"Who cares about GeoPolitics, I drive a Hummer"

It has been reported and commented on (to death) that China and Russia are conducting joint wargames. How should the US-of-A respond to that little military misadventure seems to be the short-sighted reportage of the moment. Mostly because to focus on Iraq could damage Mr. Bush or hurt the republican party that the owners of the media all belong to.

Could we be witnessing another major shift in realpolitik that will change the world that we all live in, including the fantasy world of the Neoconservatives (its different for the far religious righter or the old conservatives); or reenergizing the freightened Neo-McCarthyites out there in the ranks of the GOP who still cannot get past that bastard Stalin and his dumb neophytes in the US Communist party? Talk about a grudge with no merit, sheesh.

But perhaps it matters less and less what the United States is doing or not doing in the world. I mean, sooner or later the US won't be able to afford all the things it is doing. Georgie Spendie may call himself a "compassionate conservative" but he has destroyed the "compassionate" trope with refusing to talk with mothers of dead soldiers. And buried the "conservative" with run amok government spending. The old man Clinton is looking pretty damn good right now, isn't he?!

And alas bit by bit, the American Indians may be taking back their land, without blood and war. How well do middle class Americans understand the world outside of the US? And what the world thinks of them? How well does the average politician know and understand (much more important than knowing) about global markets, globalization, international culture, or the vagaries of international political alignments?

Seems the freedom fries got stuck in somebody's throat these days. And nobody understands why some Americans (mostly middle-aged male divorcees or as I like to call them MAMDs) need to ride motorbikes (cruisers) with 2.3 liter engines. I know we can all relate someone we know to that imagery... it may not be pretty but it tells us a great deal about the American political psyche or for that matter -- what's wrong with it.

And actually I do understand these desperately-grabbing-for-some-sense of youth and empowerment MAMDs. They want to feel like they are "cool" or "hip" or "with it." And they have some money, although they complain that they don't. And they drive big big BIG automobiles (compensation or some such stuff going on). Because despite increases, gas is the smallest cost item for driving something extremely motorized - in these United States. And if they can buy chic or credability -- even if its only perceived by them -- then they buy.

Perhaps the US that we were taught in high school no longer exists, and there is only Shell, Exxon, GE, Microsoft, Halliburton, Toyota, and -- of course -- Walmart... among all the other faceless impersonal corporations. Perhaps they should all have their own security forces so that they can keep the rift and the raft out of their stores. Want an exercise in fun? Just try calling the main phone number of one of these corporations and see how long it takes you to get to a living human being.

These comapnies and stores are run by MAMDs who prize the gory intense massification and economies of scale that allow them to gorge themselves on huge boxes of goldfish crackers while they drink imported beer or wine, all the while hitching up their pants and talking about the good ol days of the orgy of consumption that they once engaged in while listening to "true rock music" or the purity of some shitty stuff that they used to do. And these are the people who are running corporate America --governmental or retail.

No, for these masters of consumption, gas that did not require promises of blood or the possession of a first born were not their central concerns... and are still not what they care about most. Showing us all that they still have something down "there" and can do what they want regardless of price is what moves them.

And nothing says you are a rebel than massive spending and huge metalic environment-hating shiny machines. And these are the people in charge. Damn it all my friends, it does not matter what China and Russia are doing because these MAMDs are the real danger. Oh, and because of that: we are screwed.