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Page added on July 11, 2016
Kunstler: Lit and Sputtering
You can see where the trajectory of events is leading. The country will be distracted by racial strife this summer while the global banking system implodes, disabling trade relations and the super-long supply chains we depend on for all common goods from oil to fresh food. Unless the remnants of the Republican Party act responsibly and find a way to replace Trump with a capable candidate, the nation will get what it deserves: a clown in the white house at the climax of the Fourth Turning.
The racial events of recent days resonate in a fog of cognitive dissonance. What really happened in those two incidents involving Philando Castile in Falcon Heights, Minnesota, and Alton Sterling in Baton Rouge Louisiana? Too many people pretend to know exactly why these two men were shot by cops. The video recordings of the incidents are ambiguous. In the Castile case, the recording doesn’t start until just after the deed is done.
Given the universal hyper-awareness of the current mood around the country, I doubt that policemen would throw away their livelihoods for a few thrilling seconds of malice. They know exactly what happens after the gun comes out: suspension, investigation, end-of-career, possibly civil prosecution, lawyers and more lawyers, a special hell of lawyers, and no way to make a living in the meantime. In a word: ruin.
These two incidents were followed by the shootings in Dallas by one Micah Johnson of twelve cops, five of whom died. That matter was not so ambiguous. The authorities quickly determined what happened and why. It is likely to lead to more assassinations and bushwhackings of police because a peculiar social mechanism gives people permission to re-enact atrocities once certain lines are crossed. We saw that in the political assassinations that commenced in the 1960s. The Jihadi beheadings and other monstrosities work similarly.
The possibilities for mayhem around the upcoming party conventions (Philadelphia and Cleveland) now look much darker than just a few weeks ago. Hillary took advantage of last week’s racial strife to deflect the blows she took from FBI Director James Comey in his public remarks about Hillary’s email problem. She went into full pander mode, blaming “white privilege” for the recent enormities involving guns and police. Of course, that will only fuel the “narrative” that whites are wholly responsible for black dysfunction, a false story that will lead to more conflict.
The legal spectacle surrounding Hillary and the FBI left many thoughtful Americans scratching their heads. The most superficial angle was how FBI Director Comey let Hillary off the hook because her “extremely careless” actions involving the email server did not include any “intent” to break the laws. The trouble is, the federal statutes pertaining to the case do not require any evidence of intent; the actions alone are enough to warrant a criminal referral. Mr. Comey skated over this matter. One cute theory circulating is that he didn’t dare to alter history by setting in motion events that would elevate Trump to power. Who knows…?
Much more remains to be seen in the Hillary email matter, because the real issue is not whether she maintained a private email server against regulations but whether she used that email server to stuff the bank account of the Clinton Foundation with money grifted while serving as Secretary of State. You can be sure we have not heard the end of that issue, and beyond that are the questions surrounding her gigantic speaking fees from Too-Big-Too-Fail banks, the texts of which she has resolutely refused to publically disclose.
This latter issue will become increasingly of interest to voters this summer and fall as trouble in the European banks provokes a contagion of banking failures that will thunder around the planet and begin to cause very serious practical problems for daily life in all the so-called advanced economies. Nobody in and around power in America these days is equipped to manage this epochal calamity, especially while we stumble and blunder our way into race war.
36 Comments on "Kunstler: Lit and Sputtering"
JuanP on Mon, 11th Jul 2016 9:18 am
I found this essay biased and racist. My best friends are going to the DNC. I think they are wasting their time, but they don’t need to work for a living and already own a big farm, so it’s their privilege. I convinced them to drive up the Blue Ridge Parkway and hike the Appalachian trail along the way. At least that part of their trip will be worth their time.
Trump for US President! Anyone but Hillary!
efarmer on Mon, 11th Jul 2016 9:43 am
Another rousing Monday AM dose of salts from the Bard of Entropy and Decline. I wonder if there are huge signs in hell that say: “Told You So!”, “You Heard it Here First, Admit It You Big Dumb Bastard” or the pithy “Doomed from the Womb and now you’re Tombed!” Personally I had a hunch I was mortal and f#cked when I was in my twenties, by reading the correct authors and threads, I now realize my inherent genius.
JGav on Mon, 11th Jul 2016 9:45 am
So, JuanP, if I understand correctly, you believe that a Donald Trump in the White House would get you the non-biased, non-racist person you’re looking for. I suggest a re-think on that one, my friend.
I know, I know … Hillary is corrupt, a war-mongerer and probably guilty of treason by the standard rules of the game. I certainly would never vote for the woman. But there still remain two or three other possibilities: 1 – the Reps find a more “consensual” person to push and the Dems are so flustered he wins; 2 – The Dems find a more “consensual”person to push(Biden?)and who knows?; 3- Sanders throws in with the Greens and Jill Stein to create a genuinely ‘independent’ party and ramp up their criticism of the ‘system,’which is clearly broken beyond repair by any reformist tweaking around the edges.
