The Empire in Decline

In a declining empire, the rich and powerful will only become richer and more powerful as law and order give way to primitive hierarchy. The rich will control the government, the media, the educational institutions, and the national narrative. They will point to phantom enemies for the poor to hate, while they reap the benefits of spiraling inequality.

In a system without proper taxation, the rich prey on the poor not through malicious intent but merely by being rich. You can work 3 jobs, but you cannot compete for the limited resources that money can buy against a person that rents out 12 apartments. If the price of everything is getting more expensive, it means you are getting poorer. The Europeans understand this. Americans generally do not. And when they do, they are called the most horrible thing you can call an American - a socialist! Brrrr! Socialist! Just the word itself conjures up images of men with dead expressions and grey wool coats burying bodies in the Siberian snow. America isn't that!

So lower taxes, boost the economy, borrow more money, encourage spending, run the government like a business. 37 trillion in debt? No problem, as long as the GDP keeps growing. Okay, maybe one problem - the GDP only translates to a government surplus if you tax. Oh no, we don't do that. That's socialist! Yuck! Just the word alone conjures up images of people in straw hats with AK47s killing American soldiers. America isn't that!

Americans will defend their choice by pointing at the alternatives. But what about Biden? But what about Hillary? I guess that's fair enough, but at some point, you do have to look at what is in front of you as well. To be honest, it is an uphill battle no matter which side you are on. You will never be richer than the lobbyists. You can only hope to be louder. Whether the executive and the legislative are red or blue, they will all answer to the same lobbies, so there will be more war, more spending. If the Democrats are in power, they will say it's okay, we'll raise the debt ceiling and the Republicans will say NO! Or if the Republicans are in power, it's the same thing but the other way around. Plus, they'll say we'll reduce the taxes for this group of people but it's okay, we're increasing the taxes for this group of people. More money for Elon, less money for Joe, but it's okay, Joe, because look, we're kicking out Jose. But Jose isn't the guy with 12 apartments. He's the guy with 3 jobs. Why does he have to go? He's the real hero of the GDP. And why does Elon need more money?

And this is the part of the conversation where they will try to dazzle you with the magic word - jobs. Don't hate Elon. He provides jobs! He's a hero! We can't increase his taxes! That would be socialist! Ugh! That word conjures up images of that seven foot tall emotionless fighting machine that almost killed Rocky. America isn't that!

America's obsession with jobs came from the American Dream - the idea that you can just work hard at your job and things will get better and easier. The truth is, the American dream hasn't been around that long. It was an anomaly in the 50s, when unions were strong and taxes were high. Well, it's hard to achieve the American Dream nowadays through a job. I wonder why that is. Maybe jobs aren't all they are cut out to be anymore. Maybe if one person didn't provide jobs, someone else would. You know why? Because if a business owner didn't provide a job, they would have to do the job. And two things can be true at the same time: jobs are necessary but they also kind of suck.

In the 80's there was a term to kind of put some logic to this rich people worship. It was called trickle down economics. A rich dude will make a billion bucks, hire you for two thousand bucks and you'll buy a sandwich and someone else will make 3 bucks. Nobody says it anymore because it's stupid, but people still believe in it. It just comes out a different way now. They say don't hate Elon, he provides jobs. They say don't boycott Tesla. I love that - people who aren't buying Teslas are upset at the people who are boycotting Teslas. Don't boycott Tesla, it provides jobs. Don't hate poor Elon, he provides jobs. Let me reassure you, you don't have to worry about Elon or Donald or Jeff or Zucks. As the empire goes down, they will rise to the very top of the sinking ship. As they throw the furniture into the fire, they will say, don't worry, this was always the plan, meme coins, fickle tariffs, centralization of power, nothing to see here, best president ever!

The important thing is to stick to the plan. Don't increase taxes. That would be socialist. Bleh! That word reminds me of an authoritarian country with an egotistical Supreme Leader that needs the whole nation to blow smoke up his ass all the time. America isn't that! 

Oh wait...