dagblog - Comments for "American fascism and musical chairs "

Why is what these creatures

moat — Sat, 18 Sep 2010 23:29:57 +0000

In reply to American fascism and musical chairs

Why is what these creatures serve so widely consumed?

I think there is a growing consensus that the era of "phenomenal growth" has ended. I won't argue against the musical chair idea because that experience is happening to a lot of people right now. But instead of anchoring the idea to a direct relationship to the overall scope of the economy as described by economist, I wanted to try and answer your question of consumption in terms of market demand.

The group being served has already invested heavily in Denial of Scarcity futures. Their problem is that they don't like what their years of having the upperhand in policy has brought about.

The country has become what they voted for. They won. They don't recognize themselves in their own product. So the appeal of the Hysterical Right is the narrative of theft.

"The things that I chose to happen would have brought the good things promised if I hadn't been ripped off."

What I'm trying to point out

DF — Fri, 17 Sep 2010 07:13:04 +0000

In reply to "As long as technology

What I'm trying to point out is that growth and distribution are two different things. The economy can grow without the working class receiving their share. In fact, that's exactly what has happened in America over the last several decades. Output per worker has increased while consumption per capita, which economists generally used to track economic well-being, has decreased.

I'm not at all arguing that this hasn't happened. Quite the contrary. But I don't think there's any benefit to making an argument based on growth that doesn't hold based on the facts when the argument is actually about economic inequality.

"As long as technology

Thinking — Fri, 17 Sep 2010 04:55:37 +0000

In reply to David, while I think that the

"As long as technology improves and output per worker increases, will we have genuine increases in productivity. Is there a reason that you believe this (growth) has ceased to occur?"

Economic growth for the economy has been viewed as having a result of an increase in the standard of living of it’s the Countries inhabitants.

In the past 30 to 40 years as technology has improved productivity and the fruits of this increase has gone to the investors and not to the workers. It has reached the point that a small percentage of the individual own most of the assets of the Country and the employees in our society are not enjoying the fruits of the increase in output.

A continuation of the trend of technology increasing output per worker by stagnating and even taking away income from the workers will cause a disruption in the society.

The concern is that Fascism will be the next logical step by the elite and powerful to keep the whole pie for themselves.

David, I think the best way

Beetlejuice — Thu, 16 Sep 2010 23:41:17 +0000

In reply to American fascism and musical chairs

David, I think the best way to get your point about american fascism is to point out there really isn't a fearless leader at the apex of the tea-bagger movement. Beck, Palin, et al, are the cheerleaders tea-baggers look to for guidance. And that guidance is nothing more than american myths tea-baggers hold near and dear but is laced with messages that steer them in the direction the messengers need public support. So if we need to invade a Iran for some strange reason, the myth with message will have already been issued and absorbed, and the public will be more than willing to support whatever military actions are deemed necessary for whatever reason. It's really all about the imaginary myths about america that aren't true but are held dear to tea-baggers much like their bibles and religion. All you have to do is prove the myths are false, which is relatively easy to do, but the tea-baggers would be all over you as if you were trying to prove the bible wasn't the word of God. They're wrapped tighter around their myths than a double helix strand of DNA

In support of the fascist

Donal — Thu, 16 Sep 2010 21:35:24 +0000

In reply to American fascism and musical chairs

In support of the fascist parallel, I would cite the actions of police at the Republican National Convention in Minneapolis/St Paul and of police working privately at the GOM Oil Spill.

David, while I think that the

DF — Thu, 16 Sep 2010 20:28:00 +0000

In reply to American fascism and musical chairs

David, while I think that the parallels between early 20th century fascist movements in Europe and current movements in America are not entirely without merit, I still haven't come across such an analysis that gets the economic piece right. I think it's very questionable that, as you claim, we've reached the end of growth.

Modern economic growth is a very recent phenomenon historically. Here, you 200 year time frame is more or less apt. The question is why you think that era has ended.

Current economic theories of growth generally credit technological innovation with sustained increases in output per worker. As long as technology improves and output per worker increases, will we have genuine increases in productivity. Is there a reason that you believe this has ceased to occur?