It's worth noting that many of the countries that we've bombed the shit out of, or violently overthrown their government, or generally just fucked with weren't exactly major players on the global stage. Guatemala, the Dominian Republic, Haiti, Peru, Loas, Lebanon, Libya, Panama, etc.

Our idea of what qualifies as a "national security threat" is a little skewed, to say the least. This was never better illustrated than in 1961, when President Kennedy asked Mexico to go along with the United States in saying that Cuba was a treat. The Mexican dipomat explained, "if we publicly declare that Cuba is a threat to our security, 40 million Mexicans will die laughing."

And so that is our history. Bombing nations that Americans can't pronounce or find on a map. However, there are always threats to "the grand arena". In fact, the tiniest most impoverished nations pose the biggest threat.

Why? Well, first you gotta understand what Empire is. It is taking the resources of others without just compensation. People tend to get pissed off about that. That's why strong arm dictators come in handy. They're cheaper to bribe than entire populations.

So, say if Grenada, or some other puny shit hole nation can break away from economic and political enslavement, then why can't any other nation do the same with the better resources?

Thus the Rotten Apple Theory, also sold to the American public as the Domino Theory. And it's a theory that seems to be coming to pass.

Let's face it, America's power is declining. Our own backyard, Central and South America has gone from being run by US puppets (usually military dictators), to a real democratic revolution, with plenty of socialism thrown in to boot. That doesn't make the Fascist Wanna-Bes in this country very happy. Sadly, their own policies have made us too weak to do anything about it.

After wasting what will likely become 4 trillion in Iraq, our power is slipping in the Arab world too. And as a result, the entire Arab world is now transitioning to a new democratic paradigm.

The EU already has a bigger economy than ours, and China will soon be bigger than both ours and the EU. The American Century is over. And for the vast majority of the people on this planet, that's a good thing.

That's most unfortunate, because that didn't have to be the case. If we lived up to our propaganda as the model for freedom and democracy in the world, 9/11 would not have happened, and we would still be on top. Sadly, this country has one fatal flaw. We let the wealthiest among us make all the important decisions, and those 600 or so families are fucking insane.

"First of all, just because a country is not a major nuclear power does not mean it is not a threat."

Yes, as I've already explained, little shit hole countries usually pose the greatest danger. Not to Americans, of course, but from those who are trying to steal their resources.

"Who would have considered Al-Queda a real threat before 9-11."

The Clinton Administration.

"You are right about the country being in decline, but you missed all the reasons."

Well, let's have a looky at those reasons.

"1) Entitlement mentality - Union members think they are ENTITLED to their jobs. People thinking other people owe them something just because someone else has something they do not."

I'm think I'm entitled to create a religion followed by leagues of hotties who must give Willy a bbbj for the "sin" of urination. But somehow, I didn't see a new foreclosure pop up down the street the moment that thought popped into my head. I have my doubts that other thoughts are causing as much damage as my own.

"Big Government - A debt going out of control, our credit rating slipping, government getting into areas it has no business (ie trying to tell Boeing they can't open a plant in the Carolinas)"

That's right Snow. We have too much of that gosh dirn big gummit. We should cut the 400 million NPR gets, and the 155 million the National Endowment for the Arts gets, so that we can close a budget deficit that's over a trillion. Ooh, looky, let's throw more tax breaks on top of that!  

"3) Unions - A concept that should have died shortly after the buggy whip. No interest in doing what is best for anyone but themselves, screw the company, screw the consumer, screw the country. If you looked up the definition of self-centered in the dictionary, you would find a picture of a union member.
They are killing our ability to be competitive in the world market."

That's right Snow. Because a group of workers bargaining as a group to recieve wages that are 30% higher than your average worker, so they only have to work 1 job to "put food on their family" are greedy parasites. But Bank of America, who are effectively paying a negative income tax are not parasites. And we all know that it was union members who decided to screw the country and send jobs overseas.

But you're right. They do kill our ability to stay competitive in the world market. Especially, since other first world nations have no unions. You know what else is really screwing up our ability to stay competitive int he world market? Believing that Americans are entitled to an American standard of living.

-- Modified on 5/9/2011 11:06:02 AM

as for mexico, nuf said.

First of all, just because a country is not a major nuclear power does not mean it is not a threat. Who would have considered Al-Queda a real threat before 9-11. I am amazed at your inability to learn from history. Any country can supply these types of people, so yes, Willy, they are credible threats. You should be embarrased that I have to explain such a simple concept to you...

You are right about the country being in decline, but you missed all the reasons. the saddest part is that we are declining from within.

