Discussion Random Discussion

[Yawkey way]

I wouldn't worry too much about American politics although for the past few years people here seem obsessed by it, the age is leading the charge.

Australia has enough problems of it's own.

For the record Hillary Clinton was a terrible candidate , entitled and corrupt take a good look at some of the democratic leadership if you can call it that Nancy pelosi, Maxine waters and Elizabeth warren just to name three incompetent if not bat shit crazy democrats.

With an estimated 20 - 30 million illegals running around in the country most people I speak to really do have a legitimate problem with it and want a secure border and an immigration policy, that seems fair enough to me.

Many Americans would note that they have by world standards a generious immigration intake including refugees and that in the past they have had under president regan a refugee amnesty yet their problems not just remain but have increased. They might also note that when it comes to immigration Australia is less generous on many fronts and enjoys the benifit of being an isolated island.

With many people working minimum wage jobs or seeing their jobs head overseas a policy of job creation and a catchy slogan played pretty well for trump.

America is nothing like Australia despite what some people think attitudes to some fairly fundamental things are completely different if anything Australia is quite British.

Presidents come and go many Americans not just on Fox News would tell you that Obama was an absolute disaster in office.

Voting well when you don't have compulsory voting which I hasten to add is also the case in Britain there is always a chance that you can motivate enough people in the right places to get elected. The electoral college is a set number by law but is allocated by population based on the census plus your senators and few other odds and bods, it's not rigged.

My family which is extensive and has been in the country for the best part of 400 years vote both republican and democrat and like people in Australia have a wide range of opinions on key issues. One thing i can tell you with some confidence is that if i didn't live here Australia just wouldn't rate a moments thought with most of them, why would it.

Lastly Americans don't owe the rest of the world anything, any more than ordinary Australians do. They are entitled to put their own interests first just the same as people do everywhere else. Every problem in the world is not Americas fault or problem to deal with. America has no empire and could never have been considered a colonial power. If you have a problem with powerful countries exercising power and influence then welcome to the real world it was ever thus.

In case your wondering yes I'm an American citizen and proud of my country.

 

[gringo2011]

I wouldn't worry too much about American politics although for the past few years people here seem obsessed by it, the age is leading the charge.

Australia has enough problems of it's own.

For the record Hillary Clinton was a terrible candidate , entitled and corrupt take a good look at some of the democratic leadership if you can call it that Nancy pelosi, Maxine waters and Elizabeth warren just to name three incompetent if not bat shit crazy democrats.

With an estimated 20 - 30 million illegals running around in the country most people I speak to really do have a legitimate problem with it and want a secure border and an immigration policy, that seems fair enough to me.

Many Americans would note that they have by world standards a generious immigration intake including refugees and that in the past they have had under president regan a refugee amnesty yet their problems not just remain but have increased. They might also note that when it comes to immigration Australia is less generous on many fronts and enjoys the benifit of being an isolated island.

With many people working minimum wage jobs or seeing their jobs head overseas a policy of job creation and a catchy slogan played pretty well for trump.

America is nothing like Australia despite what some people think attitudes to some fairly fundamental things are completely different if anything Australia is quite British.

Presidents come and go many Americans not just on Fox News would tell you that Obama was an absolute disaster in office.

Voting well when you don't have compulsory voting which I hasten to add is also the case in Britain there is always a chance that you can motivate enough people in the right places to get elected. The electoral college is a set number by law but is allocated by population based on the census plus your senators and few other odds and bods, it's not rigged.

My family which is extensive and has been in the country for the best part of 400 years vote both republican and democrat and like people in Australia have a wide range of opinions on key issues. One thing i can tell you with some confidence is that if i didn't live here Australia just wouldn't rate a moments thought with most of them, why would it.

Lastly Americans don't owe the rest of the world anything, any more than ordinary Australians do. They are entitled to put their own interests first just the same as people do everywhere else. Every problem in the world is not Americas fault or problem to deal with. America has no empire and could never have been considered a colonial power. If you have a problem with powerful countries exercising power and influence then welcome to the real world it was ever thus.

