Thought from the outside:

The planet is in a rather average state as a place to live right now. Technology is great. We have the internet, global news, streaming entertainment and the ability to work and educate our kids all from home.
We have the ability to produce Vaccines, new drugs and provide new cures on almost a daily basis.
And we continue to soil and degrade the only planet we have in the name of profit, while printing meaningless money.
But every nation has that issue.
A few nations have other troubles. Sectarian violence, intolerance, inequity, racial hatred and political corruption. Thats the human condition it seems.
Most nations and people aspire to a leader. Many look to America as the Emerald City. The dream.. But just lately.....................
As bad as I believed things would get in America (and much of that is still to show through the cracks) I never believed that the slightest possibility of Civil War mark 2, would ever happen. And yet here we are with regular military personel facing off against bearded beergutted moutainfolk and screaming ignorant "Karens".
At this point is doesnt matter who wins. The very fact that you are fighting each other, rather than working together to defeat a virus, a broken economy, and a corrupt political system has already decided for you. America the world leader is over. The world is turning its back and every one of you bears responsibility for trashing the American dream in favour of self interest.
(So long and thanks for the help with WW2)
😷

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Really · 80-89, M

Why is it that in the 'United' States (flagrant misnomer) where they're forever bragging about their love of democracy - to the extent of actually thinking they invented it - the peaceful transition of power between successive administrations is fraught with worry and is less assured than in almost all other democracies, where it's generally just taken for granted?

How has this happened in a country with such initial wealth and potential? I don't suppose I'd be the first to observe that the American Dream has become a fearful nightmare.

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Really · 80-89, M

@Graylight In our system the monarch theoretically has almost absolute power but in actuality has no teeth - although once, in Australia, I believe her representative managed to dismiss parliament. I don't think it would happen again, and I don't think it would work in Canada. We've had one PM who spent 2 hours browbeating the Queen's rep (Governor General - 'GG') out of stopping him from suspending parliament for his own political survival - and got away with it. By now Qn. Liz. may have instructed her henchpersons not to push their luck, who knows?

Again in theory, our PMs only have power if they can carry parliament with them. But if they have a majority government they can usually bully & threaten their own party members to support all their personal programs, however unpopular. Still, if they get far enough out of line they can be brought down by their own MPs, and it does sometimes happen. Unless they invoke emergency powers - with military backup - I don't think they can ever have unrestrained executive authority and I approve of that.

I assume that members of our armed forces (and all civil servants) still have to swear fealty to the monarch but most probably have their fingers crossed behind their back when they do it. Where their allegiance would lie if tested - monarch, govt, popular sentiment, personal politics - who knows?

Apologies to all if I've been inaccurate here. I've never seriously studied our political system, or any other. I could be talking through my hat.

whowasthatmaskedman · 70-79, M

@Really You are accurate about the Australian GG dismissing the government, who were trying to get a budget bill passed without a governing Majority. (1975) "The Dismissal" as it came to be known haunted the reputation of GG and the leader of the conservative party who performed in for the rest of their careers.😷

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TheConstantGardener · 56-60, M

From my observation point, over the last five or so years there have been a lot of right-wing groups stirring the pot of dissent. Not just in your country but across Europe too. They have done this by seeding doubt in the minds of an audience who are disenchanted with society and ready to lap up the latest, laughable conspiracy theory as a solution to their unsatisfactory lives. If it comes to a showdown then there won't be many with the grit to back up all the big talk. They'll go with a whimper and then blame everyone else for their own failings.

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TheConstantGardener · 56-60, M

@Really I think that greater electoral choice would benefit the American system. There are pros and cons to every political system but in America if you're right of centre or to the right of Attila the Hun, you vote Republican. The opposite applies to the other side. Extremists who subvert the party ethos can cloak themselves in the respectability of a long established party.

whowasthatmaskedman · 70-79, M

@TheConstantGardener The problem being that most Americans seem to chose a political party the same way most people choose a favourite sporting team..

TheConstantGardener · 56-60, M

@whowasthatmaskedman Haha! But it's not a game at the moment.

Graylight · 51-55, F

It's so unfortunate. The fighting has reached a level where both sides are willing to destroy what they love in the name of that very thing. In a word, insane.

I don't think it's the jurisdiction of only the right or the left (though I have my opinions on both); I think it's more about those at the very ends of either spectrum. Of course most Republicans aren't violence-hungry, greedy mouth-breathers. Neither is every Democrat a heart-on-the-sleeve, open borders socialist. Most just want the best for theirs and those around them.

Those in this country now perpetuating the chaos and unrest don't have a political platform or agenda at all. No more than do radicalized Muslims or evangelicals who would murder abortion doctors. They enjoy violence for the sake of violence and overthrow for the sake of the perceived power it brings. True party members [i]are[/i] interested in unity. Those voices have a place at the table.

Really · 80-89, M

Good post, MaskedMan. I just balk a bit when you call the the non-US world the 'outside.' Americans are the outsiders, a tiny minority and need to be continually reminded of it....

"[i]look ma, they're all out of step but our Jim.[/i]"

OK I know that the rest of the world may be not far behind but still ....

whowasthatmaskedman · 70-79, M

@Really Yes. I absolutely agree. But this forum has a majority population of Americans and its them I am addressing. And due to the Lousy state of the US media, specially Rupert Murdochs contribution, no one tells them any different. So few travel. Try telling them their health care system sucks or their higher education system is designed to keep the elite at the top or that their environmental system, law enforcement, political set up, or even cell phone service are anything but first rate and there are howls of anguish. Over all the place is still pretty good. Compared to Honduras. But lets keep that between us, shall we? They will only get upset and some of them are nice enough people, sometimes.😷

Powderflask · 31-35, M

Ok 👌

Human1000 · M

Unfortunate that the Republicans became radicalized like some kid watching ISIS videos.

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