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Keyword: transfer I'm disagreeing about their being a transfer of power at this stage. There is no power transfer. The basic power blocks already existed in t

Keyword: transfer I'm disagreeing about their being a transfer of power at this stage. There is no power transfer. The basic power blocks already existed in their current form, were the primary source of money for politicians, etc. since the 1980s [at the latest]. Transfer implies they are taking power away from people. They aren't. They are merely utilizing the power they already have to tighten their hold on it to make it harder to transfer power away from them. I don't think this is even truly a new phenomena. It is just with Globalization, Internet, etc. the power blocks are so large that they span the entire world rather than just a single country.

hga 12y ago
"The basic power blocks already existed in their current form, were the primary source of money for politicians, etc. since the 1980s [at the latest]." I didn't notice any changes in this after the post-Watergate "reforms", which happened not long after I became politically aware. Globalization is ancient in American economic history, was very big in the 19th Century, and e.g. for the world, it didn't return to pre-WWI levels until a frighteningly later time, I can't remember when, but within my lifetime (which I suppose I should point out started when Eisenhower was president (barely)). And I agree, this is a consolidation period. But I believe it's build on a foundation of sand, e.g. there is not an infinite hunger for US government debt at negative real interest rates, we're just the "least worst" place to put your money for the foreseeable future.
- opendais 12y ago
  > I didn't notice any changes in this after the post-Watergate "reforms", which happened not long after I became politically aware. That is why I added the 'at the latest' bit. I didn't want people to get hung up arguing over a date. > And I agree, this is a consolidation period. But I believe it's build on a foundation of sand, e.g. there is not an infinite hunger for US government debt at negative real interest rates, we're just the "least worst" place to put your money for the foreseeable future. It is not purely the US government doing consolidating. The trade treaties the US negotiates are really bought and paid for by US multinationals. China is also consolidating power as it slowly opens itself to the world market and seeks to displace the US's hegemony. I'm sure you can even argue the EU "One Market" is the same type of political-economic consolidation.

hga 12y ago

"The basic power blocks already existed in their current form, were the primary source of money for politicians, etc. since the 1980s [at the latest]." I didn't notice any changes in this after the post-Watergate "reforms", which happened not long after I became politically aware. Globalization is ancient in American economic history, was very big in the 19th Century, and e.g. for the world, it didn't return to pre-WWI levels until a frighteningly later time, I can't remember when, but within my lifetime (which I suppose I should point out started when Eisenhower was president (barely)). And I agree, this is a consolidation period. But I believe it's build on a foundation of sand, e.g. there is not an infinite hunger for US government debt at negative real interest rates, we're just the "least worst" place to put your money for the foreseeable future.

opendais 12y ago
> I didn't notice any changes in this after the post-Watergate "reforms", which happened not long after I became politically aware. That is why I added the 'at the latest' bit. I didn't want people to get hung up arguing over a date. > And I agree, this is a consolidation period. But I believe it's build on a foundation of sand, e.g. there is not an infinite hunger for US government debt at negative real interest rates, we're just the "least worst" place to put your money for the foreseeable future. It is not purely the US government doing consolidating. The trade treaties the US negotiates are really bought and paid for by US multinationals. China is also consolidating power as it slowly opens itself to the world market and seeks to displace the US's hegemony. I'm sure you can even argue the EU "One Market" is the same type of political-economic consolidation.