In case your wondering yes I'm an American citizen and proud of my country.

You should be proud, but America has definitely had a form of empire by finance running since the early 20th century. The military might of the US has meant they have acted as the world sheriff for a long time. I think even with in the US there is a feeling they may have strayed into a bit of Bad Lieutenant territory.

It's not just the US but world systems are going to have to adjust to the future and the current model will need some serious work as more jobs are lost to automation and people are less occupied. Money has to be earned to be spent and without labour a good portion will be off line.

 

[StCicatriz]

Trump was in because inbred hatred of anything that wasn't viewed as "murica" won out, because they have enshrined right, if they want to do things then by god they will do these things and so help anyone who says otherwise. Considering the Dems went more towards the people, and strengthening the undercurrent of said people, this lead into the whole fear campaign that the murican dream was being eroded and rights infringed from the entitled and easily swayed.

Because they're the ones paying for this undercurrents freebies and they want their maccas in their mansions goddamnit, not next door!

So build that wall, fuel that hate of other people, withdraw from those contracts and puff that chest to state how great and brilliant and omnipotent you are in comparison, and denigrate the opposition because you are superior. Won't go to a civil war, but will be one of economics because you can only be so many trillions down before you start another GFC.



There's dragons.

Spoiler

and they have names!

Don't underestimate the loss of the union vote. Democrats ****ed up in a big big way turning their backs to their base

 

[Kildonan]

The issue is that their election system is so borked. The Electoral college and the way the Democrats select their candidates are both so so so dodgy.

The Republicans have Gerrymandered the electoral college system allowing them to win without a majority. The Democrats need to win the state elections and reset the boundaries in a fairer distribution to have fair elections again.

The reason the Republicans are so dodgy is because the Koch brothers have interfered by supporting the more Right candidates over the more moderate candidates. This has stripped the party of its more reasonable people and reduced its ability to compromise.

 

[Yawkey way]

You should be proud, but America has definitely had a form of empire by finance running since the early 20th century. The military might of the US has meant they have acted as the world sheriff for a long time. I think even with in the US there is a feeling they may have strayed into a bit of Bad Lieutenant territory.

It's not just the US but world systems are going to have to adjust to the future and the current model will need some serious work as more jobs are lost to automation and people are less occupied. Money has to be earned to be spent and without labour a good portion will be off line.

Best suggestion I've seen is that as jobs are replaced by AI they should still be taxed as a worker.

Yes multinationals have projected a form of colonialism but to ordinary Americans that's like saying your benifiting from gina Reinhardt.

So many of the US military are poor kids it's a way to college after service, in my fathers case he was drafted and sent to the other side of the world in WW2 . I remember seeing my cousin a young golf pro fron Kansas sail off to Vietnam without a clue, trust me they love and serve their country but have no say in how things play out.

The world is changing and it's just as tough for them as it is for us.

 

[Yawkey way]

The Republicans have Gerrymandered the electoral college system allowing them to win without a majority. The Democrats need to win the state elections and reset the boundaries in a fairer distribution to have fair elections again.

The reason the Republicans are so dodgy is because the Koch brothers have interfered by supporting the more Right candidates over the more moderate candidates. This has stripped the party of its more reasonable people and reduced its ability to compromise.

The electoral college can't be gerrymandered it's linked to the census, only in so much as there is a legal limit on the number of seats that dates back to 1911 I think. Given that it's a stretch to blame either party. The states don't set the boundaries in national elections, bye the way states do have considerable power over various things.

The Koch brothers are from Kansas my fathers home state, yep real hick place Cessna, Beechcraft, leer jet it's the air capital of the world. The Koch brothers are just political doners as are many wealthy people, the brothers don't even get on and didn't support trump. You have way more wacky activists on the left in Hollywood organising Superpacs George bloody Clooney probably raised more money.

Politics is a funny business you rarely get the people you need but they say you get the people you deserve.

