These Are Dangerous Times

[drbrumley]

And the government is to blame, says John W. Whitehead.

“As I look at America today, I am not afraid to say that I am afraid.”—Bertram Gross, Friendly Fascism: The New Face of Power in America

These are dangerous times.

Mind you, when I say that these are dangerous times, it is not because of violent crime, which remains at an all-time low, or because of terrorism, which is statistically rare, or because our borders are being invaded by armies, which data reports from the Department of Homeland Security refute.

Consider for yourself.

Americans have no protection against police abuse.

Americans are little more than pocketbooks to fund the police state.

Americans are no longer innocent until proven guilty.

Americans no longer have a right to self-defense.

Americans no longer have a right to private property.

Americans no longer have a say about what their children are exposed to in school.

Americans are powerless in the face of militarized police.

Americans no longer have a right to bodily integrity.

Americans no longer have a right to the expectation of privacy.

Americans no longer have a representative government.

Americans can no longer rely on the courts to mete out justice.

Essentially, there are four camps of thought among the citizenry when it comes to holding the government accountable. Which camp you fall into says a lot about your view of government—or, at least, your view of whichever administration happens to be in power at the time.

In the first camp are those who trust the government to do the right thing, despite the government’s repeated failures in this department.

In the second camp are those who not only don’t trust the government but think the government is out to get them.

In the third camp are those who see government neither as an angel nor a devil, but merely as an entity that needs to be controlled, or as Thomas Jefferson phrased it, bound “down from mischief with the chains of the Constitution.”

Then there’s the fourth camp, comprised of individuals who pay little to no attention to the workings of government. Easily entertained, easily distracted, easily led, these are the ones who make the government’s job far easier than it should be.


"The views above may or may not reflect the views of DRBrumley, but are intended for debate"

 

[Aimiel]

Camp #3 for me. :thumb:

 

[Aimiel]

Camp #3 for me! :thumb:

 

[ok doser]

i'm in the fourth camp!

today the counselors are having us make macaroni pictures! :banana:

 

[aikido7]

And the government is to blame, says John W. Whitehead.

“As I look at America today, I am not afraid to say that I am afraid.”—Bertram Gross, Friendly Fascism: The New Face of Power in America

These are dangerous times.

Mind you, when I say that these are dangerous times, it is not because of violent crime, which remains at an all-time low, or because of terrorism, which is statistically rare, or because our borders are being invaded by armies, which data reports from the Department of Homeland Security refute.

Consider for yourself.

Americans have no protection against police abuse.

Americans are little more than pocketbooks to fund the police state.

Americans are no longer innocent until proven guilty.

Americans no longer have a right to self-defense.

Americans no longer have a right to private property.

Americans no longer have a say about what their children are exposed to in school.

Americans are powerless in the face of militarized police.

Americans no longer have a right to bodily integrity.

Americans no longer have a right to the expectation of privacy.

Americans no longer have a representative government.

Americans can no longer rely on the courts to mete out justice.

Essentially, there are four camps of thought among the citizenry when it comes to holding the government accountable. Which camp you fall into says a lot about your view of government—or, at least, your view of whichever administration happens to be in power at the time.

In the first camp are those who trust the government to do the right thing, despite the government’s repeated failures in this department.

In the second camp are those who not only don’t trust the government but think the government is out to get them.

In the third camp are those who see government neither as an angel nor a devil, but merely as an entity that needs to be controlled, or as Thomas Jefferson phrased it, bound “down from mischief with the chains of the Constitution.”

Then there’s the fourth camp, comprised of individuals who pay little to no attention to the workings of government. Easily entertained, easily distracted, easily led, these are the ones who make the government’s job far easier than it should be.


"The views above may or may not reflect the views of DRBrumley, but are intended for debate"

The first self-described fascist in recent history was Benito Mussolini, the dictator of Italy in the 1920s, 30s and 40s.

He defined the word “fascism” as the merger of government and big business.
Sound quite like capitalistic economics to me.

 

[genuineoriginal]

Americans have no protection against police abuse.

Americans are little more than pocketbooks to fund the police state.

Americans are no longer innocent until proven guilty.

Americans no longer have a right to self-defense.

Americans no longer have a right to private property.

Americans no longer have a say about what their children are exposed to in school.

Americans are powerless in the face of militarized police.

Americans no longer have a right to bodily integrity.

Americans no longer have a right to the expectation of privacy.

Americans no longer have a representative government.

Americans can no longer rely on the courts to mete out justice.

That is just Socialism, which the lunatic liberals tell us is good for us.

 

[genuineoriginal]

I used to be in camp 3, but the government is no longer one that can be restrained, which puts me in camp 2.

