News-Record.com

"The people must take back their own government"

How do you suggest we do that Kay?
Hatch up a good plan while languishing in the depths of Bush's gulag and come next January, after you have been delivered from the hell hole that America has become, let me know how you plan to "take back the government". If your plan includes cleaning house and throwing out ALL the scoundrels, I'm in...but if you think 'taking back the government' means electing new robber barons who will redistribute the loot in a way that you approve of, count me out.

Kay.....dont make me keep saying this."it puts the lotion on its skin... or it gets the hose again"....one thing the military/industrial complex loves..is when they stick the barrel of the gun in your mouth to coerce, plunder and loot you, simply fellate the cold steel while you pledge allegiance to the cloth and the republik..with your flagpin on of course. This drives em crazy.

~

Wow!

What insight!

What innovative thought!

What exquisite reasoning!

What detailed perspective!

What meticulous procedures!

Ms. Mersereau, your LttE reaffirms my conviction that anyone ... and I mean ANYONE ... can have a letter published in the News and Record ... regardless of how utterly devoid of content.

~

Jack,
"anyone ... and I mean ANYONE ... can have a letter published in the News and Record ... regardless of how utterly devoid of content."

Shoot. I've have letters published. That proves your point as far as I'm concerned.

Like it or not Kays (granted it's mostly a bunch of slogans strung together) point of view represents a lot of people. I know America will be a better place on Jan. 21st of next year. Inexperienced or not I can't believe that Obama can be as incompetent as GWB.

And when do you feel we were last free, eight years ago, fifteen years ago, forty years ago or more?
Sounds like the same line I heard durring the 70s.
I hope neither of the current clowns running for office is your idea of unleashing freedom for all.

However, if you really want to take it back, will you supply the guns or will we need to furnish our own?

"and I mean ANYONE ... can have a letter published in the News and Record ..."

Kinda makes me long for the incessant LTEs about feral cats. At least they contained a thought.

Mmmmmmmmmm,

Feral cats. I'd forgotten about those.

I picked up some good recipes in those discussions.

Will we be freer when government takes over the entire health care system, takes away our guns, and makes us all ride bicycles to work? Will we be freer when the terrorists know we won't fight back? Will we be freer when all our taxes go up?

If that's freedom, then what is slavery?

What we need is a letter about Bush sending poverty stricken gay black males over 40 and without health insurance to Iraq to murder and torture innocent Iraqis who were denied their day in American court to protect Halliburton and Exxon-Mobil so they can enrich his cronies even further.

8 posts about a letter overthrowing the government at 2:25 in the pm is not cutting it.

"Will we be freer when government takes over the entire health care system”

Don’t know .. might save money if they duplicate the rest of the world’s entire health care systems. Canada has balanced their federal budget every year for the past 10 years – while maintaining “Socialist Health Care”. Norway has over ½ of its GDP socked away as cash – while maintaining “Socialist Health Care”.

“ .. takes away our guns .. “
I thought the US SC settled that with the DC case …

“… makes us all ride bicycles to work … “
I know of no requirement for that. Some choose that option to save money and gain health.

“Will we be freer when the terrorists know we won't fight back?”
They figured that out when Reagan cut-and-ran from Lebanon, reinforced by Clinton leaving Somalia and Bushy dragging his feet before going after bin Laden then prematurely leaving Afghanistan for some other distraction ...
BTW – I’ll bet bin Laden is taking credit for the fall of the USA’s finance markets .. after all he took credit for pushing the USSR out of the country and their subsequent fall from first world status ..

“Will we be freer when all our taxes go up?”
Surely not .. but tell it to the 107th and 108th congress who are as guilty as any ingle group for our taxes going up. Remember all those stories about the explosive growth in home ownership? How about 7 years of off-budget war waging. Ethanol anyone? Now the 109th and 110th have little to boast about … but our taxes going up surely didn’t start in 2006 - nor in 2008.

JDR, you forgot to mention that Canada and Norway have much smaller populations and both are oil exporters. In fact oil and gas account for 47% of Norway's export market. They can afford "socialist health care".

Oh, I see, Dan .. the USA has no assets, never did, is and has been and always will be as poor as .. let's say Chad. Is that your point?

Of course not .. but I am so tired of the us-them liberals suck / conservatives blow - or is it the other way, I forget.

Now I remember, it's all BS.

Let's talk Norway. Yea they have oil - been "doing" it for less than 40 years - exploring (and exploiting) responsibly, "The People" own the resources and the rewards have been shared appropriately.

