What Is Really Wrong With America?

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Poppa Bluesposted 14 years ago
http://www.americanrevolutioncenter.org … 27_web.pdf

Unbelievable! What's wrong is Americans don't have a clue as to the importance of their rights, they simply take them for granted and presumably would be more than willing to give them up!
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  William R. Wilsonposted 14 years agoin reply to this
  Which Americans are you talking about?
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  thevoiceposted 14 years agoin reply to this
  government business religions run America all three are connected to government
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  thevoiceposted 14 years agoin reply to this
  Electro votes business religions elect nonworking government your freedoms are being taken from all life
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  BDWatchdogposted 14 years agoin reply to this
  thanks WRW. Its a clue.
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  BDWatchdogposted 14 years agoin reply to this
  In my view, America shouldn't be involved in other country's internal issues till the reqest come officially. America shouldn't support Israel blindly.
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  Sab Ohposted 14 years agoin reply to this
  Did Afghanistan issue an official request?
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  Ralph Deedsposted 14 years agoin reply to this
  Yes, it did. In the form of attacks on the World Trade Center, the Pentagon and, unsuccessfully on the White House or the Congress.
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  Shelahposted 14 years agoin reply to this
  I agree!
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  Cagsilposted 14 years agoin reply to this
  http://hubpages.com/hub/Where-Is-Citizen-Protection
  http://hubpages.com/hub/Whats-It-Mean-T … an-Citizen
  http://hubpages.com/hub/Have-You-Notice … In-Society
  
  Above are 3 different Hubs, I've already written about what's wrong in America.
  
  The underlying problem with America, in general, is a lack of understanding among the citizens, about who really runs America.
  
  Government doesn't run America. Business does!
  
  Equality among citizens is an illusion, purported by those in power.
  
  Civil rights in America are under attack more than ever in the past. The question is .... Who is attacking the rights? In truth - it's outside influences on Government. There is NO LONGER any protection for citizens.
  
  Government is ruled by Business. Politicians are not interested in helping, but much rather help themselves to a bigger slice of pie, while millions starve, can barely afford to live and many barely living as homeless, because there is not system of adequate support in place.
  
  When you talk about what's wrong in America, BE PREPARED for the answer. The answer is the Citizenry is what's wrong with it. It's their irresponsibility, to let a prolonged issue, become a major destructive problem.
  
  Thank you.
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  _cheryl_posted 14 years agoin reply to this
  Very well said Cagsil, I agree. I'll be reading your 3 hubs regarding this. I've done one myself recently that gives a link to a definite must see video for anyone who truly questions our government, who's really backing it, and what the intentions are. It seems that it's easier for the public in general to be satisfied with "government" at hand as long as it continues to give hand outs at the expense of us all being the ones who truly pay for it. There is much, much information to be learned!
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  _cheryl_posted 14 years agoin reply to this
  Anyone interested in this matter, I totally suggest watching The International....here is a quote in one of the scenes: Umberto Calvini: [In explaining the "true" nature of banking in the world] "The IBBC is a bank. Their objective isn't to control the conflict, it's to control the debt that the conflict produces. You see, the real value of a conflict, the true value, is in the debt that it creates. You control the debt, you control everything. You find this upsetting, yes? But this is the very essence of the banking industry, to make us all, whether we be nations or individuals, slaves to debt."
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  _cheryl_posted 14 years agoin reply to this
  Maybe not a perfect picture of how things may be, but definitely paints a picture for us to begin with...
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  susanlangposted 14 years agoin reply to this
  Yes..and 9 times out of ten, Business is run by lawyers who tell Business what they can and can not do!
  Food for thought, most major news stations on TV have lawyers sitting behind the news camera's giving us the news. I did my homework to find that one out.
  Most congressmen and Senators are lawyers first. Many Presidents are lawyers.. oh...and if you do your homework, so are their wife's! I have been talking about this since 1989 in Connecticut.
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  Obscurely Diverseposted 14 years agoin reply to this
  Hmm, I thought 'citizenry' was America. That's not a very useful point of view...it would be like saying "America is what is wrong with America"...thanks.
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  Obscurely Diverseposted 14 years agoin reply to this
  Clarification: My last comment was direct to 'Cagsil' as he should bless us all with more of his all-knowing knowledge, ha-ha! It's amazing how much people talk without even knowing that a lot of the things they preach about or the crap that spews therein, they can't even teach anything or demonstrate real executions in real life - except for the prey of weak-minded ones. As the old saying goes, and as the ol' adage speaks upon thee, "get real, dear mental patient." LOL!
  Thank you, as you often say...
  Feel free to add some logic to my madness, dearly beloved pseudo-intellectual that often accuses other people, not me (yet, ha!), for having mental disturbances. Ha-ha! ;D
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  Mikel G Robertsposted 14 years agoin reply to this
  The problem is we are blind to the fact that we have already forfeited our 'Rights' ...it is no longer the bill of rights, it is the bill of temporary privledges...
  
  If 'IT' can be taken from you 'it' is a priveledge not a right.
  
  Without money we cannot effect any change in our Government, nor can we hire Lawyers to get the supposedly available legal representation we are entitled...
  
