How Can These Problems Be Solved, Even Eliminated?

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  1. gmwilliams profile image84
    gmwilliamsposted 15 months ago

    https://usercontent2.hubstatic.com/16786117.jpg
    Name the 10 main issues in American culture & society.  How are such issues problematic & will cause eventual disrepair in American culture & society?  How can these issues be solved, even eliminated?   Your thoughts please?

    1. Sharlee01 profile image87
      Sharlee01posted 15 months agoin reply to this

      American culture and society are complex and multifaceted. In my personal view, our problems are well incorporated, and not sure all could even be solved.

      I think our number one problem is the deep divide we have between liberals and conservatives. The "Great Divide" has led to a lack of room for any form of bipartisan cooperation.

      Another huge problem is the balance between free speech and regulating harmful or false information on social media platforms is an ongoing debate, as it has significant implications for the spread of misinformation and political discourse. For example, consider the reporting on the current war in Israel. We are now witnessing citizens being in protest, and it is very clear there is a lot of misinformation being fed to us on the conflict.
      Next consider the wealth gap in the United States is seemingly widening, with the richest individuals and corporations accumulating significant wealth while many others struggle to make ends meet.

      It is also sad to see that systemic racism and racial disparities persist in various aspects of American society, especially in education, and economic opportunities. It would seem this would be an easy problem to solve in our great Nation... Yet it seems to exist. Lack of a good education adds to the social problems we are seeing today, in my view.

      We have a great issue when it comes to the cost of healthcare in America. This issue affects millions of Americans. So many lack access to affordable healthcare. This issue truely could be solved, perhaps by spending some of our tax dollars on providing those that need care to get it, instead of funding many other nations with aid.

      It is clear we have some environmental concerns, including climate change and pollution, that pose a threat to the planet, and addressing these issues is critical for future generations. However, are we going in the right direction when it comes to wind and solar? Will the manufacturers poison our soil and water? Seems to be a true problem that is being ignored --- most likely due to the money that can be made in wind and solar production. I am old enough to remember the push to promote clean air by planting trees, now we are cutting them down Not to mention killing whales... Science tells us trees will clean the air, and it also tells us batteries and minerals used in making batteries are not degradable. But I guess we can ignore that...

      Gun violence and mass shootings continue to be a major concern, mainly in our larger cities. many are calling for stricter gun control measures that clash with arguments for the Second Amendment's right to bear arms. This problem could certainly be solved with some stronger gun laws. Just common sense laws that most likely would appease all.

      America is facing challenges related to immigration, and border security. We need comprehensive immigration reform, and the ability to enforce the laws we already have.

      Back to educational disparities, we see funding inequalities, and the quality of public education continue to be significant issues affecting the country's youth and prospects.

      Education is a complicated problem, but I feel it could be solved. It's essential to recognize that improving public education would be a complex and long-term endeavor that requires the collaboration of multiple stakeholders, including government, school districts, educators, parents, and communities.  More funding, in some cases better more qualified teachers, and curriculums that have been tried and true...  I think children enter school with a blank slate, it is important to add the right content to that slate, for a child to thrive in our society.

      1. gmwilliams profile image84
        gmwilliamsposted 15 months agoin reply to this

        Excellently stated Sharlee.

        1. Sharlee01 profile image87
          Sharlee01posted 15 months agoin reply to this

          Great thread, I hope some users join in. Such an interesting subject.

    2. Castlepaloma profile image75
      Castlepalomaposted 15 months agoin reply to this

      If I was king of the planet  earth

      1. Banned all wars, everyone.be glad on what you got.
      2. Limit wealthy over 20 billion.
      3 Kick child molesters in the balls.
      4. Reward family uninity, love, kindness, love, imagination........  integrity!!! And one more.............Peace

      1. Willowarbor profile image59
        Willowarborposted 15 months agoin reply to this

        I'll go one step further with child molesters and other sexual offenders.... Forcibly castrate them.  If you are convicted of such an offense in  a court of law then chemical castration or otherwise could rightly be your punishment. Definitely since here in the United States many of our states have taken control of women's bodies we can surely take control of these offenders bodies, right? I know our conservative folk would  have to get behind this.

        1. Castlepaloma profile image75
          Castlepalomaposted 15 months agoin reply to this

          OK, how about a kick in the balls with a steal toe boot by someone like Bruce Lee?

