FAT, DUMB & HAPPY???

[StoneColdTaxHater]

I watch a lot of The History Channel. A lot. They recently ran a series of shows focusing on the Roman empire. One thing stuck out for me, the concept of Bread and Circus. The emperors realized that if they kept the populace fed and entertained, they could get away with anything. I hate to say it but not much has changed in 2000 years.

I believe that our leaders today are using a modern version of Bread and Circus to distract us from what is going on. This is not about the war but about the everyday dysfunction of the federal government. The government is more than happy to create new and ever expanding entitlement programs to keep us fed and bought off. School lunch, school breakfast, farm subsidies, the works. Keep people fed and they won’t complain while you tax them to the tune of 50%.

I believe that our leaders; for all their noble words; are more than happy to keep us and our kids ignorant. The decline of educational standards and the resultant increase in voter apathy for me go hand in hand. Since the federal government got involved in educating our children, most of them could care less about voting or taking the time to educate themselves when they do. That’s just how the politicians want it. The ignorant are easily swayed with fancy commercials and quick, simple sound bites. If you think I’m exaggerating, go to a local high school or college and ask a random sample of students who their senator, congressman or governor is. Heck ask them who the Vice President is. Most won’t know and don’t care.

Our leaders are big on building us new sports stadiums to keep us focused on other than what they are doing in D.C. The congress recently voted to spend THREE BILLION dollars to subsidize digital TV converter boxes for those who won’t be able to afford digital TV’s when broadcasters switch over. Subsidize TV? Of course, better to have us watch Entertainment Tonight for the latest on Brad and Angelina than find out about Sen. Ted Stevens bridge to nowhere in Alaska for 250 million.

As a nation we need to wake up and see the bait and switch being performed right before our eyes. This grand experiment in representative rule in teetering on the edge of failure because of our apathy and willful ignorance. Neither party is blameless in this matter. Both the GOP and the Democrats are guilty of trying to distract us in order to preserve their power. What will it take to save us? I don’t pretend to have specifics. I do know this is OUR government, it is OUR money they are wasting on pork barrel projects. It is OUR hard earned that is being withheld from our wages to fund our own destruction. It is time that WE THE PEOPLE, stood up and told the leaders in D.C. that enough is enough! We want our country back, we want you out of our lives and our pockets! Go out, get informed, don’t be swayed by commercials. Your vote is your strength use it to take back the country before it is too late.

[writer33]

Please, sir, may I have another.

:)

I'd agree with you.

[JakeWyld]

Worthy of a bookmark. Thanks.

[hoosierham]

I just read an old Howard the Duck comic in which he finds himself running for office-a bystander blurts out"My God,he's telling the truth about things,he'll be dead in a week".Was it really satire?

[rbg81]

Hmmm. Its not all bad news. Network TV viewing is way down and people are watching more shows customized to their tastes (the History Channel is a good example). When I was a kid, you had fewer choices, but was that really a good thing? I remember waiting 10 weeks for books to arrive in the mail--today I can get it the next day (or even read it on-line). There is also on-line courses (free even) and forums like Free Republic. Face it, the Internet makes it a veritible golden age if you want to THINK or just associate with people who do.

[cripplecreek]

"I believe that our leaders today are using a modern version of Bread and Circus to distract us from what is going on."

I think you're absolutely correct. Personally I always thought the Clinton impeachment made a real nice smokescreen for some much more impeachabe offenses he comitted. Today the democrats got lots of press for a stupid stunt yet the Able Danger scandal goes unmentioned.

[writer33]

:)

[calrighty]

Ditto!

[writer33]

You mean people on this forum really think? I think you're giving Free Republic way too much credit.

:)

[ladyinred]

This TV thing is beyond belief! I can't believe they are doing this! Makes me furious actually! Perhaps part of the problem here is that they don't want us fat and happy? They seem to want to take all of our good junk food from us and complain that we are fat!

[writer33]

:)

[GregoTX]

[mmercier]

>> The ignorant are easily swayed with fancy commercials and quick, simple sound bites

The ignorant are easily swayed by any distraction available in any age.

Granted there are more retards today, but there are also many more highly educated and motivated individuals too.

America is the land of the distraction, we have the best of the best and the worst of the worst. Our politicians of all parties are retards and could not pull off a bake sale without screwing it up, never mind distracting an entire population into a controlled behavior pattern.

We are not Rome, we are way more screwed up than they ever conceived. No one group is in control of this freak show we call America today; as intended at our inception.

[OpusatFR]

Uh....you just figured this out? ( ;

[Popman]

The emperors realized that if they kept the populace fed and entertained, they could get away with anything. I hate to say it but not much has changed in 2000 years.

You just now figured this out?

[Ostlandr]

I disagree with your basic premise, although there are paralells.
Rome's economic model basically stank. The whole "Bread and Circuses" concept was to keep the large numbers of unemployed Roman citizens occupied. Slaves did much of the work, and generated little taxable economic activity. The Gladiators who performed in the Coliseum were slaves or condemned prisoners also.
If Rome had freed it's slaves, put them to work for wages, and taxed those wages and the products they bought, Rome would have experienced a huge economic boom- perhaps enough to save the Empire. And if they had let private concerns run the Theaters, Coliseums and Circuses, funding them with ticket revenue rather than the public till, the Roman Government's budget would have been cut drastically.
With freedom and capitalism, Rome might never have fallen.

But back to your main point- much as we here at FR like to bash the MSM, we do have a thriving free press in this country. If people would rather watch "rasslin'" or Maury Povich rather than educating themselves about politics, that's a matter of personal choice rather than a Conspiracy.
Does the Government take every advantage of voter apathy? Absolutely. I live in NY, and BOY do I know what you're talking about. What we need to do is educate ourselves and our children, and everyone else who can be made to listen. The Government isn't going to do it for us- nor should they try.

[manwiththehands]

"What will it take to save us?"

Save us? SAVE US? I don't know what will "save" us, but the only thing that will get everyone's attention is nothing less than bankruptcy of the US government.

[raybbr]

What we need to do is educate ourselves and our children, and everyone else who can be made to listen.

It always amazes me how my co-workers baa like sheep when I bring up the differences between dems and true conservative repubs. They bleat, "Thaaay aaare aaaalll the saaaame" in the most resigned way.

Apathy runs high in this country. I think most people are afraid that if they raise a stink the politicians will stop the world and punish them.