Last worries that we might now be in a transition to authoritarianism of the kind Russia went through in the 1990s, but I visited Russia often in those days, and much of the Russian democratic implosion was driven by genuinely brutal economic conditions and the rapid collapse of basic public services. Americans have done this to themselves during a time of peace, prosperity, and astonishingly high living standards. An affluent society that thinks it is living in a hellscape is ripe for gulling by dictators who are willing to play along with such delusions.
This is the problem. Americans are not living “affluent” lives. They may have iphones and Netflix, but they are struggling to make rent and buy groceries. Their credit cards are getting maxed out. And their wages are staying flat, certainly relative to the sharp increase in the price of everything.
Americans are hurting economically right now. I wouldn’t compare the situation to Russia, but seeing your bank account disappear, your debt grow, and no solution in sight is a recipe for desperation.
This is the problem. Americans are not living “affluent” lives. They may have iphones and Netflix, but they are struggling to make rent and buy groceries. Their credit cards are getting maxed out. And their wages are staying flat, certainly relative to the sharp increase in the price of everything.
See that line? That’s some fine affluence. Even if the line is going up a bit.
What you’re simply marking as “groceries” is actually a lot of luxuries, from lots of animal products to out of season fruits and vegetables. And don’t get me started on eating at restaurants.
Here’s the EU in 2021:
I’m from the “winner” country of that chart. Send help. I’m vegan, so I don’t waste my money on luxury animal products. I do waste some money on fair trade coffee and dark chocolate.
Your imperial mode of living (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XuFQfSRZH_o) is ending, one way or another. Trump is 100% not going to help the masses. If you want a preview of Trump’s regime in terms of economics, look at Argentina and Milei.
Argentina’s poverty rate this year up until March:
Most Americans aren’t even familiar with the idea that vegetables can be out of season. They have a handful of things that they know how to cook and they cook the same things regardless of season, barbecues and that sort notwithstanding.
But the “economy” on paper is indeed fine, there is just itty detail that it doesn’t trickle down to most voters, who will then seek shelter from these madmen with the other idiot they find selling an even worse alternative…
It’s so inflexible that the american system only enables two parties.
The trickle down thing was obviously wrong many decades ago. Now it’s only said ironically.
Not only do the ‘spoils’ at the stock market not trickle down, but Trump is probably going to give a huge tax cut to rich people in his first week as president in 2025. The only way it can trickle down realistically is by high taxes on the rich paired with UBI or federal jobs programs, which isn’t something that Republicans would do. The Private Public Partnership model also favors the rich as the private company owners and executives take most of the gains while paying terrible wages to everyone else. Hence, “the rich get richer and the poor get poorer”.
When I watched scenes from Adam Curtis’ TraumaZone, I’m not quite sure the brutal economic conditions of Russia at the time compare to the Biden years.
This is the problem. Americans are not living “affluent” lives. They may have iphones and Netflix, but they are struggling to make rent and buy groceries. Their credit cards are getting maxed out. And their wages are staying flat, certainly relative to the sharp increase in the price of everything.
Americans are hurting economically right now. I wouldn’t compare the situation to Russia, but seeing your bank account disappear, your debt grow, and no solution in sight is a recipe for desperation.
It was the economy, stupid.
See that line? That’s some fine affluence. Even if the line is going up a bit.
What you’re simply marking as “groceries” is actually a lot of luxuries, from lots of animal products to out of season fruits and vegetables. And don’t get me started on eating at restaurants.
Here’s the EU in 2021:
I’m from the “winner” country of that chart. Send help. I’m vegan, so I don’t waste my money on luxury animal products. I do waste some money on fair trade coffee and dark chocolate.
Your imperial mode of living (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XuFQfSRZH_o) is ending, one way or another. Trump is 100% not going to help the masses. If you want a preview of Trump’s regime in terms of economics, look at Argentina and Milei.
Argentina’s poverty rate this year up until March:
September: The poverty rate in Argentina reached 52.9% during the first six months of Javier Milei’s government, the national statistics agency reported on Thursday https://www.dw.com/en/argentinas-poverty-rate-soars-past-50-under-javier-milei/a-70341471
Argentina’s food situation:
Two Full-Time Jobs and Nothing to Eat: Argentine Families Adapt to Skyrocketing Food Prices
edit: some nice illustrations from the last link:
This is your future under austerity policies, on average. And that’s what Trump’s going to bring.
Most Americans aren’t even familiar with the idea that vegetables can be out of season. They have a handful of things that they know how to cook and they cook the same things regardless of season, barbecues and that sort notwithstanding.
At least they know about pumpkin season. Honestly, I was shocked to learn that pumpkin spice doesn’t contain pumpkin.
It’s probably because of the seasonal pumpkin candles, and seasonal pumpkin carving.
Nice to get some perspective on things. “Bidenomics” and “Bidenflation” was/is…not that.
But the “economy” on paper is indeed fine, there is just itty detail that it doesn’t trickle down to most voters, who will then seek shelter from these madmen with the other idiot they find selling an even worse alternative…
It’s so inflexible that the american system only enables two parties.
The trickle down thing was obviously wrong many decades ago. Now it’s only said ironically.
Not only do the ‘spoils’ at the stock market not trickle down, but Trump is probably going to give a huge tax cut to rich people in his first week as president in 2025. The only way it can trickle down realistically is by high taxes on the rich paired with UBI or federal jobs programs, which isn’t something that Republicans would do. The Private Public Partnership model also favors the rich as the private company owners and executives take most of the gains while paying terrible wages to everyone else. Hence, “the rich get richer and the poor get poorer”.
The stock market is fine. It’s just often confused for the economy.
When I watched scenes from Adam Curtis’ TraumaZone, I’m not quite sure the brutal economic conditions of Russia at the time compare to the Biden years.