    3. Ken Burgess profile image69
      Ken Burgessposted 15 months agoin reply to this

      1- No Foundation - lacking a cohesive society

      What makes for a strong, unified, productive society is lacking in the country today.

      Vitale, 370 U.S. 421 (1962), was a landmark United States Supreme Court case in which the Court ruled that it is unconstitutional for state officials to compose an official school prayer and encourage its recitation in public schools, due to violation of the First Amendment.

      Until the 1960s the nation was overwhelmingly Christain and most laws and regulations put in place were so orientated.

      Also in the 1960s the pill became legal, then abortion became legal, so that  having sex was without real consequences.

      We have had a gradual deconstruction of American society for the last 60 years, with it gaining considerable momentum the past several years, to the point where today the government is interceding on the behalf of minorities that wouldn't even be considered minorities 60 years ago, they would be considered insane, delusional, or worse.

      2 - No more Money

      The nation spent 6.7 trillion dollars last year, in one year. 

      The debt is only going to increase, inflation is only going to increase, interest rates as well.  We continue to fund wars that did not need to occur... Russia/Ukraine is a prime example, peace could have been negotiated prior to wasting 115 billion dollars and half a million lives lost... now that Ukraine has suffered immensely, it will lose more territory than Russia originally wanted to negotiate.

      3 - National Identity - Patriotism

      Even if we were a nation divided by cultures and races and religions, in the past considerable effort was made to push the American Dream, Patriotism, Work Hard and you can achieve anything, today that is not in the messaging... an American flag is considered Right Wing, being a Patriot or Nationalist is considered Domestic Terrorism, etc.

      So... until something very drastic changes things... we will continue to sink in the direction we have been the past 30+ years (60 years but with gusto the past 30).

      1. gmwilliams profile image84
        gmwilliamsposted 15 months agoin reply to this

        +10000000000000

        1. Ken Burgess profile image69
          Ken Burgessposted 15 months agoin reply to this

          4 - Detachment from Reality

          Twenty-first Century Must Be Century of Women’s Equality
          https://press.un.org/en/2020/sgsm19986.doc.htm

          What does gender equality look like today?
          https://www.unwomen.org/en/news/stories … like-today

          The detachment from reality we see in our nation today stems largely from one major movement that has eroded our civilization for over 100 years now.

          Its not that there weren't wrongs that needed to be corrected, there were.  But the pendulum has swung so far in the other direction, all that is being accomplished today is the destruction of all social norms and cohesion, which can only lead to one thing, the collapse of civilization as we know it.

          Any women that says "we have a long way to go" I have to wonder where it is they are trying to get to?

          Is the goal the enslavement of men, take away all their rights?

          For thousands of years, when there were no White Collar jobs, or electricity, or the pill, or vehicles, or internet... women were expected to take care of the kids, make the meals, stay safely at home while the man, fought the wars, or went to work, or hunted for the next meal.

          Then life got good, life became relatively safe from violence, medicine advanced, refrigerators, and microwaves were invented, etc. why does a woman need to partner with a man? 

          Why would a women unite with a man to make a family or support him in becoming a better person, achieving his goals, why nurture a man when you can live like one... get all the benefits of being a man, but falling back on being the "weaker sex" whenever it suits your needs.

          There has been so much damage done to these younger generations, so much confusion, so much lack of identity and purpose in the majority of young men there will be no one to fill the critical roles that men had always filled in the past.

          We see this even now, as our military cannot fill its quotas, which aren't half of what they were 20 years ago.

          This is because the larger part of society is telling men they don't want them or their 'toxic masculinity', it is because the military is advertising to get gays and transgenders, they don't advertise for tough men to do the hard jobs... those things are identified with domestic terrorism and white supremacy.

          If you aren't OK with serving with gays and transgenders (and women of course) then the military isn't the place for you... that is their message... and then they wonder why no one is clamoring to join.

          Your average guy who would picture himself as a Army Ranger or Navy Seal probably isn't the type of guy wanting to pall around with a inclusive group of pronoun people.

          Who makes up the majority of firemen, engineers, electricians, plumbers, pilots, roofers, repairmen, sanitation, steel workers, etc. you get the idea... women have had their "equal rights" for decades now, but these jobs are still 95% filled by men... and it isn't because women are discriminated against.

          And now, since Biden, we've gone way beyond that... transmen have to be treated as women, non-binary is a protected minority, and so on... pure insanity, practically overnight.  We're done. 

