What lesson should we draw from the US Govt shutdown?

1. 36

   Prakash RnPposted 11 years ago

   What lesson should we draw from the US Govt shutdown?
   
   If viewed from the communistic viewpoint, the current US Govt shutdown appears to be an expression of the internal contradiction of capitalism, and this contradiction is without any resolution. How do you view it?

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2. 48

   Ericdierkerposted 11 years ago

   Abundance breeds contempt. A fat man can cut back on eating very strictly and for quite some time. A skinny man must eat or waste a way very quickly. If left to the natural order of things, that which is fat should be burned away.
   
   The US is so fat that it needs some hard core dieting. I do not just speak of Government. I speak of the people who have grown lazy in the self governance and who have spent beyond their means.
   
   We citizenry bitch and moan that our government is lazy and spendthrift and is too big but does too little. Yet we personally sit on couches and complain yet do not exercise our freedom and are therefor losing it, just like a fat man loses muscle and muscle tone.
   
   No matter what we call it, and no matter who we blame, The US Congress and Administration are a reflection of those that have elected them to office. They are doing what Americans are doing. Arguments and blaming yet not getting off our butts to get it done. Get fat and lazy thinking that complaining is a worthy objective and will keep us fit and healthy.
   
   Here is a fun fact: I have not seen one charity formed or filled by and with the ranks of government employees who now have much extra time. I have not heard one furlough story where the employee proclaimed "Now I have the time to help others who are worse off than me" or "now I have the time to help my child with their problems"
   
   What we have learned and continue to learn is that our government is in fact; by the people, for the people and of the people. The people just do not like looking in that mirror. And then when they do the blame all others and not themselves.

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      Christine Ballanoposted 11 years agoin reply to this

      You are absolutely Correct. Government has gone amok and he people have allowed this to happen and have not taken a stand on it. They are too selfish to do something to make a change. Most are part of the problem, they need to be part of the solution

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3. 75

   AlexDrinkH2Oposted 11 years ago

   This would have been a good question if you had not predicated it "viewed from the communistic viewpoint."  Why would you even want to do that? For all its faults, capitalism has created more wealth and freed more people from poverty than any other economic system.   All communism has brought forth is misery, loss of basic freedoms, and mass murder.  It has been thoroughly discredited and belongs on the ash heap of history.

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      Ericdierkerposted 11 years agoin reply to this

      This would be a proper assessment if you just eat the pablum fed to you instead of considering the word itself. There is/was no proper communist society. Except in small places. Communism is now a buzz word with only knee jerk reactions.

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   2. 75

      AlexDrinkH2Oposted 11 years agoin reply to this

      @Ericdierker - no one feeds me "pablum (sic)" - I think for myself - There is/was no communist society?  Good - thank God!  It is merely an unworkable, utopian philosophy that ignores human nature. To hell with it.

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   3. 48

      Ericdierkerposted 11 years agoin reply to this

      I agree with you. It is a far fetched notion except in small little groups like a community co-op. Of course if it had been real maybe not so much suffering would have occurred. Pablum is spelled pablum, what is with the (sic)?

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   4. 75

      AlexDrinkH2Oposted 11 years agoin reply to this

      It's spelled PABULUM.

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   5. 48

      Ericdierkerposted 11 years agoin reply to this

      Oh now I see my error. Pardon I did not capitalize Pablum. I specifically wanted to reference the branded processed cereal. Here a capital letter changes entire meaning. thanks much

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      gregasposted 11 years agoin reply to this

      Just for the record, Alex is the one that spelld pablum wrong. Greg

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   7. 75

      AlexDrinkH2Oposted 11 years agoin reply to this

      Pabulum is correct
      PABULUM food; especially :  a suspension or solution of nutrients in a state suitable for absorption   
      :  something (as writing or speech) that is insipid, simplistic, or bland
      "pablum" is a brand name of an infant cereal

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   8. 48

      Ericdierkerposted 11 years agoin reply to this

      Oops you did like me and forgot to capitalize ;-)

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   9. 84

      gregasposted 11 years agoin reply to this

      Sorry Alex, you are correct. Greg

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   10. 36

       Prakash RnPposted 11 years agoin reply to this

       Alex, you've surely made a serious mistake, I reckon. What you know as communism were all travesties of communism. Communism still remains an unrealised dream.

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   11. 67

       LandmarkWealthposted 11 years agoin reply to this

       Communism as you define it will always be an unrealized dream...Because political altruism does not exist.

