Opinion: Eric Trump are right, under the Trump Administration, the US is becoming a “Third World State”!

“It’s really sad that we’re in an environment where tax returns are leaked by whoever it may be” (…) “Just think about it. Think about how dangerous that is, how third world that is on a practice that happened. When personal information is put out by people for political agendas. As a civilian, it’s actually scary” – Eric Trump on Fox News (Tani, 2017).

It is just one of these days where the sons of President Donald Trump speaks their mind and hits the nail. The nail is in the coffin, with the knowledge of the plans to make the republic less attractive, less business-friendly, more lassiez-faire and more focused on army than on progressive financial instruments and regulation to create growth. Trump Administration is busy with deporting millions, building a wall and starting trade-wars. The U.S. Government does not need to be transparent or accountable while doing so. Especially, not in the minds of one of his sons. That claims something unique and special. I have claimed in the near past that under President Trump, the U.S. Government could turn the Republic into a Banana Republic, a sort of style government that could be described by others as a third world one. Therefore, let the dictionary explain that!

Eric Trump needs a definition of the Third World:

“1: a group of nations especially in Africa and Asia not aligned with either the Communist or the non-Communist blocs” (…) “2: an aggregate of minority groups within a larger predominant culture” (…) “3: the aggregate of the underdeveloped nations of the world” (Merriam-Webster).

So the United States can itself soon be fitted, not that it is an Asian or African nation, neither Communist, but still it is getting underdeveloped by the way the financial framework and industry is set-up under the Trump Administration. Where the Industry and Financial industry has the Administration by the balls and no eager of taking care of nature or the resources, except for eating the profits without giving anything back to the Republic. Just like the Oil Industry in Nigeria or in Ghana. The same as the mining and mineral industry in the Democratic Republic of Congo. So the United States under President Trump, will be similar. Eric Trump is not so far off, just not the way he thought he would be.

Another man’s vision:

“This brings about complete dysfunction. It makes everything — economy, politics, roads, bridges, police, school — broken and shitty. Those who can leave do. Making it worse. This leads to more extremism, and more corruption, and more cynicism. And sometimes extreme violence. Because the other side becomes evil” (…) “The US has been shifting towards all four of these over the last 30 years, with inequality leading the way. We are more divided, economically and socially, then we have ever been (we are less divided racially. But only marginally so.)” (Arnade, 2016).

So when you have a system on the brink of collapse, a wealthy elite eating of the government plate and settling score to not pay their bills to the public, while the citizens and middle-class cannot build a steady life or afforded needed services, you know there are something wrong with the system and the state. That makes the Eric Trump words so right, that United States is becoming more like a third world country, with a sophisticated army, but cannot afford health care, schools or infrastructure. Just like the countries President Trump doesn’t want to affiliate with or been seen with. Since him and his advisor Bannon are supposed to be superior, and like a dictator in a Third World country, he believes he is always right and isn’t wrong.

So one smudge of evidence of his fathers Tax Returns from 2005 leaked to MSNBC Rachel Maddow, proves the realization of the state, that the Trump Administration would dislike. As they are not capping the debt, neither taking into account their ideas of taxation and tax-releases, as much as their will to deregularte industry and financial institutions. Therefore, leading the space of more expenses and negative environmental policies, that damage earth and only gains profit for a slim elite. Just like a Third World Country.

This is degrading for the United States, but the harsh truth, the ideas and policies in the making, the killing of health insurance, the idea of building the giant nuclear silos, while not paying for food for the starving. Proves that the U.S. Government are no closer to countries it does not want to be affiliated with, but still can be consider to be assimilated with. President Trump and his administration is clearly not wishing to be differing from chauvinistically taking charge and not caring what effect it has. Clearly, it is only his image that matter, just like any big-man and authoritarian leader.

So, soon we can say that the United States is underdeveloped and need aid, as their waters are daft, the industry is lacking technology, the roads are more potholes than tarmac, the bridges are weak, their railways not working and often not trusted. The United States has soon more expensive foreign imported goods, than what they produce and is losing money on their export of cash crops as soya and other grain. Therefore, President Trump leading his Republic to become underdeveloped or become a Third World Country.

Reference:

Arnade, Chris – ‘USA: A Third World Country in the making’ (05.10.2016) link: https://medium.com/@Chris_arnade/usa-a-third-world-county-in-the-making-14064ea5c534#.ah2gi0loi

Tani, Maxwell – ‘Eric Trump blasts Trump’s tax return leak on Maddow: ‘Think about how dangerous…how third world that is’ (19.03.2017) link: http://nordic.businessinsider.com/eric-trump-tax-return-leak-maddow-third-world-2017-3?

Merriam-Webster – ‘third world’ link: https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/third%20world

Jon Stewart on President-elect Trump, hypocrisy in America (Youtube-Clip)

Footage: Ill Doctrine – What Happens Now?

FYI: President Trump will create a Banana Republic out of the US!

Well, ladies and gentleman the super-power called the United States of America, is a dying dinosaur that Michael Moore or even Jay-Z doesn’t have the power to change. Today was a shock for many, even for me as the American Electorate decided to elect a Demagogue of ill-rhetoric towards certain ethnic groups like the Latin-American, Women and so-on. Donald Trump in his power and commander-in-chief will remarkably create havoc.