 

[Yawkey way]

Don't underestimate the loss of the union vote. Democrats ****** up in a big big way turning their backs to their base

Yep when you stop working for the members that tends to happen.

Legislate their jobs away, talk about them as deplorables and expect their vote, sounds like a plan Hillary.

 

[Joffaboy]

"Dany does Drogon"
Daenerys travels to Kings Landing having been victorious int he game of musical chairs where she marries her hand, who rekindles the relationship with the lady of Winterfell. Drogon, displeased with no longer being ridden, burns with the fire of rage as Arya enters with her littlefinger raised up high..."

"Best dragon flying scene since Disney did Dumbo" - Square Stone



China has history of dong crazy shit to try and propel forward, ie, melting pots and pans to try and make swords and shit and then wonder why they drooped and buildings kinda degraded horribly. They are however one nation for a few years now, as opposed to individual nationstates who have an agreement because it's in common good to do so after trying to kill each other because ideas.



Pretty sure the R+L=J was end of season 1, start of season 2, I can understand people not remembering that because boobies were present.

R + L = J has been around since 1996. Was hinted in a Song of Fire and Ice

 

[Yawkey way]

R + L = J has been around since 1996. Was hinted in a Song of Fire and Ice

I have read everyone of those bloody books, for very page of interest there's 100 of boring crap whose house and what armour.

I have read much better that has never seen the light of day.

I am very fired up to see Tom wintons breath brought to the screen it's more or less the story of a generation, so many of us identify with the characters.

 

[VDS66]

You should be proud, but America has definitely had a form of empire by finance running since the early 20th century. The military might of the US has meant they have acted as the world sheriff for a long time. I think even with in the US there is a feeling they may have strayed into a bit of Bad Lieutenant territory.

It's not just the US but world systems are going to have to adjust to the future and the current model will need some serious work as more jobs are lost to automation and people are less occupied. Money has to be earned to be spent and without labour a good portion will be off line.

So much this.

Politicians are bankrolled by the elites to get elected to maintain the status quo... for the elites.

Not much different over here.

 

[Gangnam Saint]

I wouldn't worry too much about American politics although for the past few years people here seem obsessed by it, the age is leading the charge.

Australia has enough problems of it's own.

For the record Hillary Clinton was a terrible candidate , entitled and corrupt take a good look at some of the democratic leadership if you can call it that Nancy pelosi, Maxine waters and Elizabeth warren just to name three incompetent if not bat shit crazy democrats.

With an estimated 20 - 30 million illegals running around in the country most people I speak to really do have a legitimate problem with it and want a secure border and an immigration policy, that seems fair enough to me.

Many Americans would note that they have by world standards a generious immigration intake including refugees and that in the past they have had under president regan a refugee amnesty yet their problems not just remain but have increased. They might also note that when it comes to immigration Australia is less generous on many fronts and enjoys the benifit of being an isolated island.

With many people working minimum wage jobs or seeing their jobs head overseas a policy of job creation and a catchy slogan played pretty well for trump.

America is nothing like Australia despite what some people think attitudes to some fairly fundamental things are completely different if anything Australia is quite British.

Presidents come and go many Americans not just on Fox News would tell you that Obama was an absolute disaster in office.

Voting well when you don't have compulsory voting which I hasten to add is also the case in Britain there is always a chance that you can motivate enough people in the right places to get elected. The electoral college is a set number by law but is allocated by population based on the census plus your senators and few other odds and bods, it's not rigged.

My family which is extensive and has been in the country for the best part of 400 years vote both republican and democrat and like people in Australia have a wide range of opinions on key issues. One thing i can tell you with some confidence is that if i didn't live here Australia just wouldn't rate a moments thought with most of them, why would it.

Lastly Americans don't owe the rest of the world anything, any more than ordinary Australians do. They are entitled to put their own interests first just the same as people do everywhere else. Every problem in the world is not Americas fault or problem to deal with. America has no empire and could never have been considered a colonial power. If you have a problem with powerful countries exercising power and influence then welcome to the real world it was ever thus.

