THE NOT SO UNITED STATES OF AMERICA ....

 

D.S.A. or divided States of America, is efficiently replacing U.S.A. it is becoming clearer and more factual, more visible to any observer living within or outside the country since the American civil war and the mid 19th century crisis. The causes are almost the same, the naming and picturing are a bit different. Racism white male supremacy, religious intolerance and literalism, extreme conservatism are all existing and well maintained in all of what we call nowadays "Red States", less so to different degrees and levels in "Blue States". Even economic theories and applications are affected by degrees of redness or blueness of a State rendering them generally poorer or better off. 

Until now most if not all still believe in the power of unity and the Union, and its benefits, plus the fact that each individual State big or small, rich or poor still believe that it could win, influence and impose its ways all over, even on the entire country. Both camps believe and cherish their own models of thinking, behaving and governing.  

Regional alliances are often de facto on the ground, as in the southern and the north-eastern cases, the Biblical belt, the Pacific States, or the Mid-Eastern center right States. But all these are becoming more vulnerable, as the new political, socio economical and religious fervors are all accelerating the divide, the idea of a cessation or some type of separation is playing more loudly than ever in many corners, Texas and Florida are leaders that could initiate something of the sort and drag a few others with them. California could be seen doing something as well from the other political side.

Many other States and their populations believe that should things happen along these lines, they would be better off alone than united. No thinking nor any consideration of how weaker and more vulnerable they would end up being. How dangerous any conflict or dispute among the various new semi independent entities. Some would prefer alliances with foreign countries, rather than internal cooperation between different ideologies among once unified States. Consider who might prefer an alliance with Canada, or Mexico rather than the Southern belt with the Western Pacific States. 

Can the United States avoid its own unravelling and disentangle ?? Can it learn to better compromise and listen to the other, to look at progress as a necessity and not always cling to a past traditional way, or are we doomed to apply internally what for decades and centuries we applied internationally, just a one sided look, a one sided greed and selfishness, a one sided supremacy and obstinacy, unfortunately this time it could turn bad and very detrimental to the country and its people as a whole. 

All futuristic elements of the once vibrant American society, leading and giving examples to the entire world, are now crumbling, collapsing, and being deliberately destroyed. To end it all note; "Americans have finally started killing each other over mayonnaise", with all of what's happening in the country, maybe it is inevitable and irreversible ..... 

What is taking place here can not be said to be purely ideological, it is both much more and much less than ideology, it is the production of effective instruments, working systematically for long years for the formation, accumulation and monopolization of wealth and power, using religion narrowness, white male supremacy, racism, and a false pseudo conservatism, plus some old inherited 18 and 19th century colonialism. 

my thanks to all, as always stay safe and well.                           

   

The true meaning of patriotism, Why America is in trouble - Robert Reich Jul 4, 2022

It is not the meaning propounded by the “America First” crowd, who define it as securing our borders. For most of its existence America has been open to people from the rest of the world fleeing tyranny and violence. Nor is the meaning of patriotism found in the ravings of those who want America to be a white Christian nation. America's moral mission has been to widen inclusion -- providing equal rights to women, Black people, Native American, Latinx, LGBTQ, Muslim, Jewish, atheist, agnostic.

True patriots don't fuel racist, religious, or ethnic divisions. Patriots aren't homophobic or sexist. Patriots seek to confirm and strengthen and celebrate the "we" in "we the people of the United States." Nor are patriots blind to social injustices. They don’t ban books or prevent teaching about the sins of our past. They combine a loving devotion to America with a demand for justice.

This land is your land, this land is my land, sang Woody Guthrie.

Langston Hughes pleaded:

Let America be America again,

The land that never has been yet—

And yet must be—the land where every man is free.

The land that's mine—the poor man's, Indian's, Negro's, ME—.

Nor is the meaning of patriotism is found in symbolic displays of loyalty like standing for the national anthem and waving the American flag.

Patriotism’s true meaning lies in taking a fair share of the burdens of keeping the nation going — sacrificing for the common good. Paying taxes in full rather than lobbying for lower taxes or seeking tax loopholes or squirreling away money abroad. Refraining from political contributions that corrupt our politics. Blowing the whistle on abuses of power even at the risk of losing one's job. Volunteering time and energy to improving the community and country.