The Norwegian government has "taken over the entire health care system" - and they do it for half our cost. The people have tonnes of guns, but the laws are common sense. "Bikes have their own lanes (and lights!) and are often faster .. Biking is the most convenient way to get around, and not just for locals." Prostitution is currently legal in Norway, as is pot possession - what about "They hate our freedom? Terrorists have left the country alone although Norway sent troops to Afghanistan. Norway also believes the fight against terrorism "must not be used as an excuse to set aside human rights."

It's all BS - and I am both bitter and tired of it.

Posting that "Republicans give Democrats all the Judicial Nominees as a courtesy while Democrats stop all Republican Judicial Nominees" (all paraphrased - is living prove of the ignorance of people. Sorry - no better word after a long day.

http://www.regjeringen.no/en/dep/oed/Subject/Oil-and-Gas/Norways-oil-history-in-5-minutes.html?id=440538

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gun_politics_in_Norway

http://www.norway.org.uk/policy/security/terrorism/terrorism.htm

JDR, prostitution is not legal in Las Vegas, even if you posted it. If health care is so great in Canada, why do so many Canadians come to Duke Hospital? If you go to Duke you will find people from all over the world there, it must be the lousy care they get right? No Rockhead it is because they get the best care there!

I've spent a lot of time in the hospital. Everybody I've talked to that's done any substantial time at Duke says the food is extra-horrible there (recognizing that I've never had any decent hospital food).

All I'm saying is, they certainly don't go to Duke for the food.

Doggie - if you ever raise a single relevant point or post a single data point, I might pee my pants.

Here's your chance. What does Duke being one of the world's great hospitals have to do with Canada's demonstrated fiscal responsibility?

The original lte contends that we "have not been free at all" during the Bush administration. Given the absolute nature of that statement, I thought to ask a few rhetorical questions to try to clarify exactly what the writer thinks real freedom would look like. Her statement was rather extreme.

I have my gripes about the government, but I don't believe Americans have ever "not been free at all" with the exception of slavery. As I recall, during the Bush administration I have voted, written letters to the editor, moved from one city to another, gone to church without fear of imprisonment...don't think I could have done those things if I had "not been free at all." In fairness, I also had all those freedoms during all the previous administrations (with the exception of voting--I couldn't do that till I turned 18 during the Reagan administration.)

.. and for the perhaps 30th time .. you remind me of a single factoid - of the perhaps thousands I had posted here - that I crossed.

You're right: Prostitution is not legal in Las Vegas, but only because the country has a population of over 400,000.

... but all this distracts form the original point which was that the "Islamo-Fascists" hate us because of our freedom was absolute bull-shit .. you know .. reason number 15 why we had to invade Iraq ? "They hate our freedom" ... otherwise they would have bombed Norway .. which also has sex and drugs ... or do you have your own factiods? No? What a freaking surprise.

I should have say "failed-(cause it's stupid rationale and even the prez finally figgered out no one was buying it)-reason" number 15 .. there you caught me in another crossed factoid - whoo hoo go you you big powerful biting dog. bite me.

Agreed, Momma .. but your "question" about health care shows bias.

Will America be better or worse with the government taking "over the entire health care system" .. no one knows because there currently is no plan. Surely you could devise a system where it makes sense ... and therefore to outright dismiss all possibilities is silly.

Ah, all this talk of Norway makes me want to go back there. Wonderful country, no doubt about it. Friendly people, good food, beautiful landscapes, smoking hot women, an economy so robust that my serviceman's wages (even in early-mid 90's dollars) exchanged rather unfavorably for their Krohn.

If Norway is the poster child for socialist countries, then sign me up!

Seriously though, Norway is great. Culturally though, their society isn't and couldn't be ours. The Norwegian army fellows I served with told me that all fit males from 18-20 or so served active duty in their military and where then on reserve duty until 35 or so. How well do you think such a requirement would go over here?

I also was almost positive that personal gun ownership was pretty much restricted totally. But, I am fairly certain that with most of the male population being on reserve status they kept their issued firearms at home, which lead to most homes having a gun, even if they weren't allowed to use or carry them for personal reasons. Norway never got over being taken over by Hitler in WW2.

I am also shocked, saddened an appalled to find out about their laws that legalize the use of marijuana. Simply inexcusable. I was there for almost a year and no one ever told me they were cool with it?!?!? Talk about getting the shaft.

But worst of all, they drank their Cokes warm! Warm I tell you. For a country should start exporting cold air to Greensboro, they just wouldn't make use of such a pleasant natural resource and chill their sodas.

Anyway, now I kinda view Norway's socialistic society and healthcare as the unbelievably hot and ready 3rd cousin once removed that you have. You see it, and want to go for it real bad, but deep down you can't shake the feeling that it wouldn't work and you would probably be making such a mistake that you would have a hard time living with yourself for a while afterward.