  So the bitter truth is the rich live in the land of the free...the rest of us are just the stupid peasants, to dumb to realize we lost our freedom years ago.
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  William R. Wilsonposted 14 years agoin reply to this
  That is, if you take the view that our freedoms have been given to us.
  
  Or you could seize the power that you have as human being. Speak freely - there's your free speech. Talk to your neighbors. Talk to your representatives - at all levels. Refuse to participate in the crappy system we are stuck with. Build something new.
  
  The bill of rights aren't a list of privileges that were dropped to us like crumbs by the aristocrats. No sir. Free yourself, and exercise your power.
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  Arthur Fontesposted 14 years agoin reply to this
  Our forefathers fought and some of them died for the opportunity to form this country and provide us with the foundation of a just and free society. You are correct William we must be willing to do the same thing to keep these things.
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  TMMasonposted 14 years agoin reply to this
  We have foresaken our founding values in the name of progressivism.
  
  We have shunned our greatest asset, and turned to march to the beat of Humanistic Dionysianism and secularicism.
  
  I am sure Many of you don't agree. But then again, many of you don't live in America either. So i don't care wheter you do or not.
  
  If you live in America feel free to dis-aree.
  
  If not.
  
  Then fix your own country.
  
  If it was up to me. I would shut the borders and leave the rest of the world behind.
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  awareposted 14 years agoin reply to this
  america is the most diverse country there is . meaning that what ever the problem . its shared by every other nation on earth
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  B.C. BOUTIQUEposted 14 years agoin reply to this
  greed and people who put others in classes socially and think they are better than others.
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  Mishaposted 14 years agoin reply to this
  That is not specific to America
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  Cagsilposted 14 years agoin reply to this
  No truer words can be said.
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  Eaglekiwiposted 14 years agoin reply to this
  True indeed.
  
  Just wanna add something here too.
  My husband is American ,and spent four years living overseas. On his return to his homeland , the states he felt like a stranger. The banks wouldnt give credit ,because he simply had no history for the past 12mths ( in the USA), no welfare since you cannot collect if you have no previous tax history (recent that is)......He even tried to buy me some sinus medication and they required a current drivers license as ID, his passport was not sufficent ,which is downright retarded....a passport is an International document ,anway there were any instances where he was made to feel more foreign that I was......
  
  It was not until he had left the United States, then returned could he look at his country with a broader mind.
  While he was respected when he was in my country ,it certainly had nothing to do with him being American.
  
  Finally its great to honour and recognise past leaders ,founders etc it is dangerous not to continue to be educated on new systems and initiatives for a nation that does not listen and learn will fail to grow and remain ignorant IMO
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  Flightkeeperposted 14 years agoin reply to this
  It's unfortunate but true. So many kids are ignorant of how this country was founded. Even if the subject is taught, I'm not sure it's taught with some kind of ideological and judgmental bias. I think parents really have to supplement if not actively participate in their children's education by bringing them to all these historical sites like in numerous sites in Boston and Philadelphia. I think this museum is a great idea and a wonderful learning tool.
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  de'Arabposted 14 years agoin reply to this
  I think americans should concider how lucky they are to have their rites. I mean there are so many countries that stil rule under dictatorship.
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  Harvey Stelmanposted 14 years agoin reply to this
  de,
  
  So true!
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  cindyoposted 14 years agoin reply to this
  progressives, liberals, and democrats....oh my
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  Harvey Stelmanposted 14 years agoin reply to this
  cindyo,
  
  But we have NO wizzard.
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  tobey100posted 14 years agoin reply to this
  Not enough educated voters on either side. Take a stance but know why you're doing it. My mother will vote based on hair color or college attended.
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  DGBposted 14 years agoin reply to this
  american's are probably better than the population of england..and our goverment sucks arse and gets F**cked by your goverment (no offence) but you guys liek control us... O_o
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  vox vocisposted 14 years agoin reply to this
  It's always at war somewhere and the whole world is wondering who gives America the right to...
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  Harvey Stelmanposted 14 years agoin reply to this
  Pappa,
  
  Its voters!
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  L. Andrew Marrposted 14 years agoin reply to this
  If you think America has a problem try looking at the UK - we're completely f***ed haha
  
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  famous plumberposted 14 years agoin reply to this
  Poppa Blues,
  
  Reading through this thread SHOUTS at me just what is wrong with America! We have gotten so darn negative! What would happen if we all got together and just talked things through?
  We don't need to agree with each other, but we can at least attempt to understand each other.
  
  Read the responses! Count the positive ones! Ya only need a hand or two!
  
  I chose to love this country, warts and all. Those things I dislike, I dig in and help. I do so knowing the opposition will be enough to beat a guy down. But man, it beats sittin around gripin!
  
  Get involved and like it! It's an attitude!
  
