The Economies Of Red And Blue America: State Sizes Adjusted To Reflect GDP
Alan Archibald Replying to Allen Sale: I agree with much of what you say.
It is true that "history is written by the victors" - although the origin of this phrase is uncertain.
16th president of the Reichstag, founder of the Gestapo, and commander-in-chief of the Luftwaffe, Hermann Göring observed that “Der Sieger wird immer der Richter und der Besiegte stets der Angeklagte sein,” which translates loosely: “The victor will always be the judge, and the vanquished the accused.” https://slate.com/culture/2019/11/history-is-written-by-the-victors-quote-origin.html (Notably, the 16th president was "informed on 22 April 1945 that Hitler intended to commit suicide, (and) Göring (then) sent a telegram to Hitler requesting permission to assume control of the Reich. Considering his request an act of treason, Hitler removed Göring from all his positions, expelled him from the party, and ordered his arrest.)
Despite our significant measure of agreement, I disagree with your observation that "our system works for us, your system works for you."
In my view, our system no longer works at all, and we are now experiencing systematic breakdown.
Although I am prepared to see whether "the system" can be salvaged or reinvigorated after November's election, I suggest we start thinking about red states and blue states collaborating on dissolution of the "United" States so that these massive political regions (each of them significantly more populous than Russia) have the opportunity to "show what they're really made of."
Ultimately, "the proof is in the pudding."
Let's see, in the crucible of sovereign political experience, which world view -- "the red" or "the blue" -- will prove to be a better way for people to live together.
In politics, perception is reality.
And the perception of blue states by red states is that they are essentially -- and irremediably -- "gangrenous."
Blue states hold a similar view of their red state counterparts but without the eschatological (and theocratic) zeal for end-time "cleansing."
"Frank Zappa Prophesied A Fascist Theocracy.
Barry Goldwater Agrees"
Polities come to an end.
This inevitability has always proven true.
It was true for every empire: Persia, Greece, Rome, Spain, Great Britain.
I understand that people tend to resist change.
But there comes a time when amputation of a diseased member - even if it's "just" perception of disease -- becomes the political reality.
Alternatively, enforced continuation of a manifestly unworkable union is more likely to end in tragedy than sepaarate, sovereign red and blue constituencies reconstituting themselves according to their perception of "who they are" and then moving forward as polities sharing enough common belief so they can actually compromise with another as a way of resolving differences.
What we currently witness on both sides of Uncle Sam's political aisle are people who consider "the other side" politically, socially and culturally moribund - or even satanic in the view of evangelicals and fundamentalists who comprise America's right-wing Base.
We are living in a time when the "neo-Confederacy" wants to re-litigate the Civil War.
If it becomes clear that our post-election re-alignment is incapable of devising a workable political pact with real compromise as the cornerstone, then it will be best to admit that The Confederacy "won," thus avoiding another Civil War.
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