Of course an independent party would quickly suffer from a media and major-donator black-out, replete with smear campaigns and all the rest …
Still, it’s not yet entirely clear that the only possible contest is between Trump and Clinton. Let’s hope not anyway …
penury on Mon, 11th Jul 2016 9:47 am
I think that JHK is struggling with this one, his animosity to Trump has blinded him to the worse choice. This problem is bigger than Trump or Hillary this problem confronts us all. Racism has been an issue forever in this country, neither side has an answer. One will have to be found soon or else things can get very bad.
JuanP on Mon, 11th Jul 2016 10:24 am
Jgav “So, JuanP, if I understand correctly, you believe that a Donald Trump in the White House would get you the non-biased, non-racist person you’re looking for. I suggest a re-think on that one, my friend.”
I am going to be nice because I have always liked you and respect your opinion. I never said that Trump was non-biased or non-racist. I don’t know why you think that. Trump is a narcissistic clown who is using racism to forward his political campaign, and I think he is a horrible person and would make a terrible president.
Having said that, I just think Hillary is much, much worse. Hillary has very strong narcissistic, psychopathic, sociopathic, and antisocial tendencies, and I think it would be extremely dangerous to put her in the White House.
I would like Bernie to win if that were possible, but I don’t think he stands a chance in hell.
I hope you better understand where I stand now. Anyone but Hillary! If Bernie could, then by all means Bernie! But, since I think Bernie can’t, then Trump for President! I am not particularly concerned about the USA’s future because I think it is hopeless no matter who wins. C’est la vie! My main concern is avoiding a nuclear war with Russia and saving the rest of the world! I do not have a US centric perspective!
JuanP on Mon, 11th Jul 2016 10:35 am
Jgav, I hope you prove me wrong and Stein or Bernie win, but I think you are being hopelessly optimistic and extremely unrealistic. Time will tell. I think the only choices at this point are Hillary and Trump, and I dislike Trump less. C’est la vie!
Anyone but Hillary!
JuanP on Mon, 11th Jul 2016 10:55 am
And, Jgav, anyone but Hillary means I would prefer Biden or anyone else, too. The way I see thinks is Hillary is the absolute worst option. I’ll take ANYONE over Hillary, and I mean ANYONE!
I have expressed my support and preference for Bernie here in the past, but I think you probably missed those comments. I gave up on Bernie when he gave up on himself a few weeks ago. I just don’t think he is still in the game. But, god, do I hope I am wrong!
HARM on Mon, 11th Jul 2016 11:15 am
“I gave up on Bernie when he gave up on himself a few weeks ago.”
Actually, Bernie never gave up and has not yet endorsed Hildebeast (actions wildly panned in the press as Quixotic and self destructive, I might add). Fact is, he lost to Hillary, largely because she had racked up an unbeatable lead in delegates long before most Americans knew who Bernie was or what he stood for. Once she had that insurmountable lead in regular as well as “super” (corrupt) delegates, it was basically impossible for him to catch up.
HARM on Mon, 11th Jul 2016 11:17 am
The system is designed to protect the status quo elites on both sides, and to prevent a truly reform minded challenger from getting anywhere near the levers of power. And the system worked exactly the way it was designed to.
As Boss Tweed once said, “I don’t care who does the voting as long as I get to do the nominating”.
Plantagenet on Mon, 11th Jul 2016 11:19 am
Juan P
Why do you think Kunstler’s essay discussing the broad sweep of current problems in the USA is racist? ….would you please explain your reasoning?
Thx.
Plantagenet on Mon, 11th Jul 2016 11:21 am
@HARM
Sad to say, Bernie is scheduled to endorse Hillary in the next few days.
Even Bernie can be bought off.
Cheers!
JuanP on Mon, 11th Jul 2016 11:30 am
Harm, I don’t disagree with what you said and I hope Bernie runs as an independent to the end regardless of the consequences to himself, but I don’t think it will happen. On this I agree with Plant.
JuanP on Mon, 11th Jul 2016 11:32 am
Plant, The way I read the essay JHK seems to be biased in favor of the police and against African Americans, but this is just my own interpretation and opinion. Cheers!
joe on Mon, 11th Jul 2016 11:55 am
Hmm, the nation that destroyed Vietnam, Iraq, Syria, armed both al qaeda (yes al nusrah is al qaeda ) and their allies is politically protecting a right wing government in Ukrraine, Poland and now the UK (soon to be UKKK). It turns out to have a problem with authority and violence. Hmmm. I think ill spend a long time sitting on the toilet dwelling on this one. Hmmmm.
