Here's a statement of the obvious: The opinions expressed here are those of the participants, not those of the Mutual Fund Observer. We cannot vouch for the accuracy or appropriateness of any of it, though we do encourage civility and good humor.
"The United States may also be in the midst of an extended period of dysfunction that will forestall the establishment of a new political order, left or right."
This is what I see. And without "the establishment of a new political order, left or right" the United States is in for a very rough patch... in my opinion, perhaps the roughest since the civil war.
+1. We are living through the sort of bifurcation that preceded the Civil War. Gov't is very screwed up because of it. There is no common matrix, anymore. The Right thinks gov't is bydefinition, the enemy. (Then why bother getting elected and participating, then? Why all the gerrymandering and all the rest of it?) The Left thinks gov't can solve everything. The latest craziness: attempts to legislate about "discrimination" when it comes to hairstyles. Our kinky-haired brothers and sisters are feeling put-upon. Jayzuz holy crud. I echo the sentiments of a South Carolinian who wrote to his Representative in the Confederate Congress in Richmond: "Pardon me, but is the majority ALWAYS drunk?"
Historic paradigm shift: it started years ago. OutlookA understands that what is true is true because it is true, not because the majority prefers it. You can't make something untrue by voting against it.
OutlookB (post-modern) proposes that "what's true is what works for me." Truth? Reality? Who needs THAT stuff?
We need more of the former, rather than the latter.
Unfortunately, it’s quite prevalent throughout Western Europe as well.
Takes many forms. Maybe this is unrelated - The right convinced the working class that “foreigners” were stealing their jobs. Barriers against immigration and foreign imports began to go up, contributing to economic isolationism.
Well, we’ve come full circle. Can’t even find a new auto to buy now due largely to supply chain issues exasperated by international tensions, distrust, tariffs, trade barriers and domestic labor shortages. If a poor working stiff (the ones who moved to the right) do manage to find one, chances are he won’t be able to afford the inflated price tag.
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Historic paradigm shift: it started years ago. Outlook A understands that what is true is true because it is true, not because the majority prefers it. You can't make something untrue by voting against it.
Outlook B (post-modern) proposes that "what's true is what works for me." Truth? Reality? Who needs THAT stuff?
We need more of the former, rather than the latter.
Takes many forms. Maybe this is unrelated - The right convinced the working class that “foreigners” were stealing their jobs. Barriers against immigration and foreign imports began to go up, contributing to economic isolationism.
Well, we’ve come full circle. Can’t even find a new auto to buy now due largely to supply chain issues exasperated by international tensions, distrust, tariffs, trade barriers and domestic labor shortages. If a poor working stiff (the ones who moved to the right) do manage to find one, chances are he won’t be able to afford the inflated price tag.