We and They in America…
America certainly does have a “we” and a “they” problem. What does this mean? It basically comes down to who we classify as “in” or “we” versus who is “out” or “they”. What is the criteria for this classification? This issue is a small, tight bottleneck that inhibits the overall good of our society.
Where does it come from? This is a question that many Americans and most people who live outside of the U.S. ask all the time. People ask: Why is the U.S. so opposed to income equality, welfare, and healthcare for all? Do they not understand that by helping all of their citizens, society as a whole benefits? In a nutshell, no, they don’t understand or do not make the connection. People get upset if they feel that their hard-earned tax dollars go to help anyone that they don’t know or care about. What people are failing to see is the demise of a society with a growing gap in income inequality that is ravaging the middle and lower classes.
This is a huge issue. It affects all facets of our society including education, healthcare, and more than anything else…poverty. Robert Reich wrote an excellent piece about this: America’s We Problem.
From the article:
One obvious explanation involves race. Detroit is mostly black; Oakland County, mostly white. The secessionist school districts in the South are almost entirely white; the neighborhoods they’re leaving behind, mostly black.
But racism has been with us from the start. Although some southern school districts are seceding in the wake of the ending of court-ordered desegregation, race alone can’t explain the broader national pattern. According to Census Bureau numbers, two-thirds of Americans below the poverty line at any given point identify themselves as white.
Another culprit is the increasing economic stress felt by most middle-class Americans. Median household incomes are dropping and over three-quarters of Americans report they’re living paycheck to paycheck.
This is certainly a fight that we must not lose. We must continue to raise awareness of the consequences of the “we” versus “they” mentality that is plaguing America. There is too much at stake to let this pass by.
2013: A Bad Year for Human Rights…
2013 was truly a bad year for human rights violations throughout the world. Things are bad enough right here in North America with poverty, income inequality, school shootings and other violence, apathy, and a main stream media that turns a blind to all of it.
While perusing the news this morning, I saw the following article written by Jodie Gummow for Alternet that details some of the horrible global human rights violations in the last year. My hope for 2014 is that world continues to wake up and is truly able to see the stamping out of human rights for the benefit of a few and that people offer resistance to this sick treatment of humanity.
14 Shocking Global Human Rights Violations of 2013
From rampant violence and sexual abuse against women, to the commission of crimes against humanity by dictators, 2013 was a year filled with pervasive human rights violations worldwide. Government response to the atrocities was disappointing, marked by lack of transparency and accountability, blatant malevolence and a disregard for human life. Yet, international human rights advocates remained tenacious, inciting massive protests and public condemnation in an effort to demand an end to the culture of impunity. Here are some of most outrageous travesties of justice that captured our attention and had us up in arms this year.
1. Unsafe labor conditions in Bangladesh led to world’s worst garment industry tragedy as thousands died in horrific building collapse.
On April 24, the Rana Plaza factory in Dhaka, Bangladesh, which housed six factories that produce clothing for Western brands, collapsed, killing over 1000 factory workers and injuring over 2500 people. While the owners of the factory came under fire for ignoring previous warnings of cracks in the wall, many pointed the blame at global corporations like Walmart and the Gap [3] for exploiting workers for cheap labor and failing to provide adequate fire and building safeguards in factories where their products are made. Worldwide protests ensued with a view to putting pressure on major retailers to sign a legally binding accord [4] aimed at improving labor conditions in Bangladesh, which to date has 100 signatories.
2. Egypt’s epidemic of violence and sexual abuse resulted in more than 600 deaths and 91 women assaulted in four days of riots at Tahrir Square.
On the first anniversary of the election of President Mohamed Morsi on June 30, thousands of Egyptians took to the streets in Tahrir Square in Cairo demanding the dictator’s resignation. During the four days of protests, at least 91 women were attacked [5] and sexually assaulted by mobs, while government leaders and police stood by and failed to intervene. Some women required extensive medical surgery [6] after being subjected to brutal gang rapes and sexual assault with sharp objects. After the protests, survivors came forward to tell their stories [6] and demand better protections for women. While the protests led to the end of Morsi’s presidency, the government downplayed the violence, prompting international calls to improve law enforcement and bring perpetrators to justice. These actions proved fruitless, as security forces again came under fire in August for using live ammunition against citizens [7] resulting in 638 deaths.
