I don't even care if anyone reads this, but I have something to say:

[Leftist Agitator]

This diatribe is entitled:

The Pseudo-Psychology of the Rich: How and Why We’ve Found Ourselves in This Mess (sort of):




I am not by any stretch of the imagination rich.

I’m guessing that you aren’t either.

In fact, I’m a grad student at a state school in a flyover state. I live off of $12,000 a year, including rent. I have a discretionary income of approximately $400 per month, including my food budget. Though I am an aspiring gourmand, my monetary situation mitigates my aspirations, (sorry, hatcho miso). I still manage to spice up ramen or beans and rice something fierce. I brew my own wine and beer, because I cannot afford commercial alcoholic beverages. I’m thinking of branching out into distillation, but that’s currently illegal, so I suppose that I’ll curtail that particular ambition. Now personal details aside…

I digress. What concerns me at present is how and why the rich have once again, for the n-th time in the last century, fucked us all. More importantly, what concerns me is why We the People have allowed this utterly reprehensibly travesty to occur yet again. Are we really that naïve?

The answer is no. We the People are not that naïve, the rich are. They assume that their wealth is safely ensconced in financial instruments of their own design. They unerringly put faith into the concept that their wealth will continue to grow, while they literally pillage those whom are less fortunate than they, with their ability to bring to bear massive financial leverage at their whim. Oh, and that leverage? Sometimes they engineer it too far, and destroy an economy.

We are FUCKED one way or the other. It’s far better to let the inevitable collapse occur now, and deal with the disastrous consequences NOW than it is to forgo this unavoidable crisis in the short term in favor of a much more deleterious situation in the medium (notice I didn’t say LONG) term.. I am fully cognizant of the ramifications of my position. If what I propose comes to pass, the American people will suffer unimaginable hardship. People will starve. Children will die. A great many Americans will perish in horrible fashion, and the survivors may well envy the dead. No food. No running water. And forget electricity. You still got a typewriter? You’ll need it. And hold on to those mimeograph machines in the attic; they’ll be worth their weight in gold soon enough.

That is what this financial crisis means. An end to the American Way of Life.

Forever.

What can we do to stop it?

Not much. Not much at all. We can refuse to assume the debt which is being thrust upon us by the corrupt oligarchs, somehow. We can refuse to pay our taxes en masse. We can take up arms, but the bloodshed would ensure a pyrrhic victory in the best conceivable scenario. We can refuse to work, but how long will that last when starvation sets in?

WHAT CAN WE AS A CITIZENRY DO?

Nothing. Yeah, you read that right, nothing.

If any of you remember specific cultural artifacts from the 1980s, you’ll likely remember this HBO gem; “Brain Games is now… OVER! Oh, what a world, what a world…”

What a World indeed…

[Leftist Agitator]

1. Small kick.

More of a minor punt, really.

[lligrd]

2. I'm With You But I've Had 8 Years To Prepare For This

Guessing the majority of then American public has been taken by surprise and will cave in just like our Democratic majority congress members previously have and most likely will again.

[Leftist Agitator]

6. "I've Had 8 Years To Prepare For This"

As have I.

For the past pert-near (as they say in WV) decade, I have been warning my people of imminent collapse of our massively overextended economy, and nobody would listen.

Hell, at the beginnig of the housing boom, even *I* thought that I might have had it wrong.

But time, unfortunately, has borne out my greatest fear: Total Economic Collapse.

The period that we are about to enter is one of unimaginable arduosity.

I spoke, this very evening, with a woman who was born in 1929. I asked her wht she remembered most specifically and poignantly from her childhood.

And I do literally quote:

"I was one of the lucky kids. Dad had a job all through the Depression, but I didn't see him much. He lived here in Morgantown (WV) when he wasn't working, but he spent a lot of time in Indiana, Pennsylvania, Ohio, all over, really. Wherevrr there was work in the steel mills."

