I just checked and in my home state of PA, convicted felons only lose their right to vote when they’re in prison. If they’re on parole or probation they’re allowed to vote. People convicted of a misdemeanor can vote from jail.
I’m not in the US, but like a lot of the world, I’ve been watching it from afar from quite awhile. And to us it’s both a somewhat familiar and a very strange place. Some of us go there sometimes (I did, several times). It doesn’t really change that initial impression (it didn’t for me at least). To clarify, it doesn’t mean I didn’t like the US. I found it very interesting, I loved the nature (because it’s so empty). But the culture is…
You know those Twilight Zone kind of shows where you think you’re in the same dimension, but you’re actually not? And the longer you stay the weirder and more menacing it gets? That’s the US when you’re from Europe. With the weird religious people popping up all over the place, you noticing all the weird food stuff, all the weird legal stuff, and it goes on and on and on. But there are still Europe folks that go for the so called American Dream. So maybe it’s just me.
Anyway this voting thing is an example of the weirdness of the US to the rest of us (it’s at least true for Europe, but it also works for many more places, as long as you don’t run into dictatorships).
You know those Twilight Zone kind of shows where you think you’re in the same dimension, but you’re actually not? And the longer you stay the weirder and more menacing it gets? That’s the US when you’re from Europe.
Honestly, the “worsening” is a worldwide problem. The US problem is quite peculiar though.
It’s a multi-pronged thing. And also a thing you can look at from a lot of ways. But there are a few that, IMO are important.
We don’t like change (no animals like change)
For the US: History (maybe not in the way you think)
Power
And now, I’ll put some meat on those numbers.
is easy. When geese (or ducks) go to water, they always follow the same path. Block their way, and they’ll go around the blockage and back to the path (even if it means going back) and to the water. Animals (and of course humans) don’t like changing their ways. And these days, everything is changing. The ecosystems are collapsing, so everything is struggling to adapt, the politicians are trying their best to make everybody believe that all is at it ever was.
Whether you believe that is up to you.
The US has an immense advantage which is being away from all the old battlefields. The other one is being mostly empty. Finally, it built a lot of its might by stealing the Old World’s intellectual property (no shame, everybody did it at the time, China still kind of does it), and on slave labour (what? the Romans did it too cough). And of course it got all the people the Old World didn’t want, like the Religious Maniacs. Well, at least they could get lost in the wastelands (so we hoped, didn’t work? well, they’re your problem now).
Ok, so from out Old World point of view, the US isn’t just a bunch of weirdos in a wasteland any more. They’ve grown to be an actual industrial powerhouse. However, what’s really problematic, is that it’s a powerhouse with the equivalent of all the cultists we got rid of at the helm (simplifying here). Now that the US is the major powerhouse. We have to do something about those lunatics.
They’ve already fucked up half of Africa, they’re working on Europe, but it’s unlikely they’re going to achieve anything there…
And that’s before we even get into money (and corruption).
The thing is, we, although now that I think about it, you too, have been fed a lot of indoctrination about the US.
It came with the whole Marshall plan package (that whole thing that was meant to refinance a peacetime US economy, and sell lots of US products in Europe, oh, and also rebuild stuff over there, as long as they pay for it).
But in the 50s and 60s, Europe was inundated with US media showing how awesome they were (it changed a bit in the 70s). It came with lots of US products. But that left a long lasting impression shomehow. Although it’s still true that the US it the place to go to get a project financed. Because thanks to its huge market, its considerably easier to find some financing than in Europe’s very fragmented environment.
But then we’ve been spared the whole political indoctrination. The level to which the US was indoctrinated is unheard of in the West. Very few countries have gone beyond it worldwide. The whole Cold War Witch Hunt thing has been written in the US psyche as in stone. It’s something that still echoes today. Deformed, but I’m pretty sure you could trace it back to its origins.
And yet, the US is the place where people make silly things. This is IMO such a uniquely US thing, the making of stupid and fun stuff (ok, China has caught up on it, but they’re just copying the concept), that it redeems the US for a lot of things.
