For Too Many Of Us, America Is Fast Becoming A Third World Nation. Except For The Privileged Few, Who Fiddle With The Levers Of Power For Their Own Gain

Third world country was originally defined as any nation not aligned either with NATO or the communist bloc.

But now it generally refers to “developing nations,” often stereotyped as “poor” countries, which feature corrupt governments, nepotism, and lacking in western freedoms like democratic elections, civil rights, and an independent press. Many of these nations are former colonies, and their relationships with their former colonial masters have changed little in terms of exploitation of resources (including labor), enriching those who profit from that exploitation.

If you accept this definition of a third world country, parallel comparisons with the lives of many Americans and the lives of third world citizens are unavoidable.

The huge influence of money in American politics reflects unequal representation of the electorate, the inevitable result is corruption, a universal feature of third world politics.

Most third world countries accept nepotism as unavoidable, since relatives of leaders routinely hold important government posts. Nepotism institutionalizes bribery. Bribery necessitates press suppression, which shields unethical or illegal activity by corporations and public officials. Nepotism inevitably undermines democracy.

The signal achievement of post WW2 America was the rise of the middle class, which allowed the average working class person to share in the wealth created by America’s productivity, which was far greater than any other nation’s.

American worker productivity was underpinned by enlightened public policy; particularly the G.I Bill, which subsidized education, home ownership, and increased consumer demand as returning soldiers started families. Also, the rise of unions promoted more equitable sharing of corporate profits though collective bargaining, resulting in adequate federal government resources (through taxation), which promoted even greater American productivity, through government projects like the TVA and federal highway system. And government support for research and development, including JFK’s ambitious space project to put a man on the moon, set the stage for scientific innovation that transformed the lives of average Americans.

Well, the oligarchs were not about to let the American worker have a fair share in the fruits of America’s phenomenal productivity. So big money went about dismantling FDR’s New Deal and LBJ’s Great Society legislation, by buying up the Republican party (and eventually the Democrats). A further erosion of workers’ gains came about during Ronald Reagan’s assault on government, “Government is the problem”; and Bill Clinton’s second term political “triangulation,” when he declared, “The era of big government is over,” the result being the repeal of Glass-Steagall, which enabled Wall Street greed to nearly cause another Great Depression.

I’m not that ancient, but when I went to college, the government invested in my future by paying 80% of the cost. Now the government pays 20 percent, with tuition skyrocketing to make up the difference. As that happened, lower income students were increasingly shut out from accessing the critical skills required to enter the middle class. And, while affluent white students could still access higher education, the erosion of government educational support continued. Until now, even affluent whites are finding they must mortgage their future with student loans, delaying entrepreneurial enterprises (and starting families) resulting in further erosion of the middle class.

Then one day, we “discovered” that America’s manufacturing base had disappeared; it had been “outsourced” by the same forces of colonialism (now labeled globalization), which further suppressed wages as the social safety net was pared back by “reforms” like work requirements, drug testing, and limiting unemployment benefit duration.

Further proof of America’s slide toward third world status is reflected in the nepotism of the Trump Administration. Whether it’s Ivanka’s fashion enterprise receiving special treatment by the Chinese, or clearly unqualified “Senior Adviser “ and Trump son-in-law, Jared Kushner being charged with handling Middle East policy (including ISIS and Israel), Chinese relations (including North Korea), policy on infrastucture spending, or whatever other issue Trump wants Kushner to wade into, while ignoring his business conflicts of interest.

And finally, election politics. Republican gerrymandering and voter suppression is a national scandal. Our elections are polluted by oligarch money, which makes a farce out of free and fair democratic elections, as our representatives are purchased by corporate masters. And science, an essential element of policy making, is sacrificed on the alter of political ideology and corporate profit.

So, how are we not racing toward third world status? Corrupt government, nepotism, lack of opportunity enforced by institutionalized racism (justice system, red lining), attacks on the press (fake news), election rigging (voter suppression), erosion of civil rights (Patriot Act,), and a shrinking share of the economic pie for working Americans, all fit into the definition of a third world country.

Don’t get me started on the corporatization of our (formerly) free press? Which is no longer news, but 24/7 info-tainment? Add our cyber ability to access customized news that doesn’t expose us to inconvenient truths (FOX, right wing radio), and the function of a free press to publish the “best obtainable version of the truth” is distorted almost beyond recognition.

Upward economic mobility and a thriving middle class are indispensable to maintain America’s greatness. The oligarchs will not stop trying to control everything for their own benefit. Blinded by their greed, they can not process the fact that a thriving middle class is the Golden Goose, the source of their wealth.

The conclusion is inescapable. For too many of us, America is fast becoming a third world nation. Except for the privileged few, who fiddle with the levers of power for their own gain, while Rome burns?