This may sound odd...but, where are the Trumps currently, specifically Donald?
Rumsfeldia: Fear and Loathing in the Decade of Tears
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This may sound odd...but, where are the Trumps currently, specifically Donald?
Bookmark1995
Banned
Donald failed to develop real estate in the worst economy. After other failed ventures, he was arrested in Mexico for selling fake visas.
I believe he also managed a White Castle and a chapter of the Hair Club for Men at one point in FLaG.
So a completely irrelevant figure in history, also was US's economy really that bad..like the worst economy on the planet?
Bookmark1995
Banned
Remember that the ITTL 1970s were much, much worse economically. Spiro Agnew printed a ton of money in order to fight Vietnam again, and OPEC pushed a harsher embargo because the US government was more supportive of Israel. This meant the 1970s was arguably a Great Depression, on top of inflation.
By the Rummy came into office, the economy was still poor. The economy recovered for a bit, but then Rummy completely shredded the regulatory state, while splurging even more on national defense, and putting wages into worthless "investment certificates". In 1988, the economy crashed again under the weight of de-regulation.
Simply put the US is already like that of Third World economy or is pretty much becoming one? I remember in the last update posted by Drew is that the infant mortality rate is very high in the CSA.
Bookmark1995
Banned
Pretty much, with Rummy ripping apart the welfare state and the regulatory system.
And I doubt a civil war is good for economic stability either.
Obviously if anything it pretty much going to resemble the Syrian Civil War if it were on steroids. And with Lesser Mao's China being fucked over to the extreme, I would argue that a Second American Civil War in the CSA will just make Lesser Mao's China look like a fucking picnic.
So...basically, uhh...how long will it take for America to recover if ever...also, it seems the soviet union has won the cold war...thats nice I guess
Still, they should at the very least support legislation to protect the rights of laborers and consumers.
Bookmark1995
Banned
Well, in some respects, the Second American Civil War maybe slightly better then the collapse of Lesser Mao's China. I mean, the opposition to the CSA are legitimately democratic and organized forces, not a bunch of PLA and Chinese governors turned warlord.
I imagine that they will still be the party that scrutinizes those things. Remember, that as important as the regulatory state is, not all regulations are necessarily done for selfless reasons.
So another weird question, will the internet and youtube still come into existence, and if so...will we see similar Youtubers or would it be completely different?
I think the Internet is basically fucked over and will be totally alien to the one we know. For all we know if a equivalent to the internet is made it probably will all be used for news, researching random stuff, information, and forums (like Usenet was) specifically dedicated for certain topics. But anything like social media or internet entertainment may just be nonexistent or comes a lot later in the 21st century (and not the 2010's obviously), but if this does happen it won't be anything like the social media we know.
Honestly who knows what will happen when it comes to internet in the world of Rumsfeldia. Maybe Europeans and perhaps the Soviets will create something similar to what Usenet was. Plus I know during the early 1980's the French had Minitel.
Bear in mind that networking arose from the Army's need to keep its data active and functional in case of a nuclear strike. Keep the important files in a nuke-proof bunker somewhere, but allow access from other remote sites. Your basic early FTP. I can see the Soviets or the Europeans wanting to do something similar and develop it. Yes, TRW took the patents and sat on them, but with TRW's collapse and the USA's destruction, it would only take an enterprising individual or two to try again.
It might be different from what we're familiar with, but its basic functions will evolve similarly. The need to transfer data, ideas, and media will be a big part in its genesis and development as a commercial medium. Granted, the USSR will be wary of letting unregulated ideas into its system and among its people, but OTL China does a decent job with the Great Firewall. The Soviets might put up a similar "Iron Firewall" or two.
with the collapse of democracy/the west and the USSR being the model for a functional state why would there be largescale civilian ownership of PCs, nevermind an internet?
Give them 10 years after the defeat of the CV regime to get a feeling of recovery and another 10 years to get to pre-Rumsfeldian levels. With a few extra years they should get back fully in the first world.
Some of parts of the former US (California and the North East) will get there faster.
why would they? good odds of the US deciding to adopt a what could be called proletarian democracy
soviet-style communism
Bookmark1995
Banned
Western Europe maybe trading with the Soviet Union. Doesn't mean that most Western Europeans want to live under the Bear, despite what DHR assumes.
Well, not at first. It'll certainly take longer, as PCs were seen as a luxury item in the early to mid 1980s, and ITTL, the economy was in bad form. However, bear in mind that at this point, the were rootkits and trojans built in by TRW and the government to spy on citizens implying it was still decently widespread. It already got reverse-engineered by the Soviets, and has probably trickled over to Western Europe (whether from Russia or the USA). So while it's a slower start than OTL, they're already somewhat established as a commercial commodity.
Furthermore, as Moore's Law kicks in and PCs become cheaper, we'd be looking at more widespread use due to PC utility and advantages. The average Soviet citizen is living more akin to a well-off OTL Chinese citizen due to MBA Communism, so they can afford a lower-end PC, and gradually work up from there.
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