          There is no fixing it... a collapse will come... and then it will have to be rebuilt.  We just don't know how bad it will be, or if it will come from nuclear explosions or economic failure.

  2. Nathanville profile image93
    Nathanvilleposted 15 months ago

    I don’t know what the main issues are in America, other than what I see in these forums.  However, according to the latest opinion polls (6th November) the 10 main issues in the UK, and the percentage of voters who list them as main issues, are shown below.

    •    Economy = 56%
    •    NHS = 44%
    •    Immigration & Asylum = 38%
    •    Environment (Including Climate Change) = 25%
    •    Housing = 23%
    •    Crime = 20%
    •    Brexit = 14%
    •    Defence & Security = 13%
    •    Education = 12%
    •    Tax = 10%

    There will be some similarities e.g. economy, and differences with America - I’d be interested in seeing in this forum what those similarities and differences are.

    In Britain, the above 10 listed issues are the main issues that the next General Election (in a  years time) will be fought and won and lost on by the various political parties in the UK.

    1. Ken Burgess profile image69
      Ken Burgessposted 15 months agoin reply to this

      The UK has a longer tenure, its older, and until recently in its history, far more unified in its background. The divide between Irish, Scotts, Welsh, etc. were not nearly as severe as seen today in London for example... where roughly 2 million people living there are Muslim and from the Middle East.

      That's a newer type of 'melting-pot' of cultures the UK hasn't had to deal with in a few hundred years.

      America in comparison, has always been a 'melting pot' of cultures and customs, but the common theme for the vast majority who came for the first couple hundred years was a tie to a Christian faith, and a willingness to buy into the "American Dream" of making it on your own abilities... you made your opportunity, the government wasn't there to coddle you.

      Americans by a large majority did not want or expect a hand-out from the government, what support the got came from their church and community.

      All this has changed in less than 100 years.  Government supports half the population today in some fashion, from welfare to social security. Without that support, half the country could not live in the standards they are accustomed to.

      The welfare state for the UK started back around 1908.

      The welfare state for America really didn't get started until around 1968, some will say back in the 1930s with FDR, but that is very misleading.

      FDR started up vast work programs (which I think would be of GREAT benefit to America today, but today's society of overly self important individuals think it is their right as Americans to have the government supply everything to them without having to work for it) which created our roads, dams, bridges, government buildings, etc. 

      During the 1930s, the Public Works Administration, Works Progress Administration and other New Deal agencies funded projects to build and improve the country’s infrastructure, including roads, dams, schools, airports and parks.

      There was still the concept that you had to contribute something, in order to get something in American society, unless you were old or incapable of doing so.  And that turned into the Hoover Dam, LaGuardia Airport, Lincoln Tunnel, San Fran Bridge, and many other roads, bridges, etc.

      The Great Society programs started in the late 1960s by Johnson is where America's "welfare state" really began.

      So much of what I have noted here in this thread in fact, started in the 1960s... leading/causing the majority of angst and issues we have in America today... which makes sense, that it takes about 50-60 years for bad policies or insidious intent to do the damage required to bring about the social and moral deconstruction of a strong society/nation. 

      In fact... from Johnson creating the welfare state and indulging the MIC giving us a decade of war in Vietnam, to Nixon taking us off the Gold Standard and opening the doors of America to China (CCP)... most of our current crisis stem from this decade of time.

      Richard Nixon was the godfather of our failed "Free Trade" policies, starting with China, which began sending us manufactured goods, only two days into his presidency, Nixon wrote, “we do not want 800,000,000 living in angry isolation. We want China to be a cooperative member of the international community.”

      Of course, Nixon was representing what the corporations wanted, he had travelled to China prior to becoming president on behalf of Pepsi, of all things, and Pepsi was the first American company to get access to China... imagine that.

      Again, the delusions that we are being drowned by today, stemmed from those times... and those decisions makers (leaders be they Presidents or Supreme Court Judges) that upended everything America had been and stood for prior... another example from Nixon (this is good):

      "If we remain in China, we can play a critical role in helping the private economy gradually eclipse the state sector. In this respect, the most counterproductive thing we could do would be to revoke China's most-favored-nation trade status. ... If we want to have an impact on the changes occurring in China, we should not pull the plug on trade. Increasing economic progress will bring progress on human rights."

      You can't make this stuff up...  ...I've been typing that a lot lately.