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4. 52

   tbHistorianposted 11 years ago

   It is the internal contradiction that makes the USA the greatest country in the world.  Through construction of the tri-power republic, the founding fathers created the best internal control for government by the people.  The current ramparts of this tri-power appear to have produced personal hostile positions that are currently portrayed by the media as the government of rulers. 
   However, this is directly opposite to the structure created by the founders.  The founders specifically established control of the nation through the House of Representatives.  This is easily understood when one recognizes that the Speaker of the House is elected to project the peoples desires.  Furthermore, the Speaker is the second in line for becoming the President should the Vice President not fill a vacancy.
   Many wish to call the House of Representatives as the unit creating the chaos.  However, when evaluating this through the details outlined by the founders,  the House is pushing forth the desires of the citizen that voted them into office.  So, much unlike the partisan pork introduced by prior politicians, the current House members are attempting to turn the disastrous debt path of the nation. 
   From a communistic viewpoint, the basic rule for radicals, "Ridicule is man’s most potent weapon" will be embraced completely.  This is evident as many communists and socialists describe the environment as a negative expression of the citizens needs.  But, the radicals direction of tactics will continually generate a false depiction as they attempt to follow the rule of "portray a threat as more terrifying than the thing itself".
   The current wave for the USA republic is operating exactly as designed.  This then represents the "peoples" choice, and not one of a tyrannical government run under the guise of socialism or communism.  When evaluating the control embodied in the US Constitution against those of the communist or socialist states, one can correctly determine that the USA capitalist republic structure represents the best environment for the individual by providing the personal freedoms desired by every human on the earth.
   GOD BLESS THE USA!

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      AlexDrinkH2Oposted 11 years agoin reply to this

      This is the answer to the question posed above that everyone should read - tbHistorian has hit the nail on  the head. The House is not "holding the government hostage" or any such nonsense - it is doing precisely what it was designed to do.

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5. 85

   NateB11posted 11 years ago

   It's a matter of people being entrenched in doctrine and so are unable to look at what needs to be done. And it's a matter of the influence of money.

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   Copper Manposted 11 years ago

   The shutdown has very little to do with either communism or capitalism. It has to do almost 100% with politics. Currently, two factions -- far right and far left -- control what does or does not happen at the federal level. Neither of these factions represent the great majority which happens to make up the middle ground of political thinking. They never have and they never will. It's the situation George Washington warned against when he wrote against factions.
   
   That's the lesson to draw from the current shutdown -- and the next one after this as well.

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      Christine Ballanoposted 11 years agoin reply to this

      We should get rid of the party system, that is the problem

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      Copper Manposted 11 years agoin reply to this

      I think not the party system per se, but a blind belief that a minority faction of either party has the answer to our ills as a nation. To bring the entire country to its knees because a few wish to expunge a law already passed makes no sense.

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      gregasposted 11 years agoin reply to this

      No, just get rid of the children. Greg

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7. 84

   gregasposted 11 years ago

   This shutdown is an indication that, as much as people complain about the government, this country wouldn't exist as well as it does without it, the government that is. Greg

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8. 67

   LandmarkWealthposted 11 years ago

   The only lesson here is that politicians make it a point to purposely shut down the area's where people will take the most notice as a means to anger the public when they feel their authority is questioned.  There are people being evicted from homes on Federal land that cost the gov't nothing.  Park Rangers being instructed to make life as difficult as possible for people. 
   
   http://www.examiner.com/article/park-ra … s-possible
   
   Meanwhile our own general accounting office cites billions of dollars in redundant government programs at a cost to the tax payers.  Yet none of these wasteful redundancies are on the list to be eliminated.
   
   http://thehill.com/blogs/regwatch/other … l-spending
   
   If the elected officials targeted waste rather than political theatre, most Americans wouldn't even know there was a shut down.  That is exactly what they are afraid of.
   
   But instead of doing what makes sense, they will continue to spend $100k to build an outhouse in the middle of nowhere, while taking the time to block WW2 veterans from a memorial in their honor. 
   
   http://cnsnews.com/news/article/eric-sc … 0-outhouse
   
   From a "communistic" point of view, this is exactly why the gov't shouldn't be given this much authority to begin with.  The minute political powers feel threatened, they make it their priority to abuse the masses. This is not a contradiction of capitalism...but rather a runaway big gov't bureaucracy that is a clear cut example of why the people should not depend on gov't to meet anymore than that which is essential and cannot be provided for privately.

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   1. 36

      Prakash RnPposted 11 years agoin reply to this

      Thank you for the reply. You've referred to things dealing with which is a job I feel I should leave with the Democrats. And I fail to find anything in your reply I can, as a communist, comment on.

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9. 60

   MrsGray32posted 11 years ago

   The importance to pay our bills on time,  live within our means.  keep to a budget. Cant rely on the gov. to make it all right.  Have to take care of your own.
   I think that pretty much sums it up.

