Toledo Blade Pleads for Obama to Institute Communism?
-By Warner Todd Huston
The Toledo Blade’s lead editorial on Sunday, October 12, is a seeming plea to institute in America a chief communist principle: the “right” to a job. As anyone with even a rudimentary understanding of the Constitution knows, of course, there is no such “right.” Nor should there be. But this hasn’t stopped the Toledo Blade from pushing this anti-American notion and pleading for Barack Obama to take it up anyway.
Basing its article on the failed ides of FDR, our most socialist president, The Blade revisits Roosevelt’s showy, populist idea of creating a “second Bill of Rights” giving Americans a “right” to a job. The Blade calls FDR a “forward-looking president” and extols the unAmerican specifics of his plan as a solution for today’s problems, even making it seem as if U.S. Senator Sherrod Brown (D-OH) is calling for the revival of this onerous new “Bill of Rights.”
Nearly 65 years ago, a forward-looking President Franklin Delano Roosevelt— searching for recovery of the economy and looking toward the end of a global war on two fronts — presented to the country his idea of a second Bill of Rights dictating the right of all Americans to have jobs, adequate medical care, food, shelter, and education.
The only thing Franklin D. Roosevelt was looking “forward” to was votes. Roosevelt was not a learned man, nor one of great intellect, but he was a genius on getting votes (his failed bid for VP in 1920 aside). Even his Social Security plan — an idea originally invented in socialist Germany in 1881 — was nothing but a grab for votes, as he readily admitted. Roosevelt once said his Social Security plan was “never a problem of economics. They were politics all the way through.”
Despite FDR’s failures, the Toledo Blade urges Barack Obama to take up these anti-American, communistic principles.
Today, when Democratic presidential candidate Barack Obama returns to Toledo, The Blade, on its front page, asks Mr. Obama a simple question: Do all Americans who want to work have the right to a job where they live?
Let me answer that for you, Blade: NO. No one is owed a “right” to a job. In order to assure that faux “right” government will have to take over all businesses and dole out jobs to the people. This is not an American principle, but one closer to full blown communism.
The Blade next proves it doesn’t have the first understanding of the vast differences between 1944, when FDR floated the second Bill of Rights plan, and today. In 1944 the country had just begun to climb out of The Great Depression and the pain of that time still weighed heavily on most Americans. Few people then realized that FDR’s policies were responsible for prolonging the depression, but even with most Americans fooled into thinking FDR was their savior, his cynical measure was a non-starter.
On the other hand, today we are nowhere near being in the same sad economic shape we were in during The Great Depression. In that time unemployment was extremely high. In 1940, for instance, that rate soared to 14.6 percent and in the years just prior it was even worse. (23% in 1932, 21 % in 1934, 19% in 1938, etc.) Keep in mind, those figures in the 1930’s and 40’s didn’t include women as they were not generally considered a part of the work force then. By our reckoning today, those numbers would have been far higher.
Even though claims that we are in as bad a time now as we were during The Great Depression are little else but hyperbole, the Blade thinks differently.
The similarities of the challenges of the 1940s and today have not gone unnoticed.
In today’s bad-news economy, many believe the 32nd president’s ideas should be invoked again.
Just who is this “many”? We aren’t told by the Blade, naturally. It is just a claim made with no supporting proof offered. This is just another case of the “some say†or “experts think†nonsense that we get in the press all the time.
And, of course, we get the canard that FDR somehow saved the country from The Great Depression.
During the Great Depression of the 1930s, President Roosevelt created the New Deal to provide relief for the unemployed, economic recovery, and to reform the country’s economic and banking systems.
More and more, though, modern economists and historians are realizing that the acclamations that are so often bestowed upon Saint FDR are little else but hero worship, Democrat spin and lies. Jim Powell, author of FDR’s Follies, does a fantastic job demolishing the FDR myth and quotes Pulitzer Prize winning author David M. Kennedy as saying: “Whatever it was, the New Deal was not a recovery program, or at any rate not an effective one.”
