“I fear that we are witnessing the end of American democracy.”

[ltlee1]

https://www.nytimes.com/2020/08/26/opinion/trump-republican-convention-racism.html

The New York Times articles is quoting Joshua Greene, the Harvard psychologist. He "closed his email with an addendum: “P.S. I think that Biden will probably win and will probably be the next president. But the fact that I can’t say more than ‘probably’ is terrifying to me. I fear that we are witnessing the end of American democracy.”"

He is certainly seeing the current political situation in the U.S. with trepidation. Nevertheless, he seems to think that if Biden win, a lot of problems would disappear. Is he right?

[wakal...@yahoo.com.sg]

-----------

Over 40% of American voters will vote for Trump notwithstanding that he has launched an assault to cripple the US Postal Service to obstruct voting and steal the election in November. Another 10% of the votes would tip America over the edge and finish off democracy in America. The Postal Service employees disobeying the evil postmaster general's orders and re-installing sorting machines are all that are left standing between the collapse of democracy in America and facism. They should be collectively awarded the Medal of Freedom.

America losing its democracy is this close, but I am not sure most Americans know this. At least 40% of Americans don't, and are actively helping in the coup against democracy. And this 40% includes people in high places, and who are supposedly well educated.

Wakalukong

[ltlee1]

The NYTimes article is about signal theory. To the extend that Trump is sending costly signal in supporting racism, his supporters would continue to support him. In addition, these Americans are willing to sacrifice principle and democracy to have Trump and other on their elected.

In my opinion, the article's focus is too narrow. Trump is not just sending racist signals. He is also sending other costly signals such conspiracy is fine, truth is not important. And of course, power makes right. For example, Trump treats China' trade surplus as if China just takes money from the U.S. without sending equal value of merchandise. U.S. poll organizations ask all kind of questions but not "Do you believe China's trade surplus is China taking money from Americans without compensation?"

[Rusty Wyse]

First of all, America never had "freedom and democracy" in the first place. It's a bunch of words put into our constitution to put belief into the "government, but no intent of "freedom" for the common people!!! The man who wrote "All men are created equal" into the Declaration of Independence was a prime example, Thomas Jefferson. He owned hundreds of slaves and took advantage of a 16-year-old slave who had 6 children with him. Even today, the colored people living in the U.S. are NOT free. And the U.S. certainly IS a police-state as the Jacob Blake's incident indicated!!!

[ltlee1]

Too really consider Joshua Greene's question, Suzanne Mettler and Robert C. Lieberman have provided historical perspective.

"...crises of democracy did not occur randomly; rather, they developed in the presence of four specific threats: political polarization, conflict over who belongs in the political community, high and growing economic inequality, and excessive executive power. We know from the study of the rise and fall of democratic regimes elsewhere in the world that these conditions are harmful to the sustainability of democracy. When they are absent, democracy tends to flourish; when one or more of them are present, democracy is prone to decay.

Each of these threats by itself can damage democracy. Polarization tends to divide citizens into opposing “teams” that are geared more toward defeating one another than governing effectively. Disputes over who belongs in the political community and the status of members—categorized along lines of race, gender, national origin, or religion—can engender deep divisions that result in political exclusion, the widespread denial of rights, and violent reprisals. Economic inequality can pit society’s haves against its have-nots and induce the wealthy to use their resources to protect their privileged place in the social order. And the growth of executive power enables the concentration of authority in the hands of a single person, which is precisely what the framers of the Constitution hoped to avoid.

In none of these periods of democratic fragility in American history were all four threats present simultaneously. Each of the threats has waxed and waned at different times, and on only some occasions have a few joined forces.

...

Now, for the first time in American history, we face all four threats at the same time. As in the 1790s, or during the conflict that led to the Civil War, we confront deep political polarization. Political leaders exaggerate their differences in order to win elections, and they have grown more willing to circumvent long-established norms in order to gain, wield, and keep power. And ordinary Americans are increasingly sorting themselves into separate camps based on where they live, where they go to school, where they work, what they read, listen to, and watch—and how they vote. In the process, they have grown more polarized and antagonistic toward the opposing party. Increasingly, partisans view one another not as honorable competitors but as an existential threat to everything they stand for."

A fifth threat is social media in the era of post-truth/alternative fact.


The 1800 crisis could resolved peacefully because both sides agreed on the Slavery issue. American Civil War could not be averted when they could not agree on the Slavery issue. No slavery in the U.S. today. But race related issues persist, either as racism or casteism.


