Homestead forum diaspora

http://www.counterpunch.org/2013/12/25/john-stauber-on-the-wall-streets-political-monopoly/

"Nor do I think that there are any viable third-party strategies. Just that term – third party – assumes that the political playing table can be made level if somehow enough people unite and vote for a Green or Libertarian or some other candidate and Party. Ain’t gonna happen. The Democrats and Republicans have a powerful shared monopoly that has destroyed and taken over democracy in America. A whole lot of even more ugly shit will come down in the years and decades ahead before there are enough pissed off people to really threaten the corporate political establishment of the two party Wall Street state. And then we will see if those eventual movements understand and commit to democracy, or to something ugly and brutal that denies our democratic rights."

I fear democracy at times, Sheri...if the masses voted their will, Phil Robertson may be the President...

Solutions?  Haven't a clue.  Keep my sphere revolving.

planned economies are quicker to respond than so called democracies...perhaps North America really needs good garbage collectors rather than Prime Ministers, Presidents, etc..

So is it possible for the US to be what she can be? Something much more than what the Founding Fathers had in mind? Something that is truly by the people, for the people? 

Or do we need a Balkanization to do that? And then what? 

It would make sense to decentralize...political boundaries by shared resources/watersheds.  Dump corporations.

http://landscapeandurbanism.blogspot.com/2010/11/natural-boundary-political-boundary.html

Well, first we'd all have to be comfortable with not being THE NUMBER ONE SUPERPOWER IN THE UNIVERSE!!!

I can't see that happening in this generation.

That said- I am constantly heartened by my son and his friends and their attitudes about the world. Of course, these are homeschoolers of the 'old hippie parents' type- there are many more homeschoolers who are of the 'god gave 'merika to us' type and many many more public schoolers who are merely being taught to be good consumers.

So it's a small hope, but hope to be sure.

The bread and circuses has been kept up for a long time...now they're cutting off the 'bread' and leaving only circuses...there will be massive unrest at this rate.

There is already massive unrest- it's just aimed at all the wrong people.

We will never have any meaningful gun regulations in this country. What better way to stay in control than to keep the masses twitchy and suspicious of each other AND having the means to kill each other off? 

hope more shoot themselves in the butt.

See this, its corporations that are in charge not politicians or citizens.....

http://mondediplo.com/2013/12/02tafta

that's kind of the point of the article Sheri posted...doesn't matter the party they are bought and paid for...the paradigm won't change working in that system.

Of course the corporations are in charge. And thanks to Citizens United we've gone from 'one man one vote' to 'one dollar one vote'.

Capitalism is not the best way to go about things, but unregulated capitalism is truly the recipe for human disaster.

I dislike secessionists, what better way to say, "I'm a great patriot, therefore I'm LEAVING!" but what is the answer?

It would take a huge awakening in a very quiet manner- people forming their own networks of support until the existing government is irrelevent. 

Is it possible?

There is very little agape and solidarity in this country.  I prefer decentralization...commonwealths based on resources like watersheds/aquifers, rather than some gerry mandered lines.

I changed my user name in solidarity.

One person at a time, George...right?

If we beat the system at its own game, we’ve lost. It is no longer time to rush through the contested world blinded by fury and anger – however worthwhile these are. Now, we think, is the time to ‘retreat’ into the real work of reclamation, to re-member again our humanity through the intimacy of our relationships. The time is very urgent – we must slow down.

http://realitysandwich.com/215259/the-times-are-urgent-lets-slow-down/

The 19th century belonged to Great Britain, the 20th century belonged to the USA, and it looks like the 21st century will be the century of China.

The USA is in decline.

But no one cares as long as they have a big screen TV, a "smart phone", and a new pair of Air Jordans.

I am waiting to see what happens when the tidal wave of baby boomers hits retirement age with no pensions, no savings, social security that is going to get cut (whether i like it or not), and little prospect for continued employment.

Will they all starve quietly?  Or riot in the streets?

Don't confuse me with a "survivalist."     I see the decline as a gradual slope downward;  not a instantanious armageden. 

But there are hard times ahead.   Unless hard decisons are made now.  Which they won't be.

Max

I don't see Social Security as getting cut...but I do see it losing it's annual CPI raise...and then, the dollar will plummet, being worth 10 cents...one tenth of current value...while prices continue to spike.  So, in essence, SS will be nothing but a token.  The only way to handle the US debt (which is in dollars) is to let the dollar collapse.  And collapse it will.

I think our greatest folly will be to cling to our illusive 'number one' status. What the hell has that been about, anyway? We can move gracefully into the next era- wiser and calmer- or fight tooth and nail to stay 'on top'...and be first pitied, then scorned by the rest of the world. We already have the 'aunt who has had one too many facelifts' look about us.

I am a bit concerned about the wounded animal being cornered and lobbing nukes at everyone.