Real patriotism involves strengthening our democracy—defending the right to vote and ensuring more Americans are heard. Not claiming without evidence that millions of people voted fraudulently. Not pushing for laws that make it harder for people to vote based on this Big Lie. Not running for office on the Big Lie.

True patriots don’t put loyalty to their political party above their love of America. True patriots don’t support an attempted coup. They expose it — even when it was enabled by people they once worked for or engineered by a president who headed their own party.

When serving in public office, true patriots don’t try to hold on to power after voters have chosen not to reelect them. They don’t make money off their offices. When serving as judges, they recuse themselves from cases where they may appear to have a conflict of interest. When serving in the Senate, they don’t use the filibuster to stop all legislation they disagree with. When serving in state legislatures, they don’t try to suppress the votes of people unlikely to support them. When serving on the Supreme Court, they don’t disregard precedent to impose their own ideology.

Patriots understand that when they serve the public, one of their major responsibilities is to maintain and build public trust in the offices and institutions they occupy.  

America is in trouble. But that’s not because too many foreigners are crossing our borders, or we’re losing our whiteness or our dominant religion, or we’re not standing for the national anthem or celebrating our history. We’re not in trouble because of voter fraud. We’re in trouble because we are losing the true understanding of what patriotism requires from all of us. 

As always, my gratitude for your time and participation, stay safe and well. 

AMERICAN POLITICS ....

 

Practically most serious polls in America, indicate and demonstrate that a comfortable majority of American voters overwhelmingly support Democrats in their social agendas, and align with the values of the Democratic party. When asked about their priority issues for president Biden and Congress, American voters prioritize climate change, advancing renewable energy, saving voting rights, jobs creation, better wealth distribution and equality, plus the economy in general. The vast majority of Americans support abortion access, eliminating the filibuster, better gun controls, universal health care and most approve and support the president's job creation, and his handling of the Ukrainian war.

Many surveys continue to demonstrate that Americans in all their different ethnic and gender, color or back ground, middle classes or poor, they in their majority continue to support Democrats and the president's agenda. They are increasingly strongly opposed to Republican political mumbo jumbo and exotic tactics in Congress, as well as the new GOP leadership blindly following the ex-president in all decisions concerning America and the world. Lately even a hidden approval and appreciation of Putin and his barbaric invasion of Ukraine. 

It also demonstrates how the American voters in augmenting numbers are deeply concerned about attacks on the country's democracy. They oppose Republican-led voter suppression laws, and hold Trump and the GOP responsible for the Jan. 6 insurrection and the fascist armed militias mushrooming all over, trying to force a way of life and governance, toping it all, the latest very conservative Supreme Court mini coup, reversing the wright to abortion and leaving it to individual states to regulate or ban. Plus further weakening regulations about gun control, climate change and state and church separation.  

While these polls show continued support for Democrats and intense opposition to the Republican political machinery, it also emphasizes the important work ahead of America, as it approaches the 2022 midterm elections that will decide the control of the Senate if not both chambers of Congress, a very important step in deciding the next 2 years of the Biden administration' progress in the White House. 

Democrats will win in the midterm if American voters get out in force and vote consistently with their values and their declared convictions, without fear from a very demagogical right wing machine blaming all American present illnesses on this administration. Putting aside the same propagandist different brain washing machines of a well trained professional extreme right, white supremacist with certain very specific religious affiliations. 

And of course the very big money back up of major conglomerates, corporations, all through very powerful political and industrial lobbying agencies, as well as some very rich individuals, all benefitting big time from the Trump and Republican agenda. Even news networks and social media platforms are playing a major role in the propaganda machine of the extreme right and the Trump campaign. Take for instance how many platforms banned mostly Republican politicians even Trump himself several times for fake news and deliberate lies, Fox news TV and their presenters are not news broadcasters anymore, they are clearly turning fully into a right-wing propaganda network, Representing Trump, Americans in their majority see that. 

Another phenomena on the American political scene is ; politicians adopting Trumpism without Trump. It's becoming a set tactic for many Republicans, ultra right-wing, extreme conservatives, and some religious white supremacist, for now they are gaining ground and are forging themselves a strong footage within the Republican election and funding machine.  

As Voltaire once said, "Those who can make you believe absurdities can make you commit atrocities." As always my thanks to all, stay safe and well.