German Holiday Maker on Mon, 11th Jul 2016 11:56 am
JuanP: “c’est la vie! My main concern is avoiding a nuclear war with Russia and saving the rest of the world! I do not have a US centric perspective”
This is the hammer on the nail.
Who cares about financial or even social collapse (“race war”) in the light of the possibility of a nuclear war? The US deep state is willing to lead the country into war if they think they can stay in power with it and puppet Hillary will volunteer to do the necessary dirty work.
You don’t have to like Trump or even think that he does have clownesque features… so be it.
Trump is the candidate who can be trusted to withstand the war mongers and little else matters.
HARM on Mon, 11th Jul 2016 12:24 pm
“Trump is the candidate who can be trusted to withstand the war mongers and little else matters.”
This was a joke, right?
HARM on Mon, 11th Jul 2016 12:42 pm
@Planter,
Bernie is also a democrat, and the runner-up. Of course he will endorse Hillary. That is not the same thing as being “bought off”. He is basically obligated to endorse Hillary, unless he wants to bolt and make a third party run, which is unlikely.
If you’d like to see some long faces and belated reluctant endorsements look no further than the Republican party and the army of party insiders who must hold their noses and stump for a guy most of them clearly cannot stand.
JGav on Mon, 11th Jul 2016 12:50 pm
JuanP – Thanks for the clarifications.
And no, I am not “hopelessly optimistic.” Anything but, i.e.I also very much doubt that Bernie will do any such thing. He was, after all, brought up in the fold. This will be a test of his mettle and, like you, I’m afraid he will be found wanting. A valiant effort nonetheless, though to what end?
Plantagenet on Mon, 11th Jul 2016 1:20 pm
@Harmster
Bernie said all through his campaign that he opposed wall street and the establishment.
By endorsing Hillary Bernie is endorsing the wall street candidate and backing the establishment.
Sorry, but thats how it is.
Cheers!
Anonymous on Mon, 11th Jul 2016 1:47 pm
I saw that video of that cop killing that guy as his GF recorded it. Didnt look that ‘ambiguous’ to me, or to millions of others. JHK seems to clearly jumped the shark here if he thinks that someone ‘more capable’ than trump would turn things around? Hes fully aware there are no political parties in the uS, its all one big happy corporate-war oilgarchy, so wtf is he talking about there? I didn’t know he was that naive.
Hes clearly come down on the ‘side’ of trigger-happy murderous uS cops here, which, surprises me a little. Or maybe not so surprising. He’s a rank amature when it comes to commenting on things outside his area of expertise, suburban sprawl, sustainability type issues. When he wanders outside those topics, he can be a real train wreck at times.
This is one of those times…
JuanP on Mon, 11th Jul 2016 2:07 pm
Jgav, I have been reading your comments for a while now and have never found them wanting. You are one of the best posters here. I can’t say the same for myself because I sometimes choose to pick a fight and get mean and disrespectful, which you don’t. Sometimes I forget when writing a comment that not everyone reading it will have read all my previous comments which would provide a deeper context. I do hope Hillary and Trump will lose, but I think that in this case my hopes will not be fulfilled. I believe at this time that Hillary is most likely to win and Trump is in second place, no matter how disagreeable that idea is to me.
JuanP on Mon, 11th Jul 2016 2:13 pm
Harm, At least Trump claims he wants peace with Russia. No other candidates make that claim. Of course, politicians’ promises are totally worthless, and Trump is no exception.
Hillary is the most agressive of all the candidates, though, and she will only make things worse for sure. Her stint as SoS was an utter and complete failure, IMO. Having her as a US President would be catastrophic to the USA and the world. She always makes the worst choice possible.
Apneaman on Mon, 11th Jul 2016 2:30 pm
Juan, I’ve noticed hundreds of comments on Trump that start with, “at least he bla bla bla”. The bar is now so low that mice could trip on it.
Well sure he raped and murdered that family, but “at least he” turned out the lights and locked the door on his way out. Dat’s sumthin ain’t it?
Plantagenet on Mon, 11th Jul 2016 3:06 pm
Its gonna be Hillary.
She’s raised a billion dollars and is running attack ads on Trump constantly. The MSM is backing Hillary. The establishment is backing Hillary. Wall Street is backing Hillary. Silicon Valley is backing Hillary. Hollywood is backing Hilalry. The entire world is backing Hilalry.
Even the FBI is backing Hilalry.
Its gonna be Hilalry.