As columnist Mark Steyn recently joked, it was FDR that put the “Great†in The Great Depression because for the rest of the world it was just a depression.
Some of the ideas that FDR included in his massive take over of the U.S. economy in the inaptly named Second Bill of Rights were as follows:
- The right to a useful and remunerative job in the industries or shops or farms or mines of the nation;
- The right to earn enough to provide adequate food and clothing and recreation;
- The right of every farmer to raise and sell his products at a return which will give him and his family a decent living;
- The right of every businessman, large and small, to trade in an atmosphere of freedom from unfair competition and domination by monopolies at home or abroad;
- The right of every family to a decent home;
- The right to adequate medical care and the opportunity to achieve and enjoy good health;
- The right to adequate protection from the economic fears of old age, sickness, accident, and unemployment;
- The right to a good education.
Again, the only way to assure these impossible “rights” is to eliminate privately owned businesses. And this is exactly what the Toledo Blade is suggesting Barack Obama do once he takes the White House. And with the extensive socialist background that Barack Obama has, we should all fear that he just might like these anti-capitalist ideas quite a lot.
(Image credit: Patriotshop.us)
| More from Warner Todd Huston
Stumble It!
October 13th, 2008 at 3:27 am
Everyone on the plantation had a job, clothing, housing and food. Fidel provides those rights to all. What if you don’t like your guaranteed job? Michelle has promised that Obama will get you working up to your potential. Obama will be your hard taskmaster and your hard work will give you pride in yourself.
October 14th, 2008 at 12:25 am
But Barack isn’t scary. He’s a decent human being whom you shouldn’t be afraid of. Or so says McCain.
Talk about a Hobson’s choice. Well nearly. I can’t muster the energy to yell GO MCCAIN! But I guess I can mutter “go mccain”.
October 14th, 2008 at 12:54 am
How about Morton’s Fork? Either you lean Democrat and accept the elimination of civil rights and tyranny that they support or you lean Republican and accept the elimination of civil rights and tyranny that they support. It’s really the same elimination of civil rights and acceptance of tyranny no matter which way you lean. There is a difference only in some of the team members for which their corruption is intended to benefit most.
October 14th, 2008 at 1:31 am
I do think health should be given to all. I don’t think health should be capitalised. I have watched a couple of documentaries where one great, great man has organised health professionals to visit cities and towns to give free health. He showed that 1000’s of people come from far and wide and sleep outside for days and he is heart broken every time at the amount of 100’s who are turned away because health professionals have to go back to their home cities and towns to work. Wow! How efficient they are with moving all this equipment around.
They pull people’s teeth, take blood tests galore and help people who have broken bones and cancer. The love in America is absolutely astounding.
I also think each child should have the right to education also and I do think that all our drop out school leavers should have a second chance through a course to get jobs.
I don’t see this as communism but a gift to a precious life. And I think if the bankers can have socialism to buy their problems, then I think so should the working class and the homeless.
I do not see communism ever to come back as it existed in Russia. The world is still too raw in pain from it. IMO
To be honest… Where is the love y’all.
October 14th, 2008 at 8:49 pm
Julie,
Education is no “right.” In fact, it’s silly to even say that. A “right” is something that takes nothing from others. Education and health care cannot be given to someone without TAKING something from someone else (times, funds, their labor, etc.) Calling education or health care a “right” REQUIRES someone to do things for FREE, forced to do so by government. Calling these things like that a “right” is a communist idea. You are advocating for communist ideas. That being the case, you stand against American ideals of freedom and liberty. Nice going.
Robert,
Republicans do NOT support elimination of civil rights and tyranny! That is a flat out stupid comment with no basis in fact.
October 14th, 2008 at 9:32 pm
Dear Mr. Huston (I say this with respect)
Sure … I agreed with you for along time. But I too hit rock bottom. You never hear how the high reach this place themselves because you shame them. You make man slave without even realising it.
