The collapse of America's middle class
The collapse of America's middle classBy Spengler
People seem to act irrationally when they have nothing to lose. Often we observe in wars that the losing side expends more blood and treasure after its position becomes hopeless.
The American South sustained most of its casualties in the Civil War after July 1863, when the dual defeats at Gettysburg and Vicksburg made its position untenable. Athens suffered its worst casualties in the Sicilian gamble at the end of the Peloponnesian War.
The Spanish ruined their empire and depopulated their core
provinces during the second half of the Thirty Years War of 1618-1648 rather than cede dominance to France. Germany took most of its casualties after Stalingrad. Japan was prepared to absorb an arbitrarily large number of casualties after Okinawa, and its resistance was terminated only by nuclear attack.
Some aspects of the apparently suicidal behavior observed in great wars may be at work in the present budget stalemate in Washington, where the Republican right and the Democratic left yet may undo a compromise. I do not think this will happen - yet. But the extremes of polarization in the American body politic are different from anything I have seen in my lifetime.
If the Tea Party wanted most of all to govern, it would declare that a split government cannot accomplish the agenda on which its members were sent to congress, and that the 2012 presidential election would become a national referendum on America's future. It would then agree to an interim compromise on the debt ceiling.
The trouble is that both the Tea Party and President Barack Obama have existential reasons to force a crisis. Obama, as I wrote two weeks ago, faces probable defeat with a becalmed economy, and may benefit from a crisis in which he casts himself as savior-in-chief (see Obama could stir a Tea Party crisis , July 19). The Tea Partiers may conclude that no compromise will benefit them, and decide to take the system down in revenge.
Thirty Year War 1618 1648 - News
Athens suffered its worst casualties in the Sicilian gamble at the end of the Peloponnesian War. provinces during the second half of the Thirty Years War of 1618-1648 rather than cede dominance to France. Germany took most of its casualties after
Von Schoebel fought in the Thirty Year War, between 1618 and 1648. His Lipizzans fought, too. Using the “Airs Above Ground,” the stallions did caprioles, coubettes and levades, devastating the enemy. The “Airs Above Ground,” for which the Lipizzans are
The Thirty Years War (1618-1648) left its mark. A major chapter of note occurred in 1689 when the troops of French King Louis XIV (the Sun King) burned Gengenbach to the ground. Despite that setback the town soon blossomed however, spurred by the
The Thirty Years War (1618-1648) in central Europe was no exception. One source reports that during that period of violence and upheaval, the necktie was created, something which has been a serious pain in the neck for men for over three centuries.
It is about time that the sane heads in the West think all over again to craft measures to save the pluralistic social order, they had longed for since the Thirty Years' War (1618-1648) and the Peace of Westphalia (1648). Failing this, they are feared
The collapse of America's middle class « ~ BLOGGER.GUNNY.G.1984+ ...
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Thirty Year War 1618 1648 - Bookshelf
The Thirty Years' War 1618-1648
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Distinguishing between the religious war of the 17th Century and a series of conflicts in the 18th Century.
The Thirty Years War: Home Page
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The Thirty Years' War 1618-1648
History notes on the Thirty Years' War, 1618 - 1648. Why was the war fought, who fought, who won. Maps. ... The Thirty Years' War is sometimes also called The European Civil War. ...
Thirty Years' War: Definition from Answers.com
Thirty Years' War n. A series of wars in central Europe beginning in 1618 that stemmed from conflict between Protestants and Catholics and political