The Great (Mental) Depression

Townhall.com ^ | July 31, 2013 | Charles Payne

[Kaslin]

Much was made this week about the AP survey on the economy, economic, insecurity, and poverty, but more time should have been put into the discussion. The work is serious news with greater ramifications than Friday's jobs report, which will reflect AP's findings but only touch the surface. In fact, the gist of the report is that white America has all but given up hope of the economy, settling for a new paradigm that means harder times, and lost American glory with fewer opportunities. 

In short, this report is the biggest S.O.S from white America in generations.

Overall, the report paints a shocking portrait of an America that says 80% of adults in the United States face near-poverty, government subsidies and joblessness. This certainly belies the White House's assertion the economy is stronger after escaping the worst recession since the Great Depression. In fact, the report reveals a nation barreling toward a Great Depression, not away from such a dire predicament. This harkens back to those photos taken by Dorothea Lange, including her most famous one of the 32-year old migrant worker who got by day to day from frozen vegetables in nearby fields and birds killed by her children. 

This report zeros in on what's different now than similar surveys and reports on poverty in America - this is now a story of all Americans, including white Americans. Noticeable trends and stats that stood out to me include:

> Number of white single mother households living in poverty with children surpassed blacks in past decade, propelled by jobs loss and fast rates of out of wedlock births.

> 17% white children living in high poverty neighborhoods (30%+ at poverty) from 13% in 2000.

> 62% white Americans rate the economy as "poor."

> 19 million whites living in poverty, which is $23,021 for a family of four (two times rate black Americans).

> 76% of whites have experienced some form of economic inequality (joblessness, welfare, poverty).
These numbers dovetail with a spat of confidence surveys that show tumbling confidence about the future and even voting patterns that reflect growing indifference among white Americans.

This of course gets back to the notion of inequality that is being pushed hard by the left (amazing how magazines like Harpers could have major articles on topics that just happen to be the focus of the White House in a timeline that would suggest serious coincidence or serious collusion). 

Of course this story goes beyond the rapidly sinking economic state of white America; it's about a record 46.2 million people, or 15% of the population, living in poverty. Naturally the reaction has been to ask how this can be fixed. The liberal media thinks this is a way to finally get white people on the bandwagon ... the victim bandwagon. 

This report will be used to hammer home lies about capitalism, the transfer of wealth and would be solutions. Even as Detroit smolders from an economic and spiritual meltdown, the aftermath of being the perfect test of progressive economic and social ideas. 

Long Trail of Blame
 

There is no doubt high taxes, high wealth redistribution, and overly aggressive environmental policies have hurt the economies of local communities and states like California where those making less have to spend even more money to live. The current mess has many parents from both sides of the political aisle. 

The fact of the matter is that President Bush took his eye off true market principles, which changed dynamics of a lot of things. 

The housing bubble was the result of political shenanigans that built the ultimate house of cards. Sure, big banks played their role, but none of this happens without the government turning Freddie and Fannie into elephant graveyards for bad debt that wasn't repackaged and sitting on bank balance sheets of other investment organizations. If there were pro-business policies in place, the nation would be in real growth mode (only a politician could brag about 1% growth and 7.6% unemployment). 

While the nation has been sidetracked with a variety of news headlines that promote racial animosity and a recent speech by President Obama suggesting treatment of black people is moving backwards, there is a major crisis in white America that's going unnoticed or ignored. I suspect it will pick up media traction as the left makes its move to lure the same people it "dissed" for clinging to guns and religion instead of putting faith in Big Government. I can't say whether this will work or not, but considering how little Americans know about history, even recent history, it will be interesting to watch how it plays out.

If victimhood is accepted by more Americans, we're looking at higher taxes, faster decline in education standards, fewer new businesses, fewer jobs, less innovation ... essentially we'd become France overnight. The truly super wealthy will still have a lot of money, but the wonderful wealth-generating machine, already broken psychically and in spirit, will be totally mothballed. America is in trouble, but a long way from France or worse, but there is no time to lose reversing that sinking feeling. 

[Yosemitest]

"... the liberal mindset ..."

Here's something to consider about liberals, and conservatives.

The liberal's problem is psychological projection.

Liberals do this all the time.
Here's a definition.
Freudian Projection

The following is a collection of definitions of projection from orthodox psychology texts.
In this system the distinct mechanism of projecting own unconscious or undesirable characteristics onto an opponent is called Freudian Projection.

• "A defense mechanism in which the individual attributes to other people impulses and traits that he himself has but cannot accept.
  It is especially likely to occur when the person lacks insight into his own impulses and traits."
  
  
• "The externalisation of internal unconscious wishes, desires or emotions on to other people.
  So, for example, someone who feels subconsciously that they have a powerful latent homosexual drive may not acknowledge this consciously, but it may show in their readiness to suspect others of being homosexual."
  
  
• "Attributing one's own undesirable traits to other people or agencies, e.g., an aggressive man accuses other people of being hostile."
  
  
• "The individual perceives in others the motive he denies having himself.
  Thus the cheat is sure that everyone else is dishonest.
  The would-be adulterer accuses his wife of infidelity."
  
  
• "People attribute their own undesirable traits onto others.
  An individual who unconsciously recognises his or her aggressive tendencies may then see other people acting in an excessively aggressive way."
  
