Historical record 2000-2020 as reviewed 2110
Chapter 1 – “United States abdicates its power as
world leader”
by Loren Adams, 2 August 2009
The year 2003 was the most significant milestone in Twenty-First
Century world history. The United States, under the highly controversial presidency
of George W. Bush, assumed a unilateral approach toward international relations
which led to the unjustified attack on Iraq in March 2003. The invasion of Iraq
was deliberately set before Bush’s ascension by a little known group called
“Project for a New American Century” (PNAC) of which most members of the Bush
Administration were charter members in 1997. Thus, because of PNAC’s
predisposition, U.S. intelligence was “fixed” around the policy to invade
[months prior to September 11, 2001], deliberate fabrications were presented to
the U.S. Congress and public, and the regime’s propaganda minister, Karl Rove,
worked over-time to sell the war.
This above all else marked the temporary downfall of the American
Empire, not singularly the unwise military quagmire over the course of eleven
years that culminated in the loss of 8,000 American forces; nor of the loss of one
and one-half million Iraqis; nor of the terrorist war of attrition that escalated
in Afghanistan and elsewhere in the Muslim World against common American
citizens and interests both domestic and foreign; but the indisputable loss of
prestige in the world community which inevitably contributed to America's economic
demise and the rise of the European Community (EU) and its Far Eastern
counterpart, the People's Republic of China.
The economic policies of the George W. Bush regime, of
course, played a pivotal role that sped America toward decline. Deregulation,
massive tax-cuts for the wealthy, no-bid contracts for political corporate
cronies, and other incidents of blatant corruption were trademarks of the Bush
regime, and because of 9/11 the opposition was reluctant to challenge by
assuming its proper oversight role.
Of all factors, what was the principal source of America's
fall?
The year 2003 may have seen the first identifiable manifest
incompetency, but the selection of US president G.W. Bush in December 2000 by
the U.S. Supreme Court was nearly the beginning of the end for the Republic
– as Bush's father secretly courted Republican justices on behalf of his
son; and the Florida ballot re-count turned into fiasco, tainted by conflicts
of interest and under-the-table dealings between political operatives involved
in the brother's state who declined recusing themselves from key positions of
vote tabulations.
Succeeding Bush, President Barack Obama attempted massive
recovery projects to revive the economy soon after being sworn in January 20, 2009, whereupon Republicans
used 100% of their weakened power to sabotage those efforts. The nation’s best
interests were laid aside as members of the GOP and their allies from
right-wing radio and FOX focused on regaining power at any cost.
Unfortunately, Republicans succeeded at destroying
health-care reform, universal coverage, economic stimulus programs, and
re-writing the tax code to be more just. Tactics used in prior decades were
employed: political character assassination, marginalization, inflaming the
right-wing base, and focusing on wedge issues (gay rights, guns, God and
abortion). All the while, Democratic congressional leaders lacked the
determination to overcome Republican opposition. Senate Majority Leader Harry
Reid (D-NV) capitulated on every issue and is known as the 21st Century Neville Chamberlain. In the other chamber, Speaker of the House Nancy
Pelosi failed to rally representatives behind Obama’s proposals, which allowed
Republicans to boast, “Barack Obama has met his Waterloo.”
Union leadership added spinelessness to the mix. The AFL-CIO
accepted a compromise to the “Employee Free Choice Act” which, in essence,
neutered the bill. Instead of demanding their Democratic politicians’ support
by threatening to withhold campaign contributions, the AFL agreed to ‘moderate’
Democrats amendments, thus killing the legislation.
As America’s hopes for recovery and affordable health-care
faded with 2009, the economy understandably took another nose-dive. The NYSE
which, again, had been artificially stimulated during the first half of 2009,
experienced another crash in late 2009 similar to 9/15/08. Foreclosures were
now almost on a level with 1932; businesses could no longer afford to keep
their doors open.
A power vacuum, naturally, came into being, and with the
absence of power comes the competition (conflict) to fill it. Every vacuum
triggers an outside element; America’s weakness was the catalyst to not just
troubles at home, but world conflict.
On the domestic front, crime and lawlessness took
center-stage in 2010 – as Americans were out of hope and home. The defeat
of Obama’s dreams opened a new
chapter of despair.
The right-wing in America was prepared to take power at any
cost – blaming the Obama Administration for every ill actually instigated
by the predecessor. Under the radar, the right-wing was encouraging
assassination.
But, the 2010 midterm elections were another disappointment
for Republicans – as the Democrats further cemented their control of the
Senate and held their own in the House with nearly a 100-seat majority.
This, of course, did not dissuade the Republicans from their
stance as “The Party of No.” Attempts were made repeatedly on Obama’s life and
his wife. History affirms it would have made no difference what Democrat was in
the White House; any choice would have been targeted in similar fashion.
Barack Obama won the national general election again in
2012, this time by a wider electoral margin. Montana, Missouri, South Dakota,
and Arizona joined his column from 2008. The Republican Party had become an
exclusively regional party in the South.
In 2013 the U.S. Congress and President Barack Obama
welcomed Puerto Rico as the 51st state after its citizens voted
overwhelmingly for admission. The Congress also granted the District of
Columbia full representation in the House. Republicans strongly opposed Puerto
Rican statehood because of its political leanings, same as DC congressional
seating. Also during Obama’s second term, universal health-care coverage was
passed which included the long-sought single-payer provision.
In 2016 Senator Sheldon Whitehouse of Rhode Island was
elected the 45th President of the United States. The country had not
fully recovered from the Bush Great Recession but was well on its way. The healing process took longer than
expected, in part due to effective Republican strategies.
By the year 2017 the effects of climate change was
experienced by all. No longer was it a subject for debate but for urgent global
action. U.S. and Japanese auto manufacturers re-tooled their plants for new
autos fueled by processed hydrogen from water, and alternate energy sources for
electricity replaced coal.
The rightwing had long hoped to inflame a revolution to
regain power, but events and evolving demographics dashed that dream. America
was in Full Renaissance in 2020, no thanks to the Party of No. 