Zero Sum Game

[cincinnatus]

In general, the beauty of American (and Western) governance has been the peaceful transition of power after elections. For about twenty years it seems more and more like the partisans are pulling apart to the point that at some point, you have to wonder...will we see in our lifetimes the end of that peaceful transition of power, and instead revert to politics being a zero sum game in which you win or die?

We've gone from the silly (actors and singer threatening to leave the country), to this...
http://newsbusters.org/blogs/noel-shepp ... -will-come
http://twitchy.com/2012/11/02/as-electi ... t-threats/
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/27724965/ns ... -election/
http://www.theblaze.com/stories/multipl ... -him-dead/
http://www.zombietime.com/zomblog/?p=621

or is this just a byproduct of the age of instant social media where you have to go full-Jerry Springer to get atttention?

Not too mention things like "Sovereign Man," '90s style militias, various ethnic supremacy groups, and the counter of the dangers a government going full 1984 with the Patriot Act, the NDAA, strange DHS purchases of 40 S&W HPs in the millions for "training," domestic UAVs, overseas assassinations of U.S. citizens for terrorism, etc. Strange days...

[Enki]

In general, the beauty of American (and Western) governance has been the peaceful transition of power after elections. For about twenty years it seems more and more like the partisans are pulling apart to the point that at some point, you have to wonder...will we see in our lifetimes the end of that peaceful transition of power, and instead revert to politics being a zero sum game in which you win or die?

We've gone from the silly (actors and singer threatening to leave the country), to this...
http://newsbusters.org/blogs/noel-shepp ... -will-come
http://twitchy.com/2012/11/02/as-electi ... t-threats/
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/27724965/ns ... -election/
http://www.theblaze.com/stories/multipl ... -him-dead/
http://www.zombietime.com/zomblog/?p=621

or is this just a byproduct of the age of instant social media where you have to go full-Jerry Springer to get atttention?

Not too mention things like "Sovereign Man," '90s style militias, various ethnic supremacy groups, and the counter of the dangers a government going full 1984 with the Patriot Act, the NDAA, strange DHS purchases of 40 S&W HPs in the millions for "training," domestic UAVs, overseas assassinations of U.S. citizens for terrorism, etc. Strange days...

Don't forget all the CEOs who said they will engage in mass layoffs if Obama is re-elected.

[cincinnatus]

In general, the beauty of American (and Western) governance has been the peaceful transition of power after elections. For about twenty years it seems more and more like the partisans are pulling apart to the point that at some point, you have to wonder...will we see in our lifetimes the end of that peaceful transition of power, and instead revert to politics being a zero sum game in which you win or die?

We've gone from the silly (actors and singer threatening to leave the country), to this...
http://newsbusters.org/blogs/noel-shepp ... -will-come
http://twitchy.com/2012/11/02/as-electi ... t-threats/
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/27724965/ns ... -election/
http://www.theblaze.com/stories/multipl ... -him-dead/
http://www.zombietime.com/zomblog/?p=621

or is this just a byproduct of the age of instant social media where you have to go full-Jerry Springer to get atttention?

Not too mention things like "Sovereign Man," '90s style militias, various ethnic supremacy groups, and the counter of the dangers a government going full 1984 with the Patriot Act, the NDAA, strange DHS purchases of 40 S&W HPs in the millions for "training," domestic UAVs, overseas assassinations of U.S. citizens for terrorism, etc. Strange days...

Don't forget all the CEOs who said they will engage in mass layoffs if Obama is re-elected.

Fine. But do you think it will ever be a zero sum game, or is this just the dynamic that social media adds?

[Enki]

In general, the beauty of American (and Western) governance has been the peaceful transition of power after elections. For about twenty years it seems more and more like the partisans are pulling apart to the point that at some point, you have to wonder...will we see in our lifetimes the end of that peaceful transition of power, and instead revert to politics being a zero sum game in which you win or die?

We've gone from the silly (actors and singer threatening to leave the country), to this...
http://newsbusters.org/blogs/noel-shepp ... -will-come
http://twitchy.com/2012/11/02/as-electi ... t-threats/
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/27724965/ns ... -election/
http://www.theblaze.com/stories/multipl ... -him-dead/
http://www.zombietime.com/zomblog/?p=621

or is this just a byproduct of the age of instant social media where you have to go full-Jerry Springer to get atttention?