I would cite the following

1) Entitlement mentality - Union members think they are ENTITLED to their jobs. People thinking other people owe them something just because someone else has something they do not.

2)  Big Government - A debt going out of control, our credit rating slipping, government getting into areas it has no business (ie trying to tell Boeing they can't open a plant in the Carolinas)

3) Unions - A concept that should have died shortly after the buggy whip. No interest in doing what is best for anyone but themselves, screw the company, screw the consumer, screw the country. If you looked up the definition of self-centered in the dictionary, you would find a picture of a union member.
They are killing our ability to be competitive in the world market.

You ended by saying this country has one fatal flaw, and you are right...

However, that flaw is

LIBERALISM...

Look in the mirror Willy...

-- Modified on 5/9/2011 10:23:33 AM

Jolene, I think you missed a key word here. We're not "guaranteed" life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. We're not "entitled" to it either. Rather, we are "ENDOWED by their Creator with certain UNALIENABLE Rights, THAT AMONG THESE are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness."

If the only rights we have are just these three, then why did Thomas Jefferson write that "among" those rights were life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness? Curious.

You say we have a right to liberty, which means no one can rightfully compel you to do what you don't want to do. And you say we have a right for the pursuit of happiness. Well, what if what I want to do, and what I believe will make me happy, is to murder or steal from people? Curiouser and curiouser.

It's an interesting phrase. When Jefferson wrote the Declaration of Independence, he lifted that phrase from John Locke. However, Locke's version was Life, Liberty, and Property. Strangely, Jefferson didn't think property was as important to include as "the pursuit of happiness". What a commie.

But it's important to note, because no other nation's founding document has ever contained the word "happiness". That a high principle of the very formation of the United States is to create an environment to allow all it's citizens to pursue their own happiness.

Seems like quite an odd notion...unless you assume that the People are the rulers of themselves....

"Here, in strictness, the people surrender nothing; and as they retain every thing they have no need of particular reservations."

- Alexander Hamilton on why we don't need a Bill of Rights.

-- Modified on 5/9/2011 9:15:28 PM

"guaranteed" (and thus entitled to) is the right to life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness.

You have the right to be alive, which is why laws holding murderers accountable are enforced.

If we choose to stay alive, we need to have clean air, clean water and clean food to survive; and housing and clothing to stay warm and dry. If we've chosen to bring children into our lives, then we need to include them in the clean air, water and food that we bring to ourselves (and of course shelter and clothing).

You have the right to liberty, which is that no one can rightfully compel you to do what you don't want to do. This is why laws holding thieves and muggers accountable are upheld.

If we don't want to be compelled against our own liberties, it means we need to be vigilant against those that would take it from us if they could. Sometimes that means fighting for our liberty against the thieves and murderers. We must do what we need to continue to have this liberty (and life). Sometimes we get killed fighting for this.

You have the right to the pursuit of happiness, whatever you think will make you happy.

Whatever we decide makes us happy, we need to go after it. The pursuit of happiness means learning what you want, learning about the thing you want and then doing what it takes to get what you want.

However, that is where the guarantees end. No one is entitled to more than that.

No one (in general) is going to GIVE you any of this. You, me and the rest of us, must go out and DO what we need to do in order to have life and liberty and to pursue happiness.

We have the obligation to work for it all and work isn't always about money. We need to work for our clean air, water and food, else we'll be poisoned right out of existence. We need to work for our liberty, else it will be taken away (the so-called Patriot Acts come to mind). We need to work to achieve the happiness we want.

So, yes, Willy, you have the right to make any religion you want if that gives you the life, liberty and happiness you seek, but be fully aware that no one is going to GIVE you that religion. You'll have to work at it to make it pay off for you.

And yes, Snow, unions often demand (nay compel) others to do their will against their own members' self-interest. Be fully aware that no one is going to change that for you unless and until they agree with you, which means you'll need to work for it.

If you (any of us, really) want a change, then do something about it. Complaining without presenting a solution is just venting. Operative word here: DO.

We the People are our own rulers. Not only that, I've said as much in other threads; I live my life the way I choose to, and you can live yours. If a law doesn't make moral sense to me, I don't follow it. If making my own choices isn't ruling my own life, I don't know what is!

As for the rest, if you choose to use force or fraud to gain your happiness, you're abusing the rights of someone else's life and liberty; you're not generating your own.

I'll give you this: Jefferson sounds like he was referring to something (and John Locke) that was obvious to his peers and the current trend of thinking back then. Since he didn't see fit to include all the rights he was talking about, I can't begin to tell you what else he meant.

Yes, I suppose that this makes me still an idealist, even in this world-weary hobby. So be it.