Let's pretend.

[Petros2015]

That there is another planet, called Planet X.

Planet X is not Earth.

But Planet X is inhabited by people that are just like humans and behave just like the humans here.

Planet X has a country on it called Country Y.

Country Y likes prisons. It imprisons more of its population than any other country, about 5 times the average. A disproportionate amount of these prisoners are poor and minorities.

Country Y likes money. It makes up 4% of the Planet X population, and holds about 1/3 of Planet X's total wealth.

Country Y is in debt. Of all the countries on Planet X, it's debt level is the highest. If you added the debt of the next 3 most indebted countries together, you would just about get to the debt level of Country Y.

Country Y has amassed a large military. To give you an idea of how large a military they have amassed, if you totaled up the military expenditures of ALL the countries on Planet X (there are over 130 of them), Country Y alone accounts for over 1/3. So about 1/3 of the TOTAL military firepower on Planet X is concentrated in a single country, Country Y.

Country Y has become extremely politically divided, but recently has elected a leader (Leader Z) telling them that their problems are caused by outsiders, to put themselves first. That they can be 'made great again'. Leader Z has begun severing ties and treaties with numerous other countries, allies and international organizations. Country Y is trending towards Nationalism and away from Globalism. When criticized, Leader Z responds by declaring the press The Enemy of the People.

You don't live in Country Y.

How do you feel about Country Y?

What do you think will happen to Planet X?

 

[HTacianas]

That there is another planet, called Planet X.

Planet X is not Earth.

But Planet X is inhabited by people that are just like humans and behave just like the humans here.

Planet X has a country on it called Country Y.

Country Y likes prisons. It imprisons more of its population than any other country, about 5 times the average. A disproportionate amount of these prisoners are poor and minorities.

Country Y likes money. It makes up 4% of the Planet X population, and holds about 1/3 of Planet X's total wealth.

Country Y is in debt. Of all the countries on Planet X, it's debt level is the highest. If you added the debt of the next 3 most indebted countries together, you would just about get to the debt level of Country Y.

Country Y has amassed a large military. To give you an idea of how large a military they have amassed, if you totaled up the military expenditures of ALL the countries on Planet X (there are over 130 of them), Country Y alone accounts for over 1/3. So about 1/3 of the TOTAL military firepower on Planet X is concentrated in a single country, Country Y.

Country Y has become extremely politically divided, but recently has elected a leader (Leader Z) telling them that their problems are caused by outsiders, to put themselves first. That they can be 'made great again'. Leader Z has begun severing ties and treaties with numerous other countries, allies and international organizations. Country Y is trending towards Nationalism and away from Globalism. When criticized, Leader Z responds by declaring the press The Enemy of the People.

You don't live in Country Y.

How do you feel about Country Y?

What do you think will happen to Planet X?

That sounds horrible. I'm glad I don't live on that planet.

 

[Dave-W]

What do you think will happen to Planet X?

What always happens to planet X. It gets written off.

Look what they did to the last one - Pluto. It is not even a planet any more.

 

[mindlight]

That there is another planet, called Planet X.

Planet X is not Earth.

But Planet X is inhabited by people that are just like humans and behave just like the humans here.

Planet X has a country on it called Country Y.

Country Y likes prisons. It imprisons more of its population than any other country, about 5 times the average. A disproportionate amount of these prisoners are poor and minorities.

Country Y likes money. It makes up 4% of the Planet X population, and holds about 1/3 of Planet X's total wealth.

Country Y is in debt. Of all the countries on Planet X, it's debt level is the highest. If you added the debt of the next 3 most indebted countries together, you would just about get to the debt level of Country Y.

Country Y has amassed a large military. To give you an idea of how large a military they have amassed, if you totaled up the military expenditures of ALL the countries on Planet X (there are over 130 of them), Country Y alone accounts for over 1/3. So about 1/3 of the TOTAL military firepower on Planet X is concentrated in a single country, Country Y.

Country Y has become extremely politically divided, but recently has elected a leader (Leader Z) telling them that their problems are caused by outsiders, to put themselves first. That they can be 'made great again'. Leader Z has begun severing ties and treaties with numerous other countries, allies and international organizations. Country Y is trending towards Nationalism and away from Globalism. When criticized, Leader Z responds by declaring the press The Enemy of the People.

You don't live in Country Y.

How do you feel about Country Y?

What do you think will happen to Planet X?

America is not the first country to achieve global preeminence and it may not be the last. The planet has survived the previous great powers like Spain and Britain and it will survive America also.

Great and small they rise and fall, but the Lord He is God forever!

That said America could still pull it round if it got its deficit under control. If it worked with its allies rather than in isolation from them it could reduce military spending significantly.

If it could elect a leader that valued social mobility maybe it could start to address the massive inequalities of wealth and opportunity that divide rich from poor.

America to me remains the leader of the free world but it is barbaric and incompetent on health care, massively unequal, financially irresponsible and has forgotten what made and demonstrated its greatness. Marshall Aid, the Apollo space programme, helping Israel, an ally in war ... these are the things I miss. Once it was a city on a hill to which the worlds devout fled. Now it has a wall around it and money not faith is the ticket through the gate

 

[Nithavela]

Everyone dies.

Happy end.

 

[cow451]

America is not the first country to achieve global preeminence and it may not be the last. The planet has survived the previous great powers like Spain and Britain and it will survive America also.

Great and small they rise and fall, but the Lord He is God forever!

That said America could still pull it round if it got its deficit under control. If it worked with its allies rather than in isolation from them it could reduce military spending significantly.

If it could elect a leader that valued social mobility maybe it could start to address the massive inequalities of wealth and opportunity that divide rich from poor.

America to me remains the leader of the free world but it is barbaric and incompetent on health care, massively unequal, financially irresponsible and has forgotten what made and demonstrated its greatness. Marshall Aid, the Apollo space programme, helping Israel, an ally in war ... these are the things I miss. Once it was a city on a hill to which the worlds devout fled. Now it has a wall around it and money not faith is the ticket through the gate

Make X Great Again: MXGA!

 

[SoldierOfTheKing]

If country Y can do it, so can mine...