So I’ve been to the US, I’ve met lots of great people. I’ve met lots of real bizarro weirdos. It’s a nice place. I wouldn’t ever live there. But I don’t mind visiting every now and then. For now.
I just checked and in my home state of PA, convicted felons only lose their right to vote when they’re in prison. If they’re on parole or probation they’re allowed to vote. People convicted of a misdemeanor can vote from jail.
So I guess it varies a lot more than I thought.
I’m not in the US, but like a lot of the world, I’ve been watching it from afar from quite awhile. And to us it’s both a somewhat familiar and a very strange place. Some of us go there sometimes (I did, several times). It doesn’t really change that initial impression (it didn’t for me at least). To clarify, it doesn’t mean I didn’t like the US. I found it very interesting, I loved the nature (because it’s so empty). But the culture is…
You know those Twilight Zone kind of shows where you think you’re in the same dimension, but you’re actually not? And the longer you stay the weirder and more menacing it gets? That’s the US when you’re from Europe. With the weird religious people popping up all over the place, you noticing all the weird food stuff, all the weird legal stuff, and it goes on and on and on. But there are still Europe folks that go for the so called American Dream. So maybe it’s just me.
Anyway this voting thing is an example of the weirdness of the US to the rest of us (it’s at least true for Europe, but it also works for many more places, as long as you don’t run into dictatorships).
It’s like that from the inside, too.
Honestly, the “worsening” is a worldwide problem. The US problem is quite peculiar though.
It’s a multi-pronged thing. And also a thing you can look at from a lot of ways. But there are a few that, IMO are important.
We don’t like change (no animals like change)
For the US: History (maybe not in the way you think)
Power
And now, I’ll put some meat on those numbers.
Whether you believe that is up to you.
The US has an immense advantage which is being away from all the old battlefields. The other one is being mostly empty. Finally, it built a lot of its might by stealing the Old World’s intellectual property (no shame, everybody did it at the time, China still kind of does it), and on slave labour (what? the Romans did it too cough). And of course it got all the people the Old World didn’t want, like the Religious Maniacs. Well, at least they could get lost in the wastelands (so we hoped, didn’t work? well, they’re your problem now).
Ok, so from out Old World point of view, the US isn’t just a bunch of weirdos in a wasteland any more. They’ve grown to be an actual industrial powerhouse. However, what’s really problematic, is that it’s a powerhouse with the equivalent of all the cultists we got rid of at the helm (simplifying here). Now that the US is the major powerhouse. We have to do something about those lunatics.
They’ve already fucked up half of Africa, they’re working on Europe, but it’s unlikely they’re going to achieve anything there…
And that’s before we even get into money (and corruption).
I love your interpretation of the US. Trust me, a lot of us that are from here feel the same way driving through those types of states 🤣
The religious loony spots are mocked if you’re not from those small towns. Hell, even most kids that are from those towns talk crap about them!
The thing is, we, although now that I think about it, you too, have been fed a lot of indoctrination about the US.
It came with the whole Marshall plan package (that whole thing that was meant to refinance a peacetime US economy, and sell lots of US products in Europe, oh, and also rebuild stuff over there, as long as they pay for it).
But in the 50s and 60s, Europe was inundated with US media showing how awesome they were (it changed a bit in the 70s). It came with lots of US products. But that left a long lasting impression shomehow. Although it’s still true that the US it the place to go to get a project financed. Because thanks to its huge market, its considerably easier to find some financing than in Europe’s very fragmented environment.
But then we’ve been spared the whole political indoctrination. The level to which the US was indoctrinated is unheard of in the West. Very few countries have gone beyond it worldwide. The whole Cold War Witch Hunt thing has been written in the US psyche as in stone. It’s something that still echoes today. Deformed, but I’m pretty sure you could trace it back to its origins.
And yet, the US is the place where people make silly things. This is IMO such a uniquely US thing, the making of stupid and fun stuff (ok, China has caught up on it, but they’re just copying the concept), that it redeems the US for a lot of things.
So I’ve been to the US, I’ve met lots of great people. I’ve met lots of real bizarro weirdos. It’s a nice place. I wouldn’t ever live there. But I don’t mind visiting every now and then. For now.