| People, people, people! I am surprised by the naivete displayed on this thread. Are none of you students of history? All we are seeing here is the inevitable evolution of politics. Political power breeds a desire for even more political power. The mechanism for acquiring and retaining that power is called money. It's always been that way, and it will always be that way, no matter what political system is involved. Our current political system is not a republic, or democracy, or fascism. It's called a plutocracy - rule by the wealthy. The wealthy can afford to buy the lawyers who write the laws in their favor, and buy the politicians who actually pass the laws. The only difference between now and the past is the type of bones thrown to us, Joe & Jane Consumer, and how the bones are thrown, so we won't notice what's going on.
TV is the "great communicator" of our age. How many of us have commented on how bad TV is nowadays? TV is information control at its' purest.
Look at our schools. You would think that the education of our young would be the highest possible priority for any civilized nation. That is most certainly not the case, because if it were, there would be generations of people educated enough to catch the politicians at what they are doing and call them on it. Call them right out of office, and never let them back in. Instead, our children are taught not to think for themselves. To critically analyze a given situation, research the actual facts, reach a reasoned conclusion, then act on it - that is the anathema of a plutocracy.
BTW, the Declaration of Independence, Constitution, and so forth, ain't what it's cracked up to be. Just another bone thrown in the direction of "fair play", "give the common man a chance", and all the other platitudes used to keep the masses quiet. In ancient Rome, they used bread and circuses. In modern American, they use TV and sound bites. Same thing, different name.
Just so you know - I am a born-in-the-USA, bleed-red-white-and-blue, citizen of this country. I still tear up, and give the Citizen's Salute, when I hear the National Anthem. I grew up when being American was something to be proud of, and meant something good. I was forced to learn in my younger years, by parents who demanded that I get the education they never had a chance for. I paid my way through college by doing a tour in Korea and two tours in the 'Nam, courtesy of my upbringing, which happens to state that I owe this country something for the rights and privileges I enjoy as a citizen.
Nonetheless, this country is coming ripe for revolution. Declining morality, dropping education levels, the entitlement mentality, massive debt on a personal and national level, political indifference to the very real problems that confront our nation...I give the USA 20 years, maybe 25 on the outside. Then all Hell will break loose. After a few years, the cycle will start again. In 100 to 150 years, your great-great-grandchildren will be griping the same way we do today. I hope they have a better solution to their problems than we have to ours. |
