• This is a political forum that is non-biased/non-partisan and treats every person's position on topics equally. This debate forum is not aligned to any political party. In today's politics, many ideas are split between and even within all the political parties. Often we find ourselves agreeing on one platform but some topics break our mold. We are here to discuss them in a civil political debate. If this is your first visit to our political forums, be sure to check out the RULES. Registering for debate politics is necessary before posting. Register today to participate - it's free!
  • Welcome to our archives. No new posts are allowed here.

From the Economist: The dividing of America

Lafayette

Banned
DP Veteran
Joined
Dec 13, 2015
Messages
9,594
Reaction score
2,072
Location
France
Gender
Male
Political Leaning
Centrist
Source: Election 2016 - The dividing of America

Excerpt:
Donald Trump’s nomination in Cleveland will put a thriving country at risk of a great, self-inflicted wound

FROM “Morning in America” to “Yes, we can”, presidential elections have long seemed like contests in optimism: the candidate with the most upbeat message usually wins. In 2016 that seems to have been turned on its head: America is shrouded in a most unAmerican pessimism. The gloom touches race relations, which—after the shooting of white police officers by a black sniper in Dallas, and Black Lives Matter protests against police violence, followed by arrests, in several cities—seem to get ever worse. It also hangs over the economy. Politicians of the left and right argue that American capitalism fails ordinary people because it has been rigged by a cabal of self-serving elitists. The mood is one of anger and frustration.
.....
This nation is going to hell
The dissonance between gloomy rhetoric and recent performance is greatest on the economy. America’s recovery is now the fourth-longest on record, the stock-market is at an all-time high, unemployment is below 5% and real median wages are at last starting to rise. There are genuine problems, particularly high inequality and the plight of low-skilled workers left behind by globalisation. But these have festered for years. They cannot explain the sudden fury in American politics.
...
Demographic insecurity is reinforced by divisive partisan forces. The two parties have concluded that there is little overlap between the groups likely to vote for them, and that success therefore lies in making those on their own side as furious as possible, so that they turn out in higher numbers than the opposition. Add a candidate, Mr Trump,
whose narcissistic bullying has prodded every sore point and amplified every angry sentiment, and you have a country that, despite its strengths, is at risk of a severe self-inflicted wound.

Does the above have merit, or is it a typical tired-and-worn British misconception of what motivates America and Americans?

Discuss ...
__________________

 
Source: Election 2016 - The dividing of America

Excerpt:


Does the above have merit, or is it a typical tired-and-worn British misconception of what motivates America and Americans?



The latter. The UK is actually in a worse position when it comes to division. They voted for Brexit and there's a real chance that the entire country might unravel. Americans may hold Trump popular, but the nation remains strong and united in everything else.
 
Source: Election 2016 - The dividing of America

Excerpt:


Does the above have merit, or is it a typical tired-and-worn British misconception of what motivates America and Americans?

Discuss ...
__________________


Well...

1. They are missing the narcissistic bullying of another rather notable individual who was interested in the Presidency

2. They are missing the role of the media, which has been (if I may) yuge in driving Americans increasingly into information balkanization.
 
Americans may hold Trump popular, but the nation remains strong and united in everything else.

Oh, so Black Lives DO Matter?

Uh, huh ...
__________________

 
2. They are missing the role of the media, which has been (if I may) yuge in driving Americans increasingly into information balkanization.

I don't own a BoobTube that captures American TV, so I cannot say what junk* might be passing into the "average American household". But, given my trips stateside, when I summon the courage to watch more than a hour of it, I doubt it has changed at all in the decades since I no longer depended upon it. (Besides, most of what is popular in the US is dubbed into French, and is popular here here as well.)

I also think that Americans are getting used to "other sources" (like this forum and the Internet in general) in order to help them make-up-their-minds. Which aint easy given the astonishing array of opinion.

Anyway, let's hope so. I trust any media (such as TV) dependent upon advertizing-funding for "political neutrality" about as far as I can throw the average-sized elephant ...

