Nina Hachigian on Whether the American Empire is in Decline.

[abortfailure7646]

There is a debate whether America is an empire? Let me clue everybody in-yeah.

[DivineLove247]

3 YEARS ON SINCE THIS VIDEO WAS MADE, THE ANSWER IS CLEAR

[rogkeista]

Another faux-Marxist America hating nobody like Naomi Klein. These women belong at home....locked up and reproducing.

[nolesroll2003]

Nina is Smart and HOT,

And not to mention she is also HOT.

[Zakdayak]

It's clear that militarily we continue to be strong, but not as strong economically relative to other nations. Culturally, we're pretty dominant.

As for "Not" hating her, Stone, you cannot call someone ill-informed, bland (Wha??), and frigid (?) and that simply will suffice. You have not refuted anything she's said.

All you've done is indicated your contempt for her, even adding insults that clearly don't apply. Why don't ya add sexually unattractive and "can't cook worth a damn."

[stone1home]

I "hate" this person? No- I simply see her for what she is: irrelevant, ill-informed, inexperienced, off base, bland, blind, and in terms of human morality, frigid.

[Zakdayak]

What are you saying? Can you critique her statements rather than her background?

[stone1home]

See reply to JohnZ.

[Zakdayak]

I think you're missing the point. You're trying to ignore what she is saying based on her class or upbringing - which is insipid at best. If she's wrong demonstrate it.

[stone1home]

Demonstrate it? Visit Ohio, which has lost some 350,000 jobs. Maybe you're living in a dream world too. And there never was an "American Empire".

[Zakdayak]

Are we talking about THIS video, because she doesn't say either way whether the US is an empire. Don't know why you're hung up on that. Second, we lost tons of jobs in the rust belt (and others) because Capital wants to invest where there is cheap labor and no legal protections. This is also why we have illegal aliens. Don't know what Ohio jobs loss can be blamed on Hachigian (although both Clinton and George W. bear some responsibility, it's systemic and bipartisan). You just hate this person.

[stone1home]

This lady is living in and talking from a dream world. Who would expect meaningful responses to these questions from this rich "think tank" b****?

[JohnNoZ35]

Most of what she says is fairly simple fact. What exactly do you think is "from a dream world"?

[stone1home]

Well, I don't know how well you understand the current American situation, or American military, industrial and social history, but... this lady is obviously speaking from an elite position of ease and affluence. And since when was there an "American Empire"?

[JohnNoZ35]

The term "American Empire" is referring to to America and its territories, well-heeled allies and client states. While the means of control varies from traditional empires in several ways, the results of a far reaching effects of centralized power is the same.

There is a rather active debate about this term. However, terminology aside, the point is still, is the American centralized power structure in decline?

[stone1home]

In what direction do you see "decline"? Was it in decline when we slaughtered three and a half million people in Korea? Four and a half million in Indochina: was that decline? Neglecting Africa and South America... are the million slaughtered and five million displaced in Iraq decline or ascent? In truth -what you for some reason call- the "American Centralized Power Structure" is as ever it was: sucking up everything it can get its hands on.

[JohnNoZ35]

It is. However, with the current demographics (aging population), financial expenditure and a dollar falling unlike any time in recent history, we do not have the resources to continue sucking up everything in sight.

I think that corporate America recognizes this, and is grabbing all they can as they start an exit strategy toward China and India.

I would not say that we are done in, but we have our share of troubles.

[stone1home]

No argument here, but, I'll put out that you have used an unclear, undefined collective, "we". Who -what group- do you define as "we"? Who are "we"? You also used the term "Corporate America". What does that mean? It might have applied, say, 50 years ago, but today they're all international mishmashes devoid of allegiance. And, you should split out the military and its industrial complex. They don't give a fuck about anything.

[JohnNoZ35]

I think that we agree on more than I originally guessed. I completely agree with your last statement.

[stone1home]

I'd agree, we have similar positions.