      That worked out just like Nixon (Kissinger) thought it would, didn't it?

      Point is, UK and America share the same language and are tied to one another as one would expect a former colony nation to be, much like a child is always tied to a parent it grew up with.  But we also have very different issues that stem from being entirely different nations/people.

      1. Nathanville profile image93
        Nathanvilleposted 15 months agoin reply to this

        We totally agree on your last sentence “But we also have very different issues that stem from being entirely different nations/people.” 

        I sort of agree with your previous sentence to that “Point is, UK and America share the same language and are tied to one another as one would expect a former colony nation to be, much like a child is always tied to a parent it grew up with.”; except that America only won its independence from England through war (American War of Independence), and these days Britain has more in common with its European neighbours than with America.

        If I’ve understood your post correctly, the three areas you’ve focused on are Immigration, Welfare State and Trade.  So covering your comments on those three points:-

        #1:  Immigration.

        In my previous post I said that ‘Immigration & Asylum’ is currently an issue to 38% of British voters.

        In response, you replied “The divide between Irish, Scots, Welsh, etc. were not nearly as severe as seen today in London for example... where roughly 2 million people living there are Muslim and from the Middle East.

        The divide between the Celtic nations (particular Ireland and Scotland) and England has always, and still is great; the subject of many wars and battles over the centuries e.g. in the 30 years terrorist (freedom fighter) IRA campaign from 1968 to 1998 over 3,500 people were killed.

        In contrast, we don’t a severe anti-Muslim prejudice in London that you infer.  We don’t have any serious racist tensions in London, or anywhere else in Britain.  London is an example (and I’m sure not the only one) of a successful multicultural society; they even have their own multicultural English, MLE (Multicultural London English), which has largely ousted Cockney.

        A Guide To Multicultural London English: https://youtu.be/wGJeLMCORQs

        The current ethnical mix of London (2021) is as follows:-

        •    British White = 36.8%
        •    Asian = 20.8%
        •    White Other e.g. European = 14.7%
        •    Black = 13.5%
        •    Mixed Race = 5.7%
        •    Other ethnic groups = 4.7%
        •    Irish = 1.8%
        •    Arab = 1.6%
        •    Roma = 0.4%
        •    Gypsies = 0.1%

        I am assuming that you think that Immigration is a main issue to 38% of British voters because most of our cities are now multicultural; whereas although racial prejudice has increased since Brexit, it is still only a small problem in Britain. 

        Why Immigration & Asylum is a major issue to 38% of British voters isn’t because of immigration itself, but mainly because of the way the UK Conservative has handled the issue since Brexit, and the Government’s disregard for International Law on illegal immigrants, as summarised below:-

        1.    The main immigration issue to the current UK Conservative Government are Illegal immigrants entering Britain by boat from France, which has risen sharply since Brexit – now running at about 50,000 illegal migrants per year!

        The main reason for the sharp rise since Brexit is because since leaving the EU the French Government is less cooperative in preventing illegal immigrants from crossing the British Channel from France to England.

        2.    The UK Conservative Government is very slow in processing illegal immigrants under International law; and until they are processed they have to housed, predominately in hotels at the moment (which is very costly to the tax payer).

        Under International Law, host countries are obliged to take in genuine asylum seekers, but economic migrants should be returned to their country of origin.  The latest figures suggests that about 60% of illegal migrants entering the UK are genuine asylum seekers.

        In response, and in the UK Government’s failure in the Courts for its other immigration solution, to cuts costs, the UK Government is currently housing many of the illegal immigrants on controversial Bibby Stockholm barge moored in sea harbour – Controversial because it had been condemned by a Government Department on ‘Health & Safety’ grounds.

        3.    The UK Conservative Government preferred solution to the problem is to send all illegal migrants to Rwanda, without even processing them to determine whether they are ‘asylum seekers’ or ‘economic migrants’, which is illegal under International Law, and in spite of Rwanda’s poor human rights record. 

        To-date the Rwanda Government has already been paid £140 million ($170 million) from the British Government, even though not a single illegal migrant has been sent from Britain to Rwanda.

        Rwanda deportation flight blocked as Channel crossings rise https://youtu.be/Lf6vcpaoH_8

        The problem for the Government is that back in June 2022, as the first plane of illegal migrants was on the runway, and just about to take-off for Rwanda, it was stopped by the ‘European Court on Human Rights’, under Internal law.  The UK Government policy has been condemned by the UN, and the Government has been fighting its case in the courts ever since.  The UK Supreme Court is due to gives its ruling on Wednesday 15th Nov 2023 (this week).

