Topic: Bad Moon Rising

[LadyVirginia]

I've simply become conditioned anymore to expect the very worst from my fellow Americans .

Maybe--
that image we have of the greatness of America isn't due to ALL citizens participating in the riches and bounty of  this country then suddenly in the 20th century deciding to become mopes.  More likely the 10% that believes in hard work and the principles of liberty just dragged the rest along. Now it's just getting harder and harder to cover for them.

[Weisshaupt]

It almost stretched my understanding to the breaking point when the American people elected that stupid bastard in 2008 . Therefore , if the Democrat Party lies effectively enough about SS / Medicare , it's not such a wild idea that the son-of-a-b*tch will be re-elected . I'm not hedging my bets or anything like that . I've simply become conditioned anymore to expect the very worst from my fellow Americans .

There really is only one way to solve this...

The event is coming. We don't know what it will look like, but something that can't continue, won't. Your fellow "americans" ( can someone who rejects all of the founding principles becalled an "American?") will riot, and kill each other. The government won't be able to feed them and many will starve. Austerity will kill even more in hospitals for lack of doctors and drugs and "approved proceedures" .  Eventually they will clash and give the government an excuse to institute martial law, and at some point after they will give us a Tiananmen Square event - which hopefully will finally wake people up, and we can finish this.  Otherwise, we just wait till the institution collapses underneath its own weight, and the locusts starve to death that way. The real problem is, in order to avoid either scenario, they will start WWIII somewhere,  issue the ration books, and call austerity "a patriotic effort to win the war" - really thats what FDR did - FDR  was probably just sorry that so many returned home with some silly idea that they were fighting for freedom, and not a chicken in every pot.


 Ryan's plan is as good as any right now, still wrong in that it obliagtes others to pay for people who should be earning thier own way. Seniors  had an entire lifetime during some of the greatest economic booms mankind has ever seen  to prepare and as a group they are the wealthiest indivduals to ever walk the face of the earth, and they  don't have enough money to pay for thier own insurance? However, Ryans plan at least puts choice back into the mix - excatly like School vouchers would let the disadvantaged pick thier own schools. Better, but still not volutary participation ...  and moot because Borat will veto it. we have 2 more years and another 2-3 Trillion to add to the debt before we can even get our hands on the steering wheel in the best case, and that might very well be too long to wait. Our creditors have already told us they will stop buying, and the Fed is the buyer of most of the issued bonds. They are hoping for a steady controlled decline in the dollar - 10-20% a year, and trying to avoid the overnight crash. But its up to others (like china ) to go along with that. They have reasons to do so since they are also heaviliy invested. However, if they think they can grab the worlds reserve currency for themselves, they will do it- dollar be damned.

[AlanS]

I'm not sure what or when it's going to happen, but I'm damned sure going to protect my property and my family. I'll assist a few select others.

[old crank]

Okay, I've been warned to speak up or go away.  (WHY?  Why can't I read all these opinions silently?)  If obliged to comment, I will say that the group seems to be unanimous in its foreboding.  I have this same feeling about the public fisc, the markets, the prospects for inflation...general economic doom.  But I don't have it about the 2012 election.  I too do not believe the NY election was about Medicare - I too believe it was lost on account of the spoiler.  My family used to joke about my invincible naivete, and maybe I am overly influenced by the conservative blogs and websites that I frequent, but I simply cannot believe America will buy another term of Obama now that they've seen him.  I voted for McCain (disappointed Guiliani fan), but I liked Obama in 2008, admired his speechifying, thought him personally charming, and I can see how independents could go for him.  But TWICE?  When he is clearly in over his head?  Independents, I believe, tend to be independent as a way of saying A pox on both their houses!  They find politicians slippery and unreliable (it's true) and don't know enough about issues of governance to make a choice between the two pox-ridden parties.  They just go with their gut, and God knows Obama was more personable than McCain, and could make a speech too.  But I do have faith in Americans - sort of like the wisdom of markets - and I believe we have enough collective brains to reject the man now that we've seen him in action.  Or inaction.     

[IronDioPriest]

Okay, I've been warned to speak up or go away.  (WHY?  Why can't I read all these opinions silently?)

Actually, you specifically weren't warned of anything OC. (I wouldn't characterize it as a warning, but rather an administrative notification, but that is beside the point.) I've made it clear several times that the notification is for unused accounts - as in: zero posts. You had three, and now four, so the notification was not aimed at you. What we are trying to shed with these notifications are people with no intention of ever posting.

If obliged to comment, I will say that the group seems to be unanimous in its foreboding.  I have this same feeling about the public fisc, the markets, the prospects for inflation...general economic doom.  But I don't have it about the 2012 election.  I too do not believe the NY election was about Medicare - I too believe it was lost on account of the spoiler.  My family used to joke about my invincible naivete, and maybe I am overly influenced by the conservative blogs and websites that I frequent, but I simply cannot believe America will buy another term of Obama now that they've seen him.  I voted for McCain (disappointed Guiliani fan), but I liked Obama in 2008, admired his speechifying, thought him personally charming, and I can see how independents could go for him.  But TWICE?  When he is clearly in over his head?  Independents, I believe, tend to be independent as a way of saying A pox on both their houses!  They find politicians slippery and unreliable (it's true) and don't know enough about issues of governance to make a choice between the two pox-ridden parties.  They just go with their gut, and God knows Obama was more personable than McCain, and could make a speech too.  But I do have faith in Americans - sort of like the wisdom of markets - and I believe we have enough collective brains to reject the man now that we've seen him in action.  Or inaction.    

