If This Goes On...

[morgan_dhu]

Theodore Roszak has written an article titled “Where Did the Middle Go?” about the current political situation in the United States. In many ways, it covers pretty much the same ground as most liberal and progressive discussions of American politics today – it discusses the tenor of the political discourse, polarisation in American politics, the recent histories of both political parties, the influence of evangelical Christians on the Republican party, the state of the deficit, the invasion and occupation of Iraq, and so on.

What sets it apart, for me, from many other analyses I’ve read of late, in both the American and the international presses, is Roszak’s courage in saying in a straight-forward manner what it seems many others do not want to say: That what the United States government has been doing, both in its domestic and foreign policies, is not the result of a hi-jacking of government by a few neo-con and/or born-again ideologues, funded by corporations seeking political influence. Rather, it is in fact the expression of the beliefs, philosophies, priorities and fears of somewhere around half of the American people.

I’ve read interviews with non-Americans in which they say, in essence, ‘we still like Americans, it’s the American government that worries/scares/enrages us.’ I’ve read many articles by American journalists and commentators in which there is clearly a presumption, explicit or implicit, that the Bush government’s philosophy and policy have strayed – or marched – beyond the bounds of what mainstream America believes and wants.

But the polling numbers really don’t bear that out in my eyes. Even if some of the polls are using questionable methodologies, even if there’s bias, still, close to half of Americans are saying yes to Bush, despite the ballooning public debt, despite the loss of jobs, despite Abu Ghraib, despite the missing weapons of mass destruction, despite the attack on civil liberties contained in the Patriot Act, despite the bigotry of his call for a constitutional amendment to ban same-sex marriage, despite the MiniTruthspeak of the Clear Skies Act and No Child Left Behind and all of the other lies, despite all the other assaults on truth, common sense and good government.

Roszak writes:

Behind all the Bush-bashing we have seen this year stands the same idealistic assumption that once inspired the muckrakers of old: If only we can get the truth out, the public will rise up in wrath and drive the "lying liars" from power. For that matter, Bush's handlers make the same assumption. That's why they labor so strenuously to exploit all the latest techniques for manufacturing consent.

But what if both sides are wrong about how much can be achieved by shocking revelations on film or in print? What if Bush's political base never needed to be lied to? That might explain why, despite "Fahrenheit 9/11" and all the other enraged documentaries … the polls keep reflecting strong popular support for Bush's "leadership" and why he continues to find cheering crowds, especially at military bases where troops give their commander-in-chief the big "hoo-ah." These people aren't deceived. They know exactly what Bush is up to -- and it's OK with them.

And I suspect he’s right. It’s not just about Bush. It’s about a major segment of the American public, about a significant body of American public thought and discourse. It’s about the assumption of American centrality, if not superiority, if not domination, in the world today. It’s about an attraction to imperialism and fascism among many people in a nation that likes to think of itself as the home of the free and defender of the oppressed.

And this worries me deeply, because the most powerful country in the world is increasingly becoming the representation of everything I despise – greed, bigotry, intolerance, authoritarianism, imperialism, arrogance and ignorance to name a few – and is equally increasingly inclined to impose its position on the world. The mere fact of the presence of such a large block of Americans who support the policies of the current Republican party suggests that, even if their numbers are not sufficient to return Bush to power, any future governments must take their desires into account when creating policy. Which will, in turn result in the U.S. lurching evermore toward fascist and imperialist policies and actions.

Offred, meet Nehemiah Scudder. It’s 1984 forever. Have a wonderful life.

Comments

[mishaslair.livejournal.com]

I think he is right and that's why I've tried to warn people who thought Kerry would win this election by a landslide that it's actually going to be a very bitter and close race. I just hope there are more of us than there are of them, for the sake of the entire world.

"All that is solid melts in the air."

[whumpdotcom.livejournal.com]

When I first heard that line, I thought it was from the Bible.

Turns out that line was written by Karl Marx.

I'd say there's about half the world who fears change as it either casts doubt on what they hold dear, or erodes their place in the world.