Poor Madam Jane — always wearing black, moping around and looking sorrowful. “You are not your brain,” I keep telling her, me being currently in the process of reading a book by that name. “You should always be on the look-out for deceptive brain messages,” I say. https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/9902541-you-are-not-your-brain
But Madam Jane just turns her sorrowful eyes on me and says, “Beware.” Beware of what?
“Beware of the government shutdown, the hate mongers, the mess down on our southern border. Brother against brother. An economic 9-11 is coming. Worse than a stock-market crash. Instead of invading Afghanistan and Iraq as a result of the Twin Towers 9-11, the Deep State global elite will be invading American pocketbooks. I will say no more.”
Oh boy. Looks like Madam Jane has been reading too much Naomi Klein, wherein today’s global neo-conservatives thrive on chaos? I would say yes. http://www.naomiklein.org/shock-doctrine
“The government shuts down,” M.J. continues. “Chaos slowly but surely results. It will be almost like that infamous stock market crash of 1929 — only worse. Much worse. And democracy never thrives when there is chaos. The next thing you know there will be armored tanks driving up and down every street and road in America. The Patriot Act will start looking positively democratic compared to what will be coming next. Beware.”
Got it. When there is chaos, the top 001% have a fabulous excuse to spend (more) money on guns. Madam Jane might actually be on to something here.
“But Madam Jane,” I finally ask her, “How come you never predict anything good?” Perhaps she will — when Americans start demanding their democracy back? Nah. Never happen.
PS: Most federal offices are supposed to be shut down on January 21 in honor of Martin Luther King’s birthday. Oops, too late! They already are.