10-02-2018, 11:09 AM
Early-middle 2020s, suggesting that the 1T ends when one side of the political spectrum is either knocked out or sent into political hibernation. I see either a new New Deal or a New Feudalism as options. FDR or Franco. We have a center-left that will recognize human rights and promote social equity as most of us understand the term. We have a Hard Right that believes that no human suffering is excessive so long as it turns, indulges, or enforces class privilege -- and has shown its willingness to establish a new order in which 95% of the people suffer for the top 2% (the in-between 3% would fare well whatever the political order were) with the rationale that the poor 'at least can find Jesus'.
We do not have a Hard Left with any relevance (Thank God!) but no center-right (which is too bad, because such would be a stabilizing influence). But with a new New Deal we will see the Establishment that is moderately-left start to have people drifting off to the center-Right. There will be something worthy of conservatism. Class privilege, contempt for learning, contempt for the poor, and a profits-only mentality do not merit preservation.
This assumes that we do not get into a major war. Note well that a fascistic America is a menace that few people ever want as an enemy. Sure, you say -- America at its worst has been more like a well-behaved giant breed of dog and not a bear or Big Cat. The world knows the rules with a giant dog, an animal that can do horrible things to human flesh if provoked severely enough. The rules aren't so obvious with a bear or Big Cat aside from 'keep a safe distance'.
We do not have a Hard Left with any relevance (Thank God!) but no center-right (which is too bad, because such would be a stabilizing influence). But with a new New Deal we will see the Establishment that is moderately-left start to have people drifting off to the center-Right. There will be something worthy of conservatism. Class privilege, contempt for learning, contempt for the poor, and a profits-only mentality do not merit preservation.
This assumes that we do not get into a major war. Note well that a fascistic America is a menace that few people ever want as an enemy. Sure, you say -- America at its worst has been more like a well-behaved giant breed of dog and not a bear or Big Cat. The world knows the rules with a giant dog, an animal that can do horrible things to human flesh if provoked severely enough. The rules aren't so obvious with a bear or Big Cat aside from 'keep a safe distance'.
The ideal subject of totalitarian rule is not the convinced Nazi or the dedicated Communist but instead the people for whom the distinction between fact and fiction, true and false, no longer exists -- Hannah Arendt.