Sure I can speak out because what I have was made solid through my grandfather. You see, I watched all this come to be. Well, passed down stuff made the pieces fit.
You need to free your people. You even need to free your capitalist for being sued. You must start a voice for the middle people else you will not have a middle ground.
You will make yourself a rich and a poor once again. And your poor wil cry out for help and you will know they cant be helped because they are not rich. Is this what missionaries worked for? No! Never! They warned of this coming. You think today but you forget history.
You will change things like you can’t even imagine if you keep the value of the dollar worth more than the value of humanity.
Oh for sure Republicans hate the Constitution. But Americans need to teach you this.
October 15th, 2008 at 12:16 am
julie, I’m curious – from what country do you hail? I know it’s not America (I guess you could be here in our country, but not legally). Your English is worse than the inner city types who somehow get free internet. This is a group of people who want nothing more than to be given all the necessities of life. (The extreme minimum of life’s necessities for sure, but that’s okay – they can get other stuff from the “after midnight auction”.) And for this, they swear fealty to their Democrat slave masters (for nothing more than free cheese.)
You said “Oh for sure Republicans hate the Constitution”. Republican principles revere the constitution. The American Constitution is the second greatest document ever written (and it takes from the first greatest – the Bible). It is the reason America became the greatest country ever invented by humans (at least till “free stuff” came along). Notice I said Republican “principles” revere it, not necessarily some who call themselves “Republican”. The Rinos have steamrolled their (our) way into possible extinction.
Almost no Democrats revere the constitution any more. The “living, breathing” document stands in their way. But the good new is, if Obama is our next POTUS, that silly piece of paper will finally have enough water spilled on it the ink (finally) won’t be readable at all.
October 15th, 2008 at 5:27 am
Thomas Jefferson, author of the Declaration of Independence, and in my honest opinion, deserving the title of “Father of our Country†above all others, firmly believed that all children should have access to education. The survival of our Republic depends on a well educated and informed citizen. The fact that our schools haven’t done the job is secondary to the need for education. I’m sure Jefferson would be very disappointed in the public school system. They teach our children how to be “conforming consumers†and “politically correct†ninnies, not responsible citizens.
http://etext.virginia.edu/jefferson/quotations/jeff1370.htm
Expecting the government to provide health care is another animal altogether and should not be lumped into the same discussion with education.
As for this statement:
“Republicans do NOT support elimination of civil rights and tyranny! That is a flat out stupid comment with no basis in fact.â€
_________________________________________________________
H.R. 1955: Violent Radicalization and Homegrown Terrorism Prevention Act of 2007
Oct 23, 2007: This bill passed in the House of Representatives by roll call vote. The vote was held under a suspension of the rules to cut debate short and pass the bill, needing a two-thirds majority. The totals were 404 Ayes, 6 Nays, 22 Present/Not Voting.
_______________________________________________________
Everyone in America should be informed of this *act of treason* carried out in the House of Representatives. You can’t say Republicans didn’t have a hand in this. The fact is Republicans are very much responsible for the, “elimination of civil rights and tyranny†and to suggest otherwise is foolhardy at best.
October 15th, 2008 at 9:01 am
A salient question, Squiggy. I think this is a case of two peoples being separated by a common language… Julie is (I believe) a New Zealander.
Honestly, I don’t think that most English-speaking foreign folks have a very clear understanding of what we Americans are about. The Brits and the Commonwealth countries — God love ‘em — just don’t get the fact that we are not like them. (Even the Canadians seem a little confused by us.)
Ostensibly, the language we all use is the same — more or less — but unconscious assumptions about the meanings of certain words (eg., “multiculturalism”) are so different that a “Confusion of Tongues” is practically inevitable.
October 15th, 2008 at 7:28 pm
Julie,
Sorry to say, but I didn’t understand a single word you said! But, suffice to say, we are not communists here in the USA like you want us to be. And I’m not sorry a bit for that. Neither education nor health care are or ever should be considered a “right.” PERIOD. It is neither an inhuman stance, nor an uncivil stance.
