We're seeing an interesting shift in American politics right now. I am of the opinion that the men in the closed room that own all the assets and make all the decisions are on top of things at all times, that is to say they run the show and have already planned eventualities several steps ahead.
It is with that concept in mind that I would like to discuss one Donald J. Trump.
He's crass, he's genuine, he's super cool. It is no surprise that he is far more popular in polling that Ted Cruz, Jeb (who just dropped out) and Marco Rubio, John Kasick etc...
Its fairly obvious that the bulk of Americans are no longer of the opinion that the establishment serves their interests. The LOGICAL candidate from such a viewpoint would most certainly be Bernie Sanders.
However, that being said let's tell it like it is. When Sanders suggests that meaningful change can only occur with a "Strong grassroots political movement involving millions" what I'm hearing is a sort of soft revolution. Those of you who take an interest in history will no doubt recall that FDR in order to get the New Deal signed and approved had to present the elite with an ultimatum of epic proportions: make this deal or all production stops, all unions go on strike and everything slows down to a crawl. The irony is that such an ultimatum can no longer truly be provided by the working class unless EVERYONE revolts. In the first place there is very little production locally to speak of, the only inconvenience to the elite of a mass revolt in the States would be no body is running the StarBucks or the gas station or waiting tables. North America is a service economy and once that service can be provided by robots or automation or what have you, the large bulk of the population effectively become liabilities to the elite, not assets.
Right now they are of use for one primary reason, they pay taxes to feed the military machine. They also help to some extent to make America appear powerful on the global scene.
Now lets get back to the focus of our article, Mr. Trump. He is the EMOTIONAL candidate for the dispossessed American who's needs are no longer being tended to. The reason he appeals to the emotion of the dispossessed American is fairly straightforward, he is so blunt, so honest, so forthright. He is off the cuff and does not seem to prepare the bulk of his statements. People want change and they subconsciously gravitate towards the person that will provide that change. Sanders has appeal for these people, but I myself, and I do not think I am alone in voicing this opinion, am worried that even if elected, Sanders will find himself with enemies who will try to stop his every move for change.
Trump seems like the type of guy who is willing to break the rules and rewrite them altogether, someone who isn't afraid of standing up the corruption and bureaucracy and unlike Sanders is probably willing to break a LOT of eggs to make the omelet. He's either going to be amazing or the next Fascist Dictator. I'm incredibly fascinated either way and can't wait to see what happens next.
As far as those men behind closed doors who make decisions, what if Trump is part of their plan to radicalize America even further. What if they're several steps ahead of everyone else and have already concluded that the people no longer have faith in the establishment per se and that they need to dangle something new in our faces to keep us passive even longer. What if Trump is their guy from the beginning? Isn't that what they did with Obama? Look you can trust him, you don't need ro rebell, the system will change, he's BLACK for God's sake!
Look you can trust Trump, he's self funded! He's not part of Washington!
I think the young people in America are waking up to some harsh truths and are grasping desperately for answers and are willing to listen to anyone who they think could provide it, Trump certainly fits that bill.
What if the life the baby boomers knew was a fluke in the context of history? And the offshoot of that middle class wealth is slowly dying out now? What if the middle class all but disappears in the future? Isn't that already happening?
Food for thought, I used to make about 4200$ per month after taxes and would spend up to 2500 a month on food, rent, car, cell, expenses, you get the point. That's 1700 a month savings (of course I'm splitting rent and food with my girlfriend at the time, much more expensive solo). This is what you would call a middle class life in a 3.5 apartment in a downtown area of a major metropolitan city, eating well, going out regularly.
That 1700 a month is a decent amount to save certainly, but by the time I can afford a home without a 30 year mortgage that makes me pay overall 200% of the property value in interest I need about 200 months (16 years) straight of savings.
16 years of no vacations. 16 years of no splurging on nice shoes, new clothes, a leather couch.
16 years of nothing but work, groceries, laundry, and the occasional restaurant. No ski trips, no hotel getaways, no deviation from the daily grind.
16 years of no concerts, no spa visits, no new car, no new anything really, just work and pray the company remains stable enough that your position is still needed in 16 years.
The point is that in the 70's we know how affordable things were for the middle class, how easy it was for them to obtain property, work a solid job at the same place, move up the ladder, and improve their life.
Today that has been choked to a fraction of what it was. in 16 years ill be 49. And in 16 years that house that used to cost 340K will cost 500k (or more who knows).
Contrast this with baby boomers who had a 2 year mortgage to own a home. And you wonder why birthrates are down? Why marriage rates are down? Why things are failing? Here's a discomforting truth, maybe the middle class is being weeded out and that this is a process that has been happening for decades.
Back to Trump. In order to reverse this and give the middle class a leg up, we would need to see a return to manufacturing, a return to investment of corporate profits into infrastructure, education, jobs, the "LOCAL" economy. This requires either more heavily taxing the ultra rich, or redirecting the huge military budget towards those domestic goals. I find it incredibly hard to accept that either of these things would be allowed to happen given the current state of politics and the current balance of power.
But at least its entertaining to watch.
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