3. Burma committed ethnic cleansing against thousands of Rohingya Muslims; 28 children hacked to death and mass graves uncovered.
Burma’s quasi-civilian government was accused [8] of committing crimes against humanity in the Rakhine State for forcibly displacing more than 125,000 Rohingya Muslims, the religious minority. A Human Rights Watch report [9] revealed that authorities denied tens of thousands of stateless Muslims access to humanitarian aid, destroyed mosques, conducted mass arrests and issued a public statement promoting ethnic cleansing. Security forces stood aside and directly assisted Arakanese mobs in attacking and killing Muslim communities. In October [8], at least 70 Rohingya were killed in a day-long massacre in which 28 children hacked to death. Four mass gravesites [10] were uncovered. The persecution stems from a long internal conflict in Burma essentially emanating from an arbitrary citizenship law passed in 1982 which denies Burmese citizenship to Rohingya on discriminatory ethnic grounds. In recent times, lack of rule of law has led to thousands of Rohingya fleeing the country.
4.North Korea’s large-scale human rights abuses revealed: 120,000 prisoners held in gulags, citizens starved and publicly executed by firing squad.
North Korea’s appalling human rights record is no secret. Following the death of Kim Jong-il in 2011, any hope of improvement in the country was short-lived with the appointment of successor, Kim Jong-un. The young dictator quickly became more ruthless than his father, inflicting mass atrocities against his population. In September, a UN investigation revealed shocking evidence from defectors [11] who compared life in DPRK [12] to that of the German-run concentration camps in WWII. Prisoners in the gulags lucky enough to escape described atrocities including witnessing a woman forced to drown her own baby in a bucket. 120,000 people are still thought to be held in gulags. Public executions [13] by firing squad have also continued at unprecedented levels under Jong-un’s rule, including the execution of the dictator’s own uncle [14] and former girlfriend [15]. The Security Council has been criticized for failing to refer the matter to the International Criminal Court, a move that seems unlikely given North Korea’s long alliance with China.
5. A chemical weapons attack in Syria.
Syria’s ongoing civil war, which in almost three years has claimed the lives of approximately 100,000 people, continued full, force and throttle. In August, Syrian government forces under ruthless leader Bashar al-Assad were suspected of launching chemical weapon attacks [16] on two Damascus suburbs, killing hundreds of civilians including children. Following the attack, an influx of disturbing and emotionally wrenching video footage infiltrated social media. In September, Russia and the United States announced an agreement that would lead to the abolition of Syria’s chemical weapons. The Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons [17] was subsequently tasked with ensuring all chemical weapons and equipment in Syria be destroyed by mid-2014, though many remain skeptical about Assad’s compliance with the order.
6. Uganda, India and Russia passed draconian laws against homosexuality.
While there were increasing wins for gay rights around the globe this year, including a number of U.S. states [18], LGBT rights took a major step back in other parts of the world. Uganda abolished the death penalty as punishment for having gay sex, but it passed an anti-gay law punishing “aggravated homosexuality” with life imprisonment. The new provision drew international criticism by gay rights activists, particularly after Uganda’s parliament expressed that the anti-gay law was a “Christmas gift [19]” to all Ugandans. Meanwhile, India’s Supreme Court reinstated a ban against homosexuality [20], making gay sex a criminal offense, prompting human rights groups to file a petition [21] seeking a review of the decision on the grounds that the law is unconstitutional. Russia’s anti-gay laws also came under fire for a bill that banned propaganda of “non-traditional sexual relations [22].”
7. Turkey’s Islamic fundamentalist regime attacked secular groups for peacefully assembling.
Once considered the most modernized and advanced Islamic nation [23] after founding father President Ataturk created a secular state, a number of civil rights violations in 2013 have led to fears that Turkey’s conservative government is heading toward Islamic fundamentalism. This summer, Turkish authorities were accused [24] of using excessive police violence to put down an environmental sit-in over government plans to build a barracks in Gezi Park. During the demonstration, police used live ammunition, tear gas, water cannons and plastic bullets to suppress the masses. Authorities were also accused of sexually abusing female demonstrators and severely beating protestors, leaving more than 8000 people injured. The actions have outraged Turkey’s secular population. Protestors viewed the move as another indicator of the authoritarian propensities [25] of Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan and his Islamist party.