Merck,
You are acting a bit unhinged. First of all, I am against passing bills without debate or without the full light of public discourse. But to say that one act proves anything other than bad judgment is a bit silly.
And, to show how you are just spouting uninformed hyperbole, what you give as an example of “treason” is NOT “treason.” We have VERY specific Constitutional law that defines treason. If you claim to be so much for the Constitution, why are you so willing to ignore it when it is convenient for you?
Further, what is going on now (PatriotAct, etc.) is NO WHERE near as unconstitutional and anti-liberty as what FDR, Wilson and Lincoln did in their days. So, historically, you aren’t even close to the same level of outrage against civil liberties.
You are simply over emotive and rather uninformed.
… aaaaaand let me guess, you were pulling for Ron Paul?
LOL
October 16th, 2008 at 5:50 am
I probably shouldn’t waste my time responding to such “Over the top ignorance†but just to illustrate that there are more definitions to treason than what the Constitution defines it as.
Seems to me the “unhinged†person in this transaction is the fool who believes someone who would support Ron Paul, over the two stooges currently running, is making a mistake.
Here is a simple test for your IQ. Tell me what you see in this picture. Is it an apple or an orange? If your answer is apple, you are in serious need of help.
http://video.google.com/videosearch?q=wtc+building+7+collapse&www_google_domain=www.google.com&hl=en&emb=0&aq=0&oq=wtc+building+7#q=wtc%20building%207%20collapse%20apple%20or%20orange&hl=en&emb=0
Dictionary.com Unabridged (v 1.1) – Cite This Source – Share This
trea•son ˈtri zən[tree-zuh n] Pronunciation Key
noun
1. the offense of acting to overthrow one’s government or to harm or kill its sovereign.
2. a violation of allegiance to one’s sovereign or to one’s state.
3. the betrayal of a trust or confidence; breach of faith; treachery.
American Heritage Dictionary – Cite This Source – Share This
trea•son (trÄ“’zÉ™n) Pronunciation Key
n.
1. Violation of allegiance toward one’s country or sovereign, especially the betrayal of one’s country by waging war against it or by consciously and purposely acting to aid its enemies.
2. A betrayal of trust or confidence.
TREASON – This word imports a betraying, treachery, or breach of allegiance.
The Constitution of the United States, Art. III, defines treason against the United States to consist only in levying war against them, or in adhering to their enemies, giving them aid or comfort. This offence is punished with death. By the same article of the Constitution, no person shall be convicted of treason, unless on the testimony of two witnesses to the same overt act, or on confession in open court.
October 16th, 2008 at 6:24 pm
The divisions between us caused by linguistic grasp is minor compared to the hyperbole we generate to defend a position.
Julie the New Zealander is not representative of a country or a people any more than Warner Todd and co. The ideologies and differences we all profess in our peculiar ways are the dominant criteria these days and it does not help to resolve present or future issues by selectively condemning a Policy as ‘Communism’ or ‘Un-American’ or over-emphasising the misuse of terms such a ‘Rights’. By all means point the differences out, but emotive / associative words inflame.
It is the DUTY of all civilised Governments to facilitate Health along with many other aspects of reasonable living standards. That the Constitution (THE greatest human document ever written) does not mention it in any ‘Rights’ manner is frankly neither here nor there. It is a few hundred friggin’ years old after all and expectations have moved on. Time for a few more Amendments, perhaps?
Few on either side of the debate have bothered to sit down and determine what Government is for; who it serves; and how it ought to do that. If a Government does not wish to understand or discharge its duty it should go.
How one goes about providing Health services has ramifications which, frankly, may be less important than saving lives or combatting disease.