        If the decision goes against the Government this week, there is increasing pressure on the Prime Minister, from his party, to make leaving the European Court on Human Rights a central plank in the Government’s Election Manifesto next year.  For clarity the European Court on Human Rights is not part of the EU and should not be confused with the European Court (EU Supreme Court).

        #2:  Welfare State.

        When you say “The welfare state for the UK started back around 1908.” – That was very embryonic social reforms by today’s standards, and not the first time.  A key date for the Welfare State in Britain is actually 1563, with the introduction of the ‘Poor Act’, which was abolished in 1834; forcing millions of poor people into the Victorian Workhouses; an estimation of about 6.5% of the British population ended up in Poor Houses in Victorian Britain.

        Yep, from 1906 to 1909 the Liberal Government introduced some modest social reforms; but the Welfare State that we enjoy today was introduced by the Labour (socialist) Government in 1948.

        #3:  Trade.

        Your gripe seems to be with China.

        Quite frankly, I’d rather trade with China than be at war with them.

        1. Ken Burgess profile image69
          Ken Burgessposted 15 months agoin reply to this

          I knew I could count on you to elaborate on the particulars for UK.

          I always am willing to defer to you in that regard, as I am sure you are far more familiar with your own country, than I could ever be.

          I like what you brought up regarding immigration, if you noted in my past posts in other threads regarding the matter, I try to explain the Global Compact on Migration and UN/International agencies...

          I don't know about typical UK citizens, but typical American citizens are completely oblivious to much of this... no real fault of theirs... American politicians and MSM do little to explain international agreements or law when they talk about immigration or our government's response to it.

          As for the assimilation of foreigners into UK, I don't see it, but I don't live there... to me it seems like the UK, France, Sweden, etc. have a problem with these populations remaining separate and sticking firmly to their own culture and religious beliefs.

          Most people that complain about our increasing numbers of immigrants, as we average about 2.5 million a year, don't take any time to understand why our government is allowing for it, and actually providing for them when they get here.

          As for China we are at war with them, always have been, our leaders and the corporations and financial institutions directing their decision making didn't care... they became immensely wealthy... while America's once booming middle class and industry has taken a major hit for it.

          China is now on par with America on the Global Stage regarding influence around the world and GDP... they accomplished this in 50 years... without firing a shot.  Pretty brilliant if you ask me. 

          Right now China has America spending hundreds of millions fighting Russia.  One has to wonder who is smarter, America getting Ukraine to fight Russia, or China getting America to waste its military and economic might on fighting Russia... driving Russia right into China's open arms.

          Look we can't go back and change what happened in the late 60s and 70s.  Anymore than we can take back putting Biden in office and undoing all the harm he has done.

          If anything, in this thread I have just vented... as I said... things are beyond fixing, we are at a reboot stage... hopefully its mostly just an economic one that leads to some social and political upheaval, but it could be something a lot worse... like WWIII.

          1. Nathanville profile image93
            Nathanvilleposted 15 months agoin reply to this

            Well yeah, the UK and France etc., like any country in the world do have small pockets of “immigrants who remain separate and stick firmly to their own culture and religious beliefs”, but it’s not a major issue Europe e.g. just a very tiny percentage of immigrants.

            And its two way e.g. White British people emigrating to Spain are renowned for forming British communities in Spain, rather than integrating into Spanish society.

            But most immigrants into Britain do integrate into British society, and often are proud to become British.

            This short video sums up ‘Multicultural Britain’ in just 4 minutes, better than I could.  https://youtu.be/seyBDsDu8Ac

            From the end of the Windrush generation (1948 – 1971) until the mid-1980s there was a brief period of racial tension in some English cities e.g. Birmingham, Bristol etc., where immigrants tended to settle together in pockets where housing was cheaper to buy – But all that rapidly changed with the appearance of the yuppies (Young Urban Professional) during the Thatcher years. 

            The Windrush generation was half a million people brought over to Britain between 1948 and 1971 by the UK Government, from the Caribbean, to resolve a chronic shortage of labour in the aftermath of the war.  They were called the Windrush migrants because many of them were transported to Britain in the HMT Empire Windrush, a 1930s German cruise ship (used as a German navy ship during the war) that was seized from Germany after the 2nd world war as ‘spoils of war’.