All of this is well known, but what the United States’ citizens didn’t think about when they voted against the establishment on protest against the D.C. power-structure they voted for a man with certain traits that can put certain pieces of the Government into shambles. So before I start; for those of you who don’t know, here is the definition of a banana republic!

“It was coined in a 1904 book of fiction by O. Henry, an American writer. Henry (whose real name was William Sydney Porter) was on the run from Texan authorities, who had charged him with embezzlement” (…) “His phrase neatly conjures up the image of a tropical, agrarian country. But its real meaning is sharper: it refers to the fruit companies from the United States that came to exert extraordinary influence over the politics of Honduras and its neighbours. By the end of the 19th century, Americans had grown sick of trying to grow fruit in their own chilly country. It was sweeter and cheaper by far to import it instead from the warmer climes of Central America, where bananas and other fruit grow quickly. Giants such as the United Fruit Company—an ancestor of Chiquita—moved in and built roads, ports and railways in return for land. In 1911 the Cuyamel Fruit Company, another American firm (which was later bought by United), supplied the weapons for a coup against the government of Honduras, and prospered under the newly installed president. In 1954 America’s Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) backed a coup against the government of Guatemala, which had threatened the interests of United. (Historians still debate whether the CIA’s motive was to protect United or, as many now believe, to nip Communism in the bud.) Hence the real meaning of a “banana republic”: a country in which foreign enterprises push the government around” (The Economist, 2013).

Why do I believe this, it’s because of all his sort-of promises over the months. There is all kind of activities that proves the clear indications of a Banana Republic on the rise. The Americans might think otherwise, that is because there are blind on how the state really is.

“The United States recorded a Government Debt to GDP of 104.17 percent of the country’s Gross Domestic Product in 2015. Government Debt to GDP in the United States averaged 61.94 percent from 1940 until 2015, reaching an all time high of 121.70 percent in 1946 and a record low of 31.70 percent in 1974. Government Debt to GDP in the United States is reported by the U.S. Bureau of Public Debt” (Trading Economics).

So the average debt level or ratio is staggering already. This is not tackled because the creditors accept the debt levels are raising, just as seen with the numbers from Trading Economics are showing during 30 years the percentage has gone up over 70 %, which should be frightening to any economy. When you have that level of debt, you should be able to have a heavy tax-base to collect and pay the debt.

Taxing under Trump:

“US taxes are low relative to those in other developed countries. In 2012, US taxes at all levels of government represented 24 percent of GDP, compared with an average of 34 percent of GDP for the 34 member countries of the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD)” (…) “The United States collects relatively less revenue dedicated to retirement, disability, and other social security programs—22 percent of total tax revenue—than the 26 percent OECD average” (…) “Property taxes provided more than twice as large a share of US tax revenue—12 percent in 2012—than the OECD average of 5 percent. Almost all revenue from taxes on property in the United States is collected by state and local governments” (…) “The United States relies less on taxes on goods and services (including both general consumption taxes and taxes on specific goods and services) than any other OECD country, collecting 18 percent of tax revenue this way compared with 33 percent for the OECD. The value-added tax (VAT)—a type of general consumption tax collected in stages—is the main source of consumption tax revenue, employed worldwide in 160 countries including all 34 OECD member countries except the United States. Most consumption tax revenue in the United States is collected by state and local governments” (Hoo & Toder, 2006).

So when the Federal and Republic itself has such a giant debt ratio, the taxes should be high and should be to the levels of actually having the ability to pay it back. As they do not even have VAT on goods that is very normal world-wide, but apparently isn’t a thing in the United States. This proves the mismanagement of potential tax-base that the Government need to succeed to pay their debt. This is before the Election yesterday.

This is the taxes planned under Trump: “According to the Tax Foundation’s Taxes and Growth Model, the plan would reduce federal revenue by between $4.4 trillion and $5.9 trillion on a static basis. The amount depends on the nature of a key business policy provision” (…) “After accounting for the larger economy and the broader tax base, the plan would reduce revenues by between $2.6 trillion and $3.9 trillion after accounting for the larger economy, depending on the nature of a key policy provision” (…) “On a static basis, the Trump tax plan would increase the after-tax incomes of taxpayers in every income group. The bottom 80 percent of taxpayers (those in the bottom four quintiles) would see an increase in after-tax income between 0.8 percent and 1.9 percent, under both policy assumptions.  Taxpayers in the top quintile would see a 4.4 percent increase in after-tax income under the higher-rate assumption, or 8.7 percent under the lower-rate assumption. Those in the top decile would see a 5.4 percent increase in after-tax income under the higher-rate assumption, or 9.3 percent under the lower-rate assumption. Finally, taxpayers in the top 1 percent would see the largest increase in after-tax income on a static basis, driven by both the lower top marginal tax rate and the lower corporate income tax. Under the higher-rate assumption this increase would be 10.2 percent, and under the lower-rate assumption this increase would be 16.0 percent” (Cole, 2016).