The entirety of your opinion is valid and welcome. Glad you decided to share it.

[charlesoakwood]

I will say that the group seems to be unanimous in its foreboding.

Almost all.

[rickl]

old crank:
The periodic purging of unused accounts is not the same as banning.  All you have to do to keep your account current is post a comment once in a while.  It can be about a music video, the weather, or a baseball game.

Even if your unused account gets purged, you can simply re-register.  Like I said, you won't be banned just for lurking.

[IronDioPriest]

old crank:
The periodic purging of unused accounts is not the same as banning.  All you have to do to keep your account current is post a comment once in a while.  It can be about a music video, the weather, or a baseball game.

Even if your unused account gets purged, you can simply re-register.  Like I said, you won't be banned just for lurking.

That's exactly right. I try to make that clear in the notifications - perhaps I could do more or better. This is solely an effort to make sure the member roll is populated with people who use the site for its intended purpose, and that the membership numbers at least somewhat reflect actual user numbers. It's just a method to keep things "real" so that we can keep a handle on the growth of the site with real numbers.

[Weisshaupt]

But I don't have it about the 2012 election.  I too do not believe the NY election was about Medicare - I too believe it was lost on account of the spoiler.  My family used to joke about my invincible naivete, and maybe I am overly influenced by the conservative blogs and websites that I frequent, but I simply cannot believe America will buy another term of Obama now that they've seen him.  

I hope you are right and NY doesn't indicate anything other than the some  people can be fooled with a spoiler.  Of of course that kinda negates the idea that they are smart enough to vote Obama out once they have seen him. You are either paying attention or you aren't, and a great many Americans aren't.

However even if we do Vote out Borat, it may be too late to change course. It might even be the plan - to let Obama vacate the office 30 seconds before the Titianic strikes the Iceberg.  You already see Bernake positioning the debt ceiling as the event that will cause a crisis, and people saying  the Tea Party is at fault for any crisis that does occur because they are  opposing new taxes.

We are rapidly running out of time. I lost hope when we didn't take the Senate. It demonstrated not enough people understand the mess we are in, how dire it is, or the consequences of inaction. We were on this course before Borat, but Borat (and to be Fair, Bush) has advanced the timetable by at least a decade. SS was supposed to be running surpluses till 2020 - that date came 10 years earlier. A new monetary crisis does not mean an end to America, or even Argentina style collapse. It does mean a dramatic lowering of our standard of living - and an end to America as a superpower - who presides over that change matters, but they won't be able to stop it no matter who it is. Its not the end of the world, but the end of the world as we have known it. . We may be able to recover in the long run and become what were once - even better. But it will be a long hard slog, and I probably won't live to see it. I hope my kids might- so I am doingeverything I can to ensure they will be prepared for the new environment.

[John Florida]

N.Y. 26 went the same way N.Y. 23 went with a spoiler. N.Y. 23 meant nothing to the dems but they are trying to sell it as a sign from the gods and it means nothing.Same state same election same results no affect on 2012 same as N.Y. 23 the dems got their butts kicked.

[Dan]

Weisshaupt: "...Your fellow "americans" ( can someone who rejects all of the founding principles becalled an "American?")..."
 No, to be blunt. I think you're q is rhetorical and that we agree on it's premise. It's certainly becoming more clear to me that being an American is not a birthright or a matter of geography. It's a mindset. I also fully believe that the term 'domestic enemies' would specifically apply to so many people to day that the founders would probably scold us for being so...Ida know..patient...lazy(?)...comfortable...distracted...there are certainly many adjectives and theories. But there's little doubt, in my mind, that we've allowed way too much stupidity into the governing process.

Lady V: "that image we have of the greatness of America isn't due to ALL citizens participating in the riches and bounty of  this country then suddenly in the 20th century deciding to become mopes.  More likely the 10% that believes in hard work and the principles of liberty just dragged the rest along. Now it's just getting harder and harder to cover for them."
I've heard of the "80/20" rule in sales, where 80% of the sales of an outfit are garnered by only 20% of the sales force. I've seen it used elsewhere and I think it could easily apply here, but I hope it's closer to 20 than 10!
I'll have to admit that 10% might even be too high, though.

I had a conversation just yesterday with my SiL's re: TSA and neither one knew what teh 4th Amendment was. Not surprising really. The sad part was one of them travels w/ the family often and was a little too proud in saying her girls know the drill...bags open, shoes off, water cups empty, etc.
They're trained. Docile, complicit, and clueless.
If something happens, she's the type who will gladly and quickly beg the gov't for stability so she can gat back to American Idol and hair appointments.
None of 'em, wife included, understand that the Constitution, even with the flaws, is the only reason for our security and prosperity.
Next time it comes up, I'll ask why they think the U.S. is where it is.
Then I'll have to get my BP down to normal before I respond.