Who Will Perish First ?

[The Whiskey Priest]

It occurs to me that the upcoming crash will be accompanied by large scale mortality. The scenario played out against a backdrop of economic failure of the government--as Bush forecast during last week's trip to West Virginia, where he intimated that the government would not redeem the bonds underwriting Social Security--would mean dire circumstances for the population dependent upon pharmaceutical maintenance of some illness . That population probably would be the first to die. Next would be large numbers of children, the victims of malnutrition and illness. The elderly make the next largest group of American that would be at risk and under such circumstances would contribute large numbers during the first years of economic stress brought on by the government’s default.

These are a Cassandra warning, but, consider for a moment the impact of the government’s failure. Bush was very confident when he pulled those bonds out of the filing cabinet, he did not hesitate to deride the fact that they would cover future promises of the government. Therefore, we must take him at his word; the government is on the edge of collapse. That collapse will not only be a period of financial distress, it will be a matter of life or death for large numbers of Americans. If medical care will no longer be provided, if food to sustain cannot be purchased, if no one is in a position to help, then many will perish. I suppose that is what the Republicans mean by the Culture of Life. Shit happens.

[MrModerate]

1. Well, taking Schimpanski at his word . . .

Is probably a bad place to start a logical argument.

But that notwithstanding, if you're talking about a crash like 1929 writ large -- an economic crash as opposed the government collapsing into martial law and then anarchy -- the sheer gravity of the American economy is likely to pull down non-Americans first.

If we're talking the anarchy scenario, then I think the first victims will be the neighbors of gun owners, and those wiped out by the unrestrained gang warfare that will break out everywhere as the social order falls to pieces.

[NAO]

2. The wealth will still be there, just very unevenly distributed...

If we do see a crash with mortality on the scale you have described, I suspect, and earnestly hope, that people will find some way to re-distribute that wealth.

The Faithful Disciples of the Sacred Free Market may be inclined to change their religion when their children are starving.

When they fully comprehend that their "freely contracted" labor does not generate enough income to feed their families, and that this is by design, and that their destitution is being used to drive down labor costs to increase profits for the ownership class, it may cause them to have an epiphany and see that "government regulation" of the economy is a good thing after all.

[oscar111]

3. already, HOUSING IS NO LONGER provided: 1OO OOO/yr die in streets, slowly

began 25 years ago, RR, and no big outrage.

your last five lines are a litany of "when X is no longer provided". But my friend, we are already in the era of "no longer provideds". Began 25 years ago with housing. I am not chiding Whiskey P here, he is right. Totally right. I am just adding another facet to his picture.

homeless die from heat, cold, rat bites, hunger. RR cut 2/3 rds of housing vouchers in the early eighties.

Amazing how it happens in our downtown streets. And because MSM no longer covers it, everyone has forgotten it is fatal to many of the homeless. Especially the small kids, disabled, sick, and elderly. How well could you care for a one month old baby while living on a piece of sidewalk?

Not chiding the poster here. It is a fine post. Just adding something to it's thrust. I thank the poster for the look to the future. Whisky, pls post more.

[Stinky The Clown]

4. The picture painted is dire for everyone

The first to die will be those at the edges. Once they die in great numbers, the redistributon of wealth will be made by force. The masses will break down the pillars of the gated communities. The rich will run screaming into the streets. The gangs roaming their streets will take what they need and leave behind only collateral damages.

It will not be pretty.

But it will be effective.

[Clark2008]

5. Already training like Linda whats-her-name in "Terminator" for

the big event.

How 'bout you?

[The Doctor.]

6. How Darwinian of them.

I love how the 'elite' view themselves as above what may come.
As the 'strongest survivors' of a natural selection process.

Won't it be funny when they get hauled out of their homes and thrown into the wilderness?

May the innocent among them be spared, but fuck the rest.

[Melynn]

7. Not anarchy - Martial Law

My guess is that BushCo is trying to jump start a economic disaster and general societal chaos in order to declare martial law.

If that happens then we will live an authoritarian fascist society.

Under that scenario the "enemies of the state" will be the first people to perish. Ask yourself what group of people that may be?