US has regressed to developing nation status, MIT economist warns - Polidicks

[URL="http://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/americas/us-developing-nation-regressing-economy-poverty-donald-trump-mit-economist-peter-temin-a7694726.html"]http://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/americas/us-developing-nation-regressing-economy-poverty-donald-trump-mit-economist-peter-temin-a7694726.html[/URL] [QUOTE]America is regressing to have the economic and political structure of a developing nation, an MIT economist has warned. Peter Temin says the world's’ largest economy has roads and bridges that look more like those in Thailand and Venezuela than those in parts of Europe. In his new book, “The Vanishing Middle Class", reviewed by the Institute for New Economic Thinking, Mr Temin says the fracture of US society is leading the middle class to disappear. The economist describes a two-track economy with on the one hand 20 per cent of the population that is educated and enjoys good jobs and supportive social networks. On the other hand, the remaining 80 per cent, he said, are part of the US’ low-wage sector, where the world of possibility has shrunk and people are burdened with debts and anxious about job security. Mr Temin used a model, which was created by Nobel Prize winner Arthur Lewis and designed to understand developing nations, to describe how far inequalities have progressed in the US. [/QUOTE]

To be honest, as far as I can tell, the US already is a developing nation in all but name, what with how the wealth distribution continues to be consolidated with the rich, leaving less with the poor, and a slowly disappearing middle class. Not to mention almost non-existent workers' rights, outdated laws, rights issues...

[url=https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/americas/donald-trump-us-power-to-collapse-predicted-ussr-fall-johan-galtung-a7460516.html]Reminds me of the guy who predicted the U.S. power will collapse by 2020[/url] I've been keeping this prediction in mind the entire presidency, and only feel it becoming truer each day.

Sounds about right.

Nah, haven't regressed into a developing nation, we're just the first country to reach a post-developed state. It's kind of like climbing a mountain, and then falling down the other side.

Our healthcare is one of our biggest problems, it's so bad it can hardly be put into words. People who don't even go to the doctor until they're almost dead because of the costs involved. Mortality rates through the roof compared to other countries, etc. It's just depressing

[QUOTE=Funion;52512492]Our healthcare is one of our biggest problems, it's so bad it can hardly be put into words. People who don't even go to the doctor until they're almost dead because of the costs involved. Mortality rates through the roof compared to other countries, etc. It's just depressing[/QUOTE] Agreed completely. Issues with the cost, access, and quality of healthcare are the biggest problems facing the average American in my opinion. A visit to the hospital for even a relatively minor illness or injury (though one still requiring medical attention) can [I]ruin[/I] a family financially. Unfortunately, our ruling party is intent on making healthcare [I]even more[/I] exclusive, treating it as a privilege of the wealthy and healthy rather than a basic societal need that everybody should have access to. Not having easy and affordable (if not free) access to quality healthcare is like not having access to clean water. We cannot call ourselves a modern nation while people are dying and suffering for lack of it.

[QUOTE=Pax;52512478]Nah, haven't regressed into a developing nation, we're just the first country to reach a post-developed state. It's kind of like climbing a mountain, and then falling down the other side.[/QUOTE] It'd be more accurate to say there's multiple people climbing a mountain but then fell back down because someone already at the top pushed you. And yes, I'm talking about the GOP.

More like climbing a mountain then stopping to pat yourself on the back for being ahead of everyone else, but then they just catch up and climb past you while you're still sitting there.

[QUOTE=Big Dumb American;52512519]Agreed completely. Issues with the cost, access, and quality of healthcare are the biggest problems facing the average American in my opinion. A visit to the hospital for even a relatively minor illness or injury (though one still requiring medical attention) can [I]ruin[/I] a family financially. Unfortunately, our ruling party is intent on making healthcare [I]even more[/I] exclusive, treating it as a privilege of the wealthy and healthy rather than a basic societal need that everybody should have access to. Not having easy and affordable (if not free) access to quality healthcare is like not having access to clean water. We cannot call ourselves a modern nation while people are dying and suffering for lack of it.[/QUOTE] not even hospitals, if you have a chronic condition which requires medication every day for your life, you're basically being taxed for living

Some might just call it late-stage capitalism

[QUOTE=proboardslol;52512722]Some might just call it late-stage capitalism[/QUOTE] terminal capitalism.

