By Victor Rosenthal
I think the USA today is facing a crisis matched only by those that took place at the time of the Civil War and the period of the Great Depression and WWII. Those events led to big changes in the nature of the Republic, and I see that happening again. Radical change is coming. But what form will it take? A couple of weeks ago I wrote a post about the French Revolution. I suppose I was “triggered” by the rhetoric coming from the Left in the US, and especially old friends who seemed to think that if the coming election did not go the way they hoped, they would support (they are in general too old to participate in) a violent change of the government. I made two main points: 1) that revolutions are often bloody beyond belief, and 2) the ones who come out on top are usually not the ones with the most liberal ideas, but those that are the most ruthless and brutal in the use of force.
During the French Revolution, heads rolled like Bocce balls (or the French equivalent thereof). Today the guillotine is the subject of humorous cartoons, but its heyday wasn’t called “The Terror” for nothing. And the Russian Revolution of 1917 ushered in a vicious civil war (and foreign intervention) resulting in 7-10 million casualties, most of whom were civilians. Neither revolution produced a liberal regime: the French got a dictatorship imposed by Napoleon, benevolent as it may have been, and the Russians got one of the most murderous regimes in recent history.
There are also radical changes of the form of government that are usually not called “revolutions,” but which have revolutionary consequences. I’m thinking of the accession of Hitler to power in 1933, and the collapse of the Soviet Union that culminated in 1991. Neither of these events was bloody in comparison to the revolutions of 1789 and 1917, although of course the consequences of Hitler’s rise were disastrous.
Again, few such changes usher in liberal regimes. A radical change, whether revolutionary or not, usually has precursors like military defeats; economic crises; weak, corrupt, or incompetent governments; inability to effect an orderly change; or all of the above. They are often associated with foreign interventions, overt or covert. What else can we say about such changes? One is that the successful claimant of power does not need a majority of the population, but it does need an organized, disciplined faction. And what comes out of the process may be very surprising to its supporters.
When the Shah of Iran, cancer-ridden and almost unable to function, was overthrown by a broad coalition including liberals, leftists, and of course Islamists, the leader of the Islamists, Ruhollah Khomeini, “presented himself as a moderate able to bring together all the different factions leading the revolution.” That isn’t how it turned out, to say the least. I believe that today the USA is a candidate for a radical change away from the republic that was created when its constitution became effective in 1789, and which gradually evolved into what it is today.Consider the conditions that hold today:
- The present government is weak, incompetent, and corrupt.
- There is very low confidence in the integrity of the electoral system.
- There is very low confidence in the media, the police, the health-care system, the educational system, and other institutions.
- Both presidential candidates are suffering from diminished mental capacity due to age-related deterioration, and are unlikely to be capable of functioning effectively in the future.
- An uncontrolled epidemic will get worse before it gets better, and the effects on the economy will become far worse. The lower and middle classes will be hurt the most.
- Political polarization is as bad or worse than it’s ever been, and media compartmentalization (“bubbles”) ensure that it will only become deeper. Irrational conspiracy theories are popular.
- A large segment of society believes that the nation is irremediably unjust, and the only remedy is to destroy it and rebuild it from the ground up. This includes rejection of the traditional values of free expression, meritocracy, and equality of opportunity, and their replacement by racial identity politics.
- Foreign elements have been waging psychological warfare against the US for some time, but social media has multiplied its effectiveness many times over. The intent is to intensify internal divisions and to create strife by encouraging extremism on both sides.
- The US has still not come to terms with the attack perpetrated against it on 9/11, and its military – which is too powerful to be defeated in traditional terms – has been unable to achieve its objectives since then.
The circumstances above will continue to destroy trust in the national project; the well-known words of President Kennedy (“Ask not…”) are less descriptive of the national mood today than at any time since he spoke them in 1961. Radical change in the US is more likely to resemble the collapse of the Soviet Union than the French or Russian revolutions. I expect that the instability that will be brought to the boiling point by the election will take the form of localities, possibly even whole states, which declare themselves not subject to the authority of the central government, whose president they find unacceptable. We have already seen a small-scale and very childish attempt at local autonomy by the Left in Seattle, but it’s easy to envision more serious secessions. Some will provoke state or federal intervention, but in most cases authorities will choose negotiation and compromise over intervention in order to prevent bloodshed.