  Famous Plumber
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Hxprofposted 14 years ago
America's problem is spiritual. Period.
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  Cagsilposted 14 years agoin reply to this
  Not even close.
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  SparklingJewelposted 14 years agoin reply to this
  ahh, but it is if you look at it in particular ways...all that we are as humans in based on the spiritual...we are spiritual beings having a human experience, not the other way round.
  
  if people had the full sense of their spiritual power as citizens of this nation of America and it's purpose...we would not be in the mess we are in.
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  Harvey Stelmanposted 14 years agoin reply to this
  Hx,
  
  That's really funny!
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  Brenda Durhamposted 14 years agoin reply to this
  Agreed.
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TheGlassSpiderposted 14 years ago
Humans live in it.
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  AdsenseStrategiesposted 14 years agoin reply to this
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Friendlywordposted 14 years ago
All of the above. And too many people do not vote.
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  tobey100posted 14 years agoin reply to this
  And, too many of the people that DO voate have no idea what they're doing. I voted for so and so cause he has kind eyes. He has nice hair. He sounds so sincere. Jez, what does he stand for people, what's his background. Wake up ya'll
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  Eaglekiwiposted 14 years agoin reply to this
  Ya'll ... is that like Y'eatin yet
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  Jeffrey Nealposted 14 years agoin reply to this
  Y'eatin yet ≤ Ya'll ≤ Fixin' to
  
  Ah d'ruther ya'll leyt meh no if'n y'eaten yet or if'n ya' fixin' ta.
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  Eaglekiwiposted 14 years agoin reply to this
  lol
  
  Y'wanna somethin ,Im considered Southern where I come from in New Zealand ,though we would be much closer to Penguins that say maybe 'y'all ,hehe.....
  
  Now I live in SC, imagine that
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  Sab Ohposted 14 years agoin reply to this
  I'm not sure I want the people who can't be bothered to vote now to do so.
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  A Texanposted 14 years agoin reply to this
  Now thats smart!
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MikeNVposted 14 years ago
I actually read the material in the link you provided. So this is not just an empty comment.

Knowing our History and what we stand for is important.

But knowing and taking action are two different things.

The Federal Reserve came about long after the information this link presents.

Giving your countries Monetary Control to private Bankers is the real cause of today's problems. Ignoring history is what allowed this to happen though.
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Uvaposted 14 years ago
First thanks for posting that .pdf with survey results about American history and lack of knowledge of. Very interesting.

I know from my own experience that my grade school education was lacking in American History.
I've learned much more history as an adult on the web and some in college. For some reason I studied Modern American Capitalism, not the American revolution.

I've heard complaints about US public schools, about how they are designed to produce factory workers, with the bells and standard tests, etc.. It is ironic that we now have such a low rate of factory work. The majority work in the service industry, or entertainment, banking, with a drastic shortage in medical workers and good educators.

I think what's wrong with America is a combination of historical accident and the TV & movie industry that the founding fathers really didn't have any way to plan for. When they wrote the rights to privacy, there was an early case with a guy as the stage edge shooting a camera up show girls dresses. No one even imagined how the rights of publicity (you own your own face) or the rights to privacy, (home & family) would relate to the digital age.

seems like it might be good news that we have a lot of work to do, and bad news because it's pathetic.
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  Sab Ohposted 14 years agoin reply to this
  US schools do teach US History, it's just that they forget as soon as the course is over.
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  Harvey Stelmanposted 14 years agoin reply to this
  Sab,
  
  If you belive they do; you have a long way to go.
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Arthur Fontesposted 14 years ago
The light at the end of the tunnel.I think sites like hubpages twitter etc. are allowing citizens to inform each other, hopefully sparking the interest of another to continue learning.
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  Cagsilposted 14 years agoin reply to this
  By the way, I realize I still owe you an explanation on something and I'm presently decided on what information I can share with you.
  
  Just in case you have forgotten? You posed a question to me about What my company does? And, I have yet to answer that question, because there is a lot of information to it and I want to make sure that I do not damage any future, for which, I have already planned.
  
  I can give you a basic understanding. Here and now, because it's freshly on my mind. I've been writing a new hub about it, but it's no where near done.
  
  CAGSIL the company itself is a services company. It performs services to citizens, such as advocacy, which defends your individual "Right to Life" and "Right of Choice", as well as, giving researched and experienced knowledge. I am of the understanding that I have a unique nature of wisdom.
  
  There are other services, for which, I can only mention, because the precise models of the services are not finalized.
  
  Other services - (a) financial assistance, (b) fuel assistance, (c) rental assistance, (d) mortgage assistance, (e) home ownership assistance, (f) life insurance, (g) health insurance, (h) reimbursement program, (i) alcohol/substance abuse programs, (j) working parents assistance program, (k) home the homeless program(relocation and rehabilitation) and a child learning center.
  
  That's just to start.
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  Ralph Deedsposted 14 years agoin reply to this
  Kind of like ACORN? :-)
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  Cagsilposted 14 years agoin reply to this
  Not really, something more structured and not corruptible, because it's not political.
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  Ralph Deedsposted 14 years agoin reply to this
  Just kidding.
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Shadesbreathposted 14 years ago
America's problem is that an unfathomable percentage of it's "citizens" (and it's such an abuse to use that term anymore) are horrifically ignorant.

Then, this massive pool of insipidity either does not participate in the culture except to take, or they do participate... in the form of being mindless automatons for their puppet masters, be they clergy, media icons or political celebrities.

The bank issue and the spiritual issues mentioned above, while good ideas and legitimate (if centuries old debates), are secondary to the ignorance of the populace, which is ultimately going to undo the democracy (republic). We're already really a hegemony anyway, but such a fantastically small percentage of the populace even knows wtf that is, it's probably already too late. (If you had to look it up, ... yeah. /sigh... and yet I'm sure you'll have an "opinion" to follow up anyway.)