There are no more steel mills in the US, not like there were forty or even thirty years ago, when we still made shit in this country.

Welcome to bad times, folks. I'm no happier to be here than are you. But here we find ourselves.

Let us all hope that Barack Obama can restore the world's confidence in the United States. Becauseif he doesn't... Well, if he doesn't there WILL NOT BE a United States.

May you live in interesting times, or so the Chinese say proverbially...

Indeed, we do.

[lligrd]

7. We Know Obama Has The Intellect, We'll Find Out If He Has The

rest of what it takes to do what needs to be done. That is, of course, assuming they don't place Palin/McCain in office, in which case we really can kiss everything good by.

[Leftist Agitator]

9. If McCain / Palin steal this election by hook or crook...

Because I KNOW they can't win it legitimately, then I am giving up on America, fiercely (and paradoxically) patriotic though I am.

I have a brother who has been to Iraq in a combat role twice. I believe that those who are willing to serve are deserving of the best medical care possible, insofar as physical and mental/emotional deficiencies caused by their service are concerned.

I'd much have preferred that American troops hadn't been sent on a fool's errand in the fist place, but what's done is done.

If we don't massively rehabilitate, and/or completely alter our national ethos, then we will reap what we have sown.

[lligrd]

11. I Do Believe That Most Americans Believe Veterans Deserve

the best of medical care (even if they don't vote so). I think all people deserve the best of medical care but doubt all Americans will go that far (especially if they think they might have to pay a portion of it).

[Quantess]

3. So, you mean, don't bail out Wall Street.

Is that what you mean by "let the inevitable collapse occur now"?

[Leftist Agitator]

8. That is precisely what I mean.

The longer the implosion of these worthless financial instruments is delayed, the more severe the ultimate ramifications of the eventual implosion when it does occur by accident, or more likely, deliberate design will be.

If the world refuses the United States this ONE time, the world will change for the better permanently, though U.S. Americans (thanks, Ms. South Carolina) will suffer as a result of their hubris. That aside, please consider the fate of humanity in your ultimate decision. Our species is far too clever to squander on a foolish pack of Western North Americans.

Please, people of the world, save us from ourselves. We need the Salvation.

Oh, and P.S: Manifest Destiny my Ass!!!

[Quantess]

10. Then I agree with you.

It's a disaster either way, but bailing out wall street will only prolong the problem.

[fla nocount]

12. Rather fall from 10 ft. than from 20 ft. ?

You're too smart for this crowd of cowards. They've been at the KoolAid, they can fly.

[Leftist Agitator]

13. Easy now...

Late is better than never.

Let's just hope that "late" isn't too late.

We are all working toward the same goal:

The Salvation of the Founding Father's prescribed American Way of Life.

Should it be salvaged?

That is the most pertinent question.

[fla nocount]

14. Congrats on a thousand posts!

The founding fathers warned of a central bank and a common currency. I wouldn't mind turning America's mindset back to the time of FDR's inauguration either.

[cliffordu]

4. kickkety

[BrklynLiberal]

5. K&R

[Chisox08]

15. K & R

Things are going to get alot worst behore they get better. We need Obama to be able to bring about a new "New Deal".

[Kartius]

18. You can't have a New Deal during inflation or hyperinflation

Throwing more worthless funny money only begets more worthless funny money. You will have to stop spending and printing funny money. I pray that this won't happen and government will wake up and bring back some confidence in the US dollar.

[reggie the dog]

16. Why would food, water and electricity runout?

Am I missing something?

If private companies are no longer willing to provide such services the goverment will simply nationalize the means of production and distribution. If the companies resist the governemnt can use the amry to take over the means of production and distribution. People will only starve, and food water and electricity will only be short if the goverment does noting to help the masses. If Chavez and Castro can keep their people in food, water, and electricity I see no reason the US goverment cannot do the same.

[fla nocount]

17. Lovin' it. Most of the developed world manages to do the same. n/t