            Yuppies were young urban professionals created by Thatcher Britain, who didn’t have racial perjuries, and who were not middle class snobs; and although they suddenly found themselves on big wage packets, being young, they didn’t have the savings to buy expensive homes to meet their new elevated social standards:  So in their thousands they would buy cheap housing in areas where poorer immigrants had previously settled; and then the Yuppies would invest on modernising and upgrading their homes, pushing the market price of housing in that area up, and watering down the ethnic divisions in that area.

            So these days we no longer have the separate ethnic communities, like we did in the 1980s; and when local governments house asylum seekers who have been granted residency in Britain, the local government don’t put them all together, they put them in social housing along with everyone else who are allocated social housing, and from their immigrants quickly integrate into British Society.

            In Bristol (where I live) the ethnic mix is (2021), as follows:

            Bristol (2021) Ethnic mix:

            •    British White = 71.6%
            •    Other whites e.g. Europeans = 8.3%
            •    Asian = 6.7%
            •    Blacks = 5.8%
            •    Mixed race = 4.5%
            •    Other ethnic groups = 1.4%
            •    Irish = 0.9%
            •    Arabs = 0.5%
            •    Roma = 0.2%
            •    Gypsies = 0.1%


            As regards the point you make about immigrants sticking firmly to their “own religious beliefs”; I’m sure you are aware that in recent decades Britain has become ‘Secular Country’ – so it doesn’t matter what religion immigrants to Britain chose to follow.

            The current religious make-up of Britain (excluding Northern Ireland) as of 2021 is as follows:-

            •    Not religious = 52%
            •    Protestantism = 13.7%
            •    Other Christian faiths = 13.2%
            •    Catholicism = 8.7%
            •    Islam = 6.7%
            •    Other religions = 3.6%

            IMMIGRATION
            When you say that America has on “average about 2.5 million a year” immigrants; is that net or gross?  For clarity, what I mean is that in 2022 we had 1.16 million migrants to the UK (the vast majority legal), but in the same year 557,000 British people emigrated from Britain; so the NET migration to the UK for 2022 is only 606,000.

            PUBLIC AWARENESS
            Where you say “typical American citizens are completely oblivious to much of this...” in reference to your comment about “Global Impact on Migration and UN/International agencies...” –

            Yes, generally, a large percentage of British people do have awareness of the issues in that they are spelt out by British Media on the British TV News Channels; because TV News Channels in Britain are heavily Regulated by Government Regulations to be ‘impartial’, ‘balanced’ and ‘factual’.  Any person in Britain who doesn’t have awareness of the issues because of their ‘ignorance’ (their fault) e.g. people who are turned off by ‘politics’, because the information in Britain is readily available, and well publicised.

            TRADE WARS
            Yep, I am fully aware of American ‘Trade Wars’ with not just China, but with the EU too.

            Britain takes a different stance, and welcomes trade with China, particularly since Brexit, when Britain has cut a lot of its trading ties with the EU and is desperately scrabbling around to look for new trading partners.

            Hence, the importance of the ‘Silk Road' train from China to London, that started operations in 2017: https://youtu.be/9GQrO6kAMcA

            With reference to your comment “China getting America to waste its military and economic might on fighting Russia…”  I don’t see it that way, in fact it’s quite the reverse in that China has tried to distance its support for Russia in order to keep in the ‘good books’ of the West, in that China values it’s trade with the West more than it values its support for Russia.

            HOPE FOR THE FUTURE
            My personal view is more positive than yours.  I don’t think “things are beyond fixing”; we’ve just gone through a bad patch (and not for the first time) e.g. in Britain, other bad patches have been the Great Depression of the 1930s; post war Britain (1945 – 1950s); the oil crisis of the early 1970s; the demise of the coal industry in the 1980s; the financial crisis in 2008; and currently the aftermath of Brexit, the pandemic and Ukrainian war.

            We shall recover from the latest series of International crisis, as we have always done in the past; and I suspect America will do as well.  In fact, the cost of fuel, the cost of energy (electricity and gas) and inflation are already beginning to ease (electricity in Britain is a lot cheaper now than it was a year ago, although it still hasn’t fallen back to pre-pandemic levels yet); but the easing of British economy is probably not fast enough to save the current Government from defeat in next year’s General Election. 