Madison and Hamilton covered all the rest of this in the Federalist Papers, and whatever they didn't Washington covered in his farewell address. We're just living out what they predicted as we head towards the plot line of that movie Idiocracy, which everyone thought was a comedy, but was really a terrifyingly prophetic horror flick.
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  Sab Ohposted 14 years agoin reply to this
  How do you calculate how much of the population is "ignorant"? By what criteria are people labeled that way? I guess there are lots of ignorant people in every country, but it seems to me "ignorant" is often just another way of dismissing people that someone might disagree with. Then again, every person is probably ignorant in some areas and not in others, so it's hard to make such claims.
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  Harvey Stelmanposted 14 years agoin reply to this
  Sab,
  
  Then you would say: Obama thinks everyone is ignorant. He knows people don't want hishealth-care plan and says he will push it through. Pelosi said the same.
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  Sab Ohposted 14 years agoin reply to this
  Hard to know what another person is thinking, but it sure doesn't seem too politically astute to keep pushing in a direction that has proven fraught with electoral danger for the democrats.
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  Harvey Stelmanposted 14 years agoin reply to this
  Sab,
  
  Who said they are politically astute? Progressive politics has never worked anywhere in the world; does that give you an idea of how astute they are? Take away Obama's tele-prompter, and he's an average speaker.
  
  These people have no idea about history and don't care. Obama loves to be on TV or radio spouting his new ideas but they aren't new or his.
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  Uvaposted 14 years agoin reply to this
  Idiocracy or WALL-E - We are so accustomed to everything being disposable, and in-stock. Also I think we live in sort of a TV-landscape. Face recognition of a few hundred actors we will never meet. and logo recognition, of stuff that is not really in our world, on stuff that's not actually in our lives at all. And at the same time we never really know how many cows are in that burger or who ate all those girls that serial killer Canadian ground up in the pork factory ? That meat went somewhere didn't it ? The problem with the concept of being "ignorant" is kind of like ground meat. There is so much information, if you want to know anything you have to specialize. I could be really informed on pigments or something and still not know much history, or data that is required to qualify as "informed". It's a mish-mash of a few 1,000 subjects / cows and I just have to believe that it's good enough to be worth consuming.
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flread45posted 14 years ago
Parents quit staying at home with the kids and both went to work to make a living.
This introduced the beginning of a coach potatoe,not learning anything more than watching t.v.and talking or texting on a cell phone,or worse yet,doing drugs.
Have you noticed that most people cannot give you the correct change without using a computerized cash register?
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  William R. Wilsonposted 14 years agoin reply to this
  Yes. Big part of the problem.
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Arthur Fontesposted 14 years ago
Cagsil Thank you for the information. Those are truly noble causes.
My city is in real economic depression and everything you just named surrounds me. It is heartbreaking to see such a historical city brought to its knees with the outsourcing of manufacturing jobs. Now we have a hard working but undereducated work force.

I sold a car today to a girl who was followed by a Bristol County sheriff and pulled over when she got home. He told her and her baby to get out of the car. He then seized the car.

It was over a civil suit brought against her by a previous landlord 5 years ago. For whatever reason she was not in court the day of the hearing. Probably because the address was not known. The judgement allowed the sheriff to seize her property for 20 years.
I sold her a $500.00 car that I know will transport her and her child safely.
It was a heartbreaking story and any help people can get would be beneficial to society as a whole.
I wish you tremendous luck with your enterprise.
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  Cagsilposted 14 years agoin reply to this
  Thank you.
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Will Bensonposted 14 years ago
A quote from Bill Maher:

"...polls show that a majority of Americans cannot name a single branch of government, or explain what the Bill of Rights is. 24% could not name the country America fought in the Revolutionary War. More than two-thirds of Americans don't know what's in Roe v. Wade. Two-thirds don't know what the Food and Drug Administration does. Some of this stuff you should be able to pick up simply by being alive."

Citizens have given their blood and their treasure to establish and preserve our country. I donated 4 yrs. of my young life to it because I believed it was worth defending. All I'd like in return is for more people to read a newspaper once in awhile and then vote.

Anyway, that's my rant. If you care to hear the rest of Bill's rant its at:

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/bill-mahe … 53996.html
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  rhamsonposted 14 years agoin reply to this
  The education of our youth is at the heart of the issue with regards to knowledge of their country and it's workings. The kids are taught towards testing that will keep the school in good standing and therefore above reproach from their overseers. The NEA is more interested in securing larger salaries which in most cases is warranted but at the expense of the childrens education.
  
  The result is a populace that lacks critical thought skills and sense of community. They live in their own little world of comfort.
  
