Make America Great Again?

Let's Explore That Thought

First, study the Circle of Civilization Wheel.

It has been published in a thousand different forms with ten time that many words associated with it. Regardless of all the words, there is only one important fact to understand…….

The Circle of Civilization wheel only turns one direction.

There is no reverse gear. There is no going back. We do not live on the school playground where, with enough persuasion, "do-overs" are permitted. In order to get back again to that spot that so many desire, no matter the time period that may be, the wheel must turn a full circle to return to that spot.

Throughout history there is not a single instance of turning back the clock to better times. There are instances when the clock was slowed, even to a crawl, but never, ever has it turned backwards. Yes, laws have been made and then repealed throughout moments in history, but the wheel was turning forward.

In the Roman era, as the collapse of the empire became eminant, the oligarchs tried to keep the serfs happy and working (stop the wheel) with what is commonly known as "bread and circuses". It didn't work and the rest is history.

In modern times, Japan tried to stop the wheel. In the 1980's their asset-priced "bubble economy" burst.  They could not stop it. As a result, they suffered through what has been called an "employment ice age" in the 1990's & 2000's. That resulted in what is now known as "the lost generation" or "lost decade".  Approximately 17 million individuals, accounting for 15% of Japan's population, encountered limited job prospects and endured economic uncertainty.

In this Republic, the Lehman Brothers failure in 2008 should have been the domino that caused a new "Great Depression". But, the federal government stepped in to try and stop the wheel. It was able to slow the wheel for a moment with a massive banking bailout that cost the taxpayers of this Republic more than WWII and the Vietnam War combined. But they did NOT reverse the wheel. They simply slowed it. And now, with a monetary policy that, at best, can be called ridiculous, the wheel is gaining momentum.

One has few options for this relentless forward movement of the wheel.

One can play ostrich, call bullshit, and stick their head in the sand. Those that choose this course will never know what hit them when they are run over.

One can put on their rose colored glasses and face paint, go to their favorite colossium, watch their preferred gladiators do battle, and enjoy their "bread and circuses" while it lasts, and when their favorite gladiators are victorious. Those also will never know what hit them when they are run over.

The last option is to heed the wisdom of grandma when she used to say "hope for the best, but plan for the worst."  The wheel is going to continue moving forward.  The only question is, at what speed?

That speed question is only relative for determining how much time does an individual have to "plan for the worst".  It is truly anyones guess.  Will it be a sudden and catastrophic collapse? Or will it be “death by a thousand cuts”? Or something between those two extremes. Some percentage of the population will guess right, and balance will guess wrong.  As one lengthens their guess - "no worries, it will take decades!" - they increase their chances of becoming part of the group(s) that get hit by the train.

No matter how popular the idea, the mission statement, or how long and loud it is chanted, there are, in fact, a few steps that must be taken to "make America great again", and they are not simple steps.

To start with, define "great".  That will take a long minute. How many grains of sand are in a cubic foot of beach?  There are near that number of definitions of "great", because it is an emotion-based definition. My team won - great!  Their team lost - great!  Both perspectives are accurate. But only from one side of the gulf between the two statements.

Second, once "great" has been defined, where exactly on the wheel of civilization is that so-called "great" spot?  That is going to take a few long minutes. Each of the wheel sections have positive and negative aspects and opportunities. So, exactly where is great? We are back to counting grains of sand.

And lastly, once you make your way through those two decisions, how fast can the wheel be turned forward to return to that "great" spot, where ever it is on the wheel, that people are so desirous of returning to?

Oh! Did I mention?  This is not a board game where, with a good role of the dice, you can jump over that nasty block that says, "go directly to jail, do not pass go, do not collect two hundred dollars".

Every stage of the wheel must be approached, entered, survived, and exited.  And, like it or not, the Republic is currently in the process of entering a new stage. It is simply a question of speed. But it cannot go back.