Not too mention things like "Sovereign Man," '90s style militias, various ethnic supremacy groups, and the counter of the dangers a government going full 1984 with the Patriot Act, the NDAA, strange DHS purchases of 40 S&W HPs in the millions for "training," domestic UAVs, overseas assassinations of U.S. citizens for terrorism, etc. Strange days...

Don't forget all the CEOs who said they will engage in mass layoffs if Obama is re-elected.

Fine. But do you think it will ever be a zero sum game, or is this just the dynamic that social media adds?

I think that with 4G war I'd have to say both. Most people are chumps talking trash. But for every 100,000 chumps there is 1 maniac.

To be honest with you, I am surprised that people who didn't feel like the Occupy peacenik vibe was going to accommplish anything didn't go out and start going after bankers. After 9/11 there were murders of Muslims and Sikhs. There really isn't that much simmering or boiling despite the crazed rhetoric. If there was some bank manager in bumblefuck would have been murdered by now.

[Typhoon]

In general, the beauty of American (and Western) governance has been the peaceful transition of power after elections. For about twenty years it seems more and more like the partisans are pulling apart to the point that at some point, you have to wonder...will we see in our lifetimes the end of that peaceful transition of power, and instead revert to politics being a zero sum game in which you win or die?

We've gone from the silly (actors and singer threatening to leave the country), to this...
http://newsbusters.org/blogs/noel-shepp ... -will-come
http://twitchy.com/2012/11/02/as-electi ... t-threats/
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/27724965/ns ... -election/
http://www.theblaze.com/stories/multipl ... -him-dead/
http://www.zombietime.com/zomblog/?p=621

or is this just a byproduct of the age of instant social media where you have to go full-Jerry Springer to get atttention?

Not too mention things like "Sovereign Man," '90s style militias, various ethnic supremacy groups, and the counter of the dangers a government going full 1984 with the Patriot Act, the NDAA, strange DHS purchases of 40 S&W HPs in the millions for "training," domestic UAVs, overseas assassinations of U.S. citizens for terrorism, etc. Strange days...

Along with

https://twitter.com/rupertmurdoch/statu ... 4853012480

Well, I recently read that during the POTUS campaign of 1800,
Thomas Jefferson paid a journalist to write that his opponent, John Adams, was a mentally unbalanced hermaphrodite.
Adams, in turn, let it be known that a Jefferson victory would mean murder, rape, and robbery in the streets.

On the other hand. In the past looney tunes were relatively isolated, while today any semi-articulate conspiracy theory durian with an agenda can gain a following via the internet.

[YMix]

Let's not forget the election of 1928.

"A vote for Smith is a vote for the Pope"
"Rum, Romanism, and Ruin."
"The Pope will set up shop in the White House and annul all Protestant marriages!"

[Nonc Hilaire]

In general, the beauty of American (and Western) governance has been the peaceful transition of power after elections. For about twenty years it seems more and more like the partisans are pulling apart to the point that at some point, you have to wonder...will we see in our lifetimes the end of that peaceful transition of power, and instead revert to politics being a zero sum game in which you win or die?

I do think we will see the end of peaceful transitions of power in our lifetimes, and it will start when the dollar is displaced as the world's reserve currency.

I think the big revelation this election is that the political parties do not truly represent voters but rather function as private companies, and that they may unilaterally change their policies and regulations with a single memo from the CEO. That was revealed by the mechanics of the conventions, but it hasn't really sunk into the popular mindset yet. When it does, and the fiat dollar is no longer able to bribe the toadies and placate the disenfranchised we will see your zero-sum game start to emerge.

[cincinnatus]

I do think we will see the end of peaceful transitions of power in our lifetimes, and it will start when the dollar is displaced as the world's reserve currency.

I think the big revelation this election is that the political parties do not truly represent voters but rather function as private companies, and that they may unilaterally change their policies and regulations with a single memo from the CEO. That was revealed by the mechanics of the conventions, but it hasn't really sunk into the popular mindset yet. When it does, and the fiat dollar is no longer able to bribe the toadies and placate the disenfranchised we will see your zero-sum game start to emerge.

Far too many Americans fail to grasp what being the global reserve currency brings, and what happens when it stops...

