How do you imagine the future of the US in terms of political, society and economic development within the next 3-4 decades?

@anythingoes477 America isnt really a Democracy now. But it isnt about revolution. Its about boiling the frog...😷

@whowasthatmaskedman Agreed and Reaguns put the pan of cold water on the stove and turned it on. Nixon added corruption to the pot for spice.......and was given a pardon for it. That was trump's blueprint to do as he wanted and be pretty damned sure he would have no consequences either. And if maybe, just maybe he got elected again........pardon himself. And if not...... lie about it again to get the cult triggered enough to use violence again...and maybe after 4 years of planning about how not make the same mistakes twice.............maybe in 2024 a coup will work.

@anythingoes477 It depends on who America blames for the financial problems they have
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@whowasthatmaskedman And lord knows it will never be themselves. " No gas money.........but wow look at my new tattoo". "Food is really high...........but look at my new AR-15". "I could have gone to school....but some guys gave me a start selling dope when I was 13,,,yadi, yadi". " I could have invested but life is short...have fun". "I know I could not afford that house or $70,000 truck...but it was so cool......now the man repo'ed it".

Yeah.............who do we blame?

@anythingoes477 Its easy to say Americans should blame themselves.. But its actually the leadership that allowed it to happen. From Nixon on every administration added something that made the situation worse. All with good intent I'm sure.. But here we are.. Owing money to a lot of people who dont really like or trust America..😷

@whowasthatmaskedman In fact Americans in general control nothing in terms of what is borrowed or owed in a global economy. Our budget has Constitutionally mandated mandatory and discretionary spending limit amounts that are approved every year by Congress. Mandatory spending covers Social Security...national debt....Medicare...Medicaid.....etc. Discretionary spending is for roads and infrastructure, salaries of federal workers, etc. And each year EVERYTHING costs more........no matter who's in office.

The portion of the budget the U.S. sends overseas for foreign aid is approved by Congress as set forth in the 1961 Foreign Assistance Act. The amount of money we send overseas in "foreign aid" amounts to only 1.2% of the entire total U.S. budget.......despite conspiracy theory lies to the contrary. That money is spent for goods and funding, but also technical assistance, educational programming, health care, and other services. Recipients include foreign governments, including foreign militaries and security forces, as well as local businesses and charitable groups, international organizations such as the United Nations, and other nongovernmental organizations. Aid levels rose sharply after the 9/11 attacks and higher yet after the George Bush Jr.'s attack on Iran which toppled their government...... opening the door for the birth of terrorism to get a foothold in that region of the world.......that has only gotten worse since. The amount of what goes where and how much can be shifted around as circumstances dictate........Ukraine for instance. Some of that is being paid for under our Military budget (separate from mandatory and discretionary budget spending). But still the total amount in "foreign aid" spending does not exceed a mandatory maximum of 1.2% of the entire budget..............and it takes nonpartisan approval of Congress. It's not "Biden doing it". It's Congress doing it. A president only "proposes" a budget.

What we borrow and from whom is largely dependent on trade deals , the economy of the other country. World Bank rules and requirements...even currency fluctuations, overseas development of U.S. business interests........lots of things.

All of that said.........we cannot control any of that on a ground level. What we can do is not just use what the government owes or borrows as our blanket excuse for why we are individually in financial trouble. If you see money is tight and prices are up because of inflation........or price gouging...but we. keep spending as usual.....or refuse to get a better job..........or save for times like this......shame on US. In other words if we whine and make excuses for how government is screwing us...instead of ADAPTING ......then that is personal fault. Right now unemployment rate is the lowest it's been since right after WWII. A person can almost name his own wages in certain fields. Even if you are a non-achiever and work in a minimum wage job, that pay rate is over twice what it was 3 years ago. There is no reason to be constantly poor....or as poor as you were 5 years ago-------when employers are begging for help. There is an old saying....Life is what you make it. No one said that would be easy...........but it's not fixed by blaming someone else or the government for all that ails you either.

@anythingoes477 I cant argue with any of that. But I would like to add a couple of points. Back in WW2 the effort was funded largely by the sale of War Bonds to the American people promoted as their contribtion to the fight. Plus of course there were some Lend lease deal to be paid back later (which as it turned out they were, but there was a risk, if Britain fell) So there was value behind every $ spent..Second, and more important, it is the American people who elect the government. Now I have heard a couple of on line commentators mention this in the context of Republican reperesentatives like McConnell. If he is such a horrible corrupt man, how do American voters keept sending him to Washinton for nearly 40 years? What does this say about Kentuckians? And there are plenty of other examples..😷

@whowasthatmaskedman The garbage...like obstructionists in Congress...McConnel......andl the waste of space people like Greene and Gaetz and Boebert......go back into office because lawmakers have a 97.4% re-election rate. Why? Because when most people vote hey vote straight ticket..........because god knows they could never just vote for who is best for the job. A Dem would NEVER vote for a Republican and vice versa..........so when you vote straight ticket the McConnell's keep getting re-elected. And remember it is not "American voters" that send those losers back year after year. It is as little as perhaps 10,000 votes that do that because ONLY a congressman's district votes for him. All a lawmaker has to do is convince very few he should go back into office...win the primary in his state......but then they end up representing us all........virtually until thy die.

@anythingoes477 I concur.. But there is that peculiarly American X factor of choosing your political party in a similar manner to how you choose your sporting team to support. Remember that Lincoln was a Republican and the original Democrats were pro Slavery. But people evolve and political beliefs change. One would expect the poorer states of the US to support policies that supported welfare and the poor more. Mitch MsConnell represents Kentucky for nearly 40 years..Sarah Saunders governs Arkansas. How is that??OK. McConnell used to be a clever operator. But Saunders?? Seriously?? How stupid do voters have to be to vote that in???😷