Thread: The Hard Fall

Whether it's on Wall Street or in Washington, it seems corruption is running rampant in this country. It has blown up to the point that people are unable to obscure it, and are getting caught. And what we have seen is surely the tip of the iceberg. This country is falling- the empire is cracking at the seams. All the factors are there for the hard fall: financial meltdown, rampant corruption, overextended military, government debt, and other countries not even acknowledging the U.S.'s interests as worthy anymore.

From Blagojevich's attempted selling of our taxpayer's Senate seat to Nasdaq chairman Madoff's $50 billion scheme, the political and financial systems in this country are losing their way. We can't keep looking to the same Washington people for answers. They do not know how to change this, nor do they want to. They don't know how to fix problems- they only know how to keep things the same. We are only 200 years old, a blip on the map. A young country whose greed and pompousness will be the downfall.

I am usually not a pessimist, because I tend to have faith based on the minds in this country, and the world. But my intuition tells me that the American chapter in the book of world history is coming to an end.

Originally Posted by Bluegrass

Whether it's on Wall Street or in Washington, it seems corruption is running rampant in this country. It has blown up to the point that people are unable to obscure it, and are getting caught. And what we have seen is surely the tip of the iceberg. This country is falling- the empire is cracking at the seams. All the factors are there for the hard fall: financial meltdown, rampant corruption, overextended military, government debt, and other countries not even acknowledging the U.S.'s interests as worthy anymore.

From Blagojevich's attempted selling of our taxpayer's Senate seat to Nasdaq chairman Madoff's $50 billion scheme, the political and financial systems in this country are losing their way. We can't keep looking to the same Washington people for answers. They do not know how to change this, nor do they want to. They don't know how to fix problems- they only know how to keep things the same. We are only 200 years old, a blip on the map. A young country whose greed and pompousness will be the downfall.

I am usually not a pessimist, because I tend to have faith based on the minds in this country, and the world. But my intuition tells me that the American chapter in the book of world history is coming to an end.

You're right about our age as a country, and we are on our last stand. We have two options, as a people and as a country.

1. We can restore the previously working model through change on a level as given by the People who are having their lives altered to the point of tragedy through our right of revolution as given to us in the preamble of the Declaration of Independence.

2. We can watch our country self destruct and go down with it.

By the end of 2010, if we're all still here posting on PH and discussing our future, I'll be surprised. Chances are high that luxury services such as the Internet won't be affordable to the common citizen anymore.

Originally Posted by Bluegrass

Whether it's on Wall Street or in Washington, it seems corruption is running rampant in this country. It has blown up to the point that people are unable to obscure it, and are getting caught. And what we have seen is surely the tip of the iceberg. This country is falling- the empire is cracking at the seams. All the factors are there for the hard fall: financial meltdown, rampant corruption, overextended military, government debt, and other countries not even acknowledging the U.S.'s interests as worthy anymore.

From Blagojevich's attempted selling of our taxpayer's Senate seat to Nasdaq chairman Madoff's $50 billion scheme, the political and financial systems in this country are losing their way. We can't keep looking to the same Washington people for answers. They do not know how to change this, nor do they want to. They don't know how to fix problems- they only know how to keep things the same. We are only 200 years old, a blip on the map. A young country whose greed and pompousness will be the downfall.

I am usually not a pessimist, because I tend to have faith based on the minds in this country, and the world. But my intuition tells me that the American chapter in the book of world history is coming to an end.

You know, that's an interesting perspective. But I don't think your "they are unable to obscure it" theory holds up. I heard this Maddoff guy's kids turned him in.

I think when money gets tight, and the government quits lying to us about it (finally, thank God) and people are losing their jobs and their homes and their pets are being abandoned, people develop a much lower tolerance for cheating. People weren't bothered by it so much when there was plenty of food on the table, but in these times, there's zero tolerance for this crap.

Besides consumerism going by the wayside, it's one of the few upsides of being on the verge of the "Great Depression 2.0".

Originally Posted by Bluegrass

But my intuition tells me that the American chapter in the book of world history is coming to an end.

Correct
:waving: America

Originally Posted by Roshi

Correct
:waving: America

I doubt that very much.

Anyone who thinks America is made up of people like George Bush and those greedy bailout CEO's, is MISTAKEN.

We TOLERATE people like that, is all. We tolerate 'em 'cause maybe they're USEFUL in some way - if they don't get too far out of line.

If something happens to the US as a nation, though, you'll see a whole different thing.

People in war-time don't take kindly to chicken-hawks.

And, Bonnie and Clyde were folk heros.

I'll tell you one thing that IS true - people like George W Bush, have had their day.

THAT, is over.

And thank God - not a moment too soon.

I'll tell you what - the REASON people go along with idiots like that, is 'cause they got somethin' on 'em. OTHERWISE, you can just go tell the boss to "piss off" and if you don't get fired because of it, what's the harm?

Me, I don't CARE if I get fired. Only, before I do, I'm gonna make it my BUSINESS to see that whoever's doin' the firing, it's gonna cost him DEARLY.

You know, this is the same kinda thing as "bill collectors". When it's the department of water & power callin', you HAVE TO pay the bill, otherwise they'll turn your electricity off. So, they can be as rude as they want while they're talkin' to you, and you just kinda have to grin and bear it.

On the other hand, credit card companies, are a different story. They got NOTHIN' on you, except some dumb-ass credit report, so you can basically tell 'em to go piss off and there's nothing they can do about it. So, THEY are the ones who gotta play ball, 'cause they DO want their money.