So when the government are axing it income, while the economy running on a deficit your making no-sense. Your continue to spend on deficit while cutting taxes; the taxed ones are the ones who voted for Trump, the bottom 80% will get higher taxes, while corporations and 1% riches will get less. So the richer will get richer. A real proof of a Banana Republic where the solidarity towards the ones who needs so. They who voted for him is the ones that will pay on his tax-plan, which is ironic.

This is on the direct economic sense, now on health care. Here he proves again he will hurt the ones who voted for him, the poor and what is left of the working-class:

“The policies would cause almost 21 million people to lose their insurance coverage, as the replacement health care policies would only cover 5 percent of the 22 million individuals who would lose coverage upon the repeal of Obamacare. This would almost double the number of Americans without health insurance” (…) “The largest component of this estimate comes from the “repeal.” The campaign website proposes to “completely repeal Obamacare,” which we assume to mean repealing the Affordable Care Act’s regulations, subsidies, Medicaid expansion, Medicare savings, and tax increases. Although repealing the coverage provisions would save about $1.1 trillion, based on Congressional Budget Office (CBO) estimates (adjusted for recent legislation and changes in the budget window), repealing the legislation’s tax increases and Medicare cuts would cost a combined $1.6 trillion. In total, this means repeal would cost $480 billion – or $260 billion including the economic benefits of repeal” (Committee for a responsible Federal Budget, 2016).

So the Trump Administration are planning to hurt their own, the ones that has gotten through the Obamacare gotten some sorts of subsidized medical insurance, something he wants to repeal and will even make sure to cost the state more. So the educated minds will know that people has to carry insurance on their own while the state pays more to abolish the Obamacare. The 21 million individuals will regret questioning the medical treatment through Obamacare, as the Federal State will add more money. So the people are getting higher tax for the same 80% who losing their health insurance. Do the American citizens prefer punishing themselves?

As with the true implications of NAFTA:

“Customs duties reductions led to increases in trade with the other two countries of 11% in Canada, 41% in the United States, and 118% in Mexico, for the period between 1993 and 2011.5 In terms of value, American trade with Canada and Mexico increased from US$481 billion in 1993 to US$1.1 trillion in 2015. While Donald Trump claims that Americans “don’t make anything anymore,” implying that NAFTA is to blame, the American manufacturing sector has increased production by 58% since the deal came into effect” (Bedard, 2016).

So the results of NAFTA are apparently different in reality than what comes across when coming to Trump, so the reality hasn’t mattered. He wants to dissolve or change the rules and regulations, this will make it harder to export and import products between Canada and Mexico into the United States. The United States need free-movement of products and industrial products to be able to have the Corporate Capitalism that drives the USA.

So with lower taxes in general, a higher cost of health-care without concern for the 21 million without health insurance. They now are getting more problems with exporting and importing the needed products and raw-material has been possible and even at longest part of the NAFTA agreement has been positive to the US. So the regulation and cooperation with neighbours will be harder because of barriers that will be created with abolishing the NAFTA.

This is still all economic implications… then you have the gun-control, the war-lord aspects and the other social policies mixed with the economic aspect that turns the ones giant and great nation into tatters, if the President Donald Trump gets to do as he pleases without questions.

We should consider it with the implication on the policies and the foreign affairs. The US Government would lose with their plans on playing hardball with NATO and others. With the Muslims ban and deportation, also the Latin-American population that has been singled out; these groups can hurt the economy and also the basic workforce who does the needed services needed in society. That these will be sent out because of their ethnicity and faith will also prove that the United States isn’t the leaders of free-world, but another tyranny under President Trump. The fear and loathing of the Republican President Trump! That will do like the Americans did during Second World-War when Japanese for being so we’re detained into camps, or if he pleases send them packing.

This racial laws and deportations will hurt the economy and make sure the state becomes a Banana Republic; What is special is that the United States will have a free-flow of guns, ammunition, but will make it harder to import goods and also export goods with worse deals, have lesser taxes, still high debt yield and add expenses on health-care while the citizens has to cover themselves. This while the US President hasn’t a plan to help lower-classes as the minimum-pay or salaries increase for the 80% who still get added tax, also pay more for health care. The US Electorate got all reasons for feeling foolish if they even read this.

Bananas and Banana Company we’re President William Howard Taft did what he could to save the companies. Now the new President might try to replicate this, but he forgets the needed international community and production as the needed bolts, tools and manufacturing are inter-connected. That is something that the modern day President Trump needs.

Side Note – International Partnerships:     

So if he builds walls, gets into whiny bitch mode and becomes a fully-blown attack paranoid mode, than the international partners will not accept being constantly bullied. I am sure that Philippines C-I-C President Rodigro Duterte will be tossed around for another power or human being. Neither will Russian President Vladimir Putin and even German Chancellor Angela Merkel will not accept it. So the price of him being brash and irresponsible thin-skinned versus the ones that questions his actions or words, isn’t really suitable with the trading partners and allies that the U.S. still needs. The US doesn’t live in a vacuum and not the only one with a giant defence and has much money to spend like on AGOA and others.

So congratulation on becoming a Banana-Republic, ready to become muffled with after playing king-pin… for decades; as your economic prospects under the Trump Administration and regime doesn’t look healthy. Peace.

