patrick.net

AD says

Standard of living seems at best stalled for the working and middle class.

And what causes/d that? Whatever causes that starts the wheels of socialism turning.

GNL says

AD says

Standard of living seems at best stalled for the working and middle class.

And what causes/d that? Whatever causes that starts the wheels of socialism turning.

That ultra-rich take more and more by changing the laws and regulations in their favor, at the expense of the working and middle class.

For example they got most US manufacturing outsourced to China. That made them much richer at the expense of US factory workers.

And they imported many millions of illegal aliens to drive down wages. Again, that made them much richer at the expense of American citizens. And they are doing it on a truly epic scale right now, massive floods of illegals coming over the border daily.

If that's the case, and I believe it is (I do think tech/IT are wreaking havoc also though), then it's hard to blame people voting for "help" from the government.

GNL says

What causes socialism?

Socialism is theoretical. The application is called Communism. It was funded by European bankers as a way to overthrow the Czar. That's what originated it. Just another system of control.

Laziness. People who are too fucking lazy want handouts, not work.

GNL says

Would a wealth and income gap, if large enough, give roots to socialism?

The roots are always there. As long as Envy is within the mental makeup of the human mind.

Patrick says

For example they got most US manufacturing outsourced to China. That made them much richer at the expense of US factory workers.

Child's play compared to what they will do with exponentially advancing automation. White collar work is about to be massively de-peopled.

GNL says

If that's the case, and I believe it is (I do think tech/IT are wreaking havoc also though), then it's hard to blame people voting for "help" from the government.

The only "help" I want from the government is regulation destruction. Get out of anyone's way who starts a business. Also stop the TBTF and monopoly protection bullshit.

I believe that a huge majority of people want to support themselves but, we need fair systems. If a country doesn't have that, it's hard to fault people for doing what they have to do to survive.

https://barsoom.substack.com/p/theres-a-crown-lying-in-the-gutter?amp%3Bpost_id=140971255&%3BisFreemail=true&%3Butm_medium=email

As always at this point in the Turchin cycle, a rival elite is emerging. In this case it seems to consist of tech bros impatient with the inefficiencies forced upon them by the DIE cult, together with the large contingent of capable, competent Westmen that have been forced out of the institutions their grandfathers built to make way for the diversity hires their mothers imported. The former have money and some degree of institutional power. The latter provide the intellectual infrastructure, ideological framework, and propaganda. Their ultimate aims are not necessarily in perfect alignment, but both parties only stand to benefit from the removal of the parasite pathocracy, both are angry and hungry, and both smell blood in the water.

Aside from a few hedge funds and social media companies, and a vast proliferation of livestreams, podcasts, and blogs, the rival elite has almost nothing going for it to match against the vast resources of the regime – which has the military, the courts, the police, the academy, the legacy media, the NGOs, the global governance bodies, and most of the financial and corporate sectors.

Well, there’s one more thing. Unlike the fake and GAE imposter elite, whose status is entirely conferred by the authority of others, and who therefore fear competence, strength, and vitality in others, the rival elite has cultivated virtue. They have made themselves strong in body, mind, and spirit. They have spent years consciously swimming upstream against cultural currents that seek to drown their spirits. Unlike the weak, the strong do not fear strength; they seek to make those beneath them stronger, to lift them up that they themselves might be elevated further still.

A lack of personal responsibility. It's always someone else's role to provide, plan, deal with problems, blame, etc. Hence, "The State".

GNL says

And what causes/d that? Whatever causes that starts the wheels of socialism turning.

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UkraineIsFucked says

Schellenberger is basically a white, GenX California version of Thomas Sowell.

In this interview he explains the current appeal of Wokeism/Socialism:

https://youtu.be/tqcDyHdbYd4?si=Rp9a6nhNuqQ3_ybM

Weakness and Female Imperative.

The reason there are no Matriarchies is because the Longhouse is only concerned with distributing resources, eventually they overtax the males or the males quit as they are tired of the politicized women-knitting gossip circle distribution by the Matriarchs.

AmericanKulak says

Weakness and Female Imperative.

The reason there are no Matriarchies is because the Longhouse is only concerned with distributing resources, eventually they overtax the males or the males quit as they are tired of the politicized women-knitting gossip circle distribution by the Matriarchs.

Explains why no Polynesian culture run that way ever amounted to anything.

AD says

GNL says

And what causes/d that? Whatever causes that starts the wheels of socialism turning.

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Some of the causes are cultural.

The demise of the family unit is one reason, and also lack of a sense of community perhaps due to major differences among the population (beyond demographics). The value system becomes corrupted as part of this.

As a result, work ethic and standards are adversely impacted hence that is why the shipyards are having difficulty finding workers to complete Navy and Coast Guard contracts, as well as home construction also experiencing worker shortages.

Another part but likely no more than 20% of the problem is the currency system which creates inflation for housing.

This then gets exploited by those ranging from Eman to Invitation Homes to Blackrock; they all benefit from monetary policy (and local zoning) which overly inflates assets at the expense of the working class. Sorry Eman.

Housing is the biggest economic obstacle for the working class and causes the malaise with standard of living, as it is more a necessity along with food, healthcare, and transportation and more than college education, vacations, luxury items, etc.

No more than 20% is due to unfair (aka: free) trade due to NAFTA, etc. which led to destruction of middle class.
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Agreed with all points @AD.

This country could be radially altered with just 3 changes: No-Fault to old At-Fault or Consent divorce, No Hofare, and forbidding the Government from paying NGOs (all down at the border handing out cell phones and bussing them inland with government money)

AD says

Another part but likely no more than 20% of the problem is the currency system which creates inflation for housing.

Not the currency system but the credit/debt system. Although the Fed zirp shit contributed to that from the currency end.

AmericanKulak says

No Hofare, and forbidding the Government from paying NGOs (all down at the border handing out cell phones and bussing them inland with government money)

Just have the justices actually enforce this:
The powers not delegated to the United States by the Constitution, nor prohibited by it to the States, are reserved to the States respectively, or to the people.

HeadSet says

AmericanKulak says

No Hofare, and forbidding the Government from paying NGOs (all down at the border handing out cell phones and bussing them inland with government money)

Just have the justices actually enforce this:
The powers not delegated to the United States by the Constitution, nor prohibited by it to the States, are reserved to the States respectively, or to the people.

I don't think this is good enough. The Federal government uses fiat to make the states do what they want. The federal reserve is an octopus. IMO

GNL says

I don't think this is good enough. The Federal government uses fiat to make the states do what they want. The federal reserve is an octopus. IMO

Good point.

"The problem with socialism is that you always run out of other people's money." - Margaret Thatcher

Politicians gain votes by giving taxpayers money away via social programs to large voting blocks.
Politicians gain POWER by spending taxpayers money in such a way that benefits corporate interests, as well as powerful nation states.

As Tip O'Neill once said: "Money is the mother's milk of politics."

RayAmerica says

As Tip O'Neill once said: "Money is the mother's milk of politics."

FIAT is the mother's milk of politics. Without fiat, everything would be different.