American historians Suzanne Mettler and Robert C. Lieberman as well as Joanne Freeman see the problem coming but not solutions. Joanne Freeman's article if full of foreboding. Suzanne Mettle and Robert c Lieberman could only offer "Putting Democracy First". Isabel Wilkerson's book on Caste-ism in the U.S. is totally descriptive. More important, many white people still realize the unfairness of the system. They think they are the victims or racial unjustice.

[rodeo]

Trump is working from the signals of what supporters are like. It is clear
that his supporters are white-supremacists and racists and hatred of other
races in US.

They want to make use of the white police force to kill and maim and terrify
the black people as consistently.

And as fast as possible to kill them through regular reckless contact and
pretentious sparring in their skirmish with them,.






"ltlee1" wrote in message
news:259c63c6-b5e8-43cd...@googlegroups.com...

[odear]

Not only the end of American democracy but also the end to American racism
of dominant over the blacks and natives and minorities.



"ltlee1" wrote in message
news:24f0d10b-2514-4ebf...@googlegroups.com...

[pleasing]

One can be sure there will a civil war in the US and if there is more
severity of the war, the white supremacists and white hooligans will take
heavy handed by taking nuclear weapon to destroy and finish US to dust and
ground zero.




"ltlee1" wrote in message
news:259c63c6-b5e8-43cd...@googlegroups.com...

[ltlee1]

Here is the real challenge for Biden and the real test for the U.S. political system. Baltimore has been under Democratic leadership for 53 years. And Baltimore is really not a nice place.

https://twitter.com/kimKBaltimore/status/1295461903268040707

Again, just like the two guys running from a bear, politicians just need to black votes in Baltimore. Neither side needs to solve black (white) citizens' problems, in Baltimore and elsewhere.

[cunnard]

US is a police state not a democratic state anymore, and hence Americans
should take this opportunity to dismember the United States into
individual independent state.

The is so that the people in US can choose which state to go and where
they feel respect away from white supremacists and white people who are
against Blacks and minorities.

The high number of powerful AR15 guns and machine guns purchased by
white people can be seen as the coming outcome.

So the best is to break up now. Governors of each state should initiate
a bill to dismantle their union and hence give their people a new set of
freedom of security they want.

[Satish Kumar]

On Thursday, August 27, 2020 at 8:22:25 AM UTC-7, rst8...@gmail.com wrote:
> First of all, America never had "freedom and democracy" in the first place. It's a bunch of words put into our constitution to put belief into the "government, but no intent of "freedom" for the common people!!! The man who wrote "All men are created equal" into the Declaration of Independence was a prime example, Thomas Jefferson. He owned hundreds of slaves and took advantage of a 16-year-old slave who had 6 children with him. Even today, the colored people living in the U.S. are NOT free. And the U.S. certainly IS a police-state as the Jacob Blake's incident indicated!!!
>

Yale Guen Mar (Resty Wyse), aren't you a colored resident of the USA? Tell us of all the repression you have had to endure in the 71 years since you fled China in 1949 to take refuge in USA.

On Saturday, September 5, 2020 at 9:18:42 AM UTC-7, rst8...@gmail.com wrote:
> Chinese students face increased scrutiny at US airports - "It was very scary. I felt my safety could be harmed at any time," he says.
>
> Worrying for a gloomy prospect of US-China relations, Zhang has started to lobby his Chinese friends in America to consider returning home.
>
> "The New Cold War has started," he says. "There's no turning back, no matter who is going to be America's next president."
>


Yale Guen Mar (Resty Wyse), has Zhang contacted you and asked you to return to China after 71 long years? Are you now seriously thinking of relocating to your birth village in China to live in bliss under communist party dictatorship?

Yale Guen Mar (Bright Equality Mule), you are not happy. You strongly feel that you live in a "police state". But you don't have to.

If you leave USA, you'll be a happier person. And, needless today, your Hmong neighbors on Twilight Avenue in Merced, CA will be just as happy.

It is truly a win-win situation.

But once you move to PRC, be careful about what you post. If you post something that is not in keeping with the party line, you'll be sent to perhaps Qinghai for re-education through labor ( 勞動教養 ) but not before party people get to widen your asshole significantly.

Yale Guen Mar (masquerading under fanciful phony names like Resty Wyse, Buddy Frank and Rusty Wyseman), do you remember how you sought refuge in the USA in 1949 as a 11-year old?

81-year old Yale Guen Mar (aka Resty Wyse aka Buddy Frank Rusty Wyseman) was born in China on February 1, 1938 but has lived in USA since 1949 when he fled the CCP takeover of China to arrive in San Francisco aboard the ship President Wilson. It took 11-year old Yale Guen Mar 16 days aboard President Wilson to make the trip from Hong Kong to San Francisco. So desperate was he to escape China that he made the trip without his parents and siblings.

