Bobby. wrote on May 6^th, 2020 at 8:25am:


The moon landing was an extraordinary moment.

My father who lived through the Great Depression and fought in World War Two and Korea, a rather tough if sentimental man, had tears of joy when the first step was taken.

I will never forget that moment.

As chimera mentioned there are a lot of parallels with Republican Rome and America.

My own answer is the American Republic- empire is staggering, especially in the last two failed wars and pandemic, but will not fall any time soon.

Returning to the comparison with  America and Republican Rome.

The egalitarian nature of Republican Rome late on eroded before large powerful economic interests, as is the case in the US, there was social discord and conflict, even social wars, as is the case in America at least politically and socially. Peoples living standards, for most Roman citizens declined, as is the case with America, and more and more her political leaders were lunatics or deluded, as with the case of America but.....

Republican Rome retained the most professional and powerful army in the world, as is the case with America (her failures in Iraq and Afghanistan were due to bad political goals and planning, not the nature of the military itself) and Republican Rome had an ability to keep reinventing it's economical opportunities and goals which I believe the American empire does and can continue to do.

There is 50 years of empire gas left in the American tank I reckon, maybe more.

Richest nation on earth with the highest rate of poverty
Most powerful military by far and yet hasn't won a war in 75 years
Best universities in the world and yet the worst public education system
Best hospitals in the world and yet the worst healthcare in the western world
One of the most corrupt political systems in the western world - if not the actual most corrupt
Run over by racism and race-violence
Known the world over for the arrogant ignorance and stupidity of much of its population
Cant make the top 20 on the 'corruption index'

The moon-landings was its last chance to be a true leader, but it squandered those gains and is now just another global bully.



Coronavirus may be its actual fall from #1.   With the moronic Trump in charge and supported by 99% of the Republicans, they are determined to kill hundreds of thousands while NEVER ridding themselves of the virus.

In a year's time, most of the world will be open to travel but the irony maybe that the world builds a 'wall' around america to keep them out of their countries because they are infected.

The new world is going to be very different and America needs Obama II, not Biden and definitely not Trump.  But they wont. American evangelicals who disgrace the name of God with their actions will ensure that Guns, Patriotism and white nationalism all come well ahead of God in their priorities.


It is indeed a good time to be an Australian. We have food, land, good weather and (almost) no virus. Who knows? At the end of all this, we may be the only nation left standing.

When America is going well, the whole world does well.

Sprintcyclist wrote on May 7^th, 2020 at 5:35pm:



what drivel...

BTW thanks america for the GFC.  and the Great Depression and the oil crisis.

The United States likes to think of itself as a republic, but it holds territories all over the world – the map you always see doesn’t tell the whole story

https://www.theguardian.com/news/2019/feb/15/the-us-hidden-empire-overseas-terri...

freediver wrote on May 7^th, 2020 at 10:06pm:


That is one thing that Raven finds fascinating about the world. If capitalism is so star spangled awesome, why does it need to be rescued by socialism every decade or so?

Every time there is a recession, or a crash, or a pandemic, socialism has to bailout the banks or the airlines or the automobile industry.  If the system can't withstand a dive, why have it? Why allow it to destroy families? Why let it put people on the street?