A global collapse is NOT as bad as a plutonomy. And we have only ONE way out of either option.
Everyone is justifiably annoyed at any talk about looking forward to a global collapse. It is every bit as horrible as anyone has said it would be.
The problem is that a Plutonomy is actually worse. A Plutonomy is an economy or society that primarily exists to serve the 1%. In practicality it is a world in which the rich enjoy the comforts of life and the 99% get left outside their high walls to deal with the worst that the world has to offer: the bandits, the high crime, the pollution, the resource shortages, and cops who can't be bothered very often to tend to the situation. Let the poor eat each other, as far as they're concerned; just keep it away from the rich's front doorstep.
Okay now who's been to Mexico? A lot of folks, I presume. Well, I've also been to Mexico. Ever notice how the touristy areas are well protected because we Americans have money to spend there, whereas the other parts aren't so well protected? Ever wonder why the drug gangs are running wild in Mexico?
It's because an increasing majority of protection is reserved for the tourists and the rich, while the rest are left to face the wild running banditos who will think nothing of exterminating large swaths of a town to send some kind of message. NAFTA wasn't the only reason people immigrated from there to America.
Ever wonder why immigrants are returning to Mexico? Primarily it's because we're becoming like Mexico, economically speaking.
On top of that, the police are increasingly hostile to the interests of the 99% and they're failing their duties to the citizens... except wait, the Supreme Court has decided that their duties to the citizens isn't what we think it is, after all. As for America's drug gangs? We could have that problem handled, pronto. Gangs are not hard to find, and violent gangs plotting to commit violence aren't hard to catch. The problem, if you are feeling uncharitable, is that our law enforcement agencies simply do not care. Or if you're feeling charitable, they are vastly underfunded. Or they are too busy being ordered by the Government to chase Occupy protesters, recreational pot smokers or terrorist-funded mp3 filesharers ( 
). Take your pick.
In any case, at the rate we're going, we'll become like Mexico. We're headed for a society that has all the trappings of a failed civilization except the Plutocrats will be sitting safe and out of reach. Our schools are being underfunded. Disaster capitalism and the shock doctrine are running wild. Every attempt to tax the rich is being fought tooth and nail. And if challenged, I can post up examples of Democratic politicians helping the Republonazis screw over labor unions.
Okay, so most readers are now screaming (along with a lot of expletives) "Well, there's a third option between a total collapse and a Plutonomy... it's called REFORM!!!"
Hey, how's that reform going anyway? The GOP is marshaling behind Mitt Romney despite him being a Mormon (looks like Bachmann is now behind him, along with Newt), and his poll numbers are surprisingly strong against President Obama despite the GOP's idiotic war on women. Anyone want to guess why Romney is polling higher than 5%?
It's not because reform is wrong - it's not. It's because of one thing: the 56-58 million John McCain/Sarah Palin devotees who came out in full rabid insanity force and LOST in 2008, and who intend to go full screaming nutjob ahead over and over again in every election until they crush us Liberals out of existence. They are a plague of zombies, Terminators with no brains, they'll keep coming and they will not stop. This is no joke, we ignored this fact in 2010 to our peril. Look at the combined liberal and independent voter turnouts in 2010 and tell me I'm factually wrong: I ain't.
The problem here is not that Reform is less desirable than a massive global collapse. I fear I need to repeat that sentence about 5 times; or about 40 times to any normal crowd. When I say reform, I mean a Worker's Party that develops within the Democratic Party and which transforms the Democratic Party as thoroughly as the civil rights movement did. And when I say WORKER'S PARTY I do not mean a 3rd party; I mean a newly reshaped Democratic Party. That said, the problem is that the people who would fight tooth and nail for a Worker's Party are too few in number.
The problem here is that we need a hard core Worker's Party movement in the United States, one that is bigger than the 56-58 million voters who fought for Sarah Palin and John McCain and who are still fighting to the very last voter under President Obama's shadow. We need nothing less than 58 million voters dedicated to the very last constituent to a coherent Worker's Party, voters who will push up Worker-friendly Democrats like the next local Bernie Sanders or Barney Frank, to Congress, the US Senate, and to numerous offices in statewide elections. We must do this soon, or we will face something worse than a total collapse: we will be trapped in a Plutonomy.
The problem with a Plutonomy is that it will be one backed by police gangs and the military. It will be a system that can never be brought down EXCEPT by a total systemic collapse. Why? Because in a Plutonomy, the military and police will be deployed to destroy anyone who tries to take the Worker's Party route.
Oh yeah and all the environmental crises that society is facing? That will be a crisis for the 99%, not the rich. They won't ever want for clean water or food. And you think a total collapse is bad? Wait'll you find yourself dying of cholera or toxic waste in your water while the rich are living it up safe and sound behind their walls. Like I said, all the trappings of a collapse, but with the Plutocrats' shadow looming over your head.
A global collapse is a horrible thing. But it's better than a Plutonomy. And we can prevent BOTH if and ONLY if we scramble, right now, and create a Worker's Party within the Democratic Party that can pick up close to 60 million voters, quickly.
I'll repeat: our one way out of becoming a Northern Mexico is a Worker's Party, one that's as strong and energetic as the Republozombie Party.
Exactly how are we going to achieve that?
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