What you term bias would more acurately be called fear. I am absolutely terrified of socialism. I've always been afraid--first that the Soviets would win the arms race before I was old enough to get my driver's license or get married, then that socialists in our own country would take away most of the salary I slaved through engineering school to earn, then that the government would decide my religion was bad for my children and take them away to be raised by heathen. Now that I'm a mama, I have to be afraid not just for myself, but for all the generations to come.

It wasn't so long ago that parents were thrown in jail for teaching their children at home, and their children placed in foster care and public schools--because they dared to question the govenment's plan for "educating" their children. Thankfully, the parents have won that battle, although skirmishes are still fought occasionally.

Government has the power to destroy things, which is why the founders wanted it so tightly contained. I despise big government education, big government health care, and big government corporate welfare, because all of those things threaten my family. I also despise "debt and deficit" but that's not caused by my tax cut--it's caused by idiots who have made the government a thousand times bigger than it should be.

So next time I sound irrational to you, JDR, it's not because I'm biased--it's because I'm terrified.

If you’re still following this thread, mamaboilermaker - you and I are about as opposite as can be:

I too went through the duck and cover games .. fear of nuc’s .. but it never seemed too real. I find videos of the above ground testing, e.g., whole buildings being blown away, more fascinating than terrifying. Kennedy being shot was a shake-up, but when my father died a month later that forced a more personal reality. I never was concerned about losing the arms race – hell we were going to and indeed went to the moon. Three Mile Island – I grew up a few dozen miles from there - was much scarier than Mutually Assured Destruction. I earned my own way, paid for my own education, and always had enough to not worry about “the socialists in our own country” (whatever the heck that means). Interested in spirituality (being in touch with the world) and only lukewarm on religion (giving over to someone else), I never worried about the government making decision about MY Religion. Interestingly (to me anyway) it has only been since moving to the Buckle of the Bible Belt that I have become so cynical about organized religion – they are the real socialists in our own country, meaning “subject to control by the community". I was raised in Amish country where their kids go to public school only though the 6th grade and then head back to the farm for “home schooling”, so the concept of parents being thrown in jail for teaching their children at home seems weird. Perhaps it’s true locally but it is contrary to my personal experience.

Government has the power .. no doubt .. and you are right about the founders wanting it tightly contained ... but all the “big government” items you list: education, health care, corporate welfare, etc., can be dual edged swords.
Government Mandated education made America great because when the Industrial Revolution hit, everyman could read and write and learn to operate new-fangled machinery. Is "Education" currently too big and too ugly? Without a doubt, but that doesn’t mean “privatization” is the only answer, especially when that involves vouchers, which is the exact “wealth redistribution” those that shout for “vouchers” shout against. Make up your mind, people.

Government health care is not bad by namesake alone. Consider the benefits we all received from the 50’s Polio vaccinations: a government mandated (and paid for) health care program. Before contributing to the rhetoric of fear, take a closer look at other health care systems – some really work well.

Corporate welfare is also not universally bad – ya just gotta recognize it - then make conscious decisions. Consider the nuclear industry – which may prove our saving grace – and the space program which fathered many technologies including the computer age. Both were arguably “Corporate welfare.” The problem with corporate welfare is most of the time we don’t know it’s happening. We are subject to the never ending rhetoric “Let the Capitalists do it, they are always better than Government” .. when in fact many of these Capitalists are receiving covert Government “assistance”. BTW – if you want to be consistent – learn what Americans Founding Fathers thought about Corporations: they feared Private Corporations much more than they feared some All-powerful Government. … and from post Civil War until Teddy Roosevelt, it was a corrupt power base in DC – Republican – that set the standard for corporate welfare, both good and bad.

The danger is not recognizing the good from the bad. Separate the wheat from the chaff and idiots from prudent visionaries. There is no universal “good team” and no universal “bad team”. If you want to become less terrified, I suggest you keep the blinders off.

The Amish had to go to court to avoid government high school in Wisconsin, and it went to the Supreme Court in Wisconsin v. Yoder. Fortunately, the matter was resolved in favor of the Amish.

Go to HSLDA's website for some stories about homeschoolers being hassled by their districts or states. The persecution is quite mild now, compared to twenty years ago when the mainstream thought all our kids would be illiterate and antisocial. Now that the first generation of modern homeschooled kids is out of college and teaching their own children, that's not as much of a problem--but it was terrible in the beginning.

"The persecution is quite mild now" ... so stop shaking in yer boots, Girl !

See ya later.