Today, 81-year old Yale Guen Mar lives in Merced, CA as a US citizen with not intention to go bak to his birth village to live under the CCP regime. But Yale Guen Mar (aka Resty Wyse, Buddy Frank and Rusty Wyseman) is a schizophrenic traitor.

Yale Guen Mar (aka Rest Wyse, Buddy Frank and Rusty Wyseman), what do your Hmong neighbors on Twilight Avenue in Merced, CA think of your values?

What do your siblings Ellen, Donald and Eugene think of your values?

What do your cousins Homer, Gini, Clarence and Lawrence think of your values?

What does your message carrying cousin from Santa Clara think of your values?

Resty (Yale Guen Mar), how come the time has not come for you to back to your birth-village in PRC to while away the rest of your years under the CCP regime?

How come your siblings Ellen, Donald and Eugene have no plans to move back to PRC?

How come Homer, Gini, Clarence and Lawrence are living happily in the USA with nary a thought of emigrating to PRC.

How come the Yamashitas are happy in San Jose, CA?

How come Valerie's son is tryoing to become a doctor in the USA even if he has to go to college in UC's nondescript campus at Riverside?

Yale Guen Mar, why won't you relocate to your birth village to live under the paradise ruled with an iron hand by the CCP dictatorship in Beijing? Why are you sticking to Uncle Sam for your welfare checks?

Yale Guen Mar, you wouldn't want to relocate to your birth village in Mainland China to live in PRC in the new era, to escape the evil American lifestyle, would you?

Yale Guen Mar, you still want to continue to live in USA instead of moving back to your birth village to live under the CCP dictatorship in Beijing.

Yale Guen Mar, you subsist on welfare checks from Uncle Sam aand supplement your income with 50 cents per approved post on soc.culture.china from Uncle Chang.

Yale Guen Mar, you post in the hope that it will meet approval for a 50 cent payment from Uncle Chang.

Yale Guen Mar, you certainly know which side the bread is buttered. For all your posts, you'll never go back to your birth village to live under CCP dictatorship. You well know that you move to your birth village, party workers will knock at your door to widen your asshole if your post deviates from the official line.

Yale Guen Mar, if you are wary of shit sandwich, it is only because you dislike bread.

But don't be an ingrate or imprudent for your own sake.

Yale Guen Mar, you have ceased to care about anything else other than earning 50 cents per post. You don't even care to ask your caregiver, Meichi Thai, to to change you into a fresh diaper a lot more often even as you continue to have "accidents" on Ms. Rolida Lee's reclining char and Mr. Ravinder Singh's sofa.

Uncle Chang pays Yale Guen Mar 50 cents per post. No wonder that Yale Guen Mar tries to to keep his handlers with the CCP dictatorship happy, even if it is by bad-mouthing USA.

Yale Guen Mar, USA respects your freedom of speech. Unlike the CCP-dictatorship in China, the US government is not going to monitor your posts on the newsgroup and go after you for your rantings on the internet. You can bark with impunity without any fear of reprisal by the US government. But you will make a grave mistake if you ever try to bite the hand that feeds you. If you overreach yourself in treasonous activities, you might very well spend the rest of your golden years inside jail cells.

Yale Guen Mar, if you lived under Beijing's bandit regime and had proceeded to castigate the CCP dictatorship 24/7 on the internet, you would have been shipped out for "reeducation" in no time. Yale Guen Mar, that is why you are not moving out to CCP-land where any deviation of his newsgroup posts from the official CCP-line will right away lead to your re-education through labor ( 勞動教養 ).

81-year old Yale Guen Mar will do himself a big favor if he enrolls himself in some adult education school. Otherwise patriotically challenged Yale Guen Mar will continue to make a spectacle of himself by revealing his appalling ignorance in everything from history to English. And if Yale Guen Mar can't get himself to do that, he should stop bilking USA and go back to where his heart really resides, namely, the village of his birth in China under CCP-dictatorship. That would be the honest thing to do.

Of course, it is another matter that his live-in-nurse-cum-maid Meichi Thai will refuse to follow Yale Guen Mar to CCP-land where any deviation of his newsgroup posts from the official CCP-line will right away lead him to re-education through labor ( 勞動教養 ).

What's the matter with you Yale Guen Mar? Are you so hard up for money that you have no shame in pimping such rubbish for a payment of 50 cents per approved post?