8. Qatar’s construction sector rife with migrant worker abuse leading up to World Cup preparation.
This year, the International Trade Union Confederation [26] found that as a result of the construction frenzy [27] surrounding the 2022 World Cup, 12 laborers would die each week unless the Doha government made urgent labor reforms. Half a million extra workers from countries like Nepal, India and Sri Lanka are expected to arrive to work in an effort to complete infrastructure in time for the World Cup kickoff. However, the ITUC said the annual death toll could rise to 600 people a year as construction workers are subjected to harsh and dangerous work conditions daily. A comparable study [27] revealed that 44 migrant construction workers from Nepal died in the summer working in exploitive conditions, with workers describing forced labor conditions where they work in 122 degree heat and live in squalor.
9. Forced sterilization for disabled underage girls in Australia sparked outrage as attempts to reform the laws failed.
The involuntary sterilization of disabled people in Australia remains lawful after the Senate ruled that it would not ban [28] the procedure in 2013. Disabled girls are sterilized to manage menstruation and the risks associated with sexual exploitation, which human rights groups argue is a form of violence against women. Australian families are able to apply for court orders to allow involuntary sterilization of their disabled children. A court previously ruled [29] that it was in the best interests of an 11-year-old girl who suffered a neurological disorder to have a hysterectomy, which caused a media storm. Human rights groups argued that fertility is a basic human right and that sterilization is not a substitute for proper education about family planning and support during menstruation. The Human Rights Commission said [28] “one sterilization, one forced or coerced is one too many.”
10. Afghanistan attempted to reintroduce public stoning for adulterers; women were forced to undergo vaginal examinations to prove virginity.
Women’s rights suffered a massive blow in Afghanistan in 2013. Cases of violence against women grew by 28 percent [30] and females continued to be treated as second-class citizens. President Hamid Karzai backed away from government plans [31] to implement a controversial law reintroducing public stoning as punishment for adultery after the draft law was leaked causing international outrage. Women’s rights groups condemned invasive vaginal examinations [32] women are forced to undergo to ascertain “virginity” every time a girl is arrested on a morality charge. As the 2014 deadline to withdraw combat action [33] in Afghanistan approaches, activists fear that the removal of soldiers will trigger further deterioration [34] of the chaotic human rights situation in the country, particularly for women.
11. Israel’s mistreatment of Palestinian children resulted in 700 child detentions.
The precarious situation in the Middle East between Palestinians and Israelis led to a number of gross human rights violations committed by Israeli soldiers against Palestinian children. A UNICEF report revealed [35] that in the second quarter of 2013, 700 Palestinian children aged 12-17 were arrested and subjected to solitary confinement, threats of death and sexual assault by Israeli military and police in the occupied West Bank. In November, an Israeli Defense Force soldier on a Ukraine game show nonchalantly discussed killing Palestinian toddlers [36] as young as 3 years old. A 12-year-old Palestinian boy was paralyzed after he was shot and seriously injured by an Israeli solider [35] as he attempted to retrieve his school bag, and a 14-year-old Palestinian girl died en route to hospital [37] this month as a result of tightened Israeli security at Israeli-controlled checkpoints, prompting public outrage.
12. New wave of repression against civil society swept Saudi Arabia as women continued to protest against de facto ban on driving.
With more than 40,000 political prisoners in detention and democracy silenced by threats of intimidation and arrests, 2013 was one of the worst years for human rights in Saudi Arabia, according to activists [38]. In addition, women faced major oppression. While women will now be allowed to vote [39] in 2015, Saudi females are still not allowed to drive, despite the fact there is no express law making it illegal. In protest this October, women in Saudi Arabia defied the de facto ban on driving by getting behind the wheel in a brave display of civil disobedience, as part of their Women2Drive [40] campaign. The move prompted threats of punishment by the government and resulted in the detention [41] of 14 women.
13. South Sudan declared a humanitarian crisis with bloody massacres, 100,000 refugees, discovery of mass graves and violent attacks on U.N peacekeepers.
Post-independence, South Sudan was stricken with internal conflict in 2013 resulting in extrajudicial killings and numerous human rights atrocities. While Sudan’s north is home to mainly Arabic-speaking Muslims, South Sudan has no dominant culture. Instead, it is home to some 200 ethnic groups, each with its own beliefs and language. In a recent spate of ethnically motivated violence between the two largest ethnic groups, the Dinkas and Nuers, security forces shot and killed more than 200 people in the capital Juba. Almost 100,000 people have been displaced as a result of the violence. In reponse, the Security Council doubled UN peacekeeping troops to bolster its mission to protect civilians. The United Nations compound was raided earlier this year killing Indian peacekeepers [42]. This week alone, the UN discovered 75 bodies in mass graves, evidence of ethnic killings taking place [43].