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    CarolAnnHeadrickposted 11 years ago

    The most important lesson to learn from this shutdown is Obama's disdain for our military veterans.  Although Obama keeps harping on republicans as hostage-takers hoping we will believe this as fact, he is talking about himself.  If the republicans give in, Obama will continue to spend the United States into oblivion.  If they don't give in, Obama will continue to punish us.  A true president of the people would admit that the Obamacare roll-out is a disaster and would agree to a delay.  Our government is a system of checks and balances.  Obama won't play by the rules but as a dictator who wants his way.

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    1. 75

       AlexDrinkH2Oposted 11 years agoin reply to this

       Well said.

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    2. 48

       Ericdierkerposted 11 years agoin reply to this

       Ditto

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11. 56

    icvposted 11 years ago

    Hi I am a Economics student. I think about the same. My conclusions are presented at http://icv.hubpages.com/hub/Problems-of … evelopment     .       This is my opinion, I am not arguing that my opinion is exactly correct or perfect...   I am interesting to know more about the financial crisis

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    1. 36

       Prakash RnPposted 11 years agoin reply to this

       You're opposed to interest and economic inequality. But I fail to see how this hub of yours relates to my question regarding the US shutdown that I view as an expression of the insoluble internal contradiction of capitalism.

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       Ericdierkerposted 11 years agoin reply to this

       Prakash, do you not see that it is the built in conflict that keeps tyrants and demagogues at bay. Where as a communist manifesto creates the perfect breeding ground for one sided/lopsided rule by fiat, as to what is best for the masses.

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    anudouglasposted 11 years ago

    Gerrymandering has caused House districts to be essentially "owned" by one party or the other. That makes general elections irrelevant. So it is primary voters who determine who runs, and they tend to be the more energized, activist voters of the left and right wings. The result? Extremes are rewarded and virtually ensured of re-election.
    
    Add to that campaign finance rules that give disproportionate power to big money, and incumbents and Senate rules that give the minority and individual senators too much power, and you have system in which gridlock is virtually institutionalized. We need campaign finance reform, an end to gerrymandering and rules reform in both houses of Congress, and we need to make these initiatives a top political priority of America's centrist majority.

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13. 73

    lone77starposted 11 years ago

    Incompetent buffoons.
    
    Withdraw our support for the lot of them. Stop supporting the corrupt system.
    
    Walk away from both the Corporate Party and the bureaucratic monster it feeds on.
    
    Start a new government. Heck, Jefferson, Washington, Adams, Franklin and the rest did it. And they were fighting over far fewer abuses and taxes than we're being shackled with.
    
    There remains an unknown 3rd Party stirring up a pot of discontent for its own purposes. Conspiracy? You bet. Too many have made a mockery out of "conspiracy" as if there has never been such a thing in the history of humanity. Good luck with that delusion. Conspiracies are happening every day, some more dangerous than others.
    
    Start a new Continental Congress. Win over all the states and then the old country will not have anything to stand on.
    
    The presidents (Bush and Obama) have betrayed their oaths of office, shredding the Constitution they swore to protect. They both became international war criminals, attacking countries based on lies and then staying long after the lies were discovered. Criminal. Criminal. Criminal.
    
    If they were individuals on the street, they would've been locked up long ago.

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    tsadjatkoposted 11 years ago

    The lessons we should draw have nothing to do with communism, a communistic viewpoint or expression of an internal contradiction of capitalism without any resolution (all of which is nothing but ideological dribble).
    The lesson to be learn is that no matter how our elected representatives struggle to represent their constituent's desires in today's congress the ideologues (namely Obama and the Democraps) will not compromise to avoid a shutdown, will manage the shutdown in a way to inflict the most pain on the citizens, will use the most incendiary characterizations of their opponents conceivable (likening the republicans to terrorists, suicide bombers, etc) all in an attempt to score political points and openly lie about the whole situation before, during and when it is over. The lesson to be learned is that the leader of the free world is nothing but a deceiver and evil ideologue. The lesson to learn is that the country has no leadership in the Oval Office and there is a grass roots movement underway by principled citizens to change that.
    Let's count the lies and deceptions in this Barack Obama's rather brief address: http://www.wnd.com/2013/10/the-lies-of- … ZCJJDOP.99

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    1. 36

       Prakash RnPposted 11 years agoin reply to this

       You seem to have viewed the issue from the Republican point of view. I don't agree with you. I'd soon publish a hub to elaborate my view of the shutdown from my viewpoint. Thank you.

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15. 59

    IDONOposted 11 years ago

    That the political parties, at the expense of the American public, are willing to go to any lengths, just to be able to look at each other and say that " my unit is bigger than your unit".

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