with “fear” propaganda about “them” who were “out-to-get-us.” There were fights – with fists. Guns didn’t outnumber people. We didn’t have the mass shooting of the day. We actually walked and biked without fear!!! Almost everywhere. Many places people didn’t lock their doors. Nobody had military style rapid fire guns that mutilated little kids. People didn’t “need” guns to “defend their family” because there was nothing to defend against Thus – we didn’t have a generation of school kids TRAUMATIZED by school shootings.
5] weaponizing religion. Since the mid-1970s, reactionary “religious right” has declared war on America. [Randall Terry: “Our goal is a Christian nation. We have a biblical duty..are called by God to conquer this country.”] These new Puritans are determined to “save” America – whether America wants it or not. They are VERY SERIOUS about creating a theocracy. They’ve voted Republican to achieve that. Republicans promised them “pro-life” judges [un-Constitutional]. The McConnell/Roberts “supreme court” is their reward. “Religious beliefs [by “supreme court” dictate] have become [for them] a “get-out-of-jail” card for virtually EVERYTHING, most especially discrimination and special carve-outs giving them above-the-law privileges. That all this violates not only Amendment One, but also the entire Founding Fathers generation’s principles and stated beliefs – means nothing to them – because the McConnell/Roberts “court” is busy destroying the principles of the Constitution [and lying about that too].
America has NEVER been perfect – it is after all, a magnificent experiment in human liberties – but strides were made, 1789-1980. Since 1980, America has been DELIBERATELY poisoned – by R-W forces determined to change America into what they want it to be: a PLUTOCRATIC. THEOCRACY.
Numerous people on the reactionary “right” have said, in public, in plain English, they intend to achieve this. Billionaire Warren Buffett: “There’s class warfare, all right, but its my class, the rich class, that’s making war, and we’re winning.” Pat Buchanan: 1992 Republican National Convention: “There’s a religious war going on in this country. It is a cultural war..for the soul of America.”
These two forces: top 1% GREED and R-W religion, have done the most poisoning. They’ve created a society, an atmosphere, of uncertainty, conflict, insecurity. They’ve worked together to destroy the American dream [Pulitzer winner, Hedrick Smith’s “Who Stole the American Dream?”; Pulitzer winners Barlett & Steeles’ “The Betrayal of the American Dream”; Wilkinson & Pickett”s international bestseller, “The Spirit Level’}
For a graphic difference between 1947-73 and 1980-2022: during the “Watergate” scandal, Republican Senators played a key role in Nixon resigning; during various Trump era impeachment and investigations of corruption, Republican Congress Critters have played a key role in defending an obviously guilty “man.”
The “happiest people on earth”, 1947-73, lived in America. The “happiest people on earth,” 2022 an for some time previously – live in “Scandinavia.” WHY??? WHY are Western Europe, Canada, Japan, New Zealand & Australia now more “civilized,” more caring about their people ///
WHY is America #37 in health care? WHY has America recently slid to #24 most honest??? WHY are ordinary people, with “only” a high school education, struggling??? What “civilization” sentences 2/3 of its people to struggle???
When YOU have correct, factual, answers to these and many more questions – you’ll have the answers WHY America, since 1980, has been DELIBERATELY POISONED. i
With Justice For All 