Stuck

Stuck in my brain are endless thoughts about what can and will go wrong with a Trump Administration. It is too late to blame anyone for Clinton's loss; it makes no difference whether it was caused by the FBI, or the Russian hacking, or the insipid portion of the American electorate. It is what it is.

And for the foreseeable future we are "stuck" with this President, perhaps for as long as four years.
Regardless of what happens he will inevitably take credit for any successes (caused by the rest of us) and decry any failures as the fault of his internal opponents (Republicans, Democrats, anyone who opposes him).

This is all happening because of our carelessness -- we were too lazy to vote, or we thought the "outcome was secure enough," or we just wanted to "stir the pot" to see what would happen. War could happen; nuclear proliferation could happen; more terrorism could happen; loss of our very own country and its government could happen; self-destruction could happen. And all because we were, in some way, careless and selfish with our own heritage.

We are now stuck!

A Bad Year Ends, a Bad Year Begins

2016 was the year of the Rise of Trump -- a man no one with a brain would want to be their President. But there it is. It was also the year of great migrations from war-torn or drug-ravaged lands: Sudan, Venezuela, Syria, Central Africa, Mexico, Columbia, Panama, et al. 2016 also brought us the brutality of ignorance, change for change's sake, and unrelenting stupidity and lies.

The political process broke down -- social media beat real media -- and mankind itself wavered in its  humanity. Selfishness replaced compassion; hate replaced love; anger replace common sense.

Women lost significant ground in reproductive rights, and control over their own bodies, their wages, their choices in life. And "crypto-fascism" became a "real thing."

2017 will probably not be a better year.

America in Chaos --Not an Easy Place to Be

The new "government" in America is either going to "drain the swamp" or become one. It will be filled with reprobate or retrobate but generally untrustworthy corporate magnates, disgruntled pundits, anti-status quo crazies, and conspiracy theorists -- all with no discernible governing ability. Many are rich, too rich, to understand or empathize with the rest of us. We will be treated like "specimens" in all phases of government: losers, non-billionaires, failures, excess --- all because we "did not win."

To a Capitalist/plutocratic/crypt--fascist regime we are all expendable. If we can't get health insurance, so what! If we can't pay for college; too bad! If we can't afford rent, or food, or insurance, or any of the normal pleasures in life --- it must be our own fault! It must be, because the "rich" have made it -- so something must be wrong with the rest of us. That's how life plays to a thick-brained plutocrat!

The Big Mistake?

Has America gone down the wrong path? Have we opted for greed over justice, profit over compassion? Have we given away our country's heritage to a capitalist moron? Are we in severe danger of becoming our "worst possible selves" in the next few years?

Is America in danger? Yes. Are we at risk of losing everything? Yes. Can we still stand up and resist the malevolent forces of selfishness? Can we rise above our base instincts, as our forefathers did, and continue to hold up the torch of freedom and justice for all the world to see?

We must be watchful; we must survive; we must take care of those who need our help. We are America, in spite of our mistakes.

What's Wrong With the Business Model -- for Everything!

There is no compassion in the business model -- refugees of war are simply "unintentional damages"; "collateral deaths." People and property are put at the same level -- with the edge going to "property": after all there are stockholders to consider!

My rights are always more important than your rights, particularly if I have the bigger pocketbook to defend my rights. You, just because you are at odds with me, are somehow deficient, wrong, strange, stupid, "a loser," or even just insane. How can you resist my plans -- they are "most" important.

Government exists to smooth the way for business -- it is kind of a meta-business, and certainly should make only decisions based on the business model -- after all "what's good for _____________
(substitute any business or corporate name for the traditional 'General Motors') is good for the USA!"

The world is too small for there to be competition -- but if there is competition; I must win! Why? Because it is my plan that is superior; I am smarter than all the others who do this! All dissent and competition must be crushed.

In individual families -- only the bottom line is important. Is it cost effective? Forget about "learning for learning's sake" (why learn anything if it doesn't make me some cash!). Why indeed?

Momentous Time for Me, and the World

We are nearly into the "Age of Trump." May we all survive and learn to think through it, and prosper.

I have passed the ten-year anniversary of my wife's unfortunate and unfair death -- and I may be making the next step in my "life change." My house may actually sell this time. (Don't jinx it!)

And life is fricking strange.

Cry for Aleppo

Will no one "cry" out in anger for the murdered citizens of Aleppo? Will no one mourn the millions of refugees on the road from ruthless dictators and their armies of deluded soldiers? Will no one think about the millions of Americans disenfranchised by the cyber lies and "fake news" of the trolls from Russia (and the American henchmen)?

Does anyone really care about the loss of the American Democratic system to the "halls of high finance" and "backroom economic deals"? China says "the one-China policy is not for sale"! Is there anything in American government, American politics, American ideals -- that is NOT for sale?

Do we live in a country "of the people, by the people, and for the people" or has it been rephrased as "of the one, by the few, and for the rich?" What has happened to us? I for one "cry for Aleppo" and its innocent people slaughtered for no reason -- attacked by all for no reason -- living in constant fear of death --- for no reason --- except senseless, barbarous and insane stupidity? Will anyone "cry for us" when we are going? Anyone?

Projected: FEAR

Fear for my country; fear for my retirement; fear for my job; fear for my social security; fear for my future; fear for all the poor and underprivileged out there; fear for anyone on any kind of government assistance; fear for women; fear for immigrants; fear for Muslims; fear for anyone non-white; fear for the smart and the open; fear for the stupid and the unknowing; fear for colleges; fear for students; fear for young women; fear for older people; fear for seniors; fear for pets; fear for all Americans; fear for all non-Americans; fear for Democrats; fear for Independents; fear for Planned Parenthood; fear for the immediate future/present; fear for the stock market; fear for the middle class; fear for progress; fear for the progressives; fear for people who can think; fear for all of us!!!!!!!

Capitalism Versus Democracy

Sometime each semester I tell my students that we live in a democracy in the US. Capitalism is an economic system that details the relationships involved with buying, selling, consumerism, supply and demand, stock markets, bonds, financial matters of all types, and the various ways that people earn, are taxed, and shape their own economic futures.

Now however the lines between capitalism and democracy have been blurred by our President-elect; now called the Real Estate President. He will be trying to run a political system as if it were an economic one -- something he should have better understood as a graduate of Wharton. And we will have to adjust or be taken up and compromised on a balance sheet somewhere.

Welcome to Idiocracy II.  

President Donald J. Trump

For better or for worse, the businessman with the limited vocabulary and the huge ego will be the next President of the United States -- as of Jan 21, 2017. Will he be a good President? No one can really predict.

Because of his ego, narcissism, and the variety of advisers he will have -- the future is hard to predict. Will he make mistakes? Certainly, every President does. Will he lead us into war, or diplomatic difficulties, or wild internal struggles -- almost certainly, because of his peculiar ego and his unrelenting desire to be right.

Is the United States of America "in decline" with this President, I would like to think "not" -- but the real answer is still out there.