Reference:

Bedard, Mathieu – ‘NAFTA: DONALD TRUMP’S CRITICISMS ARE UNFOUNDED’ (07.2016) link: http://www.iedm.org/files/lepoint1016_en.pdf

Committee for a responsible Federal Budget – ‘Analysis of Donald Trump’s Health Care Plan’ (09.05.2016) link: http://crfb.org/blogs/analysis-donald-trumps-health-care-plan

Cole, Alan – ‘Details and Analysis of the Donald Trump Tax Reform Plan, September 2016’ (19.09.2016) link: http://taxfoundation.org/article/details-and-analysis-donald-trump-tax-reform-plan-september-2016

Hoo, Sonya & Toder, Eric – ‘The U.S. Tax Burden Is Low Relative to Other OECD Countries’ (08.05. 2006) link: http://www.taxpolicycenter.org/publications/us-tax-burden-low-relative-other-oecd-countries

The Economist – ‘Where did banana republics get their name?’ (21.11.2013) link: http://www.economist.com/blogs/economist-explains/2013/11/economist-explains-16

Trading Economics – ‘United States Government Debt to GDP  1940-2016 | Data | Chart | Calendar’ link: http://www.tradingeconomics.com/united-states/government-debt-to-gdp

Opinion: Wonder why there is seemingly for some still undecided between Trump and Clinton? The madness called the US Presidential Election Campaigns of 2016 is soon over!

It’s been a weird timeline for this American Presidential Election, the months upon months with madness and craziness. The undetermined now have either looked to many times at Friends, Game of Thrones or even browsed quickly at Fox and CNN; still not able to make a decision who to cast their vote for un Tuesday 8^th November 2016.

There been Primary race in the major parties, the Republican Party with the wildest and biggest amount of candidates, where 16 candidates went in and tried. Some familiar faces other local heroes trying to figure out how to become a National Candidate. The ones standing out was Jeb Bush, who had to become JEB! Because his family name isn’t ringing out with joy as it did before Bill Clinton, those we’re the days. Than you had Marco Rubio, the Florida man who robotic answers made the automatic telephone answer-machine obsolete for little while. Than you had Ted Cruz, the Texan who with coded language tried to sound friendly, but just seemed interested in his own career over policy; you had John Kasich from Ohio who seemed sincere and like a fellow from the Mitt Romney and John McCain wing of the Republican Party, but he went hard and continued without any tally of results.

Than you had the Democratic Party where there we’re fewer candidates and there was more or less two candidates that had a significant amounts of people behind them. You had the Governor of Maryland Martin O’Malley, I am sure the man is a decent and kind fellow, but he didn’t grab attention or attraction as the competitors owned the field. The one that we’re close and can still make difference is Bernie Sanders the Senator of Vermont. In the Primaries he we’re a real threat and showed how he could garn popularity with Millennials and get small donations from people and not the giant multi-national corporations. Not building a super-PAC, but still making sense of policies, political framework and how to build society. He still one 22 states in the Primaries and we’re a serious contender with a strong message. Should be remembering his fight against the internal-system and electoral machine from his competitor who had loyalist in the Central leadership of the Democratic National Committee.

So now with this, there are two candidates left: Donald J. Trump from the Republican Party and Hillary Clinton of the Democratic Party. Other candidates are Jill Stein of the Green Party and Gary Johnson of the Libertarians. Jill Stein at one point thought Wi-Fi was a treat to kids and said she deserves the Bernie Sanders votes. Also that she is the one to vote for instead of lesser of two evils (Trump and Clinton). Gary Johnson will be remembered for not being able to answer on MSNBC Morning Joe, what Aleppo and who Aleppo is. So the Foreign Affairs hasn’t been key importance for the Libertarians as they are focused on spliffs, little state, more personal freedom and a strong army. Something that would enforce the undoubted republicans to vote for Johnson as a protest this year; might be might be not, but he might gain more than normally.

Now that we’re days before the polls, the ballots casted and final tallies in all the states, the 270 Electoral Votes and the whole Electoral College is secured. We still have the final race to the finish line. Initially this race is between Trump and Clinton.

Trump, he is rare character of orange hatred, patriotism and notorious chauvinism and racism. As an outsider it’s weird that Republicans went for this man and accept this. This blended with his attitude and his brash words against anybody; his nonchalant of fluid morality towards others. While he can crucify fellow peers for their maladministration’s and wrong doings, he will never ever accept that he has done the same and crossed the line. His flabbergasting rhetoric on immigration, woman and media has been out of this world. Sounding more like a power-hungry dictator than a man whose plan is to restructure America. His personality and decisions has cared more about getting more spotlight than making sure that his vision comes clear. If he believes the words he says and if any significant plan of any kind has if he gets into office can be unsure of. Seemingly it seems more important with the title and winning than actually making a difference.  Together with his brawls and attacks on peers, fellow Republican Senators, House Speaker Paul Ryan and others shows the inability of even working together with his own. Trump has to own the spotlight and be KING. If not it doesn’t matter. AS long as he is King, even if the Palace is bailing out, the golden letters with his name is fading and his stars are built with giant walls around them. Still, the thing that matters to Trump isn’t working-class families in Wisconsin or Michigan; it’s his ego and his reputation.

