2024 might be a political watershed for US democracy

[old man emu]

I foresee 2024 being maybe the most important year in the political history of the USA since 1861. While the rest of the World watches to see if the potential train wreck occurs, it seems that the passengers on the train are oblivious to the greater effects if the wreck occurs.

 

Preventing Trump from having his name printed on ballot papers could be the spark in the powder keg, even though he could be elected by "write-in" votes. If he is permitted on the ballot papers then the next eleven months could see some pretty wild expressions of political viewpoints. If he should win, then the World will be quaking in its boots with every utterance he makes.

 

I do wonder, however, how biased is the selection of responses when reporters do a vox populi in the streets. What is the Silent Majority thinking. How much weight do average people put into leading a life based on the status quo?

[facthunter]

Just say "You'll make more money with ME in and I trust in God too" and I'll "vanish" all those who bother us and they are Picking on ME to stop Me from helping YOU..  Nev

[old man emu]

1 hour ago, facthunter said:

Just say "You'll make more money with ME in and I trust in God too" and I'll "vanish" all those who bother us and they are Picking on ME to stop Me from helping YOU..  Nev

Ahh! paraphrasing the Lincoln quote: 

 

or is it following the W.C Fields quote: 

[facthunter]

It  seems to be possible to fool ENOUGH people for enough of the time in the USA.. The big money aides Trump to  CON the people HE really cares  Nowt for but USES.  Nev

[onetrack]

America is full of so many idiots who are quite prepared to ignore even the worst dictatorial behaviour of Trump, simply because they hate those "lefty, pinky-commo" Democrats with a foamy-mouthed hatred, that is frightening to hear and see in action.

"Gun up" is the constant cry from this pack of imbeciles, most of whom fail to even understand that arming themselves to "protect themselves from tyranny", and killing people they object to, is nothing short of totally lawless criminality.

 

When you look at that American "prepper" imbecile who arced up the Wieambilla nutters, he's a lifelong criminal with an inbred hatred of police and laws. I don't understand how U.S. law enforcement lets these people roam loose. 

He was banned from owning firearms, but he acquired a pile of them easily, and also built a fortified residence. All of which should have seen a SWAT team descend on him. I trust they lock him up and throw away the key, these nutters have no place in a civilised society. Unfortunately, America doesn't rate as a civilised society any more, and I believe it only ever showed a veneer of a civilised society.

 

The level of hatred from many Americans against foreigners, Hispanics, Blacks, gays, "Commos", and anyone with an even slightly Left-wing view, is mind-boggling.

 

https://www.abc.net.au/news/2023-12-29/donald-day-jr-wieambilla-shootings-court-transcript/103271920

[red750]

It's amazing how they decry assisting people forced to live on the streets as socialism and communism. Any form of social justice is abhorrent to them. Trump said so.

[facthunter]

Trump is used to totally getting HIS way. He's a spoiled little Bully-Brat unfit for any Office with any Power at all..Nev

[rgmwa]

5 hours ago, old man emu said:

What is the Silent Majority thinking. 

I'd say they're not thinking, which is part of the problem.

 

[old man emu]

5 minutes ago, rgmwa said:

I'd say they're not thinking, which is part of the problem.

 

The Yanks think that the USA is the best country in the World, but I think that they would have a better idea of what makes a country good if they were to see how the rest of the First World lives. What would they make of our 4 weeks of paid holidays; several weeks of sick leave; parental leave and public holidays? I bet they'd say something like, "How can you earn money if you don't go to work?". What about our unfair dismissal laws. There's no way an employer can tell an employee, "You're fired" on a whim. "But," they'll say, "Trade Unions are Commie organisations." To which we can counter, to a degree, that Trade Unions are the vigilantes who keep robber baron industrialists on a tight rein.

 

I would imagine that in 2024, most Yanks will be spending more time thinking about personal economic survival than political activism.

[onetrack]

There's a Yahoo news article in the last couple of days where they're talking to an American girl who moved to Tassie - and the culture shocks she's got.

 

But one of them she does appreciate, is the far better level of basic wages paid here.

 

https://au.news.yahoo.com/american-expat-lists-top-eight-differences-us-and-australia-050325757.html

[old man emu]

That's just one person's opinions. A lot of other expat Yanks have posted videos comparing the two cultures, with Australia II crossing the line ahead. It's possible that Yanks notice the fact that our foods are not full of corn syrup and saturated fats. We are very fortunate that immigration has brought the culinary delights from all over the World to our plates. 