Leave the few select cities where gentrification has exploded (and created its own nightmare) and you find literally nothing but decline in the US.

Well on its way to third world status unless a competent government comes to power.

[QUOTE=Pax;52512478]Nah, haven't regressed into a developing nation, we're just the first country to reach a post-developed state. It's kind of like climbing a mountain, and then falling down the other side.[/QUOTE] I'd say that Japan is a more accurate reflection of the problems that may affect a "post-developed" nation. The US never really seemed like it reached that fully developed point, especially when considering healthcare, workers rights, and the role of corporations in our political process. Problems that other developed first-world nations overcame a long time ago. While our free-market approach has often put us on the forefront of innovation, its held us back on a number of fronts.

[QUOTE=Duck M.;52513168]I'd say that Japan is a more accurate reflection of the problems that may affect a "post-developed" nation. The US never really seemed like it reached that fully developed point, especially when considering healthcare, workers rights, and the role of corporations in our political process. Problems that other developed first-world nations overcame a long time ago. While our free-market approach has often put us on the forefront of innovation, its held us back on a number of fronts.[/QUOTE] We came close. Towards the end of his life and his presidency, Franklin Roosevelt was pushing for the adoption of a "Second Bill of Rights" that entailed aspects like healthcare, education, housing, finances and wealth fairness, employment, etc. If we'd gone through with it, we would be much more civilized today-- much more European (as we ought to be). [media]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b8oPbsgUN1E[/media]

[QUOTE=Govna;52513350]We came close. Towards the end of his life and his presidency, Franklin Roosevelt was pushing for the adoption of a "Second Bill of Rights" that entailed aspects like healthcare, education, housing, finances and wealth fairness, employment, etc. If we'd gone through with it, we would be much more civilized today-- much more European (as we ought to be). [/QUOTE] Instead of Americans talking about adopting the Nordic model, we would have people in other countries talking about adopting the American model.

[QUOTE=Raidyr;52513397]Instead of Americans talking about adopting the Nordic model, we would have people in other countries talking about adopting the American model.[/QUOTE] Considering the cold war, imagine how many countries [B]would[/B] have adopted the American model, one way or another

[QUOTE=Raidyr;52513397]Instead of Americans talking about adopting the Nordic model, we would have people in other countries talking about adopting the American model.[/QUOTE] Yep, assuming the Republicans didn't disband it eventually the way they've been trying to do with Obama's policies. They were of course opposed to him and the New Deal. They've been a shit party for a long time. That's why we don't just need competent government in the future if we're going to survive and thrive, we're going to need [i]strong[/i] government too in order to put those sorts of people in their place and prohibit them from that sort of destructive nonsense. We can't keep tolerating this "one step forward, two steps back" degeneracy-- not from politicians or for that matter from voters. It's exactly the reason why our nation's status is falling, and it's going to keep falling if we don't do something about it. We get a good president (like Obama) and a reasonable Congress, then we lose one of those things or both of them; once their opponents take office, they seek to rollback all the progress that's been made. As a result, we end up going nowhere (nowhere good anyway).

[QUOTE=Raidyr;52513397]Instead of Americans talking about adopting the Nordic model, we would have people in other countries talking about adopting the American model.[/QUOTE] The American model used to be a hell of a lot more affordable than it is now.

[QUOTE=New Cidem;52513157]Well on its way to third world status unless a competent government comes to power.[/QUOTE] No worries, the GOP is doing it's damnedest to ensure that won't happen. (A competent government coming to power to clarify.) And the Democrats aren't doing a spectacular job themselves even if they are notably better.

so when is the revolution?

