Posted on 08/16/2011 6:39:17 AM PDT by Paladins Prayer
While many are complaining about the recent debt-ceiling deal, is it really the issue? Sure, statists say that the Republicans steered us toward crisis with their initial unwillingness to compromise, while traditionalists complain that the GOP folded and “let us down again.” Our problems, however, lie not in our politicians but in ourselves.
Just so you know, my solution to our spending woes would be to once again limit the central government to only that which our Constitution dictates it may do, which would cause its budget to immediately shrink by at least two-thirds — and probably far more. Of course, this would involve eliminating bureaucracies such as the Department of Education, Environmental Protection Agency, and Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, and programs such as Social Security and federally provided food stamps. There would be nothing to fear, either, as there is much duplication here; for example, states have their own environmental and education agencies and other bureaucracies/programs that render the feds’ corresponding ones redundant. And why are we paying for two different levels of government to do the same thing? As for third-rail program Social Security, it could be devolved to the states, whose residents could then decide what its future would be.
Oh, this is unrealistic and will never happen, you say?
You’re right.
And it was just as unrealistic to think that Republicans, who control only one-half of one-third of the government — and very little of the media, which shapes public opinion — would deliver a Tea Party plan in a spending-party culture.
(Excerpt) Read more at thenewamerican.com ...
-More government
-More deficits
-More debt
-More control
No society in history has ever re-traced. There is only one direction, and that is straight ahead until a wall is hit. Only until after a reset point is reached is there any chance for personal liberty to restored.
So bet on the "Four Mores" above. We won't have a hard default; rather, it will be controlled inflation. That way, the existing status quo remains in power. Welfare, Medicare, SS, the whole gamut of fed/state programs will remain in effect. It's just that their payouts will be pennies on the dollar. Same true for any savings denominated in dollars - all going to -0-.
And if you don't like it, so what? That's what the force of law is all about. Try to get out, try to protect your investments. You'll find out soon enough you actually live in a prison.
Starship Troopers?
“Warren Harding figured it out in 1920...
BTW..ole Warren ALSO fixed immigration...”
Harding was able to make the changes he made because the America of the early 1920’s “looked completely different”, demographically speaking, than does the America of 2010.
It would be politically impossible to do what Harding did _today_. Can’t be done. No one is going to eliminate Social Security, or send twenty to thirty million illegals home.
I will go so far to argue that the America (and its electorate) that elected Reagan in 1980 no longer exists today. Things have simply changed too much, and gone too far.
I do agree with the author of the article that some kind of “collapse” is coming. But this isn’t without precedent in the modern-day world. The Soviet Union ran into the same wall back around 1989. What happened to that “union”? What exists today in its place?
I enjoyed your post about Harding — it reveals _how much_ things have changed since that simpler time..
Just observin’...
Ya know TX res that’s the part I just don’t get. If these people truly think that if they pull the country down around them, they, somehow, think that things remain the same for them? What is their plan to escape the chaos and danger from a well armed society? Serioulsy, I’d like a discusssion on that point alone.
Probably true unfortunately but this applies to the EU nations too. Gold is up today and this is a further vote against USA & European nations solving problems rationally fairly without collapse. Canada and Australia and New Zealand will not collapse
They don’t things through.
I think it is just that simple.
They live in an insulated bubble of power and protection.
When the dims are in power, they institute programs that eventually either blow up or end up costing way more than their projections. They just don’t think long term. They think only out to the next election.
Agree 100%, these people are delusional, it’s going to take the cold shower of reality to wake them up.
Another thought on this.
The dims are intentionally wrecking the economy and are not giving any thought to their children or grandchildren. Their offspring will have to live in the country they construct/destruct today. Not all the politicians kids will end up in positions of power and protection.
Reagan was elected by a huge population of WWII veterans (many of them former Democrats) who are no longer with us. Our "mature voices" today grew up in the 60's.
There wasn't much of a constituency for taking a limited amount of pain in 2001. There is even less of a constituency for taking a moderate amount of pain in 2011. Therefore, many, many people are going to be experiencing intense pain in the next few years. The best we can hope for is that the major war that is necessary to reset the global economy hurts Europe more than the USA.
Maybe an exception for vets, like the book by Heinlein, Starship Troopers. No renters. That’s just more people that can vote to raise my property taxes, for starters.
People with a stake in the matter take their responsibilities more seriously. I’d say a vet has a stake in the matter.
Quite a trick since Jefferson didn’t attend the Constitutional Convention. In fact, he wanted to give away the unclaimed land in Virginia to those who had none.
Here is a link to Madison’s notes from the constitution when it was discussed, http://avalon.law.yale.edu/18th_century/mchenry.asp
Franklin’s argument carried the day.
“An English ship was taken by one of our men of war. It was proposed to the English sailors to join ours in a cruise and share alike with th[e]m in the captures. They immediately agreed to the proposal. This difference of behavior arises from the operation of freedom in America, and the laws in England. One British Statute excluded a number of subjects from a suffrage. These immediately became slaves.”
Don’t discount simple arrogance. They really, really, really think we can’t get by without them.
What is quite a trick?
Sadly, I agree.
The author is right except where he makes a prediction saying that something “will” happen and call it a “fact”.
Correct on all points! Couldn’t have said it better myself.
Not really. Government at ALL levels is filled with evil, sadistic humans, who relish making the lives of the productive citizens a living hell. The parasite class is quickly destroying our Republic. Just recently, my neighbor who owns a small auto repair shop had a state parasite visit and demand to see some paperwork (I think insurance related) His office worker was out that day, so he had to locate it (wasn't a license or such that has to be displayed).
He finally found the document. Yesterday, my neighbor received a citation for $100.00!! The citation was issued because there is some insane rule that the information needed to be located within 10 minutes. It took him over ten minutes to find the required information. Now, tell me, is that insane!!!
These parasites have no conscience.
These evil humans have the same inner core as the Nazi camp workers. Nothing on this Earth will convince me they are less evil. These parasites get off on causing misery.
God forbid there is a total collapse, but if there is, I pray Patriots will bring a special justice to these utterly evil subhumans.
I think relief, if it comes, will be found at the state level.
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