In case your wondering yes I'm an American citizen and proud of my country.

Spot on. The 4th estate is dead and the cannons of journalism totally discarded.
No more so than in Australia. The Age is a disgrace and a complete joke. Everytime I see "Always Independent" on their masthead I laugh - it's the dystopic Orwellian nightmare we have feared right in front of our eyes.
Most in Australia wouldn't really know, through no fault of their own, what's really happening in the U.S. coz the media coverage is so poor and biased.

The U.S. needs to do what's right for themselves and so does Australia. No more hand holding or expectations, time to grow up.

 

[Glen Buterol]

Coming together nicely, I never thought it would happen after reading the bloody books such as they are.

How many and how will be the question for those who venture beyond the wall, who won't make it back and how will they get back.

I think the dragons are involved in a rescue, will they all survive.

Jon snow is the rightful heir to throne, but the writers are just toying with us giving a bit if a wink. My bet is bran will reveal it and Sam will twig as to the import of the books passage at that time.

It won't matter as Jon will bend the knee, has all sorts of interesting implications with danearys but he will get a leg over with his aunt.

Cersie and Jamie are about to part ways, she is batshit crazy I think he will see the light. She has no intention of fighting in the north.

Ultimately this is a song of ice and fire that's Jon and danearys, he is the prince that was promised Azor ahai and she must be nissa nissa.

I don't think Tyrian is a targaerian I think cersie and Jamie may be, in the books their old man got really pissed when a relative told him Tyrian was his one true son or words to that effect.

Little finger is going to get what's coming which should be very amusing, Arya will see right through him the Starks owe him a suitable send off.

It's a very good series, I'm hooked on Ray Donovan as well.

Warning: contains spoilers & rumours about how GoT all finishes

Spoiler

Yes the dragons I think will be part of a rescue with one getting turned by the night king. Night king to ride that dragon in battle against Danaerys riding Drogon & Bran controlling the third dragon. That'll occur later in the final episodes though.

I think you're right about Cersie & Jamie parting ways & ultimately Jamie is the only one in a position to get close enough to kill her. I think he will do it when he fully realises it has to be done.

Rumours going around that in the final battle between the night king & the combined army led by Danaerys, Jon & Jamie (yes all joining forces once Cersie is out of the equation) that the night king will kill Damaerys in the final battle, Jon to battle the night king but ulimately its Jamie to come along & save the day by ripping out the ice from the night kings heart killing him along with all the walkers dying as a result thus the war is won. Jon Snow to be made the true king when it's all said & done.

 

[Joffaboy]

I have read everyone of those bloody books, for very page of interest there's 100 of boring crap whose house and what armour.

I have read much better that has never seen the light of day.

I am very fired up to see Tom wintons breath brought to the screen it's more or less the story of a generation, so many of us identify with the characters.

Yeah must admit the series is much better than the books. Got bored with them but read them all in a 4 month period before watching the show.

 

[sverik25]

I loved the books...

Might depend on personal preference. Agree that the show is more accessible.

 

[StFly]

Don't underestimate the loss of the union vote. Democrats ****** up in a big big way turning their backs to their base

Oh nah, Dems shot themselves in the foot no doubt, but in a system where it's a choice to vote as opposed to a registered need where the choice is what number or picture you put where, you're going to get more people expressing anger than you are expressing that the status quo is fine. It's how people are wired that they complain more before being hippy that everything is cool, and Trump basically tapped into that to sweep in over more favoured pollies.

R + L = J has been around since 1996. Was hinted in a Song of Fire and Ice

This I'm aware of, I'm purely talking series wise and not book wise though that it was also very early on that signs where given how those characters would work out and what the show runners were gunning for.

 

[StCicatriz]

Oh nah, Dems shot themselves in the foot no doubt, but in a system where it's a choice to vote as opposed to a registered need where the choice is what number or picture you put where, you're going to get more people expressing anger than you are expressing that the status quo is fine. It's how people are wired that they complain more before being hippy that everything is cool, and Trump basically tapped into that to sweep in over more favoured pollies.