Then it’s Hillary Clinton, the Democratic Presidential Candidate who has been doing this before and lost to Barrack Obama, back in the day and has been a Senator for New York and Secretary of State at one point. She has been flogged in public, by certain stations been named so reckless and destructive at one point the only missing flaw per today: is that was the main reason behind World War III. Not that she has a perfect record, but when you been in public light and in office all your life you got to have some bad apples and made mistakes. Hillary Clinton carries them and even answered for why she has changed opinion. Trump would say, “Where did you get that? That wasn’t me? Do you have the tape?” He would deflect it. Not that Hillary hasn’t had enough trouble, for instance with the internal releases of E-Mail’s leaks from WikiLeaks, Guccifer and DCLeaks. They have leaked information through the cycle that has showed how the Campaign Team and Clinton Foundation have not been ethical correct or been correct. They have used methods and used money in questionable ways, even fraudulent. That is a fact and not fiction. That she can’t trust the American Public to show gratitude for her service is clear as she couldn’t even ask for silence and relaxation as she had pneumonia during the Campaigns. Than the Republican media nearly said she had AIDS and dying; by the way called her deceiving for it as well. That proves how hard they tackle her grievances. Instead of asking why she was sick and why she didn’t want to release the information, the American Media went into a frenzy attacking her personality. Which shows what kind of Corporate case of misjudgement and attitude towards her.

With this all in mind, with the statements and character flaws that are in play together with the public sphere, the electoral laws in the 50 states and with the decades of elitism. In this day and age, in this time and with the coming problems together with ones we are piling up today, what kind of leadership does the United States of America need?

Do they need a hot-headed, non-sequential policy based and self-promoting snake-oil salesman on the top of the food-chain in nation and serve them with some form dignity, if that dignity is believable. That will only be believable if he uses as much time on the golf-course as George W. Bush, Donald Trump can only be functioning if he tries to have camps with Sheiks to donate funds to US if he serves them halal-parties at Camp David. I cannot see him making sense of public policy like Barrack Obama or even the former War-Lord Dick Cheney; at least he could be able to make sense of the statements coming out of his mouth.

We can all question if the Hillary Clinton, the moderate, Wall-Street infused and money hungry Politician is the right one as well. She isn’t demoralising or counter-aggressive. She has posted herself as Progressive, but that isn’t true. Hillary is so moderate that she can fall in-between certain wings of Republican Party and Democratic Party. Bi-Partisanship will be thing under wings for sure. Her real stance on matters is something we can wonder as the leaks showed that much of groundwork and policies made by her team not by her own making. They have all been suggestion by close aides and surrogates while she has been on the road reading from a teleprompter. The last piece should Trump do to, he sound like Drunk Uncle so often… how can the Drunk Uncle all of sudden become the Command-in-Chief; it’s not funny. Especially for an outsider to see how degraded the democratic process has become in the US as they get this guy to counter a Political Opponent the way he does. That Clinton becomes Crooked Hillary and it’s been the sticker from Trump. The pathetic smear campaign to weaken her, instead of looking at facts… facts and fiction has been nearly the same, Clinton has gotten tainted with old sins, and sins she couldn’t commit and couldn’t even do. She created ISIS, she killed somebody while Bill Clinton was in Office, she had Alien intervention in her body, and she has a deadly infection and so on. Clinton has been targeted for the machine she has created.

It’s true she has gotten wealthy on Wall Street money and used a weird company in Cincinnati on an estate that got 250,000 LLC’s on the compound. That is true and that isn’t something she should have. Her husband been a con and a man-whore at some point, but that isn’t her fault; that’s the sins of Bill and he has to carry.

Trump on the other hand has used mafia to build his tower, not paid taxes for decades, not cared for paying employees and contractors, stifled monies from even campaign pollsters during his Presidential Campaign, reckless behaviour of litigations, sued for fraud countless times, used donations to his Foundations to buy private luxurious merchandize, running a University and enrolling students without proper State Educational Licences and so on. That is without cherry-picking his marriages, his womanizing and his acts of fidelity and forged public persona.

So that a man who has that towards the other one, shows how simple it should be to pick; but the United States population seems to be drawn by the scandals of the FBI and others who carries into weight without having any significant records of forcing through new investigations. The public perception with the constant leaks has hurt Clinton and that deservedly, but still the other guy isn’t really a catch. The Clinton mistake is systematic and organic, the Trump mistakes is deceiving and inappropriate.

I wonder if the United States wants to become a laughing stock and not be the man who helps out with their armies and their structures. With Trump as President should the United Nation Headquarters still be there; when you have a man who wishes to deteriorate the foreign affairs, the relationship between trading-partners and allies in the NATO. Does the United States wanted to be so internally focused in the image of Trump that they will be internal focused and only thinking of his best, not the great American Best. That comes in second fiddle kind of like Ariana Grande comes second to Beyoncé.

Peace.

Samtiden/Morgenbladet – Skrivekonkurransen “Tegn i Tiden” og dette var mitt bidrag: “Hva er Samtiden?”.

