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I took a class on the economics of empire. One of the big problems with calling the U.S. an empire is that it doesn't fit the profile of any empire that came before it. When you start pulling apart and analyzing past empires you start to realize that no two empires were very similar in their goals or methodology. I think that this causes a fair amount of cognitive dissonance for anyone who is antiquated with empires, their methods and motives historically. The overwhelming consensus for the students in the class was that America was an empire, but it took a bit of time and debate to win over some of the class.
It must be no accident that just below this article is an article about drones. Is there anything that says empire like faceless killing machines? Even Storm Troopers were clones, so they were living beings, albeit without the same range of human emotions. Lucas wasn't far off, he apparently just wasn't dreaming big enough!
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thenewgreen · 4829 days ago · link ·
somewhat related: I was at Obama's inauguration. You may recall that VP Cheney was in a wheel chair then. When they wheeled him out on to the platform, the entire area I was in started chanting the Emperors Theme http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L6W6Agqujpw
Cheney had to hear it. I sure hope he did. I sang it as loudly as I could through a giant victorious grin.
AhimMoonchowsen · 4829 days ago · link ·
"Disproportionate spending on our military while domestic standard-of-living spending is neglected? Check. Permanently stationing our military in forward positions all around the globe? Check. Forcibly deposing leaders who don’t accede to our goals? Check. Propping up despots who turn their local countries into clients of our project? Check. Threatening military action against other nations that are not compliant with our imperial aspirations? Check".
-Spot on.