What the Hell’s Wrong with this Country?
I realize that we stopped being a simple little Republic (as envisioned by those brave and smart people who composed the Constitution) a long time ago. Slowly, the ruling classes that developed and grew – with minor setbacks like the Civil War, have always worked to expand the influence of the United States of America across the world. (I think it has something to do with wealth being crowded into ever smaller and higher percentages of the population – i.e. the 1%).
This current ongoing expansive effort was, of course, meant to provide Police Protection for those smaller, poorer countries that tend to be overrun by their neighbors now and then in various fits of territorial ambition or religious clashes. These “police actions” we get into (almost never Wars) were always in someone else best interest, never our own. (Sure it was!) At a minimum our military action was to “protect the world” or something like that.
It was very early on in this country that it became apparent that if any fighting was to be done, it had best be done somewhere else – the Revolutionary and Civil Wars were unarguable lessons in why you don’t ever fight on your own soil or between your own people if you can possibly help it. The cost is humongous, the destruction beyond belief and the time required to recover and get back to where you were before the Civil conflict too long to bear.
So you do your fighting somewhere else.
As America grew and prospered after the Civil War, between 1870 and 1915 a strange thing began to happen in the political arena in Washington. As we rebuilt and grew richer, our influence overseas increased for no end of reasons – technological/industrial growth being one of the greatest areas of change and we found that other countries actively came to us to BUY – for gold at the time – the things we were making.
Our political influence increased as Europeans squabbled and fiddled with each other and throughout the Western Hemisphere, the United States, more or less, got to be boss. There were a few dust ups here and there in Central America and the Caribbean, but they were limited and at the finish, we always came out the winner with better weapons and a certain amount of wealth flowing back into our country as a result of our point of view coming out on top.
We were slowly transforming ourselves from a modest (but large) Republic that more or less minded own business into an Empire that took increasing interest in what other countries were doing throughout the world. Even if what they were (are!) doing is none of our business.
Our first real Empirical action was in 1917 when we got involved with the then current European fight in the First World War. We had no dog in that fight at all. It was across the sea, between other countries (and started over a really stupid reason to start with) and the outcome of WWI would very likely have had zip-squat effect on our own country.
But sniffing the fruits of Empire in its’ cradle, and thanks to an exceptionally stupid President (Wilson), we joined the fray, thereby killing off a large number of American young men and using up a large amount of resources we otherwise could have put to good use right here in the US of A.
As an aside, my Grandfather was a Doctor/surgeon at that time, volunteered into service as a Commander of the WWI equivalent of a MASH Unit, horse and wagon drawn surgicenters and all. As a boy, I listened for hours as he spun tales of manly adventures, death and survival; like the time his MASH unit was strafed by a German aircraft even though the Red Crosses were painted on the tops of the Conestoga-like Wagons.. The next day, that same German pilot buzzed the hospital (sending all into a panic) and dropped a case of very good champagne by parachute along with a letter of apology.
Somehow, I hope that pilot survived the holocaust that followed.
I stray from my point.
Our “victory” in WWI (ever since blown into ‘If the US hadn’t entered the war, it would have been lost to the Hun.’ which of course was humbug) gave us a taste of International Imperialism and the politicians were fast to learn how much more power they could wield, how the lumpen people would rally behind the cause (right or wrong) and how much more influence would be in the palm of their hands after a nice solid victory – over there.
Just because the terms of settlement of WWI planted the seeds for WWII through even more greed and stupidity on the part of the ruling classes didn’t make a dent in what has happened since.
For some reason, known only to Mother Nature and faulty evolution, the human animal doesn’t seem to learn very well from its’ mistakes.
We continue to prove this point at every turn such as Korea, Vietnam, Iraq, Syria, etc., etc. meddling in parts of the world where we had no business.
I fully understand that the military needs wars. It must have them to polish tactics, justify equipment and provide employment for hairy young men with too much testosterone. Politicians need to meddle to show their power and influence and try their best to have it broadcast at home as , “See! Look how strong, smart and good I am!” to the general public – who realistically couldn’t care less as long as they have a job, bring home some money and have enough to eat and play a little.
It doesn’t mean we have to let the military and politicians have those wars and be so nosey.
The point of this Minute is to ask: Why the Hell don’t we mind our own business, stop meddling in other peoples problems when they won’t really affect us and get on with our own work? Why?
If you know, share your wisdom.
muck
Muck, first you have to sort out the “We” in this scenario. Do WE do the bidding of Israel to smite their enemies because WE the people feel an obligation or even know that this is happening?
Do WE the people feel the need to have troops guarding poppy fields in Afghanistan because WE are in favor of drug use that is killing/ruining our young people?And on and on.
WE the people and WE the US ruling cabal are too separate things, yet WE the people are asked to pay the bill for the cost of the mafia criminal activity like it or not , so the answer is easy to what is wrong with US.
Stoopid/Lazy/Too Trusting in Controlled media/Indoctrinated/ Submissive- Plus some!
BL: WE THE PEOPLE have nothing to do it anymore. WE THE GOVERNMENT has everything. I fear that we the people are nothing more than taxpayers (under the barrel of a gun) to support an ever increasing Government (who points the gun) and calls the shots. To my mind, it does not bode well for the future of America in any way.
muck.