Kjære skribent i “Tegn i Tiden”,

Nå har juryen landet på vinnerbidragene i konkurransen “Tegn i tiden”. Til sammen var det over 250 deltagere, og denne gledelig store pågangen gjør det ikke mulig for oss å svare alle personlig. Juryen har derfor laget tre kategorier med svar. Kategoriene gjelder 1) tekstene som trykkes, 2) tekster som kom til finalerunden og 3) tekster som i denne runden ikke ble vurdert som aktuelle.

Din tekst kom i kategori 2, og får juryens kommentar:

Juryen har bitt seg merke i din tekst og mener den har store kvaliteter. Den passerte ikke nåløyet for å komme på trykk (kun 14 tekster trykkes), men teksten kom til de siste finalerundene, fordi en eller flere av jurymedlemmene hadde satt en stemme på den. 

Takk for bidraget og vennlig hilsen juryen ved

Anna B. Jensen, Kari Spjeldnæs, Gunnar C. Aakvaag, Lena Lindgren og Marit K. Slotnæs.

Her er min tekst som jeg sendte inn: 

Hva er samtiden?

Hva er egentlig samtiden? Er den Ariana Grande? Er den Kim Kardashians utringende kjole på forsiden av VG? Er den en twitter beskjed fra Kofi Annan eller Facebook status oppdatering fra Fru Hansen i naboblokka?

Samtiden er kompleks fordi menneske er komplekse. Vi har ti fingre og ti tær. Vi spiser, vi driter og vi velger inni mellom dårlige ledere. Tiden vi lever i er en populistisk og tabloid virkelighet. Hvor virkligheten skal skje like kjapt som Nespresso maskinen, altså et tastetrykk fra du trykker til du får en vaniljesmakende cappuccino. Ting skal ikke ta tid. Fordi vi har egentlig ikke tid. Vi har ikke tid til våre egne barn – så vi sender dem alle i hop til barnehagen. Som vi nesten ikke har tid til å levere de i. Vi skal jo både trene, sende bilder av maten vi eter på facebook, gå på lange turer i fjellet, lese siste boken av Jo Nesbø på hytta og selvfølgelig selfie av SK2014.

Samtiden er demokrati eller kanskje en ny forståelse av demokrati rundt omkring i verden. Det er ikke lenger sett som at valg enten er rigget og opprettholder regimet, men reelle folkebevegelser svakt sammenbundte de enn er. Så støtter de tanken om et seriøst folkestyre – ikke lenger bare ett skinn-demokrati med en «big man» som er en regent og befolkningen som forfølges enten av trusler om politi på døren. Dette er med tanke på hva som skjedd i Tunisia, Egypt og konflikten i Syria. Selv om man har fortsatt standhaftige ledere i Zimbabwe, Demokratiske Republikken Kongo, Uganda, Ekvatorial-Guinea, Marokko, Algerie og Nord Korea som holder folk under kontroll og ikke har reelle demokratiske forhold. Så har vi bare et diktatur i Europa igjen for øyeblikket i Hviterussland. Selv om Putin holder Russland strengt bevoktet. Ungarn er det er usikkerhet rundt neste valg. Så har det forsatt slik at i denne samtiden har også gryvende konflikt i Ukraina som involverer Putins Russland, interne konflikter i Irak og Afganistan. Å slag i jevne mellomrom i Mogadishu i Somalia som har foregått siden fallet til Said Barre. Der African Unions tropper AMISOM har styrker og andre distrikter er tatt av nabolandet Kenya. Men i samtiden er ikke dette et stort diskusjonstema, unntatt hvis Somaliske pirater kidnapper sjøfolk fra en britisk seilbåt.

Samtiden er økologi, fair-trade og etiske tanker rundt hverdagen. Corporate Social Responsibility. Samtiden er Svane-merket. Velge for å vise vår personlighet. Hvis vi er skikkelig omtenksomme kjøper vi «geiter» eller «skolesekk til Dikembe i Zambia» fra Strømmestiftelsen eller Kirkens Nødhjelp i julegave til Onkel Fredrik. Samtiden er miljøvennlighet. Teslaer som kjører oftere ned Pilestredet enn Ferrarier. Nissan Leaf på ladestasjon ved McDonalds før ferja fra Sandvikvåg i Fitjar. Så miljøvennlige skal vi være at søppelet må minst være sortert i 3 bokser, pluss du må gå halv mil for å kvitte deg med vinflasker og hermetikkbokser. Den er så miljøvennlig at Fitjar og deler av Lista ser ut Søndre-Velje ikke fordi det har emigrert en haug dansker dit, men fordi det har kommet en drøss med nye vindmøller.

Samtiden er at enten så skal Ølet enten være en enkel pils på boks eller så skal være så avansert laget på det minst mulige mikrobryggeri som er gjemt i huttiheiti mellom Skråningen og Vika, der hvor det er flere sauer enn folk. Der ligger Mixy Mikrobryggeri og de lager både Weissbier og IPA med spesial humle fra Belgia. Kos å ha på hytta på Hvaler i båten og til steika etter jobb en torsdags-ettermiddag og husk å ta bilde av det. Da kan du legge det ut på Facebook! Samtiden er også økt forbruk av Vin. Vin er folkelig. Så folkelig at det kan ikke være en troverdig avis om den ikke har anmelding av de nyeste vinene som eksisterer på polet. Samtidig er det fortsatt forbudt å ha reklame for alkoholdige varer. Samtiden er som sagt kompleks.

