James K. Lowden

@gatesvp@mstdn.ca, I didn’t say none of that is happening. I said the comparison to 1945 is ridiculous. The assumption that China will lead the world is facile. The US absolutely is harming itself. Trump is the face of 70 million who voted for a man who cares nothing for history and democracy. But it’s not a ruin. Germany in 1941 looked unstoppable too. Authoritarian systems are brittle. Individual liberty continues to matter more than missiles or GDP.

@gatesvp@mstdn.ca, I’m sorry, but this answer doesn’t even rise to the level of silly. There is no comparison, nor basis for comparison. Germany in 1945 was utterly wrecked. Its economy away in tatters, its industrial base destroyed. And it suffered from brain drain as its Jewish intellectuals and scientists fled persecution. How does that compare to an inept maladministration in the US? China remains an authoritarian system. Do not assume that is a strength.

@heidilifeldman , but markets don’t price truth. Markets price estimated future earnings. You’re buying a return on investment, not a Zen master. War is profitable. Expensive oil is profitable. Arms sales are profitable. Even renewable energy sources — solar panels and windmills — benefit from higher oil prices. Higher prices for fossil fuels mean renewables are automatically relatively cheaper. It’s all in what you measure.