"If it could be proven that Maduro is a dictator and a totally incompetent ruler, would people enthusiastically rally behind his government in opposition to foreign intervention? I don’t think so."

If it could be proven that Maduro is guilty of all these things, yes I do think that people would still rally behind his government - because most populations would prefer a dictatorship of their own kind to promises of "democracy" and "prosperity" imposed by foreigners.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SlaW_xh0nP0

You got it. It's easy to claim that globalism is the best thing since sliced bread when all you can see are seemingly cheap prices and seemingly plentiful service jobs.

First off, we're no longer self-sufficient. What happens if there's some huge industrial accident or workers' revolt in China, two things that are FAR most likely to occur there than here, and we can't get certain widgets needed to maintain our infrastructure? Not to mention we've gotten used to so many exotic foods. Shrimp, pineapple, coffee, palm oil (a key ingredient in candy and makeup), etc. Are you telling me that a lot of people won't freak out if they can't get their fix of this stuff, especially coffee?

Second, stuff made in China is cheaper because those people work long hours in dangerous conditions for meager pay. And that's just the half of it. It's very unlikely that even Trump's tariffs and tax cuts can bring back a majority of the manufacturing jobs from China, because they have virtually NO safety or pollution standards there. They can build the biggest, dirtiest, and shoddiest of factories really quickly with minimal red tape. The differences in not just profit but scale are enormous.

Third, it's not just manufacturing, and it's not just globalism. Office jobs are moving to India, and retail jobs are being replaced by automation. Hardcore capitalists claim that this is fine because with automation comes more maintainance jobs. But that's high skill labour that not everyone is suited to, and is likely to lead to more foreign workers being brought in (which could lead to a brain drain in poorer countries). The jobs that left first were low skill assembly line work. And it wasn't just China's fault. Labour unions did good in the early days, but the more successful they got, the greedier they got.

Trump's a poser, but Middle America is desperate for good reason, and he finally told them what they were waiting to hear. By the way, it didn't help that Hillary is a terrible person with a ton of skeletons in the closet. Bernie might've had a better chance.

P.S. It's not just WHERE stuff is being made that makes it cheap. Quality has dropped off a cliff. The idea of repairing something (more jobs lost) has long since gone, replaced with buying it again when it breaks just after the short warranty expires. When you have to buy something multiple times in the same time frame that you used to only have to buy it once, its not so cheap any more. But easy credit (followed by long term debt) makes this less noticeable. And let's not forget about cheap but unhealthy foods enabled by destructive farming practices enabled by crony capitalism. What a great world we live in now... -_-

Thanks for your thorough response, Mike.

I don't know about anyone else here, but I see any support for D. Trump as a sign of desperation. We won't be cured of our deep problems by choosing the best of a bad lot. Electoral politics won't work this time.

Pilger is stuck in the 1940s. O my god! Natsees!

There's lots of things wrong with the present, America-installed Ukrainian government and if I had anything to say about it, they'd still be ruled by the Yanukovych bunch, and trying to be friends with Moscow.

But I'd like to see Pilger and all other members of the liberal commentariat write on anything without raising the fear of Natsees. Anything they don't approve of - Natsees!

re Ukraine: Why would you consider the notorious OUN and UPA fascists any worse than the bolsheviks they were trying to remove?

Looks like Forsaken, but a lot flashier...
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DOo-TN-k0CA

For one example of an indie game that breaks the mold, check out STRAFE:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=deS8hGEuFi4 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ef_41JpwqdE https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/strafegame/s... http://www.strafe1996.com/

XD!

My intention was to PROVE your point, silly! ;-)