As for ‘work’, it is a ‘desirable’ that work is made available, for all our sakes. Again, how this is to be facilitated is the issue and it is only in the extreme that we need to think about the dangers and pitfalls of Centralised Control economies. Facilitation by encouragement; by ceasing to penalise its creation; by acclaim for those who so create; by praise for those that contribute and some understanding for those unable to; such ways seem almost ‘Un-American’ from where I sit.
Mike, Honoured and Admired friend – “Honestly, I don’t think that most English-speaking foreign folks have a very clear understanding of what we Americans are about. The Brits and the Commonwealth countries — God love ‘em — just don’t get the fact that we are not like them. (Even the Canadians seem a little confused by us.)”
Then tell us just what you are about (whatever that wooly, ambiguous phrase means); how you differ; what it is that distinguishes you. To me, Sir, as an Englishman, Americans are my children, grown up.
Of course you are different. Do I have to speak as to a teenager? Of course you ‘are not like us’. That’s a gainsaid and almost meaningless, unless you can articulate major differentals that set us so far apart as to be unrelated. Back to language perhaps and the desire to explain in a way that can be understood by we mere ‘durn furriners’. Dad is listening, Son.
Am I ‘Un-American”? Do I have to be ‘American’? What goes on in your country has marked effect elsewhere. That is a matter that ‘Americans’ should take note of. Why don’t you people be more ‘English’? It sounds stupid, doesn’t it.
October 16th, 2008 at 6:37 pm
For those that don’t know me and might think that last piece was insufferably patronising, It wasn’t. I love America. I hold America in the very highest regard compared to most other countries. America is the Natural Son, the inheritor of all that was Great about Great Britain and its historical task of bringing the world out of the Middle ages into modernity. I would be an American if only you had beaches as good as the ones I live next to and brewed decent beer.
October 17th, 2008 at 12:50 am
First off, amfortas – Try Samuel Adams. I’ll put it up against anything Europe makes (even though I do love Foster’s).
Second off, Mike didn’t use the term “Un-American”. He said “different”. Ever see the movie “Quigly down under”? The “kaiser sose” type was THE BOSS, and his underlings did his bidding pretty much without question whether he had a right to be THE BOSS. And they would hope some day they would have a pittance of their own.
America’s national psyche is that one day I will be THE BOSS. And have my own ranch. Quigly went to help out, willing to take a chance. But he didn’t need to. He could have stayed home building his own ranch.
That’s the other thing about being American. Whenever someone really needs some help, we feel compelled to give it. Even to our own detriment. (especially to our own detriment?)
We’re not the richest country on Earth because we’ve been given it – we work harder. Lot’s of countries have similar natural resources.
October 17th, 2008 at 3:01 pm
Oh dear, Squiggy, a national mythology evidenced by a Hollywood script. That’s an inventive tautology. The reality of most Americans is unrealised aspiration and ‘working for the man’, as most everywhere else. The same aspiration to ‘be the BOSS’, in other countries, is seen in ‘barrow boys’ and 25 year old stock exchange drones driving BMWs gained from inflated bonuses from ripping off national treasuries and the meagre stores of other everyday folk. The vision of 300 million would-be independant ranchers doesn’t accord with the ballot-box votes from aspiring socialists that the Democrats seem to get.
America has a fine reality of service to the world that outranks any mythology and rests on a history of sacrifice in good causes. This denotes an Integrity and Character which alas seems to be fading into history rather than being kept alive and vibrant. It is the ‘I wannabe the BOSS’ vision that has won such a troubling reputation for America as a Nation. And as you well know, Reputation is what others think of you, rightly or wrongly.
October 17th, 2008 at 5:01 pm
Amfortas: re:12, I think I was remembering my old script on “American Exceptionalism” from college.
I take your point, though: use of terms like “us” and “them” is not very useful (or defensible).
Under the circumstances of the Global Banking Crisis, I think it’s fair to say that Americans have now become exceptional in their irresponsibility.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/American_exceptionalism
October 18th, 2008 at 12:54 am
amfortas, what you said is technically correct. The vast majority of Americans DO work for the man, and will do so their entire lives. But there is an ingrained belief that this doesn’t have to be so. NO ONE is born better than me. They may have a silver foot in their mouth, but I’m still equal in what matters. Myth or no, it don’t matter much. A (self-fulfilling) myth you believe makes you very strong. This is what made America special.
