Yes. However, this was not overnight or even the last four years. I have been observing the politics and social movement since the Carter years.
A deep nihilism was observable in the psyche of much of the Country back then and it has only grown. Underneath much of the political rhetoric, there was a meanness of spirit. It was always there but Nixon and Reagan actively played to it.
Nixon’s war on drugs for example, was aimed at imprisonment of specific portions of the population: Top Nixon adviser reveals the racist reason he started the 'war on drugs' decades ago.
Do you understand? The national government turned its full power against specific portions of its citizenry with NO upside for anyone. Which portion of the population benefited from this? It did not save money or uplift ANY portion of the population. The intent of this internal war was to hurt members of its citizenry.
This continued under Reagan. The insane were dumped on the street, taxes were cut while spending went up, cocaine flooded the USA, the government ignored the AIDS epidemic, laws were selectively enforced, etc. Madness and irrationality ruled as “conservatism.”
In other words, there is a sort of MALICE that thrives in the USA that has only grown over the years. A deep desire to hurt the OTHER, even if it does not serve them (in fact, even if it hurts them).
Here is an example:
This is “rolling coal.” This guy modified his vehicle specifically to pollute. It cost thousands, it voids all warranties, decreases mileage, etc. It has NO upside for the owner or anyone. Why do it?
They say, we are sticking it to the environmentalists and libruls (sic.). So, these people are spending their own money, hurting their own interests, to hurt the feelings of others? Is this sane? That is like smoking because you dislike doctors.
Yet, this irrationality grows. More interestingly, it is seldom vocalized beyond “dog whistle” conversation. Once in a while, the double speech slips. This woman from the Florida Panhandle was such a case Trump supporter complains shutdown is 'not hurting the people he needs to be hurting'
He's not hurting the people he needs to be hurting.”
So, much of the US has no real positive agenda of their own. They vote to hurt and exclude others, even as it does not serve them.
Here is another example. Lead pellets in shotguns cause poisoning in Bald Eagles:
Obama wanted to phase out the use of lead pellets on federal land. Among Trump’s first actions was to rescind the rule. What possible upside was this for anyone? Just “stick it” to people trying to save eagles?New Interior head lifts lead ammunition ban in nod to hunters
How long can a culture exist when so much of it is intentionally destructive of itself?
As I said before, it only grows. I saw massive chunks of the country reject sane republicans and pick the dumbest guy in the room.
If this insanity does not stop, the USA will fall apart.
Picture Source Wikipedia
Thanks for Reading
0 Comments