What sucks is when your environment is such a hell that life becomes emotionally draining. I had a girl on my block ask to use my phone, and then use that phone to call a John and renegotiate a price so she could go from $0 to $20. Cashiers you interact with have golden eyes from years of drugs you dont wanna try once. There's a gambling-machine place on every block, they're always full. I've seen first hand how easy it is to catch a bullshit charge as a black person in this town, and then get fucked because not even mcdonalds will call you back so the only job opportunities for you are illegal. The only businesses that stay open are chains, or fail-safes (bars, gambling parlors, tobacco shops. Basically anything that sells anything extremely addictive). The 'guy with a cardboard sign on the side of the road' stereotype is no longer old Lt. Dan types, but people in their 20s. I dont normally like to post about my real life here, but there's a lot people from a lot countries here and I wanted to share my insight. Not a fucking day goes by I dont want the hell out of here. There are obviously nicer towns than mine I could move to but I can barely afford to live here let alone anywhere nicer, and even then that still leaves me in [I]Trump's America. [/I]

[QUOTE=Govna;52513350]We came close. Towards the end of his life and his presidency, Franklin Roosevelt was pushing for the adoption of a "Second Bill of Rights" that entailed aspects like healthcare, education, housing, finances and wealth fairness, employment, etc. If we'd gone through with it, we would be much more civilized today-- much more European (as we ought to be). [media]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b8oPbsgUN1E[/media][/QUOTE] na, the right wing backlash in the 50s and 70s pretty much greatly restricted everything.

[QUOTE=MedicWine;52514746]What sucks is when your environment is such a hell that life becomes emotionally draining. I had a girl on my block ask to use my phone, and then use that phone to call a John and renegotiate a price so she could go from $0 to $20. Cashiers you interact with have golden eyes from years of drugs you dont wanna try once. There's a gambling-machine place on every block, they're always full. I've seen first hand how easy it is to catch a bullshit charge as a black person in this town, and then get fucked because not even mcdonalds will call you back so the only job opportunities for you are illegal. The only businesses that stay open are chains, or fail-safes (bars, gambling parlors, tobacco shops. Basically anything that sells anything extremely addictive). The 'guy with a cardboard sign on the side of the road' stereotype is no longer old Lt. Dan types, but people in their 20s. I dont normally like to post about my real life here, but there's a lot people from a lot countries here and I wanted to share my insight. Not a fucking day goes by I dont want the hell out of here. There are obviously nicer towns than mine I could move to but I can barely afford to live here let alone anywhere nicer, and even then that still leaves me in [I]Trump's America. [/I][/QUOTE] I'll be real with you, it doesn't even get any better when you actually do start to do better and move to a nicer place. Because then the only difference is that the wealth inequality is just all up in your face and it gets even more depressing because yeah you were hot shit, big fish in a small pond when you were in your little bullshit town, but now that you have your own shit and feel like you're getting somewhere, move to a big city? Dude you realize extremely quick that you aren't shit, won't ever be shit, can't understand shit, and can't afford shit. Or at least that was my experience, your mileage may vary, who knows I might just suck and this isn't the norm. Then there's all the bums, yeah. I see at least 20 different people a day with a sign at all the stoplights and exits, and the vast majority of them aren't old.

It really paints a sad picture when you consider this, but also other things like the pervasiveness of anti-intellectualism, climate change denial, and the US being re-classified from a 'full democracy' to a 'flawed democracy' on the Democracy Index. The only anglosphere country to be less than a full democracy.

[QUOTE=Kommodore;52512831]Leave the few select cities where gentrification has exploded (and created its own nightmare) and you find literally nothing but decline in the US.[/QUOTE] This is hyperbolic in a lot of ways. It's true for a lot of areas, but not every one. My hometown in Texas has been experiencing unbelievable growth, spiking from 60,000 in the 2000s to 80-90,000 by 2020. It's not a suburb, it's not connected to any central city hub, it's just a rapidly-growing highway town with a public schooling system that consistently improves its rankings year after year. The vast majority of the US, particularly rural areas in Appalachia and the Midwest, are reaching a point of no return. But there is still a lot of growth going on - not as much as in the past, and far more localized, but it's not "literally nothing but decline."