 

I noticed recently that Starbucks, which failed miserably when it first tried to establish here, is taking on a new approach and ignoring placing emphasis on drawing in Australians, but preparing itself to service the return of Chinese and American tourists who have some brand loyalty to Starbucks. Don't label me a Philistine, but I prefer the lighter taste of filter coffee and was most upset when Maccas removed it from their menu.

[spacesailor]

Yes, over there they rely on the " tips " system. 

spacesailor

 

[willedoo]

I don't like the whole concept of tipping. I'd rather the employers just paid their workers a decent wage and factored that into the prices they charge. One problem with tipping is that it's continually in your face and always imposing.

[Jerry_Atrick]

Tipping has its advantages and disadvantages, It does incentivise staff to be more attentative, and it does spur some innovation. For example, kirbside airport check in was apparently started by unemployed airline staff that provided a bell-hop type service, whih gret to actual check in- well that was told to me by a kerbside check in worker when, after checking my luggage in for a flight and then making my way to the terminal, the workeer called for a tip stating how else did they make their money. I apologised and explained I was fom Aus, where tips are not the done thing - and I asked why the airline or airport didn't pay them. As it grew, the airport provided the infrastrcuture for a charge, so they were basically charging for a convenient service - althought it was up to patrons to determine the value of the service.

 

As tips are (or were) customarily 10%, the levle of service you got dependend on the levle of establishment one was at. When staying at a hotel in Philadelphia for almost 3 months, I got to know the waiting staff very well. Apparently there is a pecking order based on length of service as to which section of the hotel they got to wait at - the longer service employees waited at the restarant, shich charged more than the bistro, and more again than the bar. As the average customer spend was higher in the former to latter, and the capacities were about the same, those working in the restaurant made more than those in the bistro; and those in the bistro made more than those in the bar. Of course, yourservice was better in the restaurant because patrons there were more likely to reduce the tip percentage if the service wasn't great.

 

And the competition to work for upmarket establishments is intense.. If you are getting an average tip of say $30 a table to $15 a table, then you are going to try and work for the more pricier establishments.

 

Of course, this is an argument against tipping; In fact I went to a retaurant in I think it was San Francisco where the service was impeccible and they refused tips. The waiters were paid very handsomely though...

 

The other thing I learned (bearing in mind this was over 20 years ago), was to only tip in cash. The establishments tended to keep tips added to platic carad and the staff got zip.

 

Although it is over 20 years ago, I lived on and off in the US for around 5 years; mainly San Francisco and Philadelphia, but shorter stints in Pittsburgh, Bismarck (North Dakota), and Dallas (Texas).  Living there is a different experience to visiting - even on business trips. I really kike America - and I really dislike it. It is sort of a cross between a juxtoposition and contradiction; it has some of the best and worst of what I have seen. There doesn't seem to be a balance, though; bith the most progressive and regressive (well, except for certain outliers like Cmbodia under Polpot, for example).

 

The company that facilitated my emigration to the UK was a medium sized NASDAQ listed software and consulting company specialising in nuclear facilities. Up until that point I was a career contractor, but as I was over the age tha allowed me to get a working holiday visa to the UK, I needed sponsorship; I had worked on a (non-nuclear) implementation contracted to IBM in the La Trobe valley. Let's say after that 12 month contract was up and within the same year, my 7 year relationship to my now ex-fiancee coming to an end,I decided I was going to try my luck in the UK. When the software company heard this, they offered me a job and sponsored me. They had about 10 US ex-pats and a handful of locals in their London (Europe) office; it was still very much the US operation. They handed me an employee welcome pack and manual, and when I read it, I thought it was typical US management BS.. all nicey nicey, but when the rubber hits the road, they were pretty true to their words. It wa a great place to work and I had decided I had found the company I can work for for the rest of my working life. However, one thing is fore sure.. change.. and that came in a takeover, after which most of the original people form my company eventually left. For a US company, their conditions were unlike too many; And the CEO treated all from the janitor to the executives with the same respect. In fact, the only time I met the CEO (at the UK office), I had no idea who the receptionist was; he was the sitting in for her while she was grabbing lunch! I was recruited to the US company in London to head up theur European development operation, which sounded far more glamorous than it was; I never touched a keyboard as a developer - I had to go to a client site in North Dakota as support to a consultant in non-nucelar plant maintenance; by the time I finished that assignment (three months), I was moved into the consulting team; And they lived promoting or moving within - they provided support but we were expected to take control of our career.. and they welcomed mistakes that we learned from... They allowed usa to take the initiative and make decisions - even those with a financial context - their motto was "Use your best judgement and delight the client". They basically said, "You'r an adult and we expect you to act like one... if you don't. you will be out.." And they were true to their word.. they gave autonomy and authority, but the would hold you to account if you did not act like an adult; And I made a few mistakes, but I learned from them and that meant I was able to do better for them in subsequent engagements.