  The best thing a good education can give you is the basic skills to teach yourself whatever you wish to pursue and an understanding of the topics.
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Cagsilposted 14 years ago
Interesting attitude.
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Ron Montgomeryposted 14 years ago
The ShamWow. Before that everything worked pretty well.
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  Uninvited Writerposted 14 years agoin reply to this
  Saw an interesting news report on the ShamWow. The ads started out by saying it absorbs 20% more liquid, then it was updated to 15% more, now it's 10% more No more than your average sponge.
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  Death2theBarExamposted 14 years agoin reply to this
  "When I die I want to be cremated, diluted with water and soaked up in a shamwow" author unknown
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  Cagsilposted 14 years agoin reply to this
  Did you read the rest of the thread, BEFORE you decided to post, or did you just search for a thread that was almost dead, just to bring it back?
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prettydarkhorseposted 14 years ago
I just think that CAPITALISM is in progress and all of these which are happening is a product of the way the economy works, it is a lesson we all learn, that in process of the present mode of production, we are to face a lot more PROBLEM<

People shouldnt take for granted what the forefathers brought into this nation, as of the latest Census there are 310, million americans, 11 M are ilegal immigrants, only almost half goes to precinct and vote,

This NATION becomes a NATION of lovers of products. of course, but then lives become too commercialize,

the Social aspect and values have long been forgotten like patience etc
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William R. Wilsonposted 14 years ago
"Art and liberty, like the fire of Prometheus, are things that one must steal, to be used against the established order." - Picasso

“Disobedience is the true foundation of liberty. The obedient must be slaves.” Thoreau

"The greatest enemy of individual freedom is the individual himself." Saul Alinsky
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  Arthur Fontesposted 14 years agoin reply to this
  I like the Picasso and Thoreau quotes. Alinsky shivers my spine.
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  William R. Wilsonposted 14 years agoin reply to this
  You should read his book. It's not as bad as people think.
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  Arthur Fontesposted 14 years agoin reply to this
  I have not read the book I will if I ever find it used. The quote disturbs me.
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Ralph Deedsposted 14 years ago
MORE CONCEALED WEAPONS IN MICHIGAN

LANSING -- Applications and approvals for concealed weapons permits in Michigan doubled last year, as more than 73,000 people sought to obtain or renew licenses in the 12 months ending June 30, and 66,446 were approved, according to a recently released state police report.

That compared to 33,411 applications and 26,578 approvals in the preceding 12-month period.
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  Jeffrey Nealposted 14 years agoin reply to this
  ???
  
  People concerned for their personal safety are what's wrong with America?
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  We Conservativesposted 14 years agoin reply to this
  He may actually have a point. I wouldn't want people from Michigan carrying weapons!
  http://www.michigan.gov/documents/msp/2 … 8439_7.pdf
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  Mikel G Robertsposted 14 years agoin reply to this
  If the Right to bear arms, concealed or othewise, were truly a Right and not a priveledge we wouldn't need permission in the first place...
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  Harvey Stelmanposted 14 years agoin reply to this
  Ralph,
  
  I guess we need more terrorists.
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Death2theBarExamposted 14 years ago
What is wrong w/America? Are you that naive? Nothing is wrong w/America. Nothing is wrong w/any country. This is all just a circle-jerk w/no beginning and no ending. A country becomes strong; a country falls. Those that are weak in one century become the dominant in another. The game is so fundamental. Think of it like the NFL. The Raiders dominate one era..then they have a Jamarcus R era. Eventually, they will dominate again. The Steelers are great this era (and were great in the 70's), but are showing signs of weakness for the next decade. Ebb and flow. Look at all the great 'dynasties' of the past. They ALL FALL eventually and someone else takes their place. America is the Superbowl Champs right now, but China/Japan/N.Korea may be the next champs. Who fuckin knows. It's all just a game ran by a select people we elected to coach the game for us. Maybe Americans become peasants in 50 years because another country becomes the 'Superpower.' Whatever. All great empires fall. All impoverished nations rise. I assume that we are all educated enough to know enough history to realize EVERY great civilization has fallen. It's the name of the game. Maybe America doesn't fall for 1,000 years. Maybe it falls next year. Who the fuck knows. But, as an avid history buff, I realize that NO country can reign supreme for eternity. The world is just a chess game.
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  Pandoras Boxposted 14 years agoin reply to this
  I don't think the ultimate goal should be to "reign supreme".
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  roughtideposted 14 years agoin reply to this
  I was going to stay out of this, but I have to say, I have to agree with this to a great degree. I am sure I will get blasted, but -so what. lol!
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  Cagsilposted 14 years agoin reply to this
  Interesting to see.....?
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hinckles komaposted 14 years ago
America America freedom is priceless and i do wonder after reading the pdf if british colonies would have lost the revolution war to the world powerful brits what would be.

but i guess some wars are not determined by gun, skill, men power rather the though of freedom and the guidelines set forth are more important

I think most people in America know the great freedom we have here but these people are mostly in suburbea and city americans are mostly concerned with freedom to make and spend money
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rhamsonposted 14 years ago
The simple truth in America now is that:

MONEY = FREEDOM

All else is a fantasy and a smokescreen. Think about it before you react to the statement.
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  Poppa Bluesposted 14 years agoin reply to this
  Not exactly. Money=Power and Power=Coruption. And not just in America. That`s a global issue. In many respects you can be poor and be more free than someone rich.
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  rhamsonposted 14 years agoin reply to this
  Thank you for making my point. With the money corporate America hoards in they gain the power to corrupt government to participate in their power grabbing leaving the average citizen in their clutches.
  