  
• "Projection is the opposite defence mechanism to identification.
  We project our own unpleasant feelings onto someone else and blame them for having thoughts that we really have."

And here's a problem with honest people.

(General) Projection

Here projection is assuming that others act or perceive similarly – according to this definition it is not necessary for a projected trait to be undesirable or unconscious.
Projection is probably inherent in social animals and the single most important psychological mechanism.
The following are given as examples:

1. Individual A assumes that B sees the colour red as he does, until informed that B is colour-blind;
   
   
2. Someone who never lies is easy to deceive because he projects his truthfulness onto others, assuming that others are honest also;
   
   
3. ‘It takes one to know one’;
   
   
4. An inept con-man fears that others are trying to cheat him, signals his fear and alerts others;
   
   
5. (Freudian) An individual who possesses malicious characteristics, but who is unwilling to perceive himself as a protagonist, convinces himself that his opponent feels and would act the same way.

Liberals constantly project their own vile values onto conservatives, intentionally or unintentionally,
and they need to called on it, shamed on it, and laughed at to scorn, when they do it.

We MUST get rid of these evil people.

[Biggirl]

.....No, Obama, that is being BROKE.

[Buckeye McFrog]

A necessary first step in getting us to accept collectivism

[Trapped Behind Enemy Lines]

Welcome to Obamanation. Welcome to the jungle.

[jeffc]

I remember the late 70's into 1980, 81. Same kind of doom and gloom on how the American Dream was gone and we would have to settle for less than what our parents had.

Then came Reagan and his can-do optimism and his belief in the American people. The 80's were a great time to be a young adult fresh out of college (being in boomtown Houston didn't hurt, either!).

We can do it again.

[Yosemitest]

There's more to it ... than that.

[Sequoyah101]

Mass resignation and hopelessness. This is the nation we live in now.

People have become convinced that there is no hope.

[lgjhn23]

They suffer from the chronic, no-cure mental disease of liberalism. It rots out the human brain such that no real rational thought processes can be made. They are self-loathing, evil, hate those around them, envious of anybody that might not be diseased such as they are. As the disease progresses they become very deeply delusional and physically violent. They in essence become the “walking dead” mentally speaking, of course.

[cherry]

hope and pray you are right....but the good people are outnumbered now by the lazy, the drugged, the shallow, the govt workers, the "disabled" on SSDI, etc etc....

work means nothing anymore...there are more schemes for people NOT to work and get free money anyway...

personally, I have felt depression over the future and its hard to deal with ...fortunately I tell myself (yes, I'm even talking to myself) that I probably have Adult attention deficit disorder and I'll eventually move on to other things to be depressed about....:(

[Captain PJ]

We’ll just have a larger hole to dig out from.

[RipSawyer]

America is in trouble, but a long way from France or worse,...
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No need to worry, we’ll catch up with France soon enough. We have already reached the point where “IDIOCRACY” seems like a future greatly to be desired.

[RipSawyer]

“We can do it again.”
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I would like to think you are right but I could name a long list of reasons to think you are probably wrong. Rush Limbaugh has said that when Obama took over things were not nearly as bad as when Reagan took over but I think he may have been overlooking some things. I see a general tendency for people to believe absurdity that I don’t recall from 1980. I think the average American of that era was far smarter in many ways than is the case today. I do know from personal experience and conversations that very few recent college graduates and I do mean VERY few would stand a chance of passing a high school final exam from 1960, many or perhaps most could not even pass an eighth grade final from that year. In other words they not only would not graduate at the high school level, they wouldn’t even qualify to enter high school. Of course they have knowledge that did not even exist in those days but in language, history, civics, literature etc. most are uneducated.

[RipSawyer]

“They in essence become the “walking dead” mentally speaking, of course.”
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When I first became aware of the TV show I actually told my wife that I saw it as a metaphor for what is happening to the country.

[RipSawyer]

Yeah, we’re depressed but we are making progress we are depressed about bigger and more important things now.

[jeffc]

I know what you mean and I understand the pessimism (cynicism?)

We know the media have thrown themselves fully behind the lib/Dem machine and the libs themselves are bolder, believing they have the ball and are going for the endzone (totally destroying the GOP for those who find my metaphor..... not good...). It is not good in a free nation for the media to back a political party. Our "news" media need to be brought to heel.

But I remember being very unsure about my own future and getting a job where I could afford a house. Inflation was rampant - by the time you saved up some money for something, the price had ballooned 25 to 50 percent higher.

Reagan came into office and it seemed the whole country heaved a sigh of relief and the whole economy started turning around, not overnight mind you, but you could almost feel it everywhere.

That is what I believe we can do again. We just need to get the right people into office - real leaders. I don't see any on the horizon...... yet.

[Uncle Miltie]

[GeronL]

I guess someone could say the preppers were right all along to prepare for hard times.

[Freedom_Is_Not_Free]

In Spades!

[proud American in Canada]

“Then came Reagan and his can-do optimism and his belief in the American people. The 80’s were a great time to be a young adult fresh out of college (being in boomtown Houston didn’t hurt, either!).

We can do it again.”

_____________________________________________

We must be around the same age.... It can be “Morning in America” again. :)

Julie