Having said that, I guess I did forget about the “aspiring socialists” you speak of. I fall back into the “American dream” still. This dream (which most people mistakenly believe means a house and 2.1 kids) is why I think America can’t be defeated. If Alfred E. Obama wins the election, his changes can’t last. Even the sheeple will rebel in two years and the congress will normalize. Then Alfie can’t get any more ruinin’ done.
P.S. If I understand you, other countries think we want to be their boss? That’s totally wrong. We don’t take over ANYBODY. EVER. We always leave. One hundred percent of the time. We have bases in other places, but if asked, we still leave. They rarely ask though. Even if you don’t like the cops, having them ride by every so often makes you feel safer.
October 18th, 2008 at 6:35 am
“NO ONE is born better than me”. A Creed, Squiggy? I would reckon, that all over the world, many people have similar illusions, and indeed in ‘lesser’ countries it is translated into that form of Independant living that is far more the norm than working for the man. This brings the poverty of a lack of cooperative venture of course. There are more self-sufficient (barely) farmers in China than the whole population of America. India too.
The sense that you speak of – no one is born better than me – is a sound sense when firmly rooted. Our own birth tell us nothing of the matter. We know nothing of ourselves and nothing of others – but we find out PDQ. It is a creed we pick up along the way which molifies us a little as we learn the rules, even of controlling our bowels – a feat that we quickly see that others have mastered while we still struggle.
Of course, while many Americans will chant this cant as a creed, their actions and demands say quite the opposite. The American way is to ‘Prove It’ by hard work, success and achievement. Proof is Demanded. No one just assumes that others are just as good as you think of yourself. In the absence of evidence of that sort, everyone assumes everyone else is a ‘loser’ at worst and a ‘wannabe’ at best. It is not only all a bit severe but there are a great many losers to show.
Firmly rooted in evidence which confirms a man’s worth to himself, he can indeed go on to great things. But an un-evidenced claim is mere Hubris.
And from where I stand back and observe – with a warm and affectionate eye for Americans – that is what I see, sadly. It is Character destroying and lacks Integrity. It lies at the heart of the deterioratined American condition.
“A (self-fulfilling) myth you believe makes you very strong.” But a self-fulfilling irrational belief does not – it weakens the Character. It also builds resentment – ala Obamaism.
The first formulated expression articulated in this matter was by an American, Sullivan, I think it was, who first created the phrase ‘ Inferiority Complex’. He was studying Americans, of course. As he rightly pointed out it is the ‘normal’ condition we carry from very early childhood. It permits us to look to people who are ‘better’ and emulate them as role models. It enables us to strive to improve ourselves. To refuse to accept that some might be ‘better’ than ourselves is just narcissism writ small.
To assume that one is as good as anyone else is to underestimate them and minimise them, along with one’s self. The common denominator is a tad weak when everyone assumes that they are pretty well perfect, and it is illusory.
Moving on – One could likely make a case that Americans have intervened in other nations affairs largely to ‘do good’ but that ‘good’ has always, quite reasonably, been in America’s Best Interests; interests which were (are) considered superior to any interests that those other Nations might have for themselves. Such is the nature of Geopolitics.
And yes, the military bases established have been vacated after they were no longer deemed needed – by America. Often the stay has been long – too long for some – and perhaps again a case can be made, for good reason. It is, as you say, useful to have a cop riding with you when the going is tough but when that cop is too free with the night stick and the Mace, it can cause strife. Do you want a cop riding with you as you go about your daily lawful occasions?
But it is not wholly true to say that “We don’t take over ANYBODY. EVER. We always leave. One hundred percent of the time.” There are ways of staying; there are ways of interfering without sending troops in; America may aspire to leaving this place or that one day but they are still in several places and have yet to leave, so the ‘We always leave’ cannot be demonstrated.
