Oh, The Gilded Age..?

I was talking to someone about the current truckload of fuckery unfolding in front of us and they told me that the Broligarchy and the stupidity of so many Americans will bring along a new ‘gilded age’ to America. So of course I went down a rabbit hole because the concept sounded intriguing. 

Cheeto's presidency and his vision for America's future do bear several striking resemblances to the Gilded Age of the late 19th and early 20th centuries in the United States (an era when ‘the colored’, the Queers and the little women KNEW their place, natch). Let’s break it down: 

1. Economic policies: Trump's focus on revitalizing U.S. industry, implementing his misguided and miscalculated tariff policies, and favoring big business echoes themes from the Gilded Age. His administration has promoted tax cuts for the wealthy and deregulation of industries, similar to the laissez-faire policies of the Gilded Age. It's all about tax cuts for the upper echelon. The Middle Class? Fuck them. 

2. Wealth inequality: Both eras are characterized by growing income and huge wealth disparities, with a small group of elites amassing substantial power and influence. Today's tech CEOs like Elon Musk, Zuckerberg and Jeff Bezos hold sway similar to the industrial magnates of the Gilded Age. Think John D. Rockefeller and Andrew Carnegie (without the latter's -sometimes disputed- contributions to society). Wait for Black Monday and watch the rich get richer in real time. 

3. Corporate influence: Trump's administration has seen significant support from wealthy figures and industry leaders, reminiscent of how business moguls shaped policy during the Gilded Age. Duh. You saw Tim Cook and Fuckerberg kissing the ring and we all know anybody with money can buy their way into Mar-a-lardo.

4. Environmental policies: Trump's environmental agenda, which includes rolling back emissions standards and weakening environmental protections, mirrors the Gilded Age's disregard for industrial pollution and worker safety in pursuit of profit. It’s all about the Benjamins. They are gonna fuck up the country and the world in a sad, swift, greedy move. Capitalism, am I right?

5. Labor issues: Growing discontent among working-class Americans facing stagnant wages and declining labor rights echoes the labor unrest of the Gilded Age. Just remember how much oligarchs hate Unions (faux news has talking heads talking about how bad unions are 24/7) and how some deluded MAGAts in the ‘middle class’ think Mango Mussolini is ‘on their side’. 

6. Idealization of the era: Trump has repeatedly praised form more than forty years the Gilded Age, particularly its economic policies, stating, "We were at our richest from 1870 to 1913. That's when we were a tariff country." But of course, we know that's extremely simplistic because Agolf Twittler cannot express complex toughts. I'd say that experts argue that Trump is romanticizing a period marked by government and business corruption, social turmoil, and inequality or in other words, the reign of the white, cisgender, christian, affluent male.

7. Technological disruption: The Broligarchs will fuck it all up. Just watch what Space Karen did to Twitter and what Fuckerberg did to Meta (Facehook and insta). It’s all about who controls the info. 

Apparently, the policies of the Gilded Age eventually led to some progressive reforms in the early 20th century, but suggesting that similar excesses today could potentially spark a new wave of reform today is absolutely delusional. It won’t happen. It’s not 1989. And we won’t have ten years to see if there’s any benefit. Also, let’s not forget that it’s never 3D Chess with Jabba the Orange, it’s mostly the rants and ravings and capricious tantrums of a thin-skinned man-baby with too much power and unchecked malignant narcissism. 

So that's that. Now on with our weekly programming.

XOXO

P.  S. I imagine many of you don’t frequent Wally World but just in case….

Also, feel free to steal it…

@Thepeoplesunionusa