Politics Is the US Headed Towards Another Civil War? | Barbara F. Walter | TED

It has the main two markers.

US democracy has been downgraded 3 times since 2016 according to the Economist Intelligence Unit's Democracy Index.

First for allowing Russian medling in the 2016 election.

Second, in 2019 for the Whitehouse refusing to turn over information Congress requested.

Then the final time, due to Jan 6th, US democracy was downgraded from a full democracy to a "flawed democracy".

The second part is who typically start civil wars. It's typically during a political shift and the people who are losing power start the civil war.

The US is in the process of transitioning from a majority white population to a majority non-white population. The US will be first country to do this. So we're not exactly sure how it will go.

But Trump, his antics, and Jan 6th aren't encouraging...

 

With how more and more average citizens are sooo judgemental there is an increasing divide and a mentality of if you aren't with me you are against me, i see it as inevitable.
As long as we continue this condemnation divide( often without knowing all the facts), it will happen.
I dont think it has anything to do with race or even money. It has to do with moral authority types trying to cancel anyone who disagrees with them.
Theclack of respect betwen individuals is increasing, not only on social media, but in real life.
Everyone has a breaking point and at a point loke minded thinkers will band together.
Those who think they know how everyone else should live and tries to force thst on them and those who understand compromise and want to be left alone.
Those who use their personal opinions to judge people as if their opinions are facts are causing the bulk of this moral divide.

Lashing out because someone did something you disagree with but isn't against the law. Its more and more rampant. Eventually enough people wil be sick of this and band together and push back. Pushing leads to fighting and fighting leads to war.
The pushing is already happening.

if it isn't against the law, people need to mind more of their own business and stop lashing out at others as if they are God.

 

Hope one bucket of coffee is enough to respond in a way that makes sense. This is a very important topic, and one I have given a lot of thought to.

One of the sadest things about getting older is watching how divided our people have become. We have always had differences, but we worked together to find the best solution. People today have way too much hate and poison in their hearts. This only pushes us futher apart.

Rather than point fingures at who has caused this. (There is plenty of blame to go around to all sides.) I am trying to find the root cause, and how to fix it.

I am a firm believer in the checks and balances provided by our two party system. However I believe it is flawed, flaws that have fueled this division. Our two party system is in need of reforms.

We need to stop people from declaring if they are a Dem or Rep. Everyone should be an independent.

More important. We should no longer alow voting for everyone on a party ticket. Think about it. If you only voted for everyone in one party, over the long run, 50% of the time, you have voted for the person that will not get the better results.

We should be voting for the best politician that has a history proven to get the best results for the most people. And stop voting for the politician or party that supports a special interest, while ignoring what is important to others.

Short version, vote for the person, not issues. The issues divide us. The best politicians know how to handle the issues to achieve the best results, and bring us back together.

 

I'm not even sure how a civil war would work here in the US...

Who would be attacking who? How would you know who's side you're on? What's the target? What's the goal?

 

You are soooo correct. Except i find it more than just ridiculous. I find it very concerning for our long term future.

 

I think it would likely devolve into chaos and be the start of a world war as other countries around the world look to take advantage of our internal conflicts. I believe if the states go to civil war, the world will go to world war.

 

I don't even know how the states would go to war with each other...

 

Yeah... Maybe. Like the Malheur wildlife refuge occupation or something... But on a larger scale?

 

Or....

The majority of people in 12 counties vote to leave and become part of another state.

Reason, after 30 years of continuous total control and dictatorship of the state and largest cities by one party. And their voice not being heard. They want to move to a state that offers a more balanced representation.

Hey, 30 years of democratic elected dictatorship is anocracy.

 

I should have been clearer. Not states fighting each other. The united states fighting each other.
I agree. I dont know what it would look like. But every picture i paint in my head is not pretty. At all.

 

Would be awesome if an alternative that wasn't horribly unpopular or batshit crazy would run... Last one was who, Chris Dudley?

 

Essentially what i meant. Nothing like this state is blue and this is red, now standoff.

Think more along the lines of hundreds of autonomous zones popping up, each with their own warlord aNd set of rules. 1st would to be to defy all current government and create a simplistic set of new governing rules for each community. People will then flock to the ones they agree with/ believe in.

 

I can't even wrap my head around it... Who would be on what side? How would they determine the enemy?

Only thing I could think of (that has any real likelihood of happening) would be the next Trump winning the Presidency and going full dictator, then the masses rising up...

 

Something like the above, im thinking, but after that? I only see blood and chaos.