There is a long list of countries that for one reason or another have sound cause to think that America ” want(s) to be their Boss”. And like it or not their perception matters and is sometimes soundly based.
October 18th, 2008 at 6:45 am
Mike says; “Under the circumstances of the Global Banking Crisis, I think it’s fair to say that Americans have now become exceptional in their irresponsibility.”
Hmmmm. Too severe, Mike. Many other countries have also shown gross irresponsibility. The ‘barrow-boy’ mentality of the stock exchanges and bank back-rooms is alive and well everywhere.
A new question for geography quizzes – What is the Capital of Iceland?
Ans.- $3.50
October 19th, 2008 at 11:10 pm
amfortas, give me ONE example of a government asking us to leave that we didn’t leave.
(And you can’t cite the juvenile protesters with orange and blue hair – they don’t count. Only non-brainwashed, non-commies count.)
P.S. I don’t get the joke.
October 19th, 2008 at 11:32 pm
Now you are moving the goal posts, Squigs. What you said before, I answered before:- “America may aspire to leaving this place or that one day but they are still in several places and have yet to leave, so the ‘We always leave’ cannot be demonstrated”.
But if you insist on an example of not taking your military out when asked politely, how about the British Colonies in the Americas?
When can I expect to have them back?
October 20th, 2008 at 11:34 pm
You can’t. But you’re welcome to come on over and do some exploiting of your own.
We’ve got some pretty fine beaches down here in Alabama too. Sugar white sand, crystal clear water, and not a boxjelly or a great white anywhere in sight.
But leave the surfboard home – they only work here during hurricanes, and we’re a little short of ‘em right now (damn that George Bush).
October 21st, 2008 at 5:32 pm
I will gladly stroll along your Alabama beaches, a beer in hand, and will take you to the Bay of Fires, here in Tassie, when you come over. The sand is so fine it can be used in glass timers; it squeaks underfoot – nay, it sings; the sea is azure and clear; the natives friendly, although you can go a whole day along miles of it and see nary a one. It has been voted the best holiday destination in the world by the ‘Lonely Planet’ guide. BYO spider anti-venom.
October 23rd, 2008 at 4:46 pm
lol, about America and commonwealth countries. I can’t help but wonder what exactly an American is? Is it Italian or English or African or is it, “If you can get in, your in?” or “You must be born here to be American?”.
Just to clarify: The banks are not Americas responsibility only. They are not owned by one nationality.
And I guess all countries are in the same position between a left and a right. I voted early (YESTERDAY) this year to get it out the way. Ticked right. We have had 3 terms of left. We must swing back.
And I think at the end of the day it is all about balance. Mankind has been, since the beginning learning and evolving. And it may be that we are at a stage where we can evolve no more on this planet. We will have more people alive in 30 years than we will have resources to provide even the basics for them.
We have a free market where we once believed we could all have the “American dream.” But it just gets tougher as the little man cannot compete with the ever driven for profit companies. It was inevitable for monopololies to form in such a way. It was inevitable for communism type unions (lobby groups) to form again and again. But this time there is more available through IT.
As for the idea that the right does not want the constitution: (just my thoughts) The right will govern everything from a security point of view. Even information will be controlled. This is against the constitution. Man nor Woman WILL have the right to freedom. Not anymore.
What is going to happen when the 2 sides become so close to the middle, we live under fascism.
PS. Choose you “ism” carefully. (hehehe)
October 26th, 2008 at 3:15 am
julie said,
lol, about America and commonwealth countries. I can’t help but wonder what exactly an American is?
Simple – a state of mind. The attitude that if you (i.e. government) leave me alone, I can work to build a better life for me and mine. Big daddy government doesn’t do that. Instead of bringing everyone up it brings everyone down. Everyones equal in their poverty. It’s the only way to make it “fair”.