  It's a shame that their form of capitalism only serves to make more profit without any thought towards the customer it is eliminating.
  
  Oh yeah that would mean the government would need to get between this somehow. Oh I forgot that would be wrong so let's just let them have their way because that is their right and freedom to act this way.
  
  A race to the bottom my friend, a race to the bottom that is already happening if you but had eyes to see.
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  Sab Ohposted 14 years agoin reply to this
  It seems people have been saying stuff like that since the beginning, but here we still are.
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  commisionerposted 14 years agoin reply to this
  that's right poppa. my wife and i are poor but very free. we took none of the stimulus money, just wrote return to sender on the envelope.we do not wish to be bought into submissiveness. we have a home and a mortgage. we bought something we could afford and keep our expenses low. we do without some of the trappings like cell phones and flat screen t.v.s we do have a nice above ground pool and a fence to keep the lookers out. we have all we want, and just don't need those things that most people think they can't live without. heck we can even afford a bingo game every once in a while. what more could we ask for.
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  Cagsilposted 14 years agoin reply to this
  Nice to see you're selfish. Thank you. It's good to know.
  
  It's also obvious. I can see what kind of moral character you have been taught and show to the world.
  
  Again, thank you.
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  sneakorocksolidposted 14 years agoin reply to this
  You're my kind of people! Good job for being a good example for us all to follow!
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  Mikel G Robertsposted 14 years agoin reply to this
  sad, but so very true
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H.C Porterposted 14 years ago
what is wrong with America? Selfish, Narrow Minded, Greedy, Hypocritical, Rude, People who always think that they are right-never considering they are wrong or have room for improvement.
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  divijposted 14 years agoin reply to this
  no idea, but i agree with you
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  Sab Ohposted 14 years agoin reply to this
  Are you an American, H.C.?
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  Harvey Stelmanposted 14 years agoin reply to this
  HC,
  
  You must know the good ones.
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bill yonposted 14 years ago
what is wrong with america?it seems to me america's number one problem would have to be the need to take care of everyone else in the world.and I'm not talking about haiti,or places that need help because of disasters,I'm talking about the fact that OUR leaders decided that it would be a good thing for all the manufactoring jobs to be shipped out of AMERICA,I'm talking about N.A.F.T.A. the NORTH AMERICAN FREE TRADE AGREEMENT is the real reason we are sitting here in this financial mess.Corporations shipping job after job after job over seas just so they can make MORE money.meanwhile the average joe has to bend over and take it the rear with no vaseline,while the so called leaders cater to the elite richest of the richest kissing ass and at the same time selling out ever american citizen got us scrambling around at the bottom for scraps.it seems to me that all politicians are bought and paid for.ESPECIALLY the republicans.
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Steppenoposted 14 years ago
I have always believed that America is the greatest place to live on earth !!! If you are fortunate enough to climb to the top of the corporate ladder, you can actually rob every citizen in the United States through bribes and government influence and be paid Millions of dollars to do so !!! Then when you have run the economy into the ground with all your influence and greed, you can retire with a fat severence package, move out of the country by purchasing your very own island... Declare war on The United States... Surrender and apply for billions of dollars in aid to rebuild your country !!! America is the greatest place on earth to live I tell you !!! I firmly believe we should have a Politician and a Lawyer on every street corner... Hanging from a God Damned Lamp Post !!!
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  bill yonposted 14 years agoin reply to this
  Damn right!
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NewYorkerposted 14 years ago
You're insulting 307,000,000 people. Congratulations.
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  rhamsonposted 14 years agoin reply to this
  What is funny that most of them won't even know it.
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  NewYorkerposted 14 years agoin reply to this
  I know. 43% of the United States has no idea what state is next to their own.
  And at least 38% of the United States can't spell Hippopotamus, or have no idea what that word means.
  
  See how smart we are?
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  Sab Ohposted 14 years agoin reply to this
  Where did you get those specific figures?
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  NewYorkerposted 14 years agoin reply to this
  It's just something a colleague told me.
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  rhamsonposted 14 years agoin reply to this
  This post reminds me of the headline that a london newspaper ran after "W" won the 2004 election. "How can 300 million people be so dumb?"
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  A Texanposted 14 years agoin reply to this
  Probably the same one that endorsed Gordon Brown.
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  EmpressFelicityposted 14 years agoin reply to this
  Yeah, but nobody elected Gordon Brown. He just inherited the job from Tony Blair (OK, so maybe I just proved your point for you )
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  bill yonposted 14 years agoin reply to this
  we are not fools man,you asked what was wrong with america,and the answer from my point of view is GREED!
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  Petra Vlahposted 14 years agoin reply to this
  The state of denai is only the start of America's problems.
  
  Add to that supreme arrogance and lack of basic knowledge as well as general culture (as a result of a failing education system) , not to metion an obssession with immediat gratification and you start to undestand some of the problems that are wrong with America
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  NewYorkerposted 14 years agoin reply to this
  We don't have a failing educational system; we have lazy juveniles.
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  Marisa Wrightposted 14 years agoin reply to this
  I don't know about that. One of my friends' children went on an exchange recently and was shocked at how low the standards were at her American school.
  
