Having just watched the movie Manchurian Candidate and it being so close to elections, I though I might speculate as to what a leader might do against America if he/she were so inclined. So putting myself in her shoes, if I wanted to destroy America, how would I do this?
Here it is in 10 easy steps.
By the way, any similarity to the agendas of certain politicians (who will not be named, but whose initials are Obama and Hillary), is purely coincidental.
1. Push a socialist agenda.
Socialism is the one economic system proven NOT to work. I would finish converting healthcare (17% of our economy) to a socialist system, so that it drains our economy instead of adding to it. I might also find a way to do this with energy, and make moves on banking and higher education.
I would also raise taxes on the most productive people who are creating jobs, and expand programs that distribute the new tax dollars to non-productive segments of the population. That way we discourage our most productive segment, reduce the creation of new jobs, and make sure the non-produtive segments are never motivated to rise up.
As Marx said, “From each according to his abilities, to each according to his needs.” This means socialism taxes “abilities” and subsidizes “needs.” Guaranteed to create more needy people and derease the efforts of peope with abilities.
2. Destroy the institution of marriage.
The nuclear family is the basic economic unit, responsible for support and survival during rough times and overwhleming success as an economic power through our history.
While marriage seems to be destroying itself just fine (over 50% end in divorce) the added burden of gay marriage (and derivatives to come) will hasten its demise. Its kind of like when scientists introduce sterile mosquitos to unfruitfully mate to reduce the mosquito population. Gay parents cannot teach children how to be in a straight marriage, they don’t know how. So marriage will not “reproduce” to the next generation when a child of gay marriage is involved.
As this instituion dissolves, individuals will become more economically isolated. A greater burden will be placed on the government to provide benefits to individuals having difficulty, or are old enough to retire. This is a function traditionally served by family.
3. Massive spending with no return.
Massive spending programs are a must. Spend hundreds of billons on infrastructure, subsidized single payer health, free college education, massive subsidies to failed businesses in depressed areas, and more. It must be financed through new national debt, no other way to do it. The debt, of course, is a ticking time bomb. We’d like to get it to $30 trillion, and it is on track for that within 10 years.
You’ll notice interest rates are really low at this point, we will take measures to raise them later. For every interest point we raise it, that’s an addition $300 billion in national deficit. Debt service will be more than tax collection income, no way to recover after that.
4. Sow discontent wherever possible.
We have to make sure poor people know they are poor and really rub it in!. And of course, let them know its not their fault. Indeed it is the fault of members of the productive segments of society, they are being cheated, and the middle and upper classes owe them. This gives us the opportunity to institute more taxes and create more social programs.
Let’s have some protests and tear up our neighborhoods so conditions get even worse, and so the nation starts to lose its self assurance of the greatness of America. But be sure we don’t actually provide the opportunity to succeed. If we do, they won’t be useful to us anymore in our destructive goals.
5. Give our friendly opposition and our enemies whatever concessions will make them stronger.
Let’s make deals with major concessions with our most bitter enemies. The Iran deal is a good template – by granting them $150 Billion and paving the way for them to get devastating nuclear weapons to use against us. Syria, Iraq, Saudi Arabia (the next big mess) should be in line for this.
Let’s sign trade deals with Asia, Latin America, Africa and Europe that are heavily in their favor. The best part is there will be a temporary boost in the economy due to “irrational exuberance” until the American people realize how bad the deals are that have been signed!
6. Open the borders, let in anyone who wants to come.
Definitely tie the hands of ICE, so immigrants who come in are here for as long as they like. Provide services for them to add to the national debt. And of course, the illegal immigrants who are here, we grant them amnesty and full citizenship.
Once people from depressed areas of Latin America see the value of entering America illegally, I expect a flood of 30-40 million per year to come to America, overwhelming any possible resources the federal government has to support them. With a bit of luck, they will form larger and larger “ghettos’ where English is not spoken, bringing their substandard economics with them. The next phase is a de facto slave community and unprecedented levels of organized crime.
I’d especially allow immigrants from places that hate America. Terrorism is certain to arise, and of course these folks will never assimilate into America.
7. Push religion further and further from mainstream America.
After all, the Judeo-Christian tradition is the basis of our economic system, free enterprise, morality and our ability to co-exist. While we are changing it to the unsustainable socialist system, we need people to lose touch with what made America great in the first place. Without this basis, people will not know where to go when the inevitable collapse occurs.
8. Redirect the education of our children, from responsibility to entitlement.
Remove any influences that teach competition, responsibility and work ethic, anything that might give them the motivation to work hard and achieve goals. We must also remove anything that allows critical or independent thinking.
In place of that, let’s reward children for incomplete or unsuccessful efforts. The more we do this, the more likely are these qualities to carry through to adulthood. This should help to cripple a future American workforce. “Participation trophies” are a good start, along with “self esteem” focus, political correctness and subjecting them to whatever current political propaganda is available.
9. Encourage the legalization of more and more drugs that reduce mental function, intoxicate and addict.
This makes people easier to control, takes away their will to succeed and takes their minds off of the lack of opportunity in the failing economy we are creating. A percentage of people using these will, of course, need public assistance to survive. Double bonus! We are making a large portion of the population utterly useless to the productive sectors.
10. Buy off and otherwise establish control over the mainstream media.
I’d establish propaganda sources that have always been trustworthy, and use it to deepen the divide between Americans. Not difficult to do, but it will undermine the election process and assure that my destructive agenda accepted and continued.
This is fairly straightforward, deals are struck with media all the time. An exclusive interview and special access are worth a lot to a journalist. Denial of access is also effective. Monetary benefits, threats and discredit are powerful tools for the intransigent. But the media are not overly intelligent so that won’t be necessary most of the time.
From here its easy to villify who disagree with the party line, in this case the people responsible for economic growth. We can also create a chorus using the unproductive segments as the loudest protesters. After all, since they are on the government doles already, why not put them to work?
A few other options, if you want to be thorough
Reduce privacy to zero, if NSA has access to everything about any American, they can ensure no opposition arises. The second amendment guarantees access to guns, but intelligence will guarantee no American will form up in opposition, so its moot.
Undermine police authority as a standing policy, forbid weapons wherever possible to law abiding citizens, but look the other way when criminals get them. Chicago is a good model here.
Appoint judges who see the constitution as a “living document” and feel free to rule based on their personal whims. That way whatever is featured in the media can be turned into Constitutional changes in the shortest amount of time.
My message? – Vote