Historical perspective
Okay, a question for everyone, as I can't seem to resolve it myself.
I don't think anyone would argue that the US is going through a bad period. Civil liberties are being eroded, billions of dollars (and thousands of lives) spent on unending wars, our economy teetering...things aren't good. But are we witnessing a fundamental change in the nature of our country? Or is this just another of those paroxysms that happen in the normal course of history?
Yes, suspending the eight century old right of habaeus corpus is alarming -- but Lincoln did it during the Civil War, and was loudly criticized for it. Going to war under false pretenses and (quite likely) under the direction of corporate interests is bad, but anyone familiar with the Spanish-American War won't find the current situation all that surprising. Rampant greed, corruption, and cronyism dominate our politics, while shrill sloganeering replaces rational public discourse -- but is it any worse than the period around 1880-1900?
The current period in American history scares the crap out of me, but I'm too close to it to decide if it's uniquely awful. Those of a historical-analytical bent, have at it.
I don't think anyone would argue that the US is going through a bad period. Civil liberties are being eroded, billions of dollars (and thousands of lives) spent on unending wars, our economy teetering...things aren't good. But are we witnessing a fundamental change in the nature of our country? Or is this just another of those paroxysms that happen in the normal course of history?
Yes, suspending the eight century old right of habaeus corpus is alarming -- but Lincoln did it during the Civil War, and was loudly criticized for it. Going to war under false pretenses and (quite likely) under the direction of corporate interests is bad, but anyone familiar with the Spanish-American War won't find the current situation all that surprising. Rampant greed, corruption, and cronyism dominate our politics, while shrill sloganeering replaces rational public discourse -- but is it any worse than the period around 1880-1900?
The current period in American history scares the crap out of me, but I'm too close to it to decide if it's uniquely awful. Those of a historical-analytical bent, have at it.