*Btw, what ever the "junk" is, it is highly prized as well here in Europe. I meant no desultory remark in that comment. People eat it up the world over, which is why Hollywood is so very rich. But, I do prefer French TV when it comes to enjoying a woman's figure naked. I doubt you will be getting that anytime soon stateside on public TV.
_____________
 


I don't own a BoobTube that captures American TV, so I cannot say what junk* might be passing into the "average American household". But, given my trips stateside, when I summon the courage to watch more than a hour of it, I doubt it has changed at all in the decades since I no longer depended upon it. (Besides, most of what is popular in the US is dubbed into French, and is popular here here as well.)

I also think that Americans are getting used to "other sources" (like this forum and the Internet in general) in order to help them make-up-their-minds. Which aint easy given the astonishing array of opinion.


Americans increasingly get most of their news from Facebook. Which is to say, their news is filtered for them by their like-minded friends.

Anyway, let's hope so. I trust any media (such as TV) dependent upon advertizing-funding for "political neutrality" about as far as I can throw the average-sized elephant ...

*Btw, what ever the "junk" is, it is highly prized as well here in Europe. I meant no desultory remark in that comment. People eat it up the world over, which is why Hollywood is so very rich. But, I do prefer French TV when it comes to enjoying a woman's figure naked. I doubt you will be getting that anytime soon stateside on public TV.
_____________

:lol: that, my friend, is why God (or perhaps the other guy) invented HBO. So we could watch Game of Thrones.
 
Source: Election 2016 - The dividing of America

Excerpt:


Does the above have merit, or is it a typical tired-and-worn British misconception of what motivates America and Americans?

Discuss ...
__________________


A bit of both. It has merit in that it does accurately report on the issues that have many americans angry with the current situation. However, it misunderstands this nation because there has always been an angry and ugly side to american politics.
 
However, it misunderstands this nation because there has always been an angry and ugly side to american politics.

And I think Americans take history a bit to lightly. Far, far less so than Europeans.

Meaning that virtually from its inception, the US has always been a rough 'n tumble country because of waves of young immigrants and full of room for expansion. Especially with the advent of the Industrial Revolution in the 1850s and onward.

So, when Marx came along to say, "Hey, we got to start sharing all this wealth that we have in Europe", that thought had no resonance in America. Quite the opposite - everybody was reaching for the Golden Ring on the Merry-Go-Round of riches. (I.e., the economy.)

Until Teddy Roosevelt tried to reinvigorate a Progressive Party that sponsored his run for the Presidency in 1912 ... but doesn't win.

It came back briefly with another Roosevelt in the White House in the 1930s, but that did not last far beyond his presidency. And since then, progressiveness as a political philosophy has not had much grass-roots support. In the HofR, the Congressional Progressive Caucus has only about 15% of seats.

Think what could be done if it had 30%. And with more than 50%, maybe miracles would happen.

But, I'm not counting on it ...
________________________________

 
Last edited:
Actions speak louder than words ...
 
:lol: that, my friend, is why God (or perhaps the other guy) invented HBO. So we could watch Game of Thrones.


I always wondered why. :roll:

Witht that question laid to rest, now I can rest in peaceful consideration of the consequences ....
_____________________
 
The latter. The UK is actually in a worse position when it comes to division. They voted for Brexit and there's a real chance that the entire country might unravel. Americans may hold Trump popular, but the nation remains strong and united in everything else.

I doubt that seriously. Queenie will keep Great Britain ... uh, Great!

That's her "job". To pull things back together when they fall apart.

It works. Of sorts ...
______________________
 


Americans increasingly get most of their news from Facebook. Which is to say, their news is filtered for them by their like-minded friends.



:lol: that, my friend, is why God (or perhaps the other guy) invented HBO. So we could watch Game of Thrones.

And Showtime so we could watch Ray Donovan and Roadies.
 
Back
Top Bottom