If Mr. Biden nominally wins the election (I view this outcome as somewhat more probable), he is unlikely to be more than a figurehead. Although Biden himself is considered a moderate, power in the new administration will be in the hands of the more radical former Obama Administration officials – the “Obamists” – who have been waiting in the wings since 2016, and who will be advisors to and appointees of the new “president.” His vice president will be particularly important, and the choice will be an early indication of the direction that his administration will take. I expect that it will be someone close to the former president.
An Obamist administration will try to cement its control by continuing the process of tuning the educational system to inculcate “progressive” values from the earliest age; it will encourage immigration and naturalization of Muslims and others that will be likely to become reliable supporters; it will ally itself with the Black Lives Matter movement, and it will adopt “progressive” policies on issues like abortion, transgender rights, diversity, and other issues that will alienate the socially conservative segment of the population. It will lean toward identity politics.
If President Trump is re-elected, he will likely continue to try to hold the reins himself, although he will be strongly influenced by his advisors. There is the possibility of opportunists taking advantage of their closeness to the President to push personal agendas. I expect Trump himself to become less capable of holding onto control as time goes by. I also expect that the Obamists will take off the gloves and foment widespread unrest in an attempt to weaken him. Trump will find himself under fire from day one, and be forced to resort to more and more aggressive policies to keep order, which of course will be used by his enemies to paint him as a dangerous totalitarian. Popular right-wing opposition to a Biden Administration would be strong, but I think the Obamists are better organized and very well-funded.
Neither administration will be able to bring the sides together, especially since the factors contributing to the present instability are unlikely to disappear. In either case, ideological fragmentation will lead to physical fragmentation of the nation – which will be aggressively encouraged by the foreign bots and social media farms.The roots of the present situation are firmly planted in the 1960s. Democrats and Republicans are both to blame, but it is the apolitical Corona that is going to push the nation off the cliff.
@ Bear Klein:
Bear,
I live in Oregon; so you can be sure I have been following events here and in Washington State pretty closely. Yes, the 200-or-so hoodie goons rioted Saturday night; and yes, they have been disgracefully attacking our citizens, especially our elderly; but on the same day they carried out their USUAL mayhem, 2000-4000 Christians from the Northwest were enthusiastically praising God only blocks away from where the rowdies later rioted.
The latter is definitely news, very good news for my state, my region and my country; the former is not news at all: The radicals have been at this game for months now; and their numbers are dwindling as they make more and more people disgusted with them. On Sunday and Monday, the Christians had similar success in Seattle, right in the “CHOP” district that the radicals recently abandoned.
These two states have been under the iron boot of Democrat politicians for decades. This year, I think the donkeys will see a reversal. Here in Oregon, especially, long-time fixture Pete DeFazio of the Fourth Congressional District faces a challenge from Alek Skarlatos — a young, popular Oregon National Guardsman who led a small, courageous group of men in 2015 to personally thwart a terrorist attack on a train in Paris. I’m rooting for Alek, even more than for Donald Trump.
Meanwhile, Sleepy Joe Biden has just chosen a woman as his VP candidate, who absolutely despises him. I seriously doubt that Joe actually chose her; it is more likely that her Communist friends plan to run the show after Joe either dies or is declared incompetent. President Trump said Kamala’s choice was his own favorite choice of someone to run against.
I am personally thrilled to see the spirit-filled outpourings we have just witnessed here in the Northwest. The political turn of events is just frosting on the cake.
As of two days ago.
Seattle Defunded 100 police officers. The battle for America is ongoing. Yes some patriotic Americans are finally starting to react to those wanting to overthrow its way of life. People should not fool themselves this is an ongoing battle. In colleges professors must speak in favor of BLM or risk harassment or being fired.