 

[aikido7]

That is just Socialism, which the lunatic liberals tell us is good for us.

This is scary stuff!

And it's about to get scarier, genuine original, because I have some terrifying news for you....

Socialism is alive and well in America and it has been here for a very long time!

Oh, that's not all.
It gets much worse!
I hope you're sitting down...

As it turns out, You love socialism and you use it everyday. But you don’t even know it.
It may have even saved your life. I know, this is bad...

Now relax and breathe. It's going to be okay! We are going to get through this.

You see, we are still a capitalist nation. In America, you can still make a billion dollars, get a giant tax cut, and pay your employees barely enough to survive while you sail in your yacht to escape any guilt that might inconvenience you. So don't freak out just yet!

The thing is, socialism is all over America and people actually like it. Even you... Yes you!

Our military, insurance pools, police and fire, our highway system, public schools, our jails and prisons, etc.

ALL BASED ON A SOCIALIST MODEL.

 

[Jacob]

And the government is to blame, says John W. Whitehead.

“As I look at America today, I am not afraid to say that I am afraid.”—Bertram Gross, Friendly Fascism: The New Face of Power in America

These are dangerous times.

Mind you, when I say that these are dangerous times, it is not because of violent crime, which remains at an all-time low, or because of terrorism, which is statistically rare, or because our borders are being invaded by armies, which data reports from the Department of Homeland Security refute.

Consider for yourself.

Americans have no protection against police abuse.

Americans are little more than pocketbooks to fund the police state.

Americans are no longer innocent until proven guilty.

Americans no longer have a right to self-defense.

Americans no longer have a right to private property.

Americans no longer have a say about what their children are exposed to in school.

Americans are powerless in the face of militarized police.

Americans no longer have a right to bodily integrity.

Americans no longer have a right to the expectation of privacy.

Americans no longer have a representative government.

Americans can no longer rely on the courts to mete out justice.

Essentially, there are four camps of thought among the citizenry when it comes to holding the government accountable. Which camp you fall into says a lot about your view of government—or, at least, your view of whichever administration happens to be in power at the time.

In the first camp are those who trust the government to do the right thing, despite the government’s repeated failures in this department.

In the second camp are those who not only don’t trust the government but think the government is out to get them.

In the third camp are those who see government neither as an angel nor a devil, but merely as an entity that needs to be controlled, or as Thomas Jefferson phrased it, bound “down from mischief with the chains of the Constitution.”

Then there’s the fourth camp, comprised of individuals who pay little to no attention to the workings of government. Easily entertained, easily distracted, easily led, these are the ones who make the government’s job far easier than it should be.


"The views above may or may not reflect the views of DRBrumley, but are intended for debate"

I am in the first camp.

Judges and Courts are called upon to make or render the decision of God.

I wait for government, but I would rather live free.

I suppose that a loss of privacy comes with getting older, but I do hope and aspire to great things, such as President, Judge, Rabbi.

 

[The Barbarian]

In the third camp are those who see government neither as an angel nor a devil, but merely as an entity that needs to be controlled, or as Thomas Jefferson phrased it, bound “down from mischief with the chains of the Constitution.”

That's the right one. One should never make the enemy out to be the embodiment of evil. That is what made the enemy hate you.

With the exception of a few narcissistic people, the enemy believes that freedom must be curtailed to make us safe and happy and good.

It's not just the right. The left has become a mass of anger as well.

 

[genuineoriginal]

Our military, insurance pools, police and fire, our highway system, public schools, our jails and prisons, etc.

ALL BASED ON A SOCIALIST MODEL.

You seem to be ignorant of history.
Ignorance can be cured by getting educated.

Military is found in all civilizations and is not based on the socialist model.
Police departments are a localized form of military.
Insurance pools is derived from gambling and that makes it one of the most sincere forms of capitalism.
Fire departments started as volunteer organizations (and still are in smaller communities) which is the opposite of socialism (forced labor).
Our highway system is based on capitalism: the government builds an infrastructure to increase commerce in order to increase taxes.

The parts of the American society that are bad?
You can blame public schools, jails, and prisons on Socialism if you want. :chuckle:

 

[ok doser]

You seem to be ignorant of history.
Ignorance can be cured by getting educated.

Military is found in all civilizations and is not based on the socialist model.
Police departments are a localized form of military.
Insurance pools is derived from gambling and that makes it one of the most sincere forms of capitalism.
Fire departments started as volunteer organizations (and still are in smaller communities) which is the opposite of socialism (forced labor).
Our highway system is based on capitalism: the government builds an infrastructure to increase commerce in order to increase taxes.