This I'm aware of, I'm purely talking series wise and not book wise though that it was also very early on that signs where given how those characters would work out and what the show runners were gunning for.

I agree they were angry. That's was my point.

I just don't agree that it was all along the lines of race or hatred of Hillary who was just as polarizing as Trump. If that was the case you wouldn't have had the downturn in the Latino vote for the democrats in key states or a decent proportion of them voting for Trump.

I think the better indicator is education level which gives you an insight into what the sentiment was. They're the ones at risk. They're the first to lose their jobs due to globalisation and the offshoring of things like manufacturing which has been a massive issue in the states. They're also the first to have their entitlements winded back. I think people were angry at both sides of politics and the government in general. Trump positioned himself as the unwanted Republican nominee and anti government which he rode all the way to the bank.

I think Hillary thought she would always win due to her firewall states which were heavily democrat. She basically took them for granted. In some cases she didn't even spend anytime there. One key factor I heard was that she was banking on the traditional union vote (remember my education level comment earlier) just putting in like it always does. Apparently they turned their back on her due to a falling out with the party. Apparently they were sick of doing a deal with the democrats for their vote only for them to go back on their word. In many cases it was due to the democrats trying to realign themselves to the modern workforce of office workers, so they were doing deals with the unions then not following through on them and then even worse than that following through on other deals that were against what the unions wanted.

I think people are just angry with the government over there and were easily sucked into trumps drain the swamp/I'm one of the people bullshit.

 

[Kildonan]

The electoral college can't be gerrymandered it's linked to the census, only in so much as there is a legal limit on the number of seats that dates back to 1911 I think. Given that it's a stretch to blame either party. The states don't set the boundaries in national elections, bye the way states do have considerable power over various

The Republicans have gerrymandered the electoral colleges. The republican state governors have been provided complicated algorithms which they use to change the boundaries of electorates while keeping the populations legal. They do this in order to accumulate as many of the Democrat dominant areas together and allow that or those electorates an easy win, but in doing so they now have a slight majority in all the other electorates. There is no legislation to prevent this.

 

[gringo2011]

The electoral college can't be gerrymandered it's linked to the census, only in so much as there is a legal limit on the number of seats that dates back to 1911 I think. Given that it's a stretch to blame either party. The states don't set the boundaries in national elections, bye the way states do have considerable power over various things.

The Koch brothers are from Kansas my fathers home state, yep real hick place Cessna, Beechcraft, leer jet it's the air capital of the world. The Koch brothers are just political doners as are many wealthy people, the brothers don't even get on and didn't support trump. You have way more wacky activists on the left in Hollywood organising Superpacs George bloody Clooney probably raised more money.

Politics is a funny business you rarely get the people you need but they say you get the people you deserve.

Koch brothers are huge political donors, I doubt Clooney and the hollywood community even get to a single percentage of what they spend on think tanks and political donations, advisers etc. I have a feeling Trump was created to present an outsider by people like the Koch brothers. He's really just a Tea party in different clothes. Both sides of politics are sold out so its pretty much football teams now.

 

[RoundCubic]

America has no empire and could never have been considered a colonial power. If you have a problem with powerful countries exercising power and influence then welcome to the real world it was ever thus.

USA is by definition a colonial power it colonised a continent. The war of independence was less about tea taxes more about the proclamation line of 1763 and the Quebec ACT of 1774 that protected Native American lands from european settler expansion. Then came Manifest destiny, the Mexican American war.

Then there is the USA's extra-continental expansion, the Monroe doctrine, the Spanish American war, the annexation of Hawaii, the Filipino American war and others.

While the notion that might is right is the very antithesis of the ideals on which your commonwealth was founded I find it disturbing that it has become so common in American discourse.

I actually think America has been a force for good in the 20th century WW1, WW2, Korea, the non-south american/south east asian parts of the cold war, Pax Americana but you tend to white wash your history.

