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Freedom imperilled - On democratic despotism.
The New Criterion ^ | December 2008 | Staff Editorial

Posted on 12/12/2008 9:36:19 PM PST by neverdem

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1 posted on 12/12/2008 9:36:20 PM PST by neverdem
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To: neverdem
Now, today, we have witnessed an expansion of government into every corner of economic and social life that has been as sudden as it has been extraordinary.

Read the Truth For Muslims article about Shariah Finance.
2 posted on 12/12/2008 9:40:40 PM PST by JeepInMazar (http://www.truthformuslims.com)
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To: neverdem

“nothing more than a herd of timid and industrious animals of which the government is the shepherd.”

I believe that is known in the modern age as ‘Europe’. The loss of freedom seems to be galloping in the past few years and I very much doubt Obama’s administration will slow it down. This may in fact be the curtain call for individual responsibility and the final triumph of the welfare state.

The question is, how do you reverse these trends? Is that sort of reversal even possible with an electorate with whom the majority pays for nothing in return for the largesse of others?


3 posted on 12/12/2008 9:45:48 PM PST by Sharrukin
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To: neverdem

btt


4 posted on 12/12/2008 9:46:18 PM PST by Cacique (quos Deus vult perdere, prius dementat ( Islamia Delenda Est ))
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To: JeepInMazar

OK, so how does “Sharia Finance” work? Let’s say I want to borrow $1,000 from a Sharia bank. How do they make their money and what do I repay them?


5 posted on 12/12/2008 10:22:12 PM PST by DieHard the Hunter (Is mise an ceann-cinnidh. Cha ghéill mi do dhuine. Fàg am bealach.)
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To: JeepInMazar

Thanks for the link.


6 posted on 12/12/2008 10:27:51 PM PST by neverdem (Xin loi min oi)
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To: neverdem

Welcome to the Dark Ages!


7 posted on 12/12/2008 10:28:47 PM PST by Republic of Texas (Socialism Always Fails)
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To: Republic of Texas

> Welcome to the Dark Ages!

Well, I’m not so sure. Our Western systems have stuffed up rather badly, prompting the US Gummint to shovel in squillions to keep everything afloat. These past few months have certainly been nothing to brag about.

Perhaps Sharia Finance works better. I would be interested in knowing more.


8 posted on 12/12/2008 10:35:01 PM PST by DieHard the Hunter (Is mise an ceann-cinnidh. Cha ghéill mi do dhuine. Fàg am bealach.)
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To: neverdem

4 later


9 posted on 12/12/2008 10:39:03 PM PST by AprilfromTexas
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To: neverdem

bttt


10 posted on 12/12/2008 10:42:29 PM PST by timestax ( CNNLIES)
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To: neverdem

It is a disgrace!


11 posted on 12/12/2008 10:54:13 PM PST by GOP Poet
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To: neverdem


12 posted on 12/13/2008 1:36:58 AM PST by XR7
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To: neverdem

It doesn’t look good for the U.S., does it?


13 posted on 12/13/2008 4:50:50 AM PST by raybbr (It's going to get a lot worse now that the anchor babies are voting!)
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To: DieHard the Hunter
OK, so how does “Sharia Finance” work? Let’s say I want to borrow $1,000 from a Sharia bank. How do they make their money and what do I repay them?

The problem is not you borrowing money. It's the fact that, from what I understand, they give each other loans. The interest, if there is any, is not listed on the loan and they buy up interests in the local economy. It's sort of like an Islamic mafia.

14 posted on 12/13/2008 4:52:58 AM PST by raybbr (It's going to get a lot worse now that the anchor babies are voting!)
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To: neverdem
I lay a large portion of the blame at the feet of Scotus, the supposedly last check against the abuses of the other two branches.

Since FDR beat the supremes into submission they found social security, progressive income taxes, agricultural supports, and the assignment of legislative power from Congress to unelected central planning boards to all be Constitutional. Without these, there could not be a federal leviathan powerful enough to threaten our freedom.

Rather than serve as a check, the Supreme Court for 70+ years served as handmaiden to the deep erosion of our liberties.

15 posted on 12/13/2008 4:55:49 AM PST by Jacquerie (Scotus will find socialized healthcare to be Constitutional.)
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To: neverdem
as Daniel Henninger noted in The Wall Street Journal, “place some 48 percent of Americans … out of the income tax system.”

I get tired of having to remind everyone that the income tax was originally sold to the American public on the theory that it would only apply to the richest one percent. Taking people out of the taxable pool only returns us to that original vision.

16 posted on 12/13/2008 5:31:09 AM PST by Hardastarboard (Why do I find the Toyota "Saved by Zero" ads so ironic?)
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To: neverdem

Bump!


17 posted on 12/13/2008 5:34:39 AM PST by LowCountryJoe (Do class-warfare and disdain of laissez-faire have their places in today's GOP?)
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To: neverdem

Save for later.


18 posted on 12/13/2008 11:10:26 PM PST by Lauren BaRecall (Liberalism appeals to individuals who are emotionally based.)
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To: Sharrukin
The question is, how do you reverse these trends? Is that sort of reversal even possible with an electorate with whom the majority pays for nothing in return for the largesse of others?

The good news is, such a system is ultimately unsustainable and will eventually collapse. But this could take a long time, as the Soviet Union demonstrated. Of course, many people will be so morally and mentally wrecked that they will not function well in a relatively free society, should the old order be overthrown or collapse. So the bad news is, a society may go from one form of despotism to another rather than from despotism to freedom.

And I think the coming American (and Western European) despotism will offer people the illusion of freedom while taking away important rights. This is a refinement from the old fascist and communist systems. We see it already in that pornography or senseless violence are celebrated as important expressions of freedom of speech, but serious political, religious, moral and even scientific speech is increasingly censored. The average, dumbed-down person thinks he is free because he can watch all manner of vulgar entertainment. Most intellectuals are believers in despotism and look forward to being high priests and commissars in the new order - see how hostile they are to competing ideas. The decadent, despotic Roman Empire lumbered along for hundreds of years and that part of the world did not see much progress until one thousand years after the collapse of the old Roman system. The West is probably facing a similar fate again.

19 posted on 12/14/2008 5:54:48 AM PST by Wilhelm Tell (True or False? This is not a tag line.)
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To: DieHard the Hunter
As I understand it, this is one way of how it works:

If you take out a loan for a car, you use the car and pay no interest on the loan. But such loans are only availalbe to Muslims. Not a Muslim? No problem! Just sign here (thus converting to Islam and becoming a Muslim) and you get the loan!
20 posted on 12/14/2008 6:20:54 PM PST by JeepInMazar (http://www.truthformuslims.com)
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