Yeah, the US is dead. I don’t see a path forward from here for the US as an intact nation. Overall, that’s probably a good thing. I’m hopeful that the different US regions can just all peacefully agree to part on friendly terms. The only real strain point I see is California being like “so, we get to keep all the water in the Colorado river basin, right? Right?” But I really think we can work that out without bullets.
While I agree with the general sentiment and am firmly in the camp of wishing for an amicable breakup, I just dont see the mass movement needed for a country to formally split. The prevailing public opinion seems to be that the country is in danger and needs saving, with each side having vastly different ideas of what that means.
Personally, I foresee the US transitioning more akin to Rome. A Republic and then gradually an Empire. I think we are in that transition now. The republic is already dead in all but ritual and I think the goal of Trump/Elon/Republicans is to begin the phase out of those rituals so that the new Empire can stand.
We have been a republic, and arguably we’ve been an empire in a republic’s clothing since the cold war. We’re speedrunning the mid-late imperial stage at this point where we stop pretending we’re still a republic (mid) and sell off the government’s administrative capacity for scrap and hand it all off to wealthy elites (late). That’s significant because along with the government blowing up it’s administrative capacity to hand it off to elites, it also destroys its legitimacy and opens the door for new, local governments to spring up. The cool thing about the US is that we already have pre-fabricated local governments ready to go, complete with their own state constitutions.
Modern power is based on more than having a bunch of people carrying swords. It’s based on having the economic capacity to build more advanced fighters, tanks, ships and having some soldiers to work it all, while maintaining the infrastructure to advance the technology that all those toys use.
The US didn’t crush USSR in the jungles of Vietnam. It crushed it in the kitchens and living rooms of Europe and much of the rest of the world.
Now Trump is attacking the very source of the US’ strength. The US never needed to occupy any of their allies capitals, to put tanks on the streets of Toronto, Manchester or Munich. NATO countries (despite Kremlin talking points) willingly joined NATO. Now, Trump wants to destroy all that because he doesn’t understand it. A real estate developer of the worst kind.
The real nail in the coffin is that about 1/3 of the people of the US are cheering him on right now. Another third don’t bother to vote. And Presidential authority is now akin to that of a monarch.
The conflict isn’t state vs state, it’s not really urban vs rural. The population is mixed. There are tons of Trumpsters in California, tons of rabid Democrats in Florida or Alabama.
I disagree. The US is basically 14 geographic subregions being forced to all agree on how they’re all governed. Conservatives and Democrats aren’t monoliths, and I’ve known plenty of California (and for that matter, Georgia) republicans who move to Texas or Idaho thinking it’ll be political paradise for them and end up getting called woke pinko commie scum. I think as long as things fall apart with relatively little violence, a lot of folks will self-sort into the kind of regional government they want to live in.
That’s not my experience. I have Trump hating family that retired in Florida, or work in Texas because that’s where their job is. I have raging southern “Trumpy Christian” family doing work in California or other liberal states.
I’ve seen a lot of mixture in both.
Moving is not easy. Opportunity doesn’t just pop up. And it doesn’t align with politics.
Besides, underneath I think everything is really just a class war, and the giga-rich want to maintain the Republican vs. Democrat facade. So they won’t let everything split into regions.
Oh, I believe it. I’m just still amazed that we decided to piss off the people that are internationally famous for being polite for literally no sane reason at all.
We are polite because if we weren’t our own society would crumble. We would kill one another. It isn’t as much politeness as it is a necessary respect for our fellow man.
We are well known for being ruthless in battle. Not just WWI, we have a very colorful war history spanning up to modern day.
Both our national sports are played at a speed and ferocity that is hard to rival. During gameplay in one of these sports, when someone is offended they are expected to fist fight over that offence. EXPECTED. They then get asked to “sit out” and cool down for a literal couple of minutes before they are permitted to rejoin the action. These games also often erupt into fights in the stands and parking lots not just between the players. Often between the parents of these players should the players themselves be at an age where they are not permitted to fight within the game. If it’s playoffs or a big game no one cares what you broke or what hurts. You lace em up and get the fuck out there. It’s important.
“Just fuckin’ punch 'em in the mouth” is something we all get told by our parents as kids having to deal with bullies. I’ve also told my kids this. It works and we do it. Fuck the school suspension.
We all own guns. We don’t use 'em like you do but we certainly know how and so do our kids. Our rural brethren are masters in the bush, mountains and oceans because we enjoy it.
We have vast resources of young French Canadians who have travelled the world and learned all sorts of crazy skills no one else can manage just because they could. They’re athletic (reference: the French power gut, this category of Canadian also includes Acadian and Metis) and keen to fuck shit up. They’re like Australians, you find them everywhere you go. They party a lot. They’re friendly as shit and kinda goofy. But when they get pissed…they’re the real ones.
We also tried to exterminate our natives and still do but they’re fuck off strong and resilient. They’re getting pissed too. You really really really don’t want that. Trust me on this one. You just don’t. Imagine the toughest person you know the. Times that by colonialism, religion, disease, sugar and an unshakable spirit. Also beyond athletic and revengeful.
And many of us are not nationalistic. We would not be going into it for your country or our flag or our leader. We would be doing it for our families and neighbors and friends and people like us around the world who are over the bullshit. When you are fighting for that there is no beating it. Americas leaders could stand to have learned this numerous times in their past.
We managed to piss off some of the most infamously nice people on the planet for no reason whatsoever.
Do the First Nations know this?
Yeah, you got me there.
Yea, I’m sick of this white washed narrative.
White Canadians can be just as xenophobic and racist as Americans.
Yep. As an American this hurts my heart, but I totally understand. The USA I grew up in is dead.
