First of all, I am not referring to you personally.
I didn’t think so. I guess you were just trying to explain the sentiment.
I just filled up my car today and paid an eye-watering amount. I didn’t vote for that, neither did several hundred million of us.
I think you place too much power on liberal democracy. The American working class feels your same exact feelings; the only difference being that they have to reflect on the uselessness of their vote.
My worry for Europe (and Australia as you mention) is that once Trump is gone, the aesthetic repulsion to Trump goes with it. That many governments will be happy to rejoin America in it’s crimes across the world. Just as long as the gas prices drop.
It’s why I try to talk about fascism more generally. It’s not something that goes away when Trump does and it’s not unique to America. I think a lot of Europe thinks we can “go back to normal”. When in America, it’s very clear, even to the wine mom’s, that there is no fixing this without a massive change. They may not know exactly what that change is. But if the socialist do not take power here in America; I do not see a path away from fascism remaining in America and spreading to Europe.
We need comrades in Europe to understand that their liberal democracies will not protect them. And any resistance to American Fascism in Europe strengthens our resistance here.
We can’t fix this by being frustrated with individuals. We must be critical and ruthless to systems. But we must be understanding and cooperate with individuals that have the same material goals.
It’s the “at the gas pump” frustration. The delusion that someone in Europe feels helpless but someone in American is somehow in control. Again, this is a conflict of class, it’s not really a struggle between nations.
I do understand that the capitalist system is broke. We see it too in our own countries, but you are certainly downplaying the US role in this catastrophe. You really need to stop telling us to put out that cigarette when America is the primary culprit in spraying gasoline over everyone.
In our countries we can reasonably dump a bad leader, and we do on the regular. But you guys?? Plus, even our evil pricks understand that the elections are fair so they have at least play a level of persuasion. That is the tricky bit - on a level playing ground it is quite difficult to go the full fascist. Ask Italy and France who are always just about to elect someone like Trump, but never quite manage to.
I do appreciate the “we’re all in this together guys”, vibe, but you and us are still leagues apart. It’s for this reason nobody is buying that argument. I needn’t tell you that Europe and most of Asia are crab walking away. If you think that makes me happy think again. You are making all this a gift to China who looks serious, reasonable and sensible by comparison.
I think our fundamental disagreement is that you believe that liberal democracy, specifically the flavor of it in America, actually results in the will of the people being enacted.
That’s not how it works in America. The candidates on the ballot (especially the president) are pre approved choices from our ruling class. The only “democracy” that exists here is that of the class with wealth and power.
You are witnessing a democracy of the ruling class, that spends it’s money for their preferred candidate for their preferred capitalist interest. Once the ballot is in the hands of the average American they are only choosing between the interest of one member of the ruling class over another member.
There was no choice for “don’t bomb Gaza” on the ballot. You can be frustrated with the lack of direct action from Americans. I am as well. But, then you’d also have to be frustrated with that same lack of direct action from Europeans. Which is really what I’m trying to push. The importance of direct action and the hopelessness you will feel when the uselessness of your liberal democracy is exposed and your state turns to facism.
I didn’t think so. I guess you were just trying to explain the sentiment.
I think you place too much power on liberal democracy. The American working class feels your same exact feelings; the only difference being that they have to reflect on the uselessness of their vote.
My worry for Europe (and Australia as you mention) is that once Trump is gone, the aesthetic repulsion to Trump goes with it. That many governments will be happy to rejoin America in it’s crimes across the world. Just as long as the gas prices drop.
It’s why I try to talk about fascism more generally. It’s not something that goes away when Trump does and it’s not unique to America. I think a lot of Europe thinks we can “go back to normal”. When in America, it’s very clear, even to the wine mom’s, that there is no fixing this without a massive change. They may not know exactly what that change is. But if the socialist do not take power here in America; I do not see a path away from fascism remaining in America and spreading to Europe.
We need comrades in Europe to understand that their liberal democracies will not protect them. And any resistance to American Fascism in Europe strengthens our resistance here.
We can’t fix this by being frustrated with individuals. We must be critical and ruthless to systems. But we must be understanding and cooperate with individuals that have the same material goals.
It’s the “at the gas pump” frustration. The delusion that someone in Europe feels helpless but someone in American is somehow in control. Again, this is a conflict of class, it’s not really a struggle between nations.
I do understand that the capitalist system is broke. We see it too in our own countries, but you are certainly downplaying the US role in this catastrophe. You really need to stop telling us to put out that cigarette when America is the primary culprit in spraying gasoline over everyone.
In our countries we can reasonably dump a bad leader, and we do on the regular. But you guys?? Plus, even our evil pricks understand that the elections are fair so they have at least play a level of persuasion. That is the tricky bit - on a level playing ground it is quite difficult to go the full fascist. Ask Italy and France who are always just about to elect someone like Trump, but never quite manage to.
I do appreciate the “we’re all in this together guys”, vibe, but you and us are still leagues apart. It’s for this reason nobody is buying that argument. I needn’t tell you that Europe and most of Asia are crab walking away. If you think that makes me happy think again. You are making all this a gift to China who looks serious, reasonable and sensible by comparison.
I think our fundamental disagreement is that you believe that liberal democracy, specifically the flavor of it in America, actually results in the will of the people being enacted.
That’s not how it works in America. The candidates on the ballot (especially the president) are pre approved choices from our ruling class. The only “democracy” that exists here is that of the class with wealth and power.
You are witnessing a democracy of the ruling class, that spends it’s money for their preferred candidate for their preferred capitalist interest. Once the ballot is in the hands of the average American they are only choosing between the interest of one member of the ruling class over another member.
There was no choice for “don’t bomb Gaza” on the ballot. You can be frustrated with the lack of direct action from Americans. I am as well. But, then you’d also have to be frustrated with that same lack of direct action from Europeans. Which is really what I’m trying to push. The importance of direct action and the hopelessness you will feel when the uselessness of your liberal democracy is exposed and your state turns to facism.