 

[SaintsSeptember]

I have read everyone of those bloody books, for very page of interest there's 100 of boring crap whose house and what armour.

I have read much better that has never seen the light of day.

I am very fired up to see Tom wintons breath brought to the screen it's more or less the story of a generation, so many of us identify with the characters.

The goddam food. Pages of crap about firey peppers and stuffed Lamprey. I couldn't work out what was with these whole chapters full of food. Then i saw a photograph of the Author. For him... the fantasy was not the sex.

 

[Yawkey way]

They didn't support trump and don't underestimate how much money there is in Hollywood.

Trumps outrageous behaviour got him so much free press that was sheer genius.

 

[Yawkey way]

USA is by definition a colonial power it colonised a continent. The war of independence was less about tea taxes more about the proclamation line of 1763 and the Quebec ACT of 1774 that protected Native American lands from european settler expansion. Then came Manifest destiny, the Mexican American war.

Then there is the USA's extra-continental expansion, the Monroe doctrine, the Spanish American war, the annexation of Hawaii, the Filipino American war and others.

While the notion that might is right is the very antithesis of the ideals on which your commonwealth was founded I find it disturbing that it has become so common in American discourse.

I actually think America has been a force for good in the 20th century WW1, WW2, Korea, the non-south american/south east asian parts of the cold war, Pax Americana but you tend to white wash your history.

Yes that's true, I was taking more in the sense of the way we see traditional colonial powers.

The foray into the Philippines came about as a result of the Spanish American war and was you must admit very brief. The territories were acquired from Spain when they negotiated peace.

I don't think Many Americans would agree with your view on the war of independence. Britain weren't the only power in North America at that time in fact the original 13 states were a small part of what is now the USA.

The Monroe doctrine depends on how you view it, keeping European colonial powers out of the Americas and allowing independent countries to develop or something else.

Native Americans are about as ripped off as you can get I have two cousins who are Native American my aunt was a Cheyenne. History is a funny thing I don't know of any country that hasn't been invaded or colonised, take a look at the history of Britain for example doesn't it count if the invaders and invaded are white. I don't know of a period where might wasn't right, I 'm no historian but I have just read some history on Russia and the Russian revolution it was absolutely amazing.

To me the whole concept of all this is mine because I through my ancestors got here first is really a modern joke, the implication to me is that you stop history at the most advantages point in time to yourself and then make your case. By extension there isn't a person alive who doesn't have a claim to some part of the world.

If countries didn't have borders and maintain a military I imagine that they wouldn't last very long.

Is the world fair, hell no in fact it's pretty messed up right now on so many levels. I read recently where the gap in wealth in many countries including America and Australia is as great as it has every been and that previously these levels had led to revolution or war.

I hasten to add that I have no solution to many of the problems I see, my father said anyone who voted republican without having inter generational wealth was a fool. I myself admire the social democracy countries or Nordic model, they seem to work pretty well. Then I'm not living there so who knows, I'm doing pretty well and Australia is a fantastic place to live so I have little to complain about.

Doesn't stop me though I'm a grumpy old man or so I'm told.

 

[Yawkey way]

The Republicans have gerrymandered the electoral colleges. The republican state governors have been provided complicated algorithms which they use to change the boundaries of electorates while keeping the populations legal. They do this in order to accumulate as many of the Democrat dominant areas together and allow that or those electorates an easy win, but in doing so they now have a slight majority in all the other electorates. There is no legislation to prevent this.

I took your reference to mean one vote one value, but you do mean gerrymandered in the original sense.

Yep both republican and democrats do their best to gain an advantage in this manner, there are laws and commissions to try to stop it. It's not so long ago that the democrats had the upper hand and may well have again. It would be highly desirable if this manipulation didn't go on but good luck with that.

I'm not a trump supporter but then again I wasn't an Obama supporter. I think with the new technologies and the way people get their information the world has become a strange and dangerous place. I read a book by Lindsay Tanner Dumbing down democracy, it is a good book and covers the problems pretty well.