 

When I returned to Australia, had to wear a tie in a non-customer facing function and had to be in at 8:30 and not leave before 5:30 regardless of how much work I put in, well you can imagine which company got the most out of me. In one contract, I was sat outside the manager's office until I proved myself and there was no autonomy to make a decision for the client in the absence of a project manager.. you can guess which firm I worked harder, was more productive with, and enjoyed!

 

Yet, for a western wealthy society, th has the most regressive practices. The company that bought us out where almost the polar opposite. a real nickel and dime culture. And they were brutal - almost the totalitarian way of doing things. They were indignant at having to comply with UK/European employment law, as overnight, they started to use "at will employment status", which is able to fire people right away, as a stick to what was a motivated work force they acquired. They ate at little benefits that cost the company not much at all.. like when away on business, in recognition of the havoc it can play on ones personal life, like getting to the bank (these were the days before ubiquitous electronic banking). As such, for every night away - 1/10th of an extra day holiday was added to your annual balance.This was immediately removed, whcih in reality cost little to give, but cost so much in lost lyalty, reduced productivity and ultimate loss of expertise as people left.

 

At the macro-societal level, the US us a product if conditioning, much like we are. Unlike us, the media and rent-takers (as opposed to actual entrepreneurs) have been in bed together for years so that most of the US believe the socialism/commie stuff.. We are still many years behind that, but the Murdochs are doing their best to remedy that. If you have paid your social service insurance, etc., unemployment benefits are not bad.. but if you have nver been in the position to, you are better off in the streets of India. One of the most harrowing images that I will never forget was when I was walking from central station to the office in Phialdelphia It was winter and outside were many black impoverished homeless people. Out of them emerged a woman in distress yelling at me for help.."Sir.. you look like a doctor.. we need help sir.. .pleeeeease help." I told her I am not a doctor but went to take a look... When I said let's get an ambulance, her response was they have no money for one and it is cheaper to take a cab. I gave her $50 to get the ibjured bloke to the nearest public hospital; she would have stepped in front of a car for me.. That is the tragedy and travisty of America.

 

The guns ar bad, but to be honest, most of the population are more like Switzerland (sort of); except there are enough nutters and enough protection for the rights of nutters to have guns to make it a very bad situation.

 

And of course, there is the political discourse, which is a phenomena almost everywherel it is just it is far more pronounced in the US., Is it the Netherleands that has just elected the far right themselves.

 

 

 

 

 

[Jerry_Atrick]

Just now, Jerry_Atrick said:

Out of them emerged a woman in distress yelling at me for help.."Sir.. you look like a doctor.. we need help sir.. .pleeeeease help." I told her I am not a doctor but went to take a look... When I said let's get an ambulance, her response was they have no money for one and it is cheaper to take a cab. I gave her $50 to get the ibjured bloke to the nearest public hospital; she would have stepped in front of a car for me.. That is the tragedy and travisty of America.

I was going to edit, but I am going to show poor form and quote myself.

 

There was a morning where I was walking to work in London from Liverpool St station to my office a tall glass skyscraper probably 200 metres from the station. A homeless lady, looking like a druggie grabbed my arm and begged me for £5 to get her into a hostel, complaining she had been beaten the night before and if she went back, she would be beaten again.. I looked into her wringly, forlorn face and yet, she had two mild black eyes. Jeez.. I must have that face,, and because I wear glasses, I guess they feel safe. I explained I had no money on me, which was true, but trying to brush her away. But she was adamant, and in tears. I told her to wait as we had an ATM on the ground floor past the barriers.. It was peak hour and literally thousands of people were making hteir way in and out of that office; but I did come out with a fiver and she was waiting faithfuully... it happens in many places..

 

Finally, I am reminded of what was a real big shock to me when I returned with my partner to Melbourne in 2004 to live for a couple of years. When I left Australia in December, 1996, I had only seen a handful of homeless people and never heard of the Big Issue, until I arrived in London and saw many himepless people selling it. In 2004, there were many homeless people selling the Big Issue on Melbourne Streets.. Sadly, it is happening in all of our countrues...And that is a tragedy.