@ Bear Klein:
Bear, Antifa and BLM are losing. Little old ladies are making fools of them. I have already posted about large Christian concerts in supposedly “enemy-held” parts of Portland and Seattle Saturday & Sunday. Here’s Monday’s installment:
https://opentheword.org/2020/08/11/is-there-a-spiritual-battle-raging-over-seattle/
Even a Satanist cult showed up to disrupt them; demonstrators came wielding knives to stop them; but the people kept on praising God. They will not be stopped.
If the government does not stop these violent radicals, US Citizens who value freedom and democracy will need to do so. The Dem party is defacto supporting these radicals. This a real danger to the way of life and democracy in the USA. BLM and Antifa appear to be allies in trying to overturn the US free enterprise system and democracy.
@ Bear Klein:
No, Bear. It means you used to beat your wife. Have you stopped doing that?
@ Michael S:
Does that mean you are a Commie Supporter in the USA??? Kindly clarify.
@ Bear Klein:
“Will in the future shootings start to get rid of the “Commies?”
The anarchists certainly hope so. I don’t.
Cropping up in various spots across the USA are now counter protestors to Antifa & BLM. Pro Police protestors. In Ft. Collins Colorado there was a few minute Brawl between the two groups.
See Video of Brawl as Pro Blue drove out Antifa and cops arrested a few people.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Wl2Q6FQOgmA
Will in the future shootings start to get rid of the “Commies?
@ Adam Dalgliesh:
Hi, Adam
I have bookmarked the New York Post, because it generally gives more balanced reporting than the notorious NYT. Even so, this article reports ZIP about the peaceful, joyous concerts in Portland and Seattle that drew ten times the number of people than the relatively small goon events in those cities.
Frankly, I am sad to say that reports of multiple murders and other atrocities in places like Chicago are not actually “news”. These things have been happening in that city for several years, without letup. Seeing thousands of people coming out en masse not to protest or riot, but to praise the God of Israel, IS news; but it is not being reported by the news.
This is from the new York Post, today ( Monday,August 10).
“Looters, vandals sweep through Chicago’s Magnificent Mile after police shooting
By Yaron Steinbuch
About 100 people were arrested in Chicago and 13 police officers were injured during a night of looting and vandalism — hours after cops shot a young man who had fired at them, according to reports.
The mayhem began about 2:30 p.m. Sunday, when cops responded to reports of a man with a gun in the Englewood neighborhood on the South Side and located a person who fit the description near Moran Park, the Chicago Tribune reported.
While running away from police, the suspect turned around and fired at them. The officers returned fire, wounding the gunman, who was transported to University of Chicago Hospital in unknown condition, according to the newspaper.
Police Superintendent David Brown said during a press briefing Monday that the looting was sparked as a result of misinformation that cops had shot and wounded a child, WGN reported.
A cyclist recorded the scene as he rode through the chaos of looting in Chicago
The 20-year-old man who was shot is expected to survive, said Brown, who added that the suspect had several previous arrests including on charges of burglary, child endangerment and domestic battery, according to the station.
No cops were injured during the incident and a gun was recovered at the scene.
Brown said that after the shooting, a crowd began gathering on the South Side and tempers flared in response to the incident. Police deployed 400 officers to the scene when they became aware of social media posts encouraging looting, he added.
Brown and Mayor Lori Lightfoot emphasized that the looting was not a part of an organized protest.
An aerial shot captured looters descending into a Chicago Walgreens
“This was not an organized protest,” Brown said. “This was an incident of pure criminality.”
Alderman Brian Hopkins told WGN he saw people driving up in vehicles, smashing windows of stores on Michigan Avenue, grabbing merchandise and driving away.
Police and witnesses later said a crowd of about 30 people faced off against cops near 56th and Aberdeen streets.
Enlarge ImageA broken storefront window is seen after parts of the city had widespread looting and vandalism in Chicago
Scott Olson/Getty Images
The looters and vandals rushed through the city’s Magnificent Mile and other parts of downtown, where they were seen carrying bags full of stolen goods, the Tribune reported.
They repeatedly tried to smash the windows of the Omega watch store at Delaware Place and Michigan Avenue.
“The watch store,” one cop said. “They’re gonna get it eventually.”
Some people were seen running out of a damaged PNC Bank at Huron and State streets, while nearby stores also were cleaned out by looters.
