The above chart explains how the wealth of our country has dramatically migrated to the wealthiest .1% -- literally only 152,000 people -- over the past three-and-a-half decades.
This next chart shows that indeed America is "exceptional". It is, as it likes to remind the rest of the world and its narcoleptic citizens, truly #1! Right there at the top of the list for wealth inequality among the major economies of the world. Gosh, it makes a guy proud!
Why is this suicidal?
Without getting into the economics -- which falls in the category of killing the organism which hosts the parasite -- the psychology is straightforward.
It's not such a great idea to feed a population armed with 300,000,000 plus firearms the illusion that we have a democracy, promise them the splendor of unlimited if irresponsible affluence, empty their wallets while destroying their prospects of making a decent living, then rub in their face how pathetic, irrelevant, and nauseatingly poor they are from the deck of an extravagant multi-million dollar yacht, the luxurious cabin of a private jet, or from behind the walls of a grotesquely lavish estate.
Just not very smart.
Giving credit where it is due, America will achieve its arc of failure and self-annihilation -- its swan dive into the abyss -- with the self-assured grace and style which is the mark of a great empire.
The only thing that might attenuate its balletic descent into the dustbin of history would be a major war -- almost certainly nuclear -- which would incinerate the bird mid-flight.
Much to the chagrin and horror of some of us who are paying attention, this may just be where our country is heading, as we demonize and intimidate the other two major nuclear powers in the world, Russia and China, with a recklessness which would make Genghis Khan blush.
What's for dinner?
Any good recipes for radioactive swan?
[ This originated at the author's personal web site . . . http://jdrachel.com ]
