America is Lost

[tabs]

I went to see the movie Sicko last night. MM is a Pimp for Socialism, whether it be a Democratic Party or Repblican Party position. However he did make a good point that the American Government is not about the welfare nor concerned about American people. That larger interests have bought off the Political Leadership in America.

The USA has been in a Bread and Circus Atomsphere for Decades now. However the edges have become frayed and it has become apparent to all (If Al Gore writes a book about the dysfunction of the American political process it must be nearly over, cause he would be the last one to find out). So the only hope of redemption is a renewal of what the Born Agains did starting in the mid 70s, and that is get your people motivated and elected starting on a Grass Roots level. However the corruption has become nearly complete in the American government, in that the Born Agains (Repblicans) were corrupted by the power and money once they gained power.

Human Nature basically dictates that once one has arrived at a position of wealth and power one is not likely to challenge the status quo for fear of losing that status. So the prognoise is that the American government will continue along doing business as usual until the dysfuntion reaches a critical mass and it collapses under its own weight. At some point along the way it will become apparent that nothing is getting done in solving severe problems and at that point a Dictatorship will ensue to keep the system functioning. In America it will be likely that the Institutional form of government will remain with a revolving chair Dictatorship, the President will become a seat warmer limited in action by the powers that represent the status quo.

[Jim Richards]

Tabs, I found America. If you need directions, let me know.

[tabs]

Originally posted by Jim Richards
Tabs, I found America. If you need directions, let me know.

I didn't know your real name is Al Gore....

[Jim Richards]

I go by many names. That way, I never miss the call to dinner.

[tabs]

I have never been a fan of conspiracy theories in that we live in a Multi-polar world or country if U will. There are simply too many factions vying for power and money for anyone small group to gain acendency. Thats not to say that a government once bought off by these factions won't stay bought off.

[tabs]

Originally posted by Jim Richards
I go by many names. That way, I never miss the call to dinner.

Are U sure U really aren't TABS posting under another pseudoym?

[Jim Richards]

Let's walk together down this lovely staircase.

[Rot 911]

Tabs, I know you pretend to be a deep thinker, but obviously you haven't thought this one out. Prior to the election of FDR EVERONE was on their own. What you typed could just has easily been written in the early 1900's.

[Usmellgass2?]

Good one Tabs, "bread and circus", I cant agree more. I have called it the fall of the Roman Empire act II for a long time. The parallels are amazing. A root problem is that most folks will vote for who ever promises them the most free ****.

"conspiracy" I agree again. way too many players. Common agenda. Law makers need to keep pumping out and enforcing new laws at an assembly line rate to keep their power base and the business of law making healthy.

[sammyg2]

America isn't lost, it's right there where it always was.

There's just someone else living there now

[Moneyguy1]

How many times I have posted the concept of "bread and circuses"....

[Usmellgass2?]

Money, I guess that I should read your stuff more, sorry. I read this thread becaue of the title. I thought I was gonna see red, but saw my self in the mirror. Stll dont like the title though.

[Moneyguy1]

gass:

It is just that our societal problems are so obvious to anyone with the wisdom to look at the situation objectively, and not from the point of partisan politics or preconceived ideas.

[techweenie]

Originally posted by sammyg2
America isn't lost, it's right there where it always was.

There's just someone else living there now

My estimate is there are over 200 million living in America who wouldn't recognize nor support what the founding fathers had in mind for this country.

Nearly a quarter of the population prefers an authoritarian government to a representative democracy. The notion of an Executive branch with more power than the Legislative and Judicial is somehow comforting to them.

Based on many of the posts here, I suspect over half the OT folks would fail the citizenship test.

http://www.factmonster.com/quizzes/citizenship1/1.html

[Moneyguy1]

Well, thec...this is a skewed sample....

[M.D. Holloway]

TABS - you can only be lost when you are some place that you don't want to be and do not know your way out to get back home. Americans know where they are and where they want to be, the problem is they just don't want to walk that far to get to that place. It is in plain sight like a great mountain that looks like you can touch it if you really stretched. Problem is, that great mountain is further away than you think. Always insight yet would take effort to get there.