[Ibrahim]

I don't think there is any danger of this yet, its just a lot of tweeting and posting by right-wing gun nuts and left-wing student radicals about what "could" happen if so-and-so wins. Its all talk, and fringe talk at that. People can't even get their act together to "move to Canada/Australia" after their guy loses, they aren't going to start shooting people.

I think there is danger for political violence in the US, but it not tied to the partisan political system or election cycles. It would be more like an OWS situation, where the mob is trying to attack the NYSE, and the cops end up shooting at the mob, or shrugging and letting them lynch the traders. Something like that.

I think if a US President tried to subvert the handover of power after an election he would be torn to pieces.

[Enki]

I think it is more likely going to look like rioting citizens. Maybe bar brawls and the like. But with a militarized police they will become bigger than otherwise.

Early voting in North Carolina bears out what sort of incivility we can expect.

[Hoosiernorm]

Let's not forget the election of 1928.

"A vote for Smith is a vote for the Pope"
"Rum, Romanism, and Ruin."
"The Pope will set up shop in the White House and annul all Protestant marriages!"

[monster_gardener]

Let's not forget the election of 1928.

"A vote for Smith is a vote for the Pope"
"Rum, Romanism, and Ruin."
"The Pope will set up shop in the White House and annul all Protestant marriages!"

Thank you VERY Much for your post, HoosierNorm

Amazing how times change........

Smith almost looks like a Super Hero......

Light Wines and Beer!

Or maybe a Stupor Hero ........

Maybe a cross between Battle Pope & Budman...........

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_Pope

Bud Man is an advertising character for Budweiser beer. He is a superhero and appears on many products aimed at coeds on University campuses. Bud Man was developed with The Kincaid Karacter Company. He also inspired Duffman, a character on The Simpsons.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bud_Man

http://www.budmanshop.com/bmansharkpic.jpg

[Enki]

I think it should be pointed out that thurs is already the state in America. It is just that the Republicans and Democrats are on the save side. Jill Stein was arrested for attending a debate. No mainstream news source reported on the third party Presidential debates. We have three activists from Seattle in prison for refusing to testify against their friends to a grand jury. The Tea Party protests Benghazi in Ohio while the eastern seaboard is devastated. It is already like this. The paramilitary police beat and kill people daily.

[Typhoon]

I do think we will see the end of peaceful transitions of power in our lifetimes, and it will start when the dollar is displaced as the world's reserve currency.

I think the big revelation this election is that the political parties do not truly represent voters but rather function as private companies, and that they may unilaterally change their policies and regulations with a single memo from the CEO. That was revealed by the mechanics of the conventions, but it hasn't really sunk into the popular mindset yet. When it does, and the fiat dollar is no longer able to bribe the toadies and placate the disenfranchised we will see your zero-sum game start to emerge.

Far too many Americans fail to grasp what being the global reserve currency brings, and what happens when it stops...

Have to wonder what it would take to end the status of the US dollar as the global reserve currency.

The world has been piling into US govt bonds which pay an effective negative rate of interest - less than inflation.

In other words, the world is happy to pay for presumed security.

My guess is that this loss of status might occur if that US debt became so large that the interest could not be paid through taxation, but only through printing money -
the US govt bonds and dollar would no longer be backed by the US economy.

[Enki]

The rise of digital currencies will change the dynamic of currency,, but seeing how that wil work out will take a century. The dollar won't fall as much as it will evolve.

[Nonc Hilaire]

My guess is that this loss of status might occur if that US debt became so large that the interest could not be paid through taxation, but only through printing money -
the US govt bonds and dollar would no longer be backed by the US economy.

This has been happening for several years. Federal Reserve bonds are primarily bought by the U.S. Treasury, not by other entities. That is printing money.

Now we have pressure to repatriate and physically audit foreign gold reserves. This is evidence the U.S. economy is no longer trusted by sovereigns, including Germany.

I expect some interesting action after the election.

[Enki]

My guess is that this loss of status might occur if that US debt became so large that the interest could not be paid through taxation, but only through printing money -
the US govt bonds and dollar would no longer be backed by the US economy.

This has been happening for several years. Federal Reserve bonds are primarily bought by the U.S. Treasury, not by other entities. That is printing money.