Because, when a country uses a debt-based fiat monetary system the fiat currency units have to continually expand to keep the system running. Otherwise, it collapses in upon itself.
Also, this little slight of hand allows the people that own the monetary system the opportunity to buy up everything with their fake currency.
Which countries in the world today don’t use debt backed fiat systems?
Bee: You ain’t seen nothing yet. Fiat money continues to expand until it is worth its’ intrinsic value (i.e. zero). I bought a few rolls of 1/10 oz American Eagles today as a result o my own article.. So there..
muck.
In the last election, what priority did American voters place on foreign affairs / wars? Low! Economics, jobs, various social shit, etc ranked far ahead.
Foreign affairs / wars haven’t been a pivotal issue since Vietnam.
So, there are are these retarded staged “debates” which do ask such questions, and the candidate says whatever the fuck he thinks will get the most votes. Then, there may be a very few dumbasses who believe the bullshit and might vote on that issue …. dumb shits like me who believed Trump meant what he said about ending endless wars.
Then, for the past 40 years or so the elected bastard does whatever the fuck they, or the MIC, feel like doing.
IOW, we Da People, have ZERO fucken influence on wars / foreign affairs.
Once in power, who knows why these fuckers fuck with all these nations? Because we can? Because we need and want something they have, like oil? Because we like being the world’s policeman? Because we love spreading democracy? Because we must justify a near trillion dollar defense budget? Because if you shut down the MIC it wound put tens or hundreds of thousands out of work, perhaps putting the final nail in America’s coffin? Because rumors of wars and actual wars make a few very very rich? All of the above?
We are but cannon fodder with zero influence. We’re fucked. But history shows that the fucked eventually become those who fuck up those fuckers who fuck us. That’s a war I support.
That’s a Roger.
Stuck: I cannot argue your point. I’m glad I’ll be 80 soon – thereby limited in my future years so that I won’t have to go through what my Grandchildren will have to deal with.
muck
What’s wrong? We have become morally bankrupt. Rule of law does not exist in the federal or state capitals. Laws are arbitrarily enforced based on political expediency. This is creeping down to everyone else who does not have any principles. Exception is the principal of self pleasure those folks love the way we have become. We also have the break down the of law in the inner cities. This two prong assault with diversity has already destroyed us. It all over but dying. We are no longer a republic.
It’s all about the money. There’s no money in minding your own business. No one ever got rich by minding their own business. You make money by going into that 3rd world country and using the low wage labor to pick the local crops to import and sell for a massive product. Then you have to buy or beat down the local politicians to solidify your hold in the country. And just like that a banana republic is formed. Sooner or later a big enough competitor comes along and at that point you need a war to put an end to them. The taxpayer foots the bill to run your cleanup operation for you. It is a great racket.
I’m w you on this one, Icon, that the simplest of answers is always to follow the money trail, if it can be done. Who benefits, and to what degree? With money comes power, influence, and the addictive greed of those things lead sociopaths to do evil, wicked things against the rest of humanity. Large, int’l bankers and Deep State operators come to mind. Plenty of willing state leaders to sell their soul for a piece of that pie. Pimps, whores, & thugs. The lot of them. One can only hope that come judgement day, in the next life which exists in a form unfathomable to living humans IMHO, the evil ones will pay a steep price for their wicked ways, and the Innocents who suffered on Earth will find eternal bliss. That’s called Faith, and Hope. And them’s my 2 cents, Muck.
It’s a custodian state, the people of this country were willing to hand over the power to have their own lives managed, why shouldn’t the world ?
It is also the fact this interference brings the world closer to global governance through direct and indirect means.
Thirdly and maybe the most important one, “the LOVE of money is the root of evil”
allows power to flow to the top and greases the wheels of everything below, even if you have a disdain for money, it influences every action you take… for good or bad.
Which I find perplexing, money in and of itself has no real value, merely an abstraction of accumulated wealth, labor, goods and ideas only have value.
I’m afraid our leaders are drunk with power and driving us down an unknown very dangerous road at night without headlights at a speed that will ensure the end wont be a happy one.
I wonder if it isn’t because the humans who aspire to and achieve power are wired differently than the rest of us. I got my first exposure to the workings of the power seeking mind as a college student back in the ’60s, watching a classmate work his way to the top of the heap, first as class president and then as Grand Marshall of the whole friggin’ college. He was fake charming, befriending and dropping people who might help him on his ascent.
We still carry a lot of DNA from our simian ancestors who climbed down from the trees to live on the grassy savannas. There was a scene in a documentary on Public TV of three baboons up in a tree, an alpha male and a young male and female couple. As ruler of the group the big dude gets to rape the young female in front of her beta male partner. Wolves have a different approach. There is an alpha pair who lead the pack and are the only breeders. Other members share in the hunt and raising the pups. Throughout the animal world the strongest and most cunning rule over the others but we humans have developed a possibly fatal variation on the program. We have people of questionable mental balance and wisdom in control of far too much power for the well being of the species. They are people you would not want having your back in dangerous times.
It’s all about money and greed.
Not money, just greed.
My old man sums up humanity this way:
“Grub first, then ethics”