Visigoths Unrequired To Topple the American Empire
Today is the 1607th anniversary of the first successful invasion of Rome, as the Visigoths’ siege finally burst through the city’s gates and began what was to become the fall of the Roman Empire.
Here at 2GreenEnergy, we’ve often made reference to the “fall of the American Empire” (not as if we’re the only ones to do so). To reel off a few observations in support:
• The rise of China, economically and militarily, fueled in part by the U.S. lack of participation in the Cleantech Revolution, the defining wealth-creating event of the 21st Century
• Rampant corruption, e.g., the de facto ownership of the U.S. congress by special interests, especially Big Oil, resulting in the bullet point above
• The rapid decay of Americans’ understanding of and respect for science, and the creation of policy based on right-wing political values as opposed to reason
• The abdication of a moral leadership, e.g., the support of the Saudi slaughter of Yemeni civilians, to take one example at random from a list of dozens
• Building a culture of hatred of religious and racial minorities; the rise of hate groups, actively encouraged by the U.S. president; the refashioning of the U.S. as a selfish, mean-spirited global pariah; the replacement of respect for the U.S. on the world stage with ridicule and revulsion
• Enormous tax breaks for the top 0.1% at the expense of the poor and working class, furthering the demise of the middle class
• The demolition of our democracy with the U.S. Supreme Court decision “Citizens United,” as well as aggressive gerrymandering and other voter suppression tactics
• The systematic destruction of the federal government via the appointment of cabinet members whose agenda is eliminating the departments to which they’ve been assigned
• Pollution and the decay of eco-systems within U.S. borders, occasioned by the removal of environmental regulations
• The reversal of most forms of social progress, brought about in part by the rise of the ultra-right-wing pseudo-Christians
• The election of an emotionally unstable leader, and the implosion of that presidency, unfolding on a daily basis
• An unhinged leader threatening another (even more disturbed) leader with nuclear war
• Fighting an unwinnable war in the Middle East at the cost of many trillions of dollars and tens of thousands of American casualties
While it’s unlikely that the U.S. will be invaded by marauding hordes like the Huns, the Vandals and the Visigoths, it will require a Herculean effort to turn this around and get it back on course toward true world leadership.
Having said that, it’s possible that the pendulum will swing hard and fast here. We should all be proud to be a part of making that happen.
Craig,
Interesting collection of observations.
If that’s the best analysis the American left can produce, it shows how isolated in confused delusion the American left have become.
The only reason the US emerged as a super power was the huge economic wealth created by corporations able to exploit rapidly expanding domestic markets to subsidize US trade dominance.
Unless you count America’s brief flirtation with imperial ambitions, Cuba, Puerto Rico, Philippines etc, the US was never a traditional empire except as a corporate power. The US exploited it’s unfettered corporate power in the form of brilliantly organized multi-nationals to achieve commercial dominance.
Inevitably, just like the older British Empire, it’s children learned the lessons well and grew up to rival the US.
American commercial practices took on local flavours and styles. Just like the old Visi-Goths, the target was a piece of the US pie.
The true rival empire to US dominance was the old USSR. The USSR at its best didn’t mimic US political or economic philosophies.
As US adversary, the USSR briefly offered an alternative version of how society should be organized.
The concept was always flawed and always doomed to failure, but enjoyed it’s moment in the sun. Briefly, USSR communist propaganda captured an idealistic, if delusional, international following.
The US completely defeated it’s military and ideological enemy, yet in doing so it became exhausted and failed to notice the inroads into US economic power and massive losses as its vast accumulated treasure was unwittingly transferred to it’s Asian and European trade rivals.
These rivals didn’t oppose the US, they copied US methods and seemed symbiotic. Too late, long after damage was done, the US realized what it thought was a symbiotic relationship had become parasitic and now the parasites had grown to become independent and deadly rivals of great strength and power.
The Peoples Republic of China is now an economic rival. The PRC has the advantage of a more ruthless and determined organized social structure unfettered by the niceties and distractions of liberal democratic diversity.
The expertise of the Europeans to exploit US administration to waste national treasure fostering dreams of world “moral leadership”, has been very skillful and aided their attack on the US economy.
For all his flaws, President Trump is the first US President to recognize the US isn’t a world leader with many admirers and friends but a Stag hunted by wolves.
The US still has some firm allies, but only if it can shake off it’s delusions and start to fight.
President Trump lacks many of the skills and attributes needed in a great President. However, he has some virtues. His rejection of the Paris Accord and his speech in Poland was the first time an American President has shown he understands the peril confronting the US.
The US must abandon any delusions of “moral leadership” (it never existed), US administrations must halt the march of the Peoples Republic of China.
America must rally it’s allies, while reforming and restructuring its internal economy.
The US must start putting it’s own house in order, and if that means shaking of the delusion of “moral world leadership” then the quicker the better.
Your reaction to reality, is like children when told the party is over.