Enlarge ImagePolice Shooting Leads To Widespread Looting And Violence In Chicago
Police officers detain a man who was found inside a Best Buy store.
Scott Olson/Getty Images
One fleeing woman carrying shopping bags fell on the sidewalk as an officer pursued her, and another woman appeared to have been pepper-sprayed.
“We do have an officer that was maced by someone in the crowd. We do have an officer that sustained a shoulder injury from the incident with the crowd,” Deputy Police Chief Delonda Tally said, Fox 32 reported.
“One of our vehicles, the windows were shattered by a brick,” Tally added.”
As goes Portland and Seattle, so goes Chicago.
@ Adam Dalgliesh@yahoo.com:
Adam, have you checked any of the links I posted? Portland and Seattle have become focal points of a tremendous “Jesus” revival, the likes of which I haven’s seen since around 1970. The mainstream media is putting a nearly complete blackout on this phenomenal news; because they know that sunshine doesn’t sell newspapers; gloom does.
Just look at the numbers: After 2 1/2 months of effort, the goons can only marshall up a group of 200 profanity-and-brick-slinging villains who are bested by little old ladies with walkers; but just a couple of city blocks away, over 2000 exuberant people are celebrating life. This is what the scriptures said,
Isa.9
[1] Nevertheless the dimness shall not be such as was in her vexation, when at the first he lightly afflicted the land of Zebulun and the land of Naphtali, and afterward did more grievously afflict her by the way of the sea, beyond Jordan, in Galilee of the nations.
[2] The people that walked in darkness have seen a great light: they that dwell in the land of the shadow of death, upon them hath the light shined.
Edgar and Sebastien, Sic ’em! Sic ’em more!
(I’ve become a sicemore tree! 🙂
The economic disaster caused by the lockdowns has vastly increased the political disaster and enabled the armed insurrection. As if our present economic woes weren’t enough, some prominent economists and money managers think that we may be faced with severe inflation in the coming years, which will force down the real incomes of Americans by as much as 50 per cent, and lead to even more rioters and terrorists on our streets. It’s looking like deja vue with Louis XVI, Marie Antoinette, Robespeirre and Company all over again. One reason the urban poor and the peasants burned and looted during the French Revolution was that they were short on both bread and the money to buy it. See https://www.cnbc.com/2020/08/05/the-ballooning-money-supply-may-be-the-key-to-unlocking-inflation-in-the-us.html for the runaway inflation threat.
@ Michael S:
This was repeated last night in Seattle:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B0pMSrWGtXc
The MSM have not reported this. The story is here:
https://www.breakingchristiannews.com/articles/display_art.html?ID=30890
It will take the will of either authorities or civilians by force taking the streets of Portland and some other cities back from the anarchists and socialists.
Insane!’: “Police Warn ‘Portland Is Lost’ if ‘Failing’ Mayor and DA Don’t Stop Riots” Cops are quitting and retiring in Portland at record levels. The city is going down the toilet to the anarchists and due to officials abandoning their responsibilities to the law abiding citizens.
Full Article at https://pjmedia.com/news-and-politics/victoria-taft/2020/08/09/insane-police-warn-portland-is-lost-if-failing-mayor-and-da-dont-stop-riots-n766420
@ Muranowska:
Hi, Muranowska
This news is over two months old: It’s the same every night. Saturday’s rally/ riot drew about 200 people. Whoopie doo.
Only a few blocks awsay, evangelical Christians were having an animated, extremely nonviolent, praise gathering that drew more than ten times that number:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kUgbVvbTWZ4
but the MSM has not reported on it.
On you tube the Portland Police Bureau held a session for the press. Three officers, two sergeants and a patrolwoman, talked about the reasons they joined, their feelings about the job, positions they have held during their years of service, and their combat experience of the last several months during Mayor Wheeler’s Anarchist led insurgency against the citizens of Portland.
The presentation was rich with their experiences, from A to Z, including for the Black officer, the screwball in the dirt question about departmental racism.
Watch the 45 minutes or so of this; then go back and watch the oatmeal above a second time; who do you think those three are going to vote for, assuming there are elections.