When we left the US after the 2004 election, I thought it would only get worse. Then Obama came and I thought we’d taken a step back from the edge of cliff. Now I realize we’ve taken two steps forward after that one step back.

At the time I wrote on Billmon’s much regretted Whiskey Bar blog (any former patrons here?) that I saw the US evolve towards a Putin-stye kleptocracy, but looking more like Brazil in terms of lifestyle. And I think it’s irreversible, no matter what. We’ll just have to adapt.

Some of this zeitgeist has been well captured/anticipated by a variety of TV shows from LAST SHIP to DESIGNATED SURVIVOR (I suspect), as well as WALKING DEAD and (I also suspect) WESTWORLD. Hell, even ARROW recognizes the advent of the kleptocracy.