On that very same day, there was a train that carried tons of chemicals (mostly PVC) riding through Ohio. It exploded in East Palestine, unleashing the dangerous chemicals in the atmosphere. While The US was overreacting over the balloon, the chemicals were contaminating the air and waters. The chemicals were killing people’s chickens, dogs, cats, and other animals. The crows were circling and flying about in a strange motion as if they were drugged. The fish that flourished now lifelessly float along the river.
If the chemicals are getting to the animals, it’s getting to the people too. People who lived there experienced lung issues, breathing difficulties, and more. The PVC chemicals are causing higher risks of cancer. People are still not able to live in their homes due to the nauseating air. Those who come back are faced with dangerous conditions. Officials however, (including the FDA) have told everyone that the air is completely safe and the water is drinkable. People who drank the water described it as “smelling and tasting like chlorine.” So basically the officials were lying and trying to sweep it under the rug.
All while this was happening, you see the media overreacting over the balloon. And they pulled another stunt with Canada again this week. Meanwhile, Norfolk Southern lobbied to ease federal regulations and cut costs on the train.
Which makes me question… What are we living for? With the capitalist powers having it’s grip on the world, we are living to be slaves and to fill the wealthy man’s pockets while our lives are constantly in danger. We are just pawns in their game of wealth, power and fame. Tragedies are swept under the rug until one day there’s a large tragedy, and then there’s a compromise from those wealthy pigs that just isn’t enough. Then the cycle starts all over again.
In America, we are going backwards. At this point, we are entering back to the Gilded Age. Or maybe we’re already in it? Or never got out of it?
Could be argued we never left the guided age, yes quality of life, housing ownership, education, healthcare all have improved, but it’s pretty clear those were only at the allowance of the rulling class. Quite literal trickle down economics, you only get any benefit from the economy if the rich are so carefree they start dropping money. However once they are scared by yet another crisis, the trickle stops. And thus we see all metrics of life quality fall.
It was my understanding this is simply capitalism ran by the bourgeoisie. Where in the world under these same relations do we see such a difference? In social democracies of the Baltic region who arrived there to stave off revolution or their citizens fleeing to the USSR at the time? All I’ve seen are proletarian-controlled societies and near them or in reaction to their influence, social democracies, which defy this concept.
Also, the rich do not become carefree and drop money, and then stop when a crisis starts. It’s the opposite, as you stated. They stinge and rob to get to where they are, their economic position being constructed and maintained by taking as much from others as possible. When a crisis occurs, this is due to these actions, and so they, for a short period of time, reverse some amount of their greed as a way to sort of lube the machine.