In reality that’s not fair. Not rewarding hard work eliminates it. Socialism destroys rewards (slicing the pie into ever smaller pieces). By it’s very nature capitalism must bake ever more pies. It’s most definitely NOT a perfect system, but it IS the best system ever created by mankind. America didn’t invent capitalism, but we sure ran with it. And until the leftards got control, it brought EVERYONE up with it. The fact that some go further up is just the nature of the beast.
Even though I will likely never go that high, I’m still trying to. Maybe my children will.
October 27th, 2008 at 11:03 am
Squiggy, I think your comment was very good. Just to add my thoughts back…
Capitalism and socialism seem to be going hand in hand now a days by corporations having to give back to communities like the corporations donate to gay lobby groups and environmental groups. These groups in turn lobby and provide programs to achieve their own goals.
Also these lobby groups themselves become monsters too and provide jobs just as business. In fact, trusts ARE businesses yet often don’t pay taxes for doing charity work.
Churches are the same and churches are also providing jobs. Plenty of monsters in this system by the looks of it.
So are political parties and government agencies.
I am not yet 100% sure of all the angles but I do enjoy to learn by reading what others say and writing something myself.
BTW,
I wish you well to make it whether it is for money or fame or power that you wish to achieve.
October 31st, 2008 at 9:20 am
Hi Julie – ref #24,
I have had a number of conversations with foreigners — especially Brits — about this issue. Some years ago, when I lived in San Francisco, I met an English woman on her first trip to America. On noting my Italianate good-looks and surname, she asked me in all seriousness if I lived in an apartment building with otherItalian-Americans. I must tell you my jaw was on the floor.
I had never even conceived of such a thing. An American is an American — irrespective of ancestry. This ain’t the Balkans — or Balkanized London for that matter. This is America. E Pluribus Unum is the foundation of our society from our inception as a nation.
If you were born and raised in a country where voluntary segregation based on ancestry or social custom is the norm, I think it’s highly unlikely that you will every understand what America is all about.
But don’t ask me. Listen to Limbaugh, as quoted in the London Telegraph. He has it exactly correct:
When I see the real thing, genuine racism makes me nauseous. But when I see people using race as an excuse or as a lever to take some kind of ideological advantage — no matter who is doing it — I just want to laugh.
October 31st, 2008 at 10:38 am
That’s a great answer above Mike LaSalle. America is known as the land of the free and for opportunity. Even though it is a powerful country (and we know how tall poppy sydrome works lol), it is very special.
I think too that dividing is pointless. Heart and common sense should prevail.
October 31st, 2008 at 11:42 am
Julie, as you know from reading my bio, “LaSalle” is a nom de plume. But the origin of my real surname is unmistakable. (In fact, my surname is only about 1000 years old; it was first recorded as name given to a military general from the region around Sorrento, Italy, in the 11th century. My grandmother’s maiden name is even better: Ascanio. That makes me a direct descendant of Athena and Zeus! lol!)
October 31st, 2008 at 9:27 pm
I did wonder about your name Mike. Is that good looking man in the picture you? And is that baseball? American baseball is incredible to watch. And Italians are wonderful people. I think maybe the lady who asked you about living around other Italians was aware of the strong family bond Italians have.
Direct descendant of Zeus, eh? That’s a confidence builder if I ever saw one.
Your life is also impressive. I am fortunate to learn from those who know history. I seem to have just taken life for granted and only cared for my immediate surroundings for too long.
But I thought I would check up a family tree for myself after I read yours and discovered my sister in law has written one going back to my great grandfather. That’s great because so many have written other family trees with the same surname to connect with. We come from royalty I have been told. That’s the Dutch name Van Egmond. Also gypsies.
Also great builders, sports players, musicians and the list goes on and on and on. Very hard working like the Italians.
I think I can imagine what an American is!
November 1st, 2008 at 2:45 am
Last Chance, people. Vote #1 Amfortas, or, taste the Tsunami. Let’s turn this ship around instead of over.