[Marxism] "Jarring end to the Pax Americana"

[Ruthless Critic of All that Exists]

"As the candidates fan out to New York and California and here to the
heartland, they are confronting an electorate that is deeply unsettled
about the United States' place in the world and its ability to control
its own destiny.

"Since World War II, the assumption of American hegemony has never
been much in doubt. That it now is, at least for some people, has
given this campaign a sense of urgency that was not always felt in
2000, despite the dramatic outcome of that race.

"Several writers and historians remarked on the psychological impact
of such a jarring end to the Pax Americana, just as it seemed that
victory in the cold war might usher in prolonged prosperity and
relative peace (save the occasional mop-up operation). Its confluence
with an era of unparalleled technological innovation had only
heightened the nation's sense of post-millennial possibility.

"Now, Americans feel a loss of autonomy, in their own lives and in the
nation. Their politics are driven by the powerlessness they feel to
control their financial well-being, their safety, their environment,
their health and the country's borders. They question whether each
generation will continue to ascend the economic ladder. That the
political system seems so impotent only deepens their frustration and
their insistence on results."

From:

Voters Showing a Darker Mood Than in 2000 Race
By KEVIN SACK
Published: January 24, 2008,
NY Times

Full: <http://www.nytimes.com/2008/01/24/us/politics/24change.html?hp>