The parts of the American society that are bad?
You can blame public schools, jails, and prisons on Socialism if you want. :chuckle:

aikey's "argument" can be discarded by an examination of just how those systems were built and continue to exist - if they were truly based on a socialist model, teachers, firefighters, judges, janitors, highway contractors, etc would all be paid the same amount

 

[aikido7]

aikey's "argument" can be discarded by an examination of just how those systems were built and continue to exist - if they were truly based on a socialist model, teachers, firefighters, judges, janitors, highway contractors, etc would all be paid the same amount

It’s an interesting idea that some people see socialism as some kind of “cookie cutter” system that is built rigidly and allows authoritarian tendencies. I guess I am still surprised to hear that coming from a poster like YOU.

The early communities of the churches Paul wrote to practiced a form of nascent Marxism where “all things were to be held in common.”
--Acts 4:22-35.

It apparently was so important that a husband and wife who kept back food or tools and hid them in their own house were both struck dead on the spot.

Ancient Israel had a kind of built-in socialism.
Debts--public and private--were forgiven after 7 years.
All farms reverted back to the orinial family owners.
Farmers were expected to set a part of their harvest for the widow, the orphans, destitute immigrants and the stranger.

 

[aikido7]

You seem to be ignorant of history.
Ignorance can be cured by getting educated.

Military is found in all civilizations and is not based on the socialist model. Free daycare, housing, co-opt stores [PX].
Police departments are a localized form of military.
Insurance pools is derived from gambling and that makes it one of the most sincere forms of capitalism.
Fire departments started as volunteer organizations (and still are in smaller communities) which is the opposite of socialism (forced labor).
Our highway system is based on capitalism: the government builds an infrastructure to increase commerce in order to increase taxes.

The parts of the American society that are bad?
You can blame public schools, jails, and prisons on Socialism if you want. :chuckle:

The United States military is the largest and most funded socialist program in the world !!!
It operates thanks to our taxpayer dollars and protects the country as a whole. From the richest citizens to the homeless who sleep under the bridge. We are all protected by our military whether we pay taxes or not. This is complete socialism.

Every salary of every soldier in the military is paid for by the people.
Every piece of equipment they use and uniform they wear is paid for by the public.
Even the healthcare they get is socialized medicine.
They get free daydcare. So yes, it is socialist.

The fire and police departments are both good examples of Democratic Socialism in America.
Rather than leaving each individual responsible for protecting their own home from fire, everyone pools their money together, through taxes, to maintain a fire and police department.
And it’s operated under a non-profit status.
Sorry, guy, but your tax dollars pay for putting out other people’s fires.
It seems to me a little stupid to think of some corporation profiting from putting out fires.
But it’s more efficient and far less expensive to have government run fire departments funded by tax dollars.

I know, I know.
You're a self-identified conservative that believes in freedom and the constitution.
You hate handouts and believe in hard work and the individual.
You think government should get out of the way and let you live your lives and allow you to prosper on your own.
You know that all rich people must have worked hard and all poor people--especially black and brown people--are lazy. There is no other reason why they could be poor considering life is completely fair and all people are born into situations and environments that allow them to have all the opportunities and blessings that you had.

There is no fathomable way they could have 2 or 3 jobs they work very hard at but still can't make ends meet.
You got it all figured out.

So does FOX “News.”

 

[ok doser]

The United States military is the largest and most funded socialist program in the world !!!

just stop :doh:

 

[ok doser]

The United States military is the largest and most funded socialist program in the world !!!

do generals make the same pay as privates?

 

[aikido7]

Get educated?

The southern red states are the same states that were in favor of enslaving people in the 17 & the 1800’s.

These states have the lowest IQs, the poorest Americans, the most unhealthy, the highest drop-out rates, high rates of teen pregnancy, low graduation numbers...

What does this tell you?
Of course the government should back out so these people will pull themselves up by their own bootstraps.
Uh, right. Got it.

 

[aikido7]

do generals make the same pay as privates?

Why would they?
That’s not how economics work--especially under capitalism.

 

[aikido7]

That is just Socialism, which the lunatic liberals tell us is good for us.

I like our highway system.
I like our road crews.
I am thankful for police and fire departments.
The GI bill.
Garbage collection.
The post office--Where else can you send a letter across the country for small change and have it arrive in two days?
Medicare.
Those Tea Party people held up signs that said “Get the government’s hands off my Medicare!”
That was our private joke. The government runs Medicare!

 

[genuineoriginal]

Get educated?

The southern red states are the same states that were in favor of enslaving people in the 17 & the 1800’s.

They were Democrats.

These states have the lowest IQs, the poorest Americans, the most unhealthy, the highest drop-out rates, high rates of teen pregnancy, low graduation numbers...

What does this tell you?

About Democrats?