Mortgages, they're in the middle ground. BOTH parties lose, on that one.

I didn't buy any Exxon stock either. I didn't feel like participating in the rape of the American People.

Coulda made a lot of money doin' it....

BUT I DIDN'T.

Capiche?

Originally Posted by Oberdan

You're right about our age as a country, and we are on our last stand. We have two options, as a people and as a country.

1. We can restore the previously working model through change on a level as given by the People who are having their lives altered to the point of tragedy through our right of revolution as given to us in the preamble of the Declaration of Independence.

2. We can watch our country self destruct and go down with it.

By the end of 2010, if we're all still here posting on PH and discussing our future, I'll be surprised. Chances are high that luxury services such as the Internet won't be affordable to the common citizen anymore.

Right now we haven't seen any real changes save the price of groceries, and an extra 3% unemployment.

But your 1st point Olberdan is inspiring and I don't want to sound presumptuous and imply that you don't already have an idea how much more complicated it would be. Our economy needs it own General Omar Bradley. Someone who knows the chemistry of a+b=c, and here is how we create a, b, and c. And then someone to inspire the empowered and disempowered to work thier asses off so that hopefully our children and grand children may find thier way to prosperity.

What the average American will have the most trouble with is trading down on everything and working harder. Getting used to being no better than a German or Frenchman. When I lived in Turkey it only took me a month to slow down and not be nervous about being relatively poor. Everything any depression era person said to me is going to be uselful, I thought all that cheapo advice was idiosynchratic lunacy.

I hope my generation embraces the notion that we may have to work so hard for so very little that our grandchildren will feel it, and not appreciate it.

Originally Posted by Goldwater

Right now we haven't seen any real changes save the price of groceries, and an extra 3% unemployment.

But your 1st point Olberdan is inspiring and I don't want to sound presumptuous and imply that you don't already have an idea how much more complicated it would be. Our economy needs it own General Omar Bradley. Someone who knows the chemistry of a+b=c, and here is how we create a, b, and c. And then someone to inspire the empowered and disempowered to work thier asses off so that hopefully our children and grand children may find thier way to prosperity.

What the average American will have the most trouble with is trading down on everything and working harder. Getting used to being no better than a German or Frenchman. When I lived in Turkey it only took me a month to slow down and not be nervous about being relatively poor. Everything any depression era person said to me is going to be uselful, I thought all that cheapo advice was idiosynchratic lunacy.

I hope my generation embraces the notion that we may have to work so hard for so very little that our grandchildren will feel it, and not appreciate it.

From your lips to the ears of those who need such encouraging words to help them through the coming struggle.

Both of my parents are Depression Era survivors. My father was a farmer full time until he joined the merchant marines at the age of 16 in 1927. (He lied to get in, told them he was 18) Then my Uncle ran the farm during the winter while my father sailed and went home for summers clean up to World War Two. My Mom was born just before the Depression started but does remember almost starving to death on numerous occasions as a young child.

In due course, I've been raised on principles of frugality that would make compulsive penny pinchers gasp in astonishment. Most importantly, I was raised on how to survive a Depression or worse. Brother, every word you said meant a lot to me, and so I thank you.

The Americans I fear for the most are the ones who have had everything handed to them without the blisters it took to earn their possessions. They're liable to panic to the point of rashness, letting fear dictate to them what the Government wants rather than what they need to do.

Across the board, the rise in unemployment and the costs of living is the needle rubbing against the fragile balloon of our infrastructure. States are in a near panic, they won't have the money to run local Governments and unemployment benefits. Some states have all ready shifted to a 4 day work week in order to stay open longer and reduce their operating costs.

Once these states start shutting up operations, my friend, and it may come sooner rather than later, then we can both be certain that we will both be tested in what we have all ready learned in this arena.

Good luck Goldwater. In an ideal situation and future, we both will remain untested.

Originally Posted by Bluegrass

Whether it's on Wall Street or in Washington, it seems corruption is running rampant in this country. It has blown up to the point that people are unable to obscure it, and are getting caught. And what we have seen is surely the tip of the iceberg. This country is falling- the empire is cracking at the seams. All the factors are there for the hard fall: financial meltdown, rampant corruption, overextended military, government debt, and other countries not even acknowledging the U.S.'s interests as worthy anymore.

From Blagojevich's attempted selling of our taxpayer's Senate seat to Nasdaq chairman Madoff's $50 billion scheme, the political and financial systems in this country are losing their way. We can't keep looking to the same Washington people for answers. They do not know how to change this, nor do they want to. They don't know how to fix problems- they only know how to keep things the same. We are only 200 years old, a blip on the map. A young country whose greed and pompousness will be the downfall.

I am usually not a pessimist, because I tend to have faith based on the minds in this country, and the world. But my intuition tells me that the American chapter in the book of world history is coming to an end.

Living in the real world sucks, I mean it.

Let me ask a question pal, WTF are we going to do to fix things?

Originally Posted by Oberdan

You're right about our age as a country, and we are on our last stand. We have two options, as a people and as a country.

1. We can restore the previously working model through change on a level as given by the People who are having their lives altered to the point of tragedy through our right of revolution as given to us in the preamble of the Declaration of Independence.

2. We can watch our country self destruct and go down with it.

By the end of 2010, if we're all still here posting on PH and discussing our future, I'll be surprised. Chances are high that luxury services such as the Internet won't be affordable to the common citizen anymore.

No.............................

No revolutions - do anything you want, just don't start one of them. It is not necessary at this point in time.