Currently, the United States possesses and operates 800 military bases and installations in over 70 countries and territories worldwide.
Inflation has led to discounted prices on partially cracked eggs at a local Walmart.
The military industrial complex is provoking both China and Russia, resulting in these two major geopolitical rivals forming economic alliances against the United States.
Housing has become a luxury of the affluent, with financial investment driving prices so high that two generations are barred from homeownership.
Meanwhile, large corporations continue to amass staggering wealth while many Americans struggle to afford basic necessities such as food, shelter, and medicine. The situation is dire for Millennials and GenZ, who see no end to the chaos and uncertainty, and may even fear a nuclear catastrophe due to the current geopolitical climate.
The current state of existence characterized by a lack of fulfillment is deeply concerning, as many young individuals only envision a future wherein they sell their labor to generate value for a select few capitalists, without a sense of purpose or personal satisfaction, forever until they die. This scenario ultimately culminates in preventable illness which combined with a lack of affordable healthcare, is a cause of mental illness and further social decay
However, this need not be our inevitable future. It is best to understand the current state of the world as a massive economic externality caused by careless and wasteful humans who failed to consider the consequences of their actions. Builders who decimated old-growth forests and turned natural wonders into unrecyclable furniture benefited greatly from the economic system of the time and had no incentive to care about the future. Now, it falls to us to clean up their mess, recognizing that time is of the essence, and that those who caused the problem are still in power and will resist any changes to the status quo.
We face a formidable opponent in the “old guard,” not necessarily because of their age, but because they defend a system that benefited them and their families, making them the economic and social elites of the country. While it is important to understand and appreciate their points of view and reluctance to surrender power, it is equally important to appreciate that they will never relinquish any of their influence or power, even if their ideologies and policies lead to negative economic outcomes.
For instance, many firms that pay into the re-election campaigns of politicians on both sides are against labor unions and bargaining rights. Therefore, despite the fact that no progressive or “leftist” politician would oppose labor unions and bargaining rights, the majority of politicians will still oppose unionization. Even minor victories won by workers’ unions will never be decisive or consequential enough.
The rigid classist economic structure we find ourselves in is doomed to fail. Our objective should be to ensure that when the system collapses on itself, it doesn’t take all of us with it. We must also understand that we live in an era of unusual danger, where an empire faces collapse while possessing the tools to destroy the entire planet, such as nuclear weapons and very explosive nuclear reactors.
While moving towards regenerative policies, we must remain mindful of the military industrial complex and its geopolitical and monetary desires. We should also refuse to settle for crumbs like UBI and CBDC systems that institutions like the World Economic Forum and International Monetary Fund are currently developing, as such systems will make the democratic process almost impossible by making it easier to punish political dissenters.
The upcoming 2024 presidential cycle will likely determine the direction the U.S. government takes regarding freedom of speech, economic security, social stratification, and anti-war measures. Overcoming the economic hegemony of the political elites could lead to a socio-political renaissance and the emergence of a multipolar world order. On the other hand, maintaining the status quo and re-electing one of their own could lead to the disintegration of the union as the federal government continues to hold onto power using old standard methods of economic sanctions, prosecuting proxy wars, and disregarding constitutional law.
In summary, it is imperative that the electorate secure a victory in the upcoming presidential election to redirect the course of our policies. Failure to do so will result in considerably more dire consequences than those experienced during the Biden Administration. Continuation of the status quo through the reelection of establishment figures, regardless of political affiliation, will only serve to perpetuate destructive wars, harmful economic sanctions, and further erosion of the dollar’s status as a viable international currency, particularly in relation to oil trade agreements.