  What I notice about America is that many Americans have very strong views about America's culture, systems and policies being the best,in spite of never having seen what life is like outside America. They believe what the media feeds them about life outside the compound, rather than doing their own research.
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  rhamsonposted 14 years agoin reply to this
  I lived overseas and traveled for a few years and was surprised at how much people in other countries were so proud of their culture and heritage.
  
  Coming home I found that there is a more individualistic tone to Americans behavior and their willingness to impress each other with their possessions.
  
  I did note that it did not matter where I went people in general were disappointed to outraged with their governments as well.
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  Harvey Stelmanposted 14 years agoin reply to this
  NY,
  
  We have teachers that don't have the ability or knowledge to teach. Many have an agenda that is pushed onto children.
  
  A friend quit teaching because he wanted to teach history in a non-revisionist way. They also wanted him not to teach the Constitution.
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  rhamsonposted 14 years agoin reply to this
  We are a victim of our own success. I am still trying to figure out what that is.
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  Harvey Stelmanposted 14 years agoin reply to this
  rham,
  
  I guess you should get out.
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  A Texanposted 14 years agoin reply to this
  You're a barrel of fun.
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  Harvey Stelmanposted 14 years agoin reply to this
  Tex,
  
  I can't stop laughing either. I think this guy should be on HBO.
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  rhamsonposted 14 years agoin reply to this
  I am glad I have amused you.
  
  The wit makes fun of other persons; the satirist makes fun of the world; the humorist makes fun of himself.
  James Thurber (1894 - 1961)
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Pandoras Boxposted 14 years ago
“If once the people become inattentive to the public affairs, you and I, and Congress and Assemblies, Judges and Governors, shall all become wolves. It seems to be the law of our general nature, in spite of individual exceptions.” -Thomas Jefferson

I agree wholeheartedly with the many postings which mentioned the lack of public awareness and interest. I hesitate to call them ignorant, however, as one poster mentioned, most people have an area of expertise of which the rest of us are ignorant.

I'm a fairly average person. When my youngest started school I went back to work. Last year I was laid off. Before I worked, and after I was laid off, I had plenty of time to dig into the issues. While holding down a full time job and raising three children, taking care of a house, various pets and a large yard, I had very little time for pursuing any other interests.

People, I think, aren't so much ignorant by choice, as they are ignorant of what's going on simply because they don't have the time to get to the bottom of things. They hear stuff that seems to make sense, but then they hear stuff from someone else that contradicts the other stuff they've heard and also seems to make sense. They hear half truths from politicians and news pundits and they just don't know what to believe.

Meanwhile some of us are screaming at them to vote, and they have no clue who or what to vote for or oppose. If they don't know, I'd rather they didn't vote. I don't want them voting for some guy because that is who their preacher told them to vote for. (Yeah, sure it's illegal.)

The lack of interest I also believe is not really a lack of interest, but an awareness of their own ignorance and a lack of willingness to commit the time to figuring things out. I will admit that many of them -while I wouldn't call them ignorant because it just sounds mean- probably couldn't get to the bottom of it if they tried. It is all very complicated.

We trash parties instead of looking at the issues. We trash government instead of looking for realistic solutions. We refuse to admit the gray areas, seeing only black and white. We push our knowledge or empty rhetoric instead of speaking in a comprehensive manner in ways that explain things fully and fairly.

In many ways we -as a country, our government- needs to start all over again. Admit some things done in the past were wrong headed and scrap the whole deal. Big deals right now, campaign finance law, finding a way to get this last supreme court decision repealed or overturned, and job creation. Also forgive me another Jefferson quote.

"The information alone of the people at large can make them the safe, as they are the only, depository of our religious and political freedom." -Thomas Jefferson

Whatever else they teach in schools, this one most relevant idea is the most important of all. Not vote, not get involved, but get well informed. The first two are counterproductive without the third.

Just how people are supposed to do that is beyond me. The news channels are all nearly pointless, in my honest opinion.
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  Sab Ohposted 14 years agoin reply to this
  I think a great many more people are interested and aware now than ever before.
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theirishobserver.posted 14 years ago
same all over the world, materialism has taken control of the mind, people are lost in a sea of consumerism, their rights like the big mac are up for sale...
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  Sab Ohposted 14 years agoin reply to this
  So, what's wrong with America is that it's not communist? That doesn't seem quite right.
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EWSposted 14 years ago
We have it too easy and are spoiled. That is the problem. The poorest person in the US would be rich if they went to 90% of the other countries and we all complain.
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  Mamelodyposted 14 years agoin reply to this
  yep agree with u on that one
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  Harvey Stelmanposted 14 years agoin reply to this
  ews & mam,
  
  Are you giving away your things and most of your salaries?
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sneakorocksolidposted 14 years ago
Liberals.
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  rhamsonposted 14 years agoin reply to this
  "When you are right you cannot be too radical; when you are wrong, you cannot be too conservative."
  Martin Luther King Jr. (1929 - 1968)
  
  "A conservative is a man who sits and thinks, mostly sits."
  Woodrow Wilson (1856 - 1924)
  
  I don't know why you try to differentiate between the two. It only confuses progress.
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  A Texanposted 14 years agoin reply to this
  "I made enough money to buy Miami but I pissed it away so fast"
  
  Jimmy Buffet
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  rhamsonposted 14 years agoin reply to this
  "Most of our imports come from other countries."
  George W. Bush (1946 - ),
  
  "The problem with political jokes is they get elected. "
  Henry Cate VII
  
  Yeah I gues the brain trust was a bit empty for awhile.
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  A Texanposted 14 years agoin reply to this
  "Always late with your kisses"
  
  Lefty Frizzell
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  rhamsonposted 14 years agoin reply to this
  "Be slow in choosing a friend, slower in changing."
  Benjamin Franklin
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  Harvey Stelmanposted 14 years agoin reply to this
  rham,
  
  You quote two people that should not really be quoted.
  