Now we have pressure to repatriate and physically audit foreign gold reserves. This is evidence the U.S. economy is no longer trusted by sovereigns, including Germany.

I expect some interesting action after the election.

It's probably more that they trust themselves more than they used to. One of the things about American decline is that it's not as much decline as it is everyone else rising. In absolute terms we are still powerful by every measure. In relative terms, we are less powerful than we were. I like to use the example of England. England is more powerful today than it was at the height of the British Empire. That's kind of where it's going. The American ego will take a hit when it becomes a nation among many rather than the first among equals.

Gold = power, but many nations didn't trust their own kleptocracies to maintain their gold, so they put it here. Now we are less trustworthy and they trust their own stability more. We will see a greater distribution of wealth. We are seeing the costs to the American people as wages decrease here. But at a certain point of development there will no longer be developing nations, only developed nations. The developing nations will leap-frog the whole industrial era phase to the information age. 100 years from now there won't be a single nation that is not a part of the global communications sphere and the economy will be complex on an order that makes today's economy seem quaint by comparison.

[Mr. Perfect]

It's probably more that they trust themselves more than they used to. One of the things about American decline is that it's not as much decline as it is everyone else rising. In absolute terms we are still powerful by every measure. In relative terms, we are less powerful than we were. I like to use the example of England. England is more powerful today than it was at the height of the British Empire. That's kind of where it's going. The American ego will take a hit when it becomes a nation among many rather than the first among equals.

Europe is going bankrupt with a few exceptions.

Gold = power, but many nations didn't trust their own kleptocracies to maintain their gold, so they put it here. Now we are less trustworthy and they trust their own stability more. We will see a greater distribution of wealth. We are seeing the costs to the American people as wages decrease here. But at a certain point of development there will no longer be developing nations, only developed nations. The developing nations will leap-frog the whole industrial era phase to the information age. 100 years from now there won't be a single nation that is not a part of the global communications sphere and the economy will be complex on an order that makes today's economy seem quaint by comparison.

China and India have been slowing down, with per capita gdp approx $8,500 and $3,700 respectively, widely undistributed.

[Hoosiernorm]

I think it should be pointed out that thurs is already the state in America. It is just that the Republicans and Democrats are on the save side. Jill Stein was arrested for attending a debate. No mainstream news source reported on the third party Presidential debates. We have three activists from Seattle in prison for refusing to testify against their friends to a grand jury. The Tea Party protests Benghazi in Ohio while the eastern seaboard is devastated. It is already like this. The paramilitary police beat and kill people daily.

I hate those guys


Unless I need them to give me free gas and food and stuff though.

[noddy]

I do think we will see the end of peaceful transitions of power in our lifetimes, and it will start when the dollar is displaced as the world's reserve currency.

I think the big revelation this election is that the political parties do not truly represent voters but rather function as private companies, and that they may unilaterally change their policies and regulations with a single memo from the CEO. That was revealed by the mechanics of the conventions, but it hasn't really sunk into the popular mindset yet. When it does, and the fiat dollar is no longer able to bribe the toadies and placate the disenfranchised we will see your zero-sum game start to emerge.

Far too many Americans fail to grasp what being the global reserve currency brings, and what happens when it stops...

+1

[Ibrahim]

I think it should be pointed out that thurs is already the state in America. It is just that the Republicans and Democrats are on the save side. Jill Stein was arrested for attending a debate. No mainstream news source reported on the third party Presidential debates. We have three activists from Seattle in prison for refusing to testify against their friends to a grand jury. The Tea Party protests Benghazi in Ohio while the eastern seaboard is devastated. It is already like this. The paramilitary police beat and kill people daily.

I hate those guys


Unless I need them to give me free gas and food and stuff though.

People typically respond favorably to hurricane relief, and unfavorably to being beaten and tear gassed. Does this represent some kind of psychological disconnect? Perhaps moreso for the people doing the relief/beatings than for the population at large.

[Parodite]

Dogmatisches Denken über die Rolle der Regierung bedeutet, dass es nicht mehr tut, was es tun sollte. In diesem Durcheinander der starken Führer wird immer entstehen, denn dies ist, was soziale Überleben benötigt.

(Dogmatic thinking about the role of government means that it no longer does what it was supposed to do. In this mess the strong leader will always emerge, because this is what social survival requires.)