            Although the latest economic forecasts is that people’s ‘living standards’ in Britain will return to pre-pandemic levels until  2026; and political expert opinion is that as a result, whichever political party wins the next General Election will be in power (during a period of prosperity) for at least 10 years.

            So I don’t think we need any social or political upheaval, at least not on this side of the pond.

          2. Nathanville profile image93
            Nathanvilleposted 15 months agoin reply to this

            An update (hot off the press), further to my previous posts about ‘Immigration & Asylum’ is currently an election issue to 38% of British voters.

            To recap:  The issues for British voters isn’t illegal immigration in itself, but the way in which the current Conservative Government is handling the issue e.g. one of the issues being the Government’s policy to send illegal immigrants from Britain to Rwanda.

            Which is controversial (and illegal under International Law) because of Rwanda's poor human rights record.

            In June 2022, the first plane was on the runway, ready to leave Britain for Rwanda, when it was stopped at the last minute by the European Court on Human Rights, on the grounds that it was illegal under International Law.

            The Government then took the case to the British High Court (Divisional Court), and won, but that decision was quickly overturned in the Court of Appeal. 

            Today, at 10am, the British Supreme Court upheld the Court of Appeal’s decision that the UK Government’s policy is illegal under International Law: 

            Full Supreme Court Ruling (just 7 minutes) that the UK Government illegal immigration policy, under International Law, is illegal https://youtu.be/FEBmgfCZJK4

            So now the UK Conservative’s Immigration Policy is in tatters, and following a Cabinet reshuffle yesterday, there is NO Plan B?

            1. Ken Burgess profile image69
              Ken Burgessposted 15 months agoin reply to this

              I think that is the big difference between UK and US citizens/comprehension.

              Americans don't really understand that there are International agreements and "laws" that trump our own National interests and laws.

              Our politicians and MSM don't go out of their way to explain this to them and use it as a major political issue when it comes to elections.

              This is the major difference one could clearly see between Trump and everyone else before and after him.  Trump pulled America out of these international agreements and refused to accept International law trumping National law and interests.

              In this, Trump represented what the majority of Americans wanted and thought should be pursued by our President.  Not all, just the majority.

              The majority do not express support for carbon taxation, open society, open borders, and many of the things the current Administration supports either openly or covertly.  Which is why they do not elaborate on what they are doing, and why they work so hard to label and denigrate the opposition and to obfuscate the facts.

              1. Nathanville profile image93
                Nathanvilleposted 15 months agoin reply to this

                Yep, from previous forums on HP I got the clear impression that the vast majority of the American people are ‘nationalists’ (anti-globalists); very much inward looking/isolationists.

                Whereas the majority of people in Europe, including Britain are the opposite; as these recent opinion polls below demonstrate:

                Focusing on your comment “The majority (of Americans) do not express support for carbon taxation, open society, open borders…”  and on our recent discussions on ‘illegal immigration’ and ‘International laws’; these recent opinion polls on what Brits think speak for themselves:-

                #1:  The UK Government’s policy to dump UK’s illegal immigrants on Rwanda, paying the Rwanda Government to accept them (at a cost to British taxpayers of about £169,000 ($209,000) per illegal migrant sent to Rwanda).

                Opinion Poll of 23rd June 2023:

                •    28% = of Brits strongly oppose government's proposed policy to send some asylum seekers to Rwanda?

                •    24% = of Brits strongly support government's proposed policy to send some asylum seekers to Rwanda?

                Opinion Poll of 15th Nov (following the Supreme Court Ruling that the UK Government’s policy to send illegal migrants to Rwanda is illegal under International Law):

                •    39% = of Brits say “scrap the policy entirely”.
                •    29% = of Brits say “find another third country to make a similar agreement with”.
                •    14% = of Brits say “do something else”.

                #2: International Laws
                Opinion Poll of 15th Nov (following the Supreme Court Ruling); concerning the British Public views on ‘International Laws’:

                •    51% = of Brits say Britain should remain a member of the European Convention on Human Rights (European Court on Human Rights).

                •    28% = of Brits say Britain should withdraw from being a member of the European Convention on Human Rights (European Court on Human Rights).

                #3:  Renewable Energy
                For clarity, we don’t have the carbon tax that you speak of in Europe; Europe, including Britain has adopted a different system.

