Wrong then, wrong now
Was listening to this 1946 episode of 'This is your FBI'.

Episode is about a "Good Government" type who threatens a cheating government contractor with a lawsuit. The contractor fights back with violence.

Pompous intro:

A little more than a year ago, the last shell was fired in WW2. A war that we fought all over the world in an effort to retain a world in which we could live in peace. That war was fought because the citizens of the world allowed themselves the luxury of neglecting their worldly duties... neglecting to clear up the festering sore spots that later threatened to infect every nation on earth. Hitler and Mussolini were petty local grafters at one time. Petty local charlatans like the man in tonight's episode. But it is a certain truth that from petty local tyrants come threatening national dictators. The place to start cleaning house is in your own back yard.

Wrong from start to finish. Wrong at the time and doubly wrong now.

Wrong at the time:

The "festering sore" of WW2 was Woodrow Wilson, a "Good Government" type. He jumped into WW1 without any national reason, then used the jump to create a situation that led to a worldwide depression and thus another war.

Given the situation, and given Germany's unquenched imperial desires, Hitler was a placeholder. A vengeful leader was bound to arise in that spot. The alternate leader would have done some things differently, and might have been a better strategist who chose his targets more effectively. The alternate leader might have conquered Western and Southern Europe in a conclusive way, without bringing Russia into the battle.

Doubly wrong now:

The current dictatorial empire is USA STRONG, assisted by UK and EU. The four major leaders in this Axis are Obama, Merkel, Cameron, and Hollande. None of them were "petty local grafters". All of them were SPECIFICALLY Good Government types, well educated and professional. Like Wilson, Merkel and Obama worked as professors before officially entering politics; Cameron and Hollande were in politics from birth.

Is it worth any effort to counter petty local grafters? Probably not. In reality they defeat themselves quickly. I suppose it's good to recognize them and avoid helping them. But you can't generalize. In some cases a 'connected' town serves only the 'connectors'; in other cases a 'connected' town runs efficiently, with low crime and good jobs for ordinary people.

Labels: Alternate universe, STRONG!

  ¶ 2:12 AM