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The Radical Individualist's avatar

I have to disagree with this post. And I have seventy-five years of experience to base my opinions on.

We are into our fourth century of the industrial revolution. It is that revolution that has made life continually easier. But has it made life better? We turn on the faucet to get water, rather than go down to the stream with a bucket. We have flush toilets. We have electricity. We can get anywhere in the world within twenty-four hours. That's all great, and I don't want to give any of that up. But are things BETTER?

We aren't happier, possibly less happy. We seem less able to cope, perhaps because our ability to cope has atrophied as a result of the easy physical life we have. So many people talk about working from home, as if all jobs can be worked from home. No, we are not happier.

If we are not happier, then what are we? I've spent the last seventy-five years watching people become less resilient, less self-confident, and more dependent. Our federal government has saddled us with a national debt that exceeds $100,000 for every man, woman and child in America. America used to have a net surplus in trade with other countries, but for decades we have had an ever-increasing debt to other countries. The government's solution is to run up more debt. Most of us know what happens when you max out your credit cards. Reality hits, and you have all that debt to pay. Your future income has to pay for past purchases. So, what about future purchases? Good question.

That's America today. That's Europe today. Telling us that it's worse in Europe doesn't make it good in the USA. It hasn't always been like this. Back when we didn't have cell phones and laptops and streaming services and Amazon dropping anything you want at your door, life was better. It was happier.

Whose fault is it? It's OUR fault. In seeking the easy way, we've made things much harder on ourselves. Your problems will not end any sooner than when YOU solve them.

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Harley "Griff" Lofton's avatar

"That said, Trump himself could well move in directions that cause further decline." 3/4 of the piece here makes the case that there is no such decline--- and then turns to address the threat of Harris to the economy. IF Harris could command an overwhelming majority in the House and a 60 vote majority in the Senate then her "aspirational policies" COULD be a threat to the economy. However most of these are all within the realm of traditional Democratic platforms since 1936 and nothing new.

You are absolutely correct that the national debt is the silent killer in the room and the notion of growing ourselves out of debt as Republicans preach or just "investing" year over year in deficit spending as Democrats wish are both malarkey.

But within the context of this election if Harris was offering a Stalinest 5 year plan that could never pass Congress would be safer for the Republic than to vote for a "lazy-fare" policy that is determined on what Trump believes is best for him and his image. Yesterday he was saying (during the moments where he was speaking coherently) that tariffs are essentially like a tax break for working people. That tariffs will reduce inflation among other absurdities. I dare you to read the entire transcript of his speech before the Economic Club of New York in its entirety without wondering how he could be better for the American economy.

https://singjupost.com/full-transcript-trump-speaks-at-the-economic-club-of-new-york/?singlepage=1

The best course is to elect Harris and then fight politically to curb any extremist policies.

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