Samtiden er streaming. Enten om det musikk der du lager lister på Spotify eller Wimp. Det er liten gjeng sære mennesker som forsatt kjøper Cder på Platekompaniet. Samtiden går «Back to the Future», enten kjøper du den spesielle platen som LP eller så laster du den ned på Itunes. Med introduksjonen av Smart telefonen. Fancy mobilen. Ipod døderen. Så går folk mindre rundt med to elektroniske dingser untatt de som trenger både Smart telefonen og nettbrettet på bussen. Samtiden er musikk høyt i ørepropper og hodetelefon i regnbuens farger gjerne som får bankkontoen til Dr.Dre eller 50 Cent høygravid. Dette er deres gullunge. Tilbake til Platekompaniet selger mest filmer og spill. Streaming av filmer og serier tar også over. Netflix. HBO Go. ViaPlay. TV2 Sumo. Filmer ellers selges i to format eller leies digitalt. Når var det sist du gikk på Mix og leiet en blockbuster? Nesten samtidig du kjøpte Mariah Carey kassett til jul til dama, sant? Alle de Amerikanske superheltene har sine egne filmer etter Disney kjøpte Marvel. Ikke nok at alle venter på at Sony skal ødelegge enda en helt fra deres univers i DC Comics, det pleier å skje med jevne mellomrom.

Samtiden er politisk korrekthet. Så politisk korrekt at hvis noen skriver sin personlige politiske mening så er de enten en catfish, Nigeriansk prins som lover deg en gave av sin formue om du sender 100 dollar via Western Union eller så er man rasist. Politisk korrekthet handler om hvordan man argumentere og hva som er fokusert i argumentene. Det er «jeg» eller «samfunnskostnader». Vi er enten ett tenkende individ som har retten til ting i samfunnet eller så er vi en samfunnskostnad som samfunnet må slippe. Vi har gått fra et samfunn som er stolt av å ha røkere til å gjemme den tobakken i kassen. Fordi å se sigarettpakker er  både skadelig og kan påvirke deg til å plukke en ti pakkning Lucky Strike.

Samtiden er helsefokusert. Så helsefokusert at favorittbrusen er Pepsi Max. Sukkerfri. All brus skal hvis noen får sin våte drøm bruke Stevia enn sukker, selv om vi enda ikke vet alle effektene ved dette. Samtiden er så helsefokusert at det er like mange treningsstudioer som det er blomsterbutikker i mange nabolag, av å til flere. Det er så mange at flere kjeder slår seg sammen. Samtiden er så helsefokusert at vi har fått folk oppmerksomhet rundt palmeolje, sukkerinnhold og fett. Så vi tror at de samme produktene er bedre for oss om de har rapsolje, smaks-forsterker, søtningsmiddler og kanskje mer karbohydrater. Sunn miks? Samtiden er så helsefokusert at alle som selger klær eller går på den røde løperen er enten en mannelig six-pack eller kvinnene er tynne med store rumper, pupper, botox, fete lepper og mest mulig hud. Hennes & Mauritz reklamer på veggen ser ut som sommeren er her hele året. Etter på byttes plakaten til tilbud på Stratos. Samtiden er helsebevisst. At Melk er dyrere en Cola. Vi tror vi helsebevisste fordi nøkkelhull på Grandiosa, Fjordland og visse pastaer. Venter på flere nøkkelhullet merker på Maarud chips, Vørterøl og Freia sjokolade. Fordi samtiden er så helsebevisste.

Samtiden er selvsentrert. Det skal være en perfekt fasade. På facebook, hagen, bilen, familiebilder, ferier og huset. Alt skal være for oss. Ikke for andre for oss. Hvis vi gjør det for andre er fordi vi gjør det egentlig for oss. For å bygge videre på vår egen identitet. Image. Bilder blir tatt for snapper på Snap chat og blir vekke før de blir husket. Eller så ligger det på Instagram for å flest mulig til å like de. Du er på twitter for å si din korte mening for å vise hva du selv tenker og gjerne legge denne som status på Facebook samtidig. Samtiden er selvsentrert. Sånn at vi har blogger for å vise oss selv fram eller bli et produkt for kommersielle aktører å sikre hits på sidene, enn å skrive for å forandre. Samtiden er så selvsentrert at vi kan ikke plukke opp pærer i butikken som ikke ser korrekte ut. Samtiden er Tinder, en liten app som viser en aktuell person – enten så sveiver du over å sier at du liker eller går andre veien å ikke-liker. Å noen personer lurer hvorfor gentleman og manerer er vekke. Når man ikke har skrytebilde eller perfekt SK2014. Så er det vanskelig å bli trukket ut i 10 sekunds sjansespillet på Tinder. Det er lengesiden man lånte vekk jakken til en kvinne som frøys på vei hjem fra byen på trikken.