Everything is like a Vox pop on a news cycle that changes by the minute, you can't have a debate or conversation with the electorate people have forgotten what happened last week and many just don't care. It doesn't make it easy to run a country and to make good policy decisions for the future.

Obama could have been a great president if against the odds he had been the person he was on the campaign trail imho. I would have loved it if he had put forward a Medicare like option for the USA but it's history now and a chance missed. His foreign policy was a disaster and I hated his disdain for his country and his world apology tour.

Hillary Clinton v Donald trump gee thanks what a choice.

Stay put people I think we're living in the best country on earth, now if our politicians can just not screw it up.

 

[Yawkey way]

The goddam food. Pages of crap about firey peppers and stuffed Lamprey. I couldn't work out what was with these whole chapters full of food. Then i saw a photograph of the Author. For him... the fantasy was not the sex.

Hundreds of pages devoted to bloody food and coats of arms.

A very hungry man with a liking for dressing up and pr0n.

Oh and a very good story hidden somewhere in there.

 

[RoundCubic]

Yes that's true, I was taking more in the sense of the way we see traditional colonial powers.

The foray into the Philippines came about as a result of the Spanish American war and was you must admit very brief. The territories were acquired from Spain when they negotiated peace.

I don't think Many Americans would agree with your view on the war of independence. Britain weren't the only power in North America at that time in fact the original 13 states were a small part of what is now the USA.

The Monroe doctrine depends on how you view it, keeping European colonial powers out of the Americas and allowing independent countries to develop or something else.

Native Americans are about as ripped off as you can get I have two cousins who are Native American my aunt was a Cheyenne. History is a funny thing I don't know of any country that hasn't been invaded or colonised, take a look at the history of Britain for example doesn't it count if the invaders and invaded are white. I don't know of a period where might wasn't right, I 'm no historian but I have just read some history on Russia and the Russian revolution it was absolutely amazing.

To me the whole concept of all this is mine because I through my ancestors got here first is really a modern joke, the implication to me is that you stop history at the most advantages point in time to yourself and then make your case. By extension there isn't a person alive who doesn't have a claim to some part of the world.

If countries didn't have borders and maintain a military I imagine that they wouldn't last very long.

Is the world fair, hell no in fact it's pretty messed up right now on so many levels. I read recently where the gap in wealth in many countries including America and Australia is as great as it has every been and that previously these levels had led to revolution or war.

I hasten to add that I have no solution to many of the problems I see, my father said anyone who voted republican without having inter generational wealth was a fool. I myself admire the social democracy countries or Nordic model, they seem to work pretty well. Then I'm not living there so who knows, I'm doing pretty well and Australia is a fantastic place to live so I have little to complain about.

Doesn't stop me though I'm a grumpy old man or so I'm told.

For some perspective the Scramble for Africa starts in 1880's, the American colonial empire (Hawaii, Philippines, Guam, Cuba, Virgin Islands, Puerto Rico, etc) was part of what was called the late phase or neocolonialism period.

The Filipino-American War was the United States invasion and conquest of the Philippines against an constitutionalist republic that had taken advantage of the Spanish American war to throw off the yolk of oppression. It involved over 100,000 American personnel and 30-40k deployed troops. Numerous atrocities 250,000 to 3 million civilian deaths and by WW1 around 250,000 Americans colonialists in the Philippines.

Campaigning by public figures like Mark Twain lead to congress setting a frame work to independence for the Philippines (but many colonial states had different levels of "independence") but also start an anti-colonial movement in America that influenced Wilson and Roosevelt to end colonialism.

The Monroe doctrine was a little like Russia with Ukraine today you can be independent as far as you do what we want and allow our businesses to export your wealth to our benefit and our citizens are above your laws.

The wealth inequality is partly the result of the erosion of taxation of wealth accumulation from the depression era on capital gains, inheritance etc at a time when new industries and economic growth in developing countries have delivered massive returns to individuals with the capital to invest in them and eroded the blue collar middle class in developed countries.