US Presidential Election, Nov 5th 2024

[KS55]

How has wealth distribution in the US changed over time?

The highest-earning Americans have increased their share of wealth over the past three decades, while the middle class has been losing its share.

usafacts.org

My working hypothesis is that income distribution has a lot to do with it.

From the quoted article:
"The 60% of income earners between the top and bottom quintiles — commonly referred to as America’s middle class — have seen their share of wealth diminish since 1990. Over the past three decades, this group’s share of total wealth fell to 26% from 37%."

Without having studied this issue in any detail whatsoever, my perception is that populism is on the rise globally because the distribution of wealth has become so imbalanced that the majority of voters are rightly upset and demand change. Populist governments won't address the imbalance - but their leaders promise to do so and feed on the unrest that income inequality generates.

I'm a big believer in free-market capitalism and that government should avoid mucking with companies insofar as possible. Income inequality, IMO, should be addressed through a system of taxation, raising the minimum wage, etc.

Should my hypothesis prove correct, then we're in a quandary here in the States. Dems that want to increase taxes and redistribute wealth that way, or even to increase the minimum wage... whatever - are demonized by Republicans and so even if such policy changes might work, the populists won't put them into place.

Europe stands in contrast to UK and US here. There is much less income inequality and taxes are generally higher. They don’t have FPTP elections and coilition is the norm. Having said that Germany is currently in turmoil because the coilition doesn’t work.

 

[FogBlueInSanFran]

I don't expect him to deliver on the bad things he's promised any more reliably than the good ones.

For the 37th time — with a red Senate, red House (probably), red Court, a popular vote mandate, new albeit questionable immunity when taking official actions, unfettered by need to be re-elected, left with no moderate advisors to choose from since they all walked from him, there is no one to stop him.

Little confused how this is not getting through. THAT’S the big difference between old Trump and new Trump.

 

[BlueMoonAcrossThePond]

Europe stands in contrast to UK and US here. There is much less income inequality and taxes are generally higher. They don’t have FPTP elections and coilition is the norm. Having said that Germany is currently in turmoil because the coilition doesn’t work.

Cheers. That's a datapoint to investigate for sure.

 

[Trevor Morley's Tache]

Remember when Trump negotiated the deal to pull US troops out of Afghanistan and then Biden got the blame for the subsequent fuck up? One of the biggest hospital passes in political history. That was 100% Trump's disaster that someone else got the blame for. Despite what you might think of the fat orange prick, he certainly is the master of getting away with it.

The problem with him getting elected this time round is that those who saw the opportunities to make hay in his first term have maneuvered themselves into a position to make hay in his second term. All those rich guys that stand to make billions between them, all those racist c*nts that were empowered, all those white Taliban Christo-fascists who think women should stay at home and make babies. Money, greed and power, and to hell with the consequences.

Well done America, you've played yourselves.

 

[KS55]

As an American, well, we're about to be subject the the Chinese curse - "May you live in interesting times."

Trump will damage Democracy in America as much as he can during the next 4 years of his term. The checks against his abuse of power remain - The House, The Senate, The Supreme Court and State Governments.

Even though Republicans control all branches of federal government - there's been indication that some nominally loyal Republicans will balk at extreme abuse of power (likely to manifest mostly in the Senate and I think in SCOTUS).

State Government too will oppose Trump as best they can.

Is Trump going to end Democracy in America as we know it? Beats me. I think there's a strong possibility of that happening though.

What might happen in the worst case? Well, Trump might declare martial law to protect against illegal invasion by immigrants. He'd then begin to mass deport immigrants using the army. Having declared martial law, he'd then move to disband SCOTUS if they objected to him. The free press would have long since ceased to exist as Trump would move to void broadcast licenses for any entity he deemed unfaithful to his aims.

In short, American Democracy might end completely under Trump in the next 4 years. I'm not saying that this scenario is a forgone conclusion, or even that it's likely... it is though, very, very possible.

The bellwether for doomsday as outlined above is what happens to the free press. If Trump is able to silence the press through some means or another - then the USA is firmly on the path to fascist

Jeez, I hope you are wrong.

Er….i said this. System failure.

 

[FogBlueInSanFran]

Amazing how all these academics can tell us now why what happened happened. But nobody could interpret the signs and see it before it happened.

I had asked for some introspection on here these last few weeks and there was none. Even now, there isn't much. If this is typical of democrat thinking, they will be out of power for a long while unless Trump tanks everything or the democrats find themselves a new Obama. A heterosexual one, obviously.

What a country.

Obama would have gotten slaughtered by Trump.

What Democrats need is a new Trump.

As I doubt any Democrat has the base amorality to go that low (nor do many Republicans), the hope is singular — Trump fucks up the country so badly even those who voted for him change their minds.

It’s either a thin reed or there’s going to be a lot of suffering required.

Once again — all you need to achieve power is the will to do what the other guy won’t.

 

[Cheadle_hulmeBlue]

Could say the same about you and you’re a nobody.

Never understand this criticism of Hollywood types, athletes, whatever, when they offer their views. They can say whatever they want, just as uninformed people here do.

I don’t think it’s quite the same somehow. I’m on blue moon forum, not on a tv show or national platform.

Of course they can say what they want, but they dominate the media and it often becomes unavoidable to hear what they have to say. A lot of it is condescending as anything as well in my opinion.

I don’t think that strategy is helping the democrats all. Lining up celebrity after celebrity puts off ordinary people.

 

[FogBlueInSanFran]

I don’t think it’s quite the same somehow. I’m on blue moon forum, not on a tv show or national platform.

Of course they can say what they want, but they dominate the media and it often becomes unavoidable to hear what they have to say. A lot of it is condescending as anything as well in my opinion.

I don’t think that strategy is helping the democrats all. Lining up celebrity after celebrity puts off ordinary people.

FFS Donald Trump was/is a celebrity.

 

[BlueMoonAcrossThePond]

Obama would have gotten slaughtered by Trump.

What Democrats need is a new Trump.

As I doubt any Democrat has the base amorality to go that low (nor do many Republicans), the hope is singular — Trump fucks up the country so badly even those who voted for him change their minds.

It’s either a thin reed or there’s going to be a lot of suffering.

What America needs is for Dems to address the root issue - massive income inequality (IMO) - and a means to convey that they are doing so. Might this occur in my lifetime? Maybe.

But I think it will take an economic meltdown along the lines of The Great Depression - for that to occur - alongside a charismatic advocate, able to appeal to Republican voters for massive change, to make their lives better.

 

[Cheadle_hulmeBlue]

FFS Donald Trump was a celebrity.

Ffs obviously. If you think the democrats wheeling out half of Hollywood helped their election or convinced people to vote for them, I don’t know what else to say.

They barely focused on any of the issues that mattered to ordinary people.