                However, while on the subject, “carbon net zero by 2050” is a related matter, and in that respect, public opinion in Britain on the subject is as follows:-

                Opinion Poll of 24th July 2023
                To what extent do you support or oppose the government's commitment to cutting carbon emissions to net zero by 2050?

                •    71% = of Brits Support the government's policy to cut carbon emissions to net zero by 2050.

                •    16% = of Brits Oppose the government's policy to cut carbon emissions to net zero by 2050.

                #4: Open Society/Open Borders
                BREXIT:  Opinion Poll on 14th Aug 2023

                •    43% of Brits say there should be another BREXIT vote.
                •    With only 36% of Brits saying there should not be another BREXIT vote.

                FOOTNOTE:
                I would be rather loathed for Britain to withdraw from its commitment to International Laws; countries that don’t accept the rulings of International Laws are invariably the countries with the worst track record on human rights.

                1. tsmog profile image87
                  tsmogposted 15 months agoin reply to this

                  Howdy, Nathan! I have been busy on a project - writing my autobiography, a challenge from a niece. Wow! Talk about a 'Magical Mystery Tour', so far for me the journey has been such. Long story to share about it. smile

                  I caught your post only desiring to offer caution when saying, that the majority of Americans are such and such, as influenced by these forums. Though there may be truth, there again may not.

                  Anyway, on the topic of Globalization seeking a compare/contrast between the U.S. and the U.K. I made a discovery I am sharing. I have just begun to go through it, though did skim while taking time out for the graphics. That alone has brought a degree of enlightenment. Maybe you will find it of interest. It is by the Pew Research Organization.

                  In U.S. and UK, Globalization Leaves Some Feeling ‘Left Behind’ or ‘Swept Up’
                  Focus groups reveal the degree to which Americans and Britons see common challenges to local and national identity
                  https://www.pewresearch.org/global/2020 … -swept-up/

                  1. Nathanville profile image93
                    Nathanvilleposted 15 months agoin reply to this

                    Point taken, although I did say that it was only an ‘impression’ based on what I’ve seen in ‘previous forums’, rather than declaring a statement of fact, that the ‘majority of Americans’ hold these views.  But that maybe because perhaps it’s those with that view who are most outspoken on HP e.g. the right-wing supporters?

                    Thanks for the link – I have read it with interest, but am disappointed that no percentages are given, and even no indication of whether any of the views given are a majority view for one side or the other e.g. do a word search and the word ‘majority’ doesn’t even appear once in the text.

                    Even the opening title gives a clue to its lack of substance e.g. by using the word ‘Some’ rather than the word 'majority' in the title.  What does the word 'some' mean in the context of the article, does it mean a large minority or a small minority?  The word ‘some’ is used 38 times in the text.

                    It doesn’t matter what political issue is discussed, you will always find some that agree and some that disagree with that issue!

                    Therefore, I feel that the various opinion polls (by YouGov) carries more meaning, as they do give the percentages for and against each issue; and historically, YouGov has a reputation of being accurate (as an ‘as at snapshot) to within plus or minus 2%.

                    In British politics few things are ever black and white, usually many shades of grey; so in British politics, if an issues is a major election issue for 25% or more of voters then a political parties policy on that issue will win or lose it valuable votes in a General Election e.g. the 4 items currently of main issues to more than 25% of British voters, and therefore of prime importance to the political parties in next year’s General Election are:-

                    •    Economy = 56%
                    •    NHS = 44%
                    •    Immigration & Asylum = 38%
                    •    Environment (Including Climate Change) = 25%

                    And currently, due to the Government losing in the Supreme Court yesterday because it’s policy to send illegal immigrants to Rwanda is illegal under International Law, Conservative politicians on the far right of the Conservative Party are putting increasing pressure on the Prime Minister to withdraw Britain from the European Convention on Human Rights (European Court on Human Rights) – Something which so far, since leaving the EU in 2020, the UK Government has wisely resisted e.g. according to the latest opinion poll, 51% of  Brits say Britain should remain a member of the European Convention on Human Rights (European Court on Human Rights), while only 28% of Brits say we shouldn’t.

                    If the Prime Minister did make the decision for Britain to withdraw from the European Convention on Human Rights, to appease the hardliners on the right of the Conservative Party, then with 51% of the voting public wanting Britain to remain part of the European Convention on Human Rights (International Law), then it would be a vote loser for a Government who is already doing very badly in the opinion polls.

 
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