From Conflict to Crisis

Sound Bite

The rich understand that capitalism is a game of musical chairs. It's systemic class warfare conducted on a grand scale to discourage solidarity across lines that might otherwise threaten the system, and with each market re-set arranged by the Federal Reserve, more of the country's resources fall into wealthy hands.Examining what happens when a society favors old money over new and breaks all the rules to make the world safe for finance, author Jeanne Haskin predicts increasing volatility and violence in the United States if we do not significantly change course.For a preview of what lies ahead for the U.S., the author takes us for a quick exemplary trip through Central America.

About the Book

A society that is reared on competition will face unsettling challenges to authority if it doesn't set certain functions outside the arena of battle, via systematic enrichment of the affluent minority that has always had the power to topple and ruin the system.Today's preoccupation with America's revolutionary history is not just a piece of theater. At the heart of America's outrage is an inability to lash out and demand redemption from the source of its distress because the pain is inflicted, not by hatred, but by the fundamental lack of stability built into our way of life.Now that a fifth of the population is suffering job loss, foreclosures, or exclusion from employment due to prejudice, poor credit, a lack of skills or education, a glut of competition and insufficient opportunity, the failure to provide for the helpless majority means the system is at an impasse. Because the system can't'or won''perform, the Tea Party's rise was preemptivec'with all its implied violence and 'real' American theater'as the means to channel our anger into voting out Obama so reform can proceed unimpeded'¦with all its inherent dangers.Turning from foreign examples that erupted in the environments of colonialism and post-colonialism, neoliberalism, militarism and oligarchies, to a review of the head-spinning social and political noise that stands in for responsible debate in America today, Ms. Haskin's richly documented essay sees a bonfire prepared as social tensions are increased and inter-group pressures are encouraged to mount. So much for 'One nation'¦'

Introduction

A conduit to crisis is a medium that facilitates, conducts or makes possible a path to anything controversial, including but not limited to legislation, research, lobbying, fundraising, diplomacy, disarmament, militarization and strategy, as well as unfair advantages in armaments and allies. Under inhibiting parameters that make negotiation difficult and compromise unlikely, a transition from conflict to crisis involves premeditated pressures designed to elicit pain and develop conduits toward preferred paths or ends.A transition from conflict to crises can be successfully avoided if the conflict in question is consistently non-harmful. When the issue was freeing gays in the military to express their sexual orientation without fear of discharge, the paths toward that end involved community action, group solidarity, support from high-profile figures, political contributions, lobbying, and inclusion in the decision-making process through government participation. This engendered protest from some religious groups, homophobic communities, and political representatives, but, for the most part, measured responses, delays in implementation, the largely positive reception from the latest generation of service men and women, and President ObamaÃ??'s insistence that Ã??'DonÃ??'t Ask, DonÃ??'t TellÃ??' should be repealed through Congress rather than by Executive Order, showed that this particular conflict, negotiated on a continuum, generated acceptance without escalating to violence.On the other hand, the Internet is filled with pages of religious condemnation, expressing that acceptance of the LGBT community is consistent with Biblical Revelation as a sign of evil in the End Times, or the end of civilization. There is also a whole survivalist movement prepared to respond with violence against what it perceives as a New World Order and in defense of the Constitution. In this case, fear-mongering even promotes the idea of a new constitution to protect what is perceived as Ã??'realÃ??' American values, dating back to the settlement of the New World and the American Revolution.Lest we be tempted to think this is harmless, all resistance movements unearth the bones of their founders to defend a past that was either repressive or idealized as sacred. It is a ritual of purification against encroachment by other cultures, hostility toward their lifestyles, a perception of unfair advancement, and, first and foremost, anger toward their consumption of coveted resources. Economic Scapegoating Although the LGBT community may be the latest group to demand respect, acceptance, and benefits, the dying American dream spawns a backward-looking catalogue of economic usurpers, from all manner of immigrants, to blacks and nonconformists, until the term Ã??'liberalÃ??' becomes an all-encompassing label for whatÃ??'s universally hated and patently wrong with America.Those who were once made welcome to fuel the growth of the nation quickly became disposable under altered expectations and, the greater the economic contraction, the Ã??'purerÃ??' must be the nation. Learning from Yugoslavia Looking at pre-war Yugoslavia, where cultural assimilation, ethnic heterogeneity, participatory government, and economic wellbeing made it resemble the United States and its beloved American dream, its conduits to crisis began with the collapse of the social contract under economic reform, new constitutions that disempowered ethnic minorities, and rushed democratic reforms under threat of U.S. penalization that depended almost entirely on ethnic solidarity. From there it was only a short step to republican and ethnic secessionism, Serbian militarism, and voluntary Bosnian disarmament, the outcome of which was genocide, wars over territory, and such bitter, enduring hatreds that the first thing school children learned in the warÃ??'s aftermath was their status of victimhood.Much of this is mirrored here in the United States. Just as the West denied further funding to former Yugoslavia and insisted on economic austerity, conservatives in Congress have fought the PresidentÃ??'s stimulus spending as well as every one of his budgets and proposed revenue sources. Vermont has tried to secede from the union and Californian Christian communities have sought secession within their state. Arizona made constitutional changes regarding immigration and the most nativist, bigoted document ever to hit The Washington Post was entitled Ã??'The Conservative Constitution of Real America,Ã??' which appeared in 2011. The Ã??'Conservative ConstitutionÃ??' mandates forced Christian conversions as a condition of survival (like the Serbs in former Yugoslavia) . But worse and even creepier, the results of the latest U.S. Census are available in detail, with information on race, profession and income for every identified household. In the same way that Bosnian Muslim professionals were assassinated from hit-lists, all any Ã??'real AmericanÃ??' needs to conduct assassinations is an Internet connection. The closure of U.S. military bases has left the Northeast coast largely on dependent on Maine and, in the wake of 9/11, the Department of Homeland Security mandated contingency plans for vital operations to be moved to secret locations, presumably not in the North....