Samtiden er så hurtig og skiftende. Den skifter og bøyer seg så kjapt. Innen null tid så er mobilen tom for batteri. Samtiden er vikariater. Det vil si at det mer vanlig å komme inn som ansatt via vikariat i enten det private eller i de statelige institusjoner. Samtiden er effektiviseringer og sammenslåinger. Høyres og FRPs drømmer om at Levanger kommune skal dobbles i størrelse for kanskje en gang i framtiden slås i sammen med Frosta, Leksvik, Indreøy, Verdal, Steinkjer og Verran. Om det i realiteten blir billig som partiene ønsker, er vel mer en drøm, og forteller litt om den komplekse samtiden.

Samtiden er å velge og ha valg. Ikke man tenker over det, men man tar valg hele tiden. Man hører ikke på en radio kanal. Du kan velge mellom 20 forskjellige. Den ene spiller techno, andre gammal rock og den tredje har radioresepsjonen. TV kanaler er det nok av. Vi kan egentlig alltid se på tv. Fordi om vi vil og har kjøpt tilgang kan vi streame kanalene på enten på tven, ipaden eller mobilen. Du kan se Al-Jazeera, Discorvery Channel og Animal Channel, eller NRK og TV2. Handler bare om penger og anledning. Så man snakker om ikke om at alle ser det samme lenger. Selv om noen aviser tror at alle ser på Breaking Bad og Games Of Thrones. Det stemmer, mange ser på disse, akkurat som mange så på The Wire. Samtiden ser på varierte program etter som smak og image. Noe som gjør at vi kan diskutere med venner om hva vi kaller for guilty-pleasure. For noen er dette Two and Half Men, andre er dette Two Broke Girls. Samtiden er å velge. Tidligere hadde man ikke dette. Man måtte enten følge programmet, ha samme boksen med tilgang. Du kunne ikke se Champions League i opptak på hytta. Den gikk klokken 2000 på TV3 og du måtte høre på kommentarene til Jan Åge Fjørtoft om hvordan Ballack er den beste tyske spissen noen sinne.

Samtiden er forsatt frykten for det ukjente. Frykten for å bli kjent med naboen eller snakke med fremmende på bussen, toget eller t-banen. Samtiden er frykten for Ebola, Aids eller Seksuelt Overførbart Infeksjoner(SOI), ikke at det er noe nytt. Samtiden er at legene ikke skal ha samvittighet i navnet for likestilling. De skal bare lyde jentene som skal ha sex uforsiktig og deretter ha abort. Samtiden er likestilling på et nivå som gjør mannen til liten. Så liten at jenter får fordeler av å gå inn på mannsdominerte områder, men om man gjør det omvendte så blir man møtt med enorm stigma. Derfor døde det ganske fort hend når det var diskusjon om det var korrekt med lengre permisjon for menn. Eller om menn kunne ha førsteretten på barn etter skilsmisse. Dette er ikke tema i samtiden.

Samtiden er kompleks. Så kompleks at denne teksten gir bare et grunnlag for hva som spesielt i den tiden vi er en del av. Om man sitter og browser på smart-telefonen enn å bruke tid på lese den skikkelig. Eller leser nøye igjennom denne i fredags eller helge-avis. Det er tydelig om du tenker over eller bare se over og tenker. Ja, denne karen kan ha forstått noe, eller ikke har forstått noen ting. Om Malala har gjort nok for Fredsprisen, om Obama hadde gjort nok og om EU hadde rett til sin, er spørsmål mange av oss i samtiden vil stille spørsmål til. Får vi svaret det tviler jeg på. Bare at Jagland kan komme i avisene med et lurt smil og ikke snakke om bygge det norske hus. Samtiden er kompleks. Så komplisert at det er mer elektronikk i bilen enn i smart-telefonen. Dermed kan veldig få mekke på sin nye Golf. Den må betale en ekstra formue på verkstedet med en gang en bolt inni motoren blir løs. Samtiden er kompleks. Ingenting av det jeg har skrevet til deg her bli sett på som fakta. Siden det er slik jeg ser virkeligheten. Du vil ikke se virkeligheten likt som meg. Fordi slik jeg ser den som kompleks kan du sitte på andre siden med en skjerm og se den som en lettfattelig virkelighet. Hvor kravene virker enklere. Der du legger ut bildene ved middagsbordet og vinen å smiler med venner. Mens jeg grubler over hvorfor du gjør det.

Samtiden er tiden vi lever i. Den er slik den er fordi vi har gjort den slik eller fordi andre har gjort det mulig for å bli slik. Så om du ikke tid til å levere ungen i barnehagen før jobben er fordi du laget en ny liste i Spotify til bilen. Ikke fordi Spotify sa at du måtte lage en liste for å spille i bilen. Samtiden er tiden vi lever. Fordi vi født inn til å være en del av denne tiden og oppleve den som den er. Uansett om vi ønsker det eller ikke. Så må vi bare leve i den og bruke de egenskapene tiden vår har og være tilstede og være til glede for de menneskene som vi deler denne tiden med. Peace.