Yeah, the US is dead. I don’t see a path forward from here for the US as an intact nation. Overall, that’s probably a good thing. I’m hopeful that the different US regions can just all peacefully agree to part on friendly terms. The only real strain point I see is California being like “so, we get to keep all the water in the Colorado river basin, right? Right?” But I really think we can work that out without bullets.
While I agree with the general sentiment and am firmly in the camp of wishing for an amicable breakup, I just dont see the mass movement needed for a country to formally split. The prevailing public opinion seems to be that the country is in danger and needs saving, with each side having vastly different ideas of what that means.
Personally, I foresee the US transitioning more akin to Rome. A Republic and then gradually an Empire. I think we are in that transition now. The republic is already dead in all but ritual and I think the goal of Trump/Elon/Republicans is to begin the phase out of those rituals so that the new Empire can stand.
We have been a republic, and arguably we’ve been an empire in a republic’s clothing since the cold war. We’re speedrunning the mid-late imperial stage at this point where we stop pretending we’re still a republic (mid) and sell off the government’s administrative capacity for scrap and hand it all off to wealthy elites (late). That’s significant because along with the government blowing up it’s administrative capacity to hand it off to elites, it also destroys its legitimacy and opens the door for new, local governments to spring up. The cool thing about the US is that we already have pre-fabricated local governments ready to go, complete with their own state constitutions.
Modern power is based on more than having a bunch of people carrying swords. It’s based on having the economic capacity to build more advanced fighters, tanks, ships and having some soldiers to work it all, while maintaining the infrastructure to advance the technology that all those toys use.
The US didn’t crush USSR in the jungles of Vietnam. It crushed it in the kitchens and living rooms of Europe and much of the rest of the world.
Now Trump is attacking the very source of the US’ strength. The US never needed to occupy any of their allies capitals, to put tanks on the streets of Toronto, Manchester or Munich. NATO countries (despite Kremlin talking points) willingly joined NATO. Now, Trump wants to destroy all that because he doesn’t understand it. A real estate developer of the worst kind.
The real nail in the coffin is that about 1/3 of the people of the US are cheering him on right now. Another third don’t bother to vote. And Presidential authority is now akin to that of a monarch.
The conflict isn’t state vs state, it’s not really urban vs rural. The population is mixed. There are tons of Trumpsters in California, tons of rabid Democrats in Florida or Alabama.
I don’t think a geographic split would work.
I disagree. The US is basically 14 geographic subregions being forced to all agree on how they’re all governed. Conservatives and Democrats aren’t monoliths, and I’ve known plenty of California (and for that matter, Georgia) republicans who move to Texas or Idaho thinking it’ll be political paradise for them and end up getting called woke pinko commie scum. I think as long as things fall apart with relatively little violence, a lot of folks will self-sort into the kind of regional government they want to live in.
That’s not my experience. I have Trump hating family that retired in Florida, or work in Texas because that’s where their job is. I have raging southern “Trumpy Christian” family doing work in California or other liberal states.
I’ve seen a lot of mixture in both.
Moving is not easy. Opportunity doesn’t just pop up. And it doesn’t align with politics.
Besides, underneath I think everything is really just a class war, and the giga-rich want to maintain the Republican vs. Democrat facade. So they won’t let everything split into regions.
Ever read up on Canada’s forces in WW1? They can be brutal when they need to be. 😄
Isn’t a lot of the Geneva Convention a reaction to Canada’s WW1 conduct?
Portions of it made before WW2, yes.
When the “Sorry!” ends, the war crimes begin.
Oh, I believe it. I’m just still amazed that we decided to piss off the people that are internationally famous for being polite for literally no sane reason at all.
We are polite because if we weren’t our own society would crumble. We would kill one another. It isn’t as much politeness as it is a necessary respect for our fellow man.
We are well known for being ruthless in battle. Not just WWI, we have a very colorful war history spanning up to modern day.
Both our national sports are played at a speed and ferocity that is hard to rival. During gameplay in one of these sports, when someone is offended they are expected to fist fight over that offence. EXPECTED. They then get asked to “sit out” and cool down for a literal couple of minutes before they are permitted to rejoin the action. These games also often erupt into fights in the stands and parking lots not just between the players. Often between the parents of these players should the players themselves be at an age where they are not permitted to fight within the game. If it’s playoffs or a big game no one cares what you broke or what hurts. You lace em up and get the fuck out there. It’s important.
“Just fuckin’ punch 'em in the mouth” is something we all get told by our parents as kids having to deal with bullies. I’ve also told my kids this. It works and we do it. Fuck the school suspension.
We all own guns. We don’t use 'em like you do but we certainly know how and so do our kids. Our rural brethren are masters in the bush, mountains and oceans because we enjoy it.
We have vast resources of young French Canadians who have travelled the world and learned all sorts of crazy skills no one else can manage just because they could. They’re athletic (reference: the French power gut, this category of Canadian also includes Acadian and Metis) and keen to fuck shit up. They’re like Australians, you find them everywhere you go. They party a lot. They’re friendly as shit and kinda goofy. But when they get pissed…they’re the real ones.
We also tried to exterminate our natives and still do but they’re fuck off strong and resilient. They’re getting pissed too. You really really really don’t want that. Trust me on this one. You just don’t. Imagine the toughest person you know the. Times that by colonialism, religion, disease, sugar and an unshakable spirit. Also beyond athletic and revengeful.
And many of us are not nationalistic. We would not be going into it for your country or our flag or our leader. We would be doing it for our families and neighbors and friends and people like us around the world who are over the bullshit. When you are fighting for that there is no beating it. Americas leaders could stand to have learned this numerous times in their past.
Poor choice indeed.
Well sure except when it comes to hockey.