We take movies and write books about this mountain. Some folks tell us how great the mountain is while others see that mountain and relize that it is just work to get there and more work to climb it to get to the summit.

The majority are very content in Happy Valley and really do not want to go to the mount...

[Usmellgass2?]

Tech 10 outa 10 I guessed at the q about the legislature. I thought it was the house and congress

[Grady Clay]

I sorta agree with a little bit of this that everyone says (and not just this thread.)

I had never been active in politics – too busy with school, life, Porsche, kids and life. I have voted for both Republican and Democratic candidates – mostly Republican.

It wasn’t until after the ’02 election and I saw the terrible result of my semi-apathy (yes, I voted for Gore because I could sorta see what Bush (The Shrub) could bring. I had no Idea how perverse and bad it could be. I don’t think we are even close to knowing how bad it actually was (is!)

Let me be clear, I’m not in favor of a 60%+ Democratic Congress and a very powerful (politically) Democratic President. The beauty of our imperfect democracy are the “checks and balances.” This something missing during the past six years.

[side note – this is also what prevented FDR form going overboard ’33-‘36.]

The problem I see is that The Shrub (a little bush) allowed and promoted a one-party-system to infuse normally independent systems of Government. It almost seems that they seemed to remain the Majority forever.

I see an equal reaction to the other pole.

Neither is good for our fragile democracy.


So, what did I do in ’05-‘06? Believe-it-or-not I joined MoveOn.org. I may be the most conservative member but I made a difference. I manned the phone banks, I sent money to critical races but, most important, I argued for our democracy in balance. As you can imagine there were some MoveOn members who disagreed but I convinced a lot.

I also convinced many of my Republican friends the worth (not value) of balance.


Given the Shrub’s incompetence and (IMHO) Cheney criminality, I don’t think it is possible for the next Congress and Administration to have balance. It will be unbalanced left with (again) too few checks.

I don’t have political influence. I don’t have lots of money. I’m still going to attempt to make a difference. We all should, regardless of our political views. We have a common cause – saving our Democracy in balance.

Best,
Grady

[tabs]

Originally posted by Kurt V
Tabs, I know you pretend to be a deep thinker, but obviously you haven't thought this one out. Prior to the election of FDR EVERONE was on their own. What you typed could just has easily been written in the early 1900's.

Your talking about the Robber Barons, Tamney Hall.. America Politics has always favored monied interests. Corruption is not a new thing on the American scene. In that sense my take maybe short sighted.

However one of the differences today is that Special Interests spread the jam on both sides of the political spectrum. The end result is that there is no difference between political parties. The Party in power just gets a little more jam on their side, and gets first dibs on the Trough of the Federal Treasury.

[mjshira]

Originally posted by Kurt V
Tabs, I know you pretend to be a deep thinker, but obviously you haven't thought this one out. Prior to the election of FDR EVERONE was on their own. What you typed could just has easily been written in the early 1900's.

we'd all be a lot better off that way. the more we have to rely on gov't the less freedom we all have - period. so while some would want to 'not have to worry' about tomorrow by having gov't do that planning for them, I say that gov't never made a decision as good for an individual as the decision an individual had/has a vested interest in making for him/herself. what we are seeing today is nothing more than what we deserve, if we don't vote or get involved (in the aggregate) to invulence change (in whatever direction be it left or right) than there will be no change.

if we really want transparency in gov't and political process, we'd have it. The fact is most people only think about themselves (I said most, not all) and that just further makes my point about personal responsibility being the ultimate tool that unlocks freedom for all.

Left unused or abdicated, the power to produce change only defaults togov't. it is a slow process overtime that is hard to 'feel'.

time will tell, I personally think this nation of ours is strong enough to weather this current storm and if we all get more involved and push for what we want, it will be an even better nation in the future.

I personally find little in the way of 'excitement' in any our current political leadership on either side. Tab's may be many things but he made a good point about special interest power and influence.