Where do you see America going?

[Elok]

It has become clear to me, and basically everybody else, that American politics are hopelessly dysfunctional.  Is this controversial or debatable?  Everybody seems to agree on it; they only disagree on why.  My take is that the country is divided between two very noisy tribes who have ceased to have any kind of meaningful common space in which to engage; they talk almost exclusively to people who share their beliefs, mostly about how bad the other people are.  I say "they" rather than "we" because I'm not convinced that either tribe has clearly defined edges, or even that both together properly constitute a majority of the country.  There's a rather big hunk of muddle in the middle who are queasy about both options but have no alternative.

There is a conflict here.  Conflicts can be resolved in two basic ways: escalation and de-escalation.  They can worsen until one side smashes the other, or one or more parties can calm down and reconcile.  The former is very messy.  The latter is deeply improbable, and will only become more so with time.  We have progressed to the point where otherwise reasonable people will propose purely spiteful actions without regard for larger strategy.  For example, pressuring companies to stop carrying Ivanka [Sleezebag]'s crap.  This is going to dislodge her dad from the White House how?

Also at some point Sarah Silverman called for a military coup to depose [Sleezebag].  It is unclear to what extent she was serious.  Where are we going here, people?

[Spacy]

West, at about the rate a fingernail grows (about 2-3 cm a year, or an inch or so).  Unless you are in Cali, in which case you are moving north by northwest at a slightly faster rate.

Should smack into Asia in about 65-70 million years.  At which point we will likely move north and hang around the north polar region for the next 100-150 million years.  At least, that is current best guess estimate based off known past supercontinents (Kenorland, Ur, Vaalbara, Nuna, Rodinia, Pannotia, & Pangaea - not in any order) and current tectonic drift rates - which are, in truth, not really well understood. 

[Buster's Uncle]

It's difficult, even in distant retrospect, to pinpoint when the Roman Republic was irrevocably doomed - but the news lately has had me thinking about the murderers of the Gracchi going unpunished...

[Rusty Edge]

I don't know where we are going, or what we are doing in a handbasket.

 I am disappointed at how little spine and ideology remains in the GOP.  Oh sure, Sen Rand Paul, NeoCons - Evan McMullen, David French and Bill Kristol, Never Trumpers now in new jobs - Charlie Sykes, George Will and John Ziegler still sound the same, but the fact that I can't think of anybody else sticking to their guns is astounding. The silence is deafening.

For all of the criticism of Obamacare, the lack of a GOP alternative to it, and the lack of legislative initiatives coming out of Congress is amazing after all of the 100 day talk.

[ComradeCrimson]

What concerns me about America is that Donald [Sleezebag] has seemingly passed legislation on forbidding government agencies, including NASA, and others from posting on social media, and other legislation being passed such as the removal of Obamacare with very little motions through congress is very startling to me. Granted its a majority Republican government but even so, there is so few checks and balances now that its hardly seeming democratic. And i'm not just saying this because [Sleezebag] is right wing or due to his political stance, the fact is is that the motions of change in the legislature of America is becoming scary.

Not only that were seeing what the effects of radical populism can do to a state. A comparable example to [Sleezebag] is Rodrigo Duturte in the Philippines- a loud, foul mouthed strongman who has strong moral driven politics under a huge empowering sense of nationalism and populist appeal, with lots of concerns of corruption and illiberal political methods.

I see America going into a path of instability at the very least. Russia is looming over the horizon, an ever present threat to us, and I say us because Canada is going to be affected by the Russians as well.

I fear for my own country because the decisions made by the American government and those of its rivals in Russia are going to severely affect us. I don't foresee outright war but I do feel like a really nasty cold war is going to brew again and the fact [Sleezebag] has been so wishy washy with the dissolution of NATO (which is a horrible idea, in my eyes as then Europe and Canada in the north is now vulnerable to Russian bullying), first wanting to dissolve it and then wanting it to remain does not inspire confidence in me about him as a leader.

I feel like [Sleezebag] is going to have a nervous breakdown at some point; the stress of leadership will overwhelm him. I also feel like individuals such as Vice President Pence are going to be sneaks who are going to exploit the situation for their own gain. Overall, I don't know for sure where America is headed but I know that I as a Canadian am going to be very wary of what happens.

[Rusty Edge]

I'm more concerned about an invasion of Mexico to get the "Bad Hombres" than a war with Russia.

I see [Sleezebag] and Putin trying to bring about a new world order based upon nationalism and authoritarianism. Perhaps they can influence elections in France.

[ComradeCrimson]

I'm more concerned about an invasion of Mexico to get the "Bad Hombres" than a war with Russia.

I see [Sleezebag] and Putin trying to bring about a new world order based upon nationalism and authoritarianism. Perhaps they can influence elections in France.

As someone who is rather patriotic for my country, a regionalist at that- I really do not like the idea of super powers becoming more nationalist and authoritarian. It only speaks of them imposing their will on their neighbours and that's one step closer to them liking the idea of occupying their neighbours to be frank.

[Rusty Edge]

Flynn resigned.

We need an investigation.

[Elok]

My general feeling with [Sleezebag] is that he's taken the bullheaded incompetence that has marked US foreign policy for years, pumped it up with testosterone to five times its previous size, then brought it home and applied it to our domestic policy as well.  I have a hard time taking him seriously as a tyrant, given that he does not seem even remotely sure just what the hell he is doing.  And neither does anyone else.  I've gone from being frightened of his volatility to relieved that we got a helpless buffoon instead of a real monster.  I'm thinking more of the long term; however [Sleezebag] leaves office, he will leave, and then what will America and the world become?

Putin also does not bother me much, as he is a downright humane and reasonable leader by Russian standards and the country is in no shape to threaten Europe with conventional military force.  Nuclear, perhaps, but he doesn't seem that crazy.

[Spacy]

Flynn resigned.

We need an investigation.

Or, according to the white house, he was fired and given the opportunity to resign first.....

[Buster's Uncle]

It cannot have escaped all notice that I've had little to say about politics since early November.

It's too depressing.  We are, collectively as a nation, too stupid to live.

[Rusty Edge]

It cannot have escaped all notice that I've had little to say about politics since early November.

It's too depressing.  We are, collectively as a nation, too stupid to live.

You've been pretty quiet altogether, including your foul mood thread. I didn't know if it was kitten deficiency, brother stress, or you were just due to lie low and introvert for a while to re-charge.

[Buster's Uncle]

Oh - I'm definitely in the low-energy end of my mood cycle, but IRL we ain't talking about politics around the table at meals anymore for several months now.  It hurts too much.

[Elok]

"But we must cultivate our garden," said Candide.  Whatever your garden happens to be.

[Buster's Uncle]

But my God; the fertilizer...