Table content

IntroductionChapter One: Unearthing the BonesChapter Two: Instilling the Illusion of ChoiceChapter Three: Political StrategizingChapter Four: Behavioral EconomicsChapter Five: Favoring Old Money Over NewChapter Six: Making the World Safe for FinanceChapter Seven: The Colonial History of BelizeChapter Eight: Belize Ã??' Party Politics and DebtChapter Nine: Belize Ã??' Recommendations of the IMFChapter Ten: Nicaragua 1522-1939Chapter Eleven: Nicaragua Ã??' The Somoza DynastyChapter Twelve: Nicaragua Ã??' Opposition to the SandinistasChapter Thirteen: Nicaragua Ã??' Implementing NeoliberalismChapter Fourteen: El Salvador Ã??' The Military and the OligarchyChapter Fifteen: El Salvador Ã??' The War and its AftermathChapter Sixteen: Honduras Ã??' The Land of InstabilityChapter Seventeen: Honduras Ã??' The Impact of the ContrasChapter Eighteen: Fast-forward to a Volatile USABibliographyIndex

Information

From Conflict to Crisis: The Danger of U.S. Actions offers a piercing examination of how competition-driven societies like the United States face unsettling challenges when critical social functions are placed within a highly competitive arena. Jeanne M. Haskin's book provides a rich, critical analysis of the U.S.'s socio-political landscape, focusing on how America’s inability to address deep-seated economic disparities is fueling crises that threaten the nation’s stability.

Economic Disparities and Systemic Failure: The author argues that the American economic system has consistently failed to provide stability for the majority. With rising job loss, foreclosures, and exclusion from employment due to issues such as prejudice, poor credit, and lack of skills, a significant portion of the population is left vulnerable. Haskin highlights how this disparity is not just a symptom of recession but a fundamental flaw in a system that has long favored the affluent minority. This concentration of wealth and power among a small elite poses a threat to the very structure of the nation, creating societal tensions that could lead to collapse.

The Rise of the Tea Party and Political Theater: One of the central themes of the book is the rise of the Tea Party movement as a reaction to the failures of the U.S. political and economic systems. Haskin suggests that the movement is a preemptive strike against systemic instability, channeling anger and frustration into a political spectacle aimed at reshaping governance. According to Haskin, this "theater" of outrage and violence provides an outlet for Americans who are struggling under the weight of economic inequality. However, she warns of the inherent dangers in such movements, where populism can be easily manipulated by elites to serve their own interests rather than the needs of the general population.

Colonialism, Neoliberalism, and Global Contexts: Haskin also draws comparisons between the current U.S. situation and historical and global events, particularly those stemming from colonialism, post-colonialism, neoliberalism, and militarism. By doing so, she situates America’s crises within a broader, global context, revealing how these same economic and political forces have destabilized other nations throughout history. She warns that the U.S. may be heading down a similar path if it fails to address the underlying causes of its current social unrest.

The Dangers of Oligarchy and Militarism: In addition to economic inequality, Haskin explores the role of oligarchies and militarism in exacerbating tensions within the United States. As wealth becomes increasingly concentrated in the hands of a few, and as the government continues to prioritize military spending over social welfare, the divide between the rich and the poor grows wider. Haskin posits that this growing divide, coupled with militarized governance, will further destabilize the country, setting the stage for potential conflict.

A Call for Responsible Debate and Reform: Haskin’s book urges Americans to engage in responsible debate and to demand systemic reform before it’s too late. The author emphasizes that the social tensions and inter-group pressures currently encouraged by the system are setting the stage for even greater conflict.

Conclusion: In From Conflict to Crisis: The Danger of U.S. Actions, Jeanne M. Haskin paints a sobering picture of an America on the brink of disaster, where economic inequality, political theater, and social unrest are driving the country toward a breaking point. Through meticulous documentation and sharp analysis, the book serves as both a warning and a call for reform, urging citizens to recognize the perilous path ahead and to take action to prevent further destabilization.