14. French military intervention in Mali led to catastrophic escalation of retaliatory ethnic violence fueled by poverty and famine.
The security situation in Mali made headlines in 2013 following French intervention, which arguably exacerbated conditions in the wartorn country. The ongoing armed conflict led to appalling [44] human rights violations fraught with a lack of government accountability. In June, UN investigation revealed countless cases of extrajudicial executions, torture and enforced disappearances of civilians carried out by both Tuareg rebels and the army. Soldiers were accused of torturing Tuaregs while French-led forces attempted to oust Islamist [45] militants. The precarious situation was further aggravated by pervasive food insecurity and extreme poverty [46] throughout Africa’s Sahel region, which stretches from the Atlantic Ocean to the Red Sea.
Links:
[1] http://alternet.org
[2] http://www.alternet.org/authors/jodie-gummow
[3] http://www.alternet.org/big-backlash-bangladesh-workers-escalate-demands-better-working-conditions
[4] http://www.bangladeshaccord.org/
[5] http://www.hrw.org/news/2013/07/03/egypt-epidemic-sexual-violence
[6] http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VZmdhwd3axw
[7] http://www.hrw.org/news/2013/08/19/egypt-security-forces-used-excessive-lethal-force
[8] http://www.hrw.org/news/2013/04/22/burma-end-ethnic-cleansing-rohingya-muslims
[9] http://www.hrw.org/node/114882
[10] http://www.aljazeera.com/indepth/features/2012/08/201288114724103607.html
[11] http://www.nytimes.com/2013/09/18/world/europe/un-panel-urges-action-on-north-korean-rights-abuses.html
[12] http://townhall.com/tipsheet/danieldoherty/2013/09/18/nyt-human-rights-violations-in-north-korea-are-largescale-and-shocking-n1703462
[13] http://www.news.com.au/world/how-to-avoid-ending-up-in-front-of-the-firing-squad-in-north-korea/story-fndir2ev-1226707448497
[14] http://gawker.com/kim-jong-un-executed-uncle-after-violent-clash-over-cl-1489077656
[15] http://www.usatoday.com/story/news/world/2013/08/29/newser-kim-jong-un-girlfriend/2726081/
[16] http://www.spiegel.de/international/world/syrian-chemical-weapons-attack-western-intervention-draws-nearer-a-918667.html
[17] http://www.opcw.org/
[18] http://www.care2.com/causes/a-year-in-the-united-states-8-amazing-lgbt-rights-moments-from-2013.html
[19] http://www.theguardian.com/world/2013/dec/20/uganda-anti-gay-law-life-imprisonment
[20] http://world.time.com/2013/12/11/homosexuality-is-criminal-again-as-indias-top-court-reinstates-ban/
[21] http://www.dnaindia.com/india/report-criminalising-homosexuality-unconstitutional-gay-right-activist-to-supreme-court-1940135
[22] http://www.cbsnews.com/news/russian-anti-gay-bill-passes-protesters-detained/
[23] http://voices.yahoo.com/the-enemy-turkey-back-islam-1792501.html?cat=9
[24] http://www.amnesty.org/en/news/turkey-accused-gross-human-rights-violations-gezi-park-protests-2013-10-02
[25] http://www.israelnationalnews.com/News/News.aspx/172440#.Urod1GRDucc
[26] http://www.ituc-csi.org
[27] http://www.theguardian.com/global-development/2013/sep/26/qatar-world-cup-migrant-workers-dead
[28] http://disabilitynewsservice.com/2013/07/no-ban-on-forced-sterilisation-in-australia/
[29] http://www.smh.com.au/comment/protect-rights-of-women-girls-with-disabilities-20130328-2gx25.html
[30] http://america.aljazeera.com/articles/2013/12/8/afghan-law-barringviolenceagainstwomenstallsunsays.html
[31] http://www.theguardian.com/world/2013/nov/28/stoning-not-brought-back-afghan-president-karzai
[32] http://www.hrw.org/news/2013/12/11/afghanistan-women-betrayed
[33] http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/07/08/us-troop-withdrawal-from-afghanistan_n_3564139.html
[34] http://www.afghanistan-analysts.org/dismantling-human-rights-in-afghanistan-the-aihrc-facing-a-possible-downgrading-of-status
[35] http://www.dailynewsegypt.com/2013/11/02/israels-mistreatment-of-palestinian-children-continues/
[36] http://mondoweiss.net/2013/11/discusses-palestinian-ukrainian.html
