The assumption seems to be that this #coup is just a catalogue of reactionary grudges and a big grift and that the resulting actions (like #tariffs) indicate stupidity and ignorance.
Shouldn't we consider if there is a bigger end game going on?
It looks to me like every single thing this administration is doing makes total (evil) sense as a plan to protect the US #billionaire class through global #climate breakdown.
[#]uspol
1/5
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Assume the following:
We’re dealing with total #sociopaths who assign no value to a life without insane wealth and will do anything to protect theirs.
In their camp, at least some are informed enough to understand the existential threat of #ClimateChange.
They’re smart enough to see that society is not ready to do what it takes to respond to this crisis.
What would the rational response be for someone in that position?
[#]uspol
2/5
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They can buy islands and build bunkers, but what if they want more?
How about:
Turn the US into an isolated fortress.
Let climate change progress unabated and even accelerate it so most of the world has too little time to adapt.
Rely on the death of billions globally to reset the scale of emissions.
Hope that the US can then build a new empire using the resources of a ravaged planet.
How would you go about achieving that?
[#]uspol
3/5
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Here’s a plan:
Authoritarian control, including #fascist neighbour-against-neighbour stuff.
Total control of communications and education.
Cripple public sector so US citizens have to rely on #corporations.
Other foreign nations as much as possible, especially close neighbours.
End #ForeignAid.
Break international #SupplyChains to make the US self-sufficient.
Militarise the southern border and build a #nuclear defense shield.
[#]uspol
4/5
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I need help here. I can’t stop seeing this as more logical than that this is just the actions of a bunch of mean, greedy and stupid people.
Please convince me I shouldn’t be worrying that the true agenda here isn’t a three-tier world:
US billionaires
Those who can and will provide labour to US billionaires (unless fantasy #AI can take their place)
The rest of us (completely and probably preferably expendable)
[#]uspol
5/5
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@dhobern What you say may be the end result. I think you put too much emphasis on their ability to plan. There are certainly religious zealots in trumps orbit who want to bring on the apocalypse so they may ascend. And Musk is certainly acting with an agenda. The parallels with the Weimar Republic are many. Things are happening fast. Perhaps that is a consolation. What burns fast is not sustainable.
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@gjr
Thanks - I appreciate the response. My feeling has for a long-time been that the religious right have just been the unwitting goons doing what corporations and oligarchs need. The Revelation-inspired apocalypse stuff seems like something designed to get everyone to look the wrong way.
I do agree that we have on our side the fact that these people don't seem on the whole to be systems analysts.
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@dhobern The US is large, but it's much smaller than the World. And it does and makes some important things, but nothing the rest of us can't replace if we must.
So if the American electorate really wants to do crazy on their own, they can go ahead. We just have to take seriously the idea of carrying on without them.
Needs a lot of competence from the rest of us for sure. But the US simply doesn't have the power your scenario seems to assume?
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@poratlu Thanks. Frankly, it's seemed for a long time that the US was going to have to go through some grim stuff to have any chance of starting to move in a better direction. I do hope it encourages more cooperation from everyone else.
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@dhobern Yes and not just the US. I feel quite a lot of governments and electorates are coasting a bit. Even though for sure they don't see it that way, they feel they're beset by crises, and I have sympathy.
Some horrific political shocks now will be no fun, but if reacted to positively, that may be better than treading water until we wake up in a 3 degree world.
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