Davy on Mon, 11th Jul 2016 4:12 pm
Juan, I agree with your thoughts on a Trump and Russia. I like his coldness to NATO likewise. I suspect his ability to change much will be limited yet, the fact that he is even talking these points brings up the needed discussions.
I am an isolationist becuse I am a doomer. My concerns are downsizing with dignity at all levels including and especially the US government, military, and foreign policy. This will happen regardless so the sooner the better. The side benefit may be avoiding a NUK war.
Apneaman on Mon, 11th Jul 2016 4:36 pm
Hillary Clinton Bowls Over Catcher To Score Winning Run In Campaign Staff Softball Game
“When I was playing second base, she tried to break up a double play by sliding into me with her spikes up,” media advisor Jim Margolis said of Clinton, adding that the former cabinet member also regularly violated the rule prohibiting players from leading on the basepaths. “She brushed herself off like nothing happened, and when I showed her the cut on my leg, she told me to rub some dirt on it and to ‘quit acting like a little pussy.’”
“Now that I think about it, she was the only person even wearing cleats,” he added.”
http://www.theonion.com/article/hillary-clinton-bowls-over-catcher-score-winning-r-53159
Apneaman on Mon, 11th Jul 2016 5:03 pm
“white privilege”, there’s another creature on the endangered species list. No worries, Trump is going to bring back the manufacturing jobs…….. at $8 an hour, no benefits and one piss break a day.
Could be worse. Just take a look around at the growing number of tent cities and all those “shopping bag people”.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XplLbuc36R8
JuanP on Mon, 11th Jul 2016 5:59 pm
Ap “The bar is now so low that mice could trip on it.” What bar are you talking about? LOL!
JuanP on Mon, 11th Jul 2016 6:05 pm
Davy, I am glad you understand my point of view. I know my perspective may be hard to accept sometimes, but I truly wish the best for the USA and all of us living here. I think the money we are spending abroad needlessly attacking other countries would be better spent at home. I think all countries should focus on localizing and domestic problems, particularly the USA because it wastes more money abroad than any other.
Kevin Cobley on Tue, 12th Jul 2016 4:45 am
Mr Kunstler has over the past couple of years descended from a very rational guy who understands the consequences of a finite resource, to a guy that’s down to professing his dislike of Americans of African decent, Perhaps if people started writing long rants about greedy Jewish bankers with big noses and critiques of their synagogue costumery, he might then understand what he is doing.
Apneaman on Tue, 12th Jul 2016 6:08 am
Separate But Equal?
“Before I get into this, I want to say that all human lives matter depending on where you’re standing. The lives of those in your social in-group matter a lot more than the lives of those outside it. The antagonistic groups we’re interested in today are 1) police officers and 2) black people who are not police officers.
First, and just to get this point out of the way, Johnson’s “killing spree” was totally meaningless unless one deems it meaningful that humans have big brains which can go haywire and often do. If you follow that uncomfortable truth to the end of the line, you risk becoming a social pariah. Few take that path!
Secondly, what we see above is that the shooting or abuse of unarmed black men by white police officers, which is routine in the United States, has been conflated with the actions of a single black man whose big brain had gone haywire. These incidents are taken to be separate but somehow equal. What’s wrong with this picture?
I’ll tell you what’s wrong with it — in the former case, we’re talking about a real and alarming trend reflecting implicit racial bias, whereas in the latter (“killing spree”) case, we’re talking about a one-off. Big brains go haywire all the time, but let’s be specific:
How many times have black men armed with assault rifles carried out sniper-style attacks on white police officers?
Never! — until last week (as far as I know, and read here). Certainly there’s no trend.”
http://www.declineoftheempire.com/2016/07/separate-but-equal.html
JuanP on Tue, 12th Jul 2016 12:16 pm
Bernie endorses Hillary! 🙁
https://www.rt.com/usa/350806-sanders-supports-clinton-convention/
Davy on Tue, 12th Jul 2016 12:22 pm
“Trump Says “Sell-Out” Sanders Now “Part Of The Rigged System” – Live Feed”
http://www.zerohedge.com/news/2016-07-12/bernie-sanders-hillary-clinton-stronger-together-live-feed
Apneaman on Tue, 12th Jul 2016 8:04 pm
ROTFLMAO
Sanders endorses Clinton: She is best candidate to address crises we face
https://www.rt.com/usa/350806-sanders-supports-clinton-convention/
I had a dream about this last night except in my dream when Bernie climbed on stage and approached Hillary he pulled a 32 oz Louisville Slugger out of his jacket and started clubbing Hillary like a Newfie clubs baby seals. Later on the FBI exonerated him because they said he did not realize he was breaking the law.
Anonymous on Wed, 13th Jul 2016 1:21 pm
Lol, Apne, good one.
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