[37] http://www.alhaq.org/documentation/weekly-focuses/761-14-year-old-palestinian-girl-dies-en-route-to-hospital-after-delays-at-checkpoint
[38] http://www.presstv.ir/detail/2013/12/26/341963/2013-worst-human-rights-year-for-saudis/
[39] http://www.pbs.org/newshour/rundown/2011/09/saudi-arabia-women-vote.html
[40] https://informationactivism.org/en/women2drive-campaign
[41] http://www.haaretz.com/news/middle-east/1.554642
[42] http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-africa-25456862
[43] http://www.cbsnews.com/news/south-sudan-violence-un-says-75-bodies-found-in-mass-grave/
[44] http://www.amnesty.org/en/news/serious-human-rights-abuses-pervade-mali-five-months-after-french-intervention-2013-06-07
[45] http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-africa-22811108
[46] http://www.un.org/apps/news/infocusRel.asp?infocusID=150&Body=+Mali+&Body1=
[47] http://www.alternet.org/tags/human-rights-violations
[48] http://www.alternet.org/tags/justice-0
[49] http://www.alternet.org/tags/civil-rights
[50] http://www.alternet.org/%2Bnew_src%2B
War is Disaster Capitalism…
The following is an excerpt from TomDispatch discussing America’s never-ending war and the propaganda used to keep the citizens complacent. When can we end this??
Consider one more definition of war: not as politics or even as commerce, but as societal catastrophe. Thinking this way, we can apply Naomi Klein’s concepts of the “shock doctrine” and “disaster capitalism” to it. When such disasters occur, there are always those who seek to turn a profit.
Most Americans are, however, discouraged from thinking about war this way thanks to the power of what we call “patriotism” or, at an extreme, “superpatriotism” when it applies to us, and the significantly more negative “nationalism” or “ultra-nationalism” when it appears in other countries. During wars, we’re told to “support our troops,” to wave the flag, to put country first, to respect the patriotic ideal of selfless service and redemptive sacrifice (even if all but 1% of us are never expected to serve or sacrifice).
We’re discouraged from reflecting on the uncomfortable fact that, as “our” troops sacrifice and suffer, others in society are profiting big time. Such thoughts are considered unseemly and unpatriotic. Pay no attention to the war profiteers, who pass as perfectly respectable companies. After all, any price is worth paying (or profits worth offering up) to contain the enemy—not so long ago, the red menace, but in the twenty-first century, the murderous terrorist.
Forever war is forever profitable. Think of the Lockheed Martins of the world. In their commerce with the Pentagon, as well as the militaries of other nations, they ultimately seek cash payment for their weapons and a world in which such weaponry will be eternally needed. In the pursuit of security or victory, political leaders willingly pay their price. Full article on Truthdig –> here.
Some Random Thoughts on the State of the World…
I’ve had a hard time keeping up with my blogging as this time of year does not lend itself to my desire to write. I have, however, stayed tuned in and awake. I have often been very discouraged with the state of affairs of the world and sometimes it makes you want to throw in the towel.
We have things like the government shutdown and the last minute aversion of the debt ceiling crisis caused by a small minority of an elected government that no longer represents the people. We have the continuous diminishing reputation of the United States in the eyes of everyone living outside of the U.S.. We have a sickeningly high rate of poverty for such a wealthy nation and the division of income continues to widen between the one percent and the rest of us. Throw in U.S. foreign policy and America’s Perpetual War Machine and one may start losing hope. The underfunding of education and the cold, callous attitude toward a decent healthcare system are difficult pills to swallow. Finally, from an environmental standpoint, we are truly obliterating our planet for the sake of the almighty dollar. Yes…it is a sad state of affairs.
