GREAT ENERGY FLOW RANT

I recall that the depression ended not by Roosevelt's New Deal programs but by armaments factories and soldiers in uniform. The 50s needed Korean war to boost growth, jump start Japanese economy post ww2. Vietnam war got inflation going. Military adventurism is economic stimulus and jobs program for lower classes. Debt based installment purchases of homes, furniture, appliances assure factory orders. Since ca. 1970 incomes inflation adjusted have stagnated so consumer debt has exploded to maintain same lifestyle expected in 50s. Also social engineering means many are subsidized in certain ways individually and banks get low interest money for corporations to buy back stock or invest in job reducing automation. Military spending, parallel to social spending, remains key post ww2 pillar of economic stability. GDP numbers must be positive. Stock market must grow, corporate numbers have to look good. We read of similar economic engineering in China to maintain 7% GDP numbers since 1979. A left wing backlash by millenial generation is normal as GINI coefficient, income/power differential has deteriorated. Gates, Buffett, Bezos have as muchwealth as half the country. Nationalize internet utilities, introduce Universal Basic Income will be talking points. But military and installment debt consumerism and social programs(most people get some payments, pensions, disability, foid stamps, unemploymet, student loans with govt. guarantee) plus TBTF for megabanks ensure that industrial society does not crash like in 1870s-1890s. Essentially such massive growth in population and living standards is highly abnormal historically. Most bought stuff is discarded quickly,mreplaced, not repaired. Unused fighter jets rust in southwest desert at millions USD each. We bomb dozens of countries to create jobs at home, profits, trash environment, burden ourselves with debt. 

So although we could acheive a power rollback of rich through tax increases, infrastructure investment, TBTF banks getting broken up, military draw down from abroad(defense alone for say 100 billion stopping at coast line), eliminate trade deficit we would be left with civilizational development problem, late stage, like in Rome, of power concentration, corruption. We are perhaps att stage where Caesar seized power. Republicanismis now a fig leaf. GWB showed this clearly. We are one crisis, debt, military from a suspension of rule of law. Grassroots organizations are too late for this society. Whoever rules in congress(say 100% leftwing isolationists) would have no real say over military, CIA, FBI, big banks, corporate America. The monster has outrown democratic control. That is a polite facade for real power.