I find myself reading a lot about different things and how people are dealing with the state of the world. I recently read the book “The Man Who Quit Money”, by Mark Sundeen. His book tells the story of Daniel Suelo who has mostly turned his back on the capitalist society in which we live. He looks at the world through a different and refreshing lens. For those that haven’t read it, I encourage you to give it a go and while you may not agree with everything he says, he may just make you look at the world a little bit differently.
Currently I am reading “Thank You For Your Service” by David Finkel. He was imbedded with the men of the 2-I6 infantry battalion and has followed the same group home and writes about the struggles of the soldiers and their families with PTSD and the life-changing events of war. It is gripping, sad and it makes you very angry when you realize that these men and women are casualties of a war fought by the poor for the benefit of the rich.
Another book I read in the past few months was “Dirty Wars: The World is a Battlefield”, by Jeremy Scahill. He sheds considerable light onto the events that led the U.S. into Afghanistan and Iraq (and it isn’t all about 9/11). Dick Cheney (who is rightfully vilified in the book) and Donald Rumsfeld led the U.S. down a dark path into a morally bankrupt, corrupt, and perverted global war on “terror”. I very highly recommend this book as Scahill tracks the war all across the globe.
Okay so I have likely ranted enough for one sitting, but I have one more thing to add and it made me want to take the blue pill from Morpheus. I finally got around to watching the documentary “Gasland”…and it made me very sad and angry. What kind of world are we leaving for future generations? Fracking may the worst of all of the horrible environmental disasters man is creating in the world. It is the worst because it affects the one major staple of life: water. When people are lighting their taps, something is very wrong. How can we sit by and let this happen?
I still hold out hope that people will change. Most people are good at heart but simply do not know what is happening in the world around them. We must diligently make them aware and wake them because at this point in the game the stakes are too high not to.
Setting It Straight…
I thought this perfect. This matches my own thoughts exactly.
Why is America Passive?
It is something I have rambled on about before…why is America so passive? It seems as though the rest of the world is getting into the streets protesting the injustices that be…but not America. Is it because Americans live in the blissful land of cognitive dissonance or was there just a shortage of red pills so most people took the blue pill?
RJ Eskow has an article on Alternet that questions this very idea. Think about it…we have a very low voter turnout for a developed nation and yet have one of the highest levels of income inequality in the world. Yet…we stand by and watch this happen as our civil rights are slowly and methodically stripped away. We whine and complain about all of the wrong things…we need to start holding elected officials responsible for their actions – and to do that we have to pay attention to what they are doing. We have let ourselves become so far removed from things that really matter that we have lost sight of them. Eskow’s article:
Why Are Americans So Passive?
July 12, 2013 |From the first breaths of life to the last, our lives are being stolen out from under us. From infant care and early education to Social Security and Medicare, the dominant economic ideology is demanding more lifelong sacrifices from the vulnerable to appease the gods of wealth.
Middle-class wages are stagnant. Unemployment is stalled at record levels. College education is leading to debt servitude and job insecurity. Millions of unemployed Americans have essentially been abandoned by their government. Poverty is soaring. Bankers break the law with impunity, are bailed out, and go on breaking the law, richer than they were before.
And yet, bizarrely, the only Americans who seem to be seething with anger are the beneficiaries of this economic injustice – the wealthiest and most privileged among us. But those who are suffering seem strangely passive.
As long as they stay that way, there will be no movement to repair these injustices. And the more these injustices are allowed to persist, the harder it will be to end them.
Where the hell is the outrage? And how can we start some?
John and Paul
Paul Krugman[3] ruminated about inflation-free unemployment the other day, and he was feeling pretty grim. Krugman is frustrated that clear prescriptions for this kind of economy – prescriptions born in John Maynard Keynes’ day – aren’t being followed. What John proposed then, Paul’s proposing now.
But he’s not optimistic. “We can probably have high unemployment and stable prices in Europe and America for a very long time,” writes Krugman, “and all the wise heads will insist that it’s all structural, and nothing can be done until the public accepts drastic cuts in the safety net.”
One source for Krugman’s pessimism is the extensive political science research showing that “the level of unemployment matters hardly at all for elections; all that matters is the rate of change in the months leading up to the election.”
Krugman concludes that “high unemployment could become accepted as the new normal,” and worries that we’ll come to accept “a more or less permanent depression” as the norm – adding that “we could suffer endless, gratuitous suffering, yet the political and policy elite would feel no need to change its ways.”
thejumbledmind 