  King: Was about to have his Phd taken away by Boston Univ. for constant plagerism. His death and what followed changed their stance. This was posted on snopes as true. Suddenly it was taken off. They even named the preacher it was taken from. "This included (I have a dream""
  
  Wilson: He may have been the worst President ever, because of his Progressive ideas. In fact, Obama uses his platform frequently.
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  rhamsonposted 14 years agoin reply to this
  I am sorry you don't care for the person who was quoted. Maybe the authority of the person makes the truth more valid.
  
  Mao had a lot of really good quotes but the personage make a lot of people invalidate the truth of which he spoke.
  
  I did quote who I think is the worst president the country has ever seen. Did you read the wit of "W"?
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Ralph Deedsposted 14 years ago
Cows and prairie dogs are over-represented in the U.S. Senate.
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Flightkeeperposted 14 years ago
Blue States.
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  A Texanposted 14 years agoin reply to this
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  Harvey Stelmanposted 14 years agoin reply to this
  Flight,
  
  Not really, Ralph sspeaks truthfully. Both Parties have their pet interests, some are the same.
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Aya Katzposted 14 years ago
So you're not an environmentalist,eh, Ralph?
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  Ralph Deedsposted 14 years agoin reply to this
  Ha! Not wrt the composition of the Senate. The population picture has changed greatly since the founding fathers agreed that each state regardless of population would have two senators.
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  Jeffrey Nealposted 14 years agoin reply to this
  That's why there is a House of Representatives. Do you think that the more populous states should have additional Senators or just that every state should have an equal number, but increase the number overall?
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  Ralph Deedsposted 14 years agoin reply to this
  I'm not sure what the best fix would be. But I'm sure that, especially with the current filibuster rules, states with very low populations are able to frustrate the will of the majority. I read somewhere that the 5 senators who were designing the Senate health care reform bill were from states whose total population was less than five percent, or was is 3%?, of the U.S. population. The current setup in the Congress is dysfunctional.
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  Jeffrey Nealposted 14 years agoin reply to this
  I am thankful that the will of the majority cannot be imposed upon the individual so easily. That is what this country was founded on...at least partially: Individualism.
  
  I can agree with you here. I tend to think, though, that the solution is an end of the two party system, but who knows really. We will find a balance eventually.
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Flightkeeperposted 14 years ago
"In the last 15 months we've travelled to every corner of the United States. I've now been in 57 states with one left to go. Alaska and Hawaii I was not allowed to go to even though i really wanted to visit."

Barack Hussein Obama, Beaverton OR

Shows how the stupid can still become President of the US.

And he went to an Ivy League school.
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  rhamsonposted 14 years agoin reply to this
  "Chew before you swallow."
  George W. Bush, On TV, about his passing out eating a pretzel
  
  "States should have the right to enact... laws...particularly to end the inhumane practice of ending a life that otherwise could live."
  George W. Bush (1946 - ), Gov. of Texas, state leading in executions
  
  "... if you find a person that you've never seen before getting in a crop duster that doesn't belong to you -- report it."
  George W. Bush (1946 - ),
  
  Maybe he wasn't that stupid but his moth was definitely not connected to his brain sometimes.
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A Texanposted 14 years ago
"The reforms we seek would bring greater competition, choice, savings and inefficiencies to our health care system." --in remarks after a health care roundtable with physicians, nurses and health care providers, Washington, D.C., July 20, 2009

Barry Obama
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A Texanposted 14 years ago
"UPS and FedEx are doing just fine, right? It's the Post Office that's always having problems." –attempting to make the case for government-run healthcare, while simultaneously undercutting his own argument, Portsmouth, N.H., Aug. 11, 2009

Barack Obama
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  rhamsonposted 14 years agoin reply to this
  "You know, one of the hardest parts of my job is to connect Iraq to the war on terror." --interview with CBS News' Katie Couric, Sept. 6, 2006
  
  "The same folks that are bombing innocent people in Iraq were the ones who attacked us in America on September the 11th." --Washington, D.C., July 12, 2007
  
  "Tribal sovereignty means that; it's sovereign. I mean, you're a -- you've been given sovereignty, and you're viewed as a sovereign entity. And therefore the relationship between the federal government and tribes is one between sovereign entities." --Washington, D.C., Aug. 6, 2004
  
  "Do you have blacks, too?" --to Brazilian President Fernando Cardoso, Washington, D.C., Nov. 8, 2001
  
  Want more? I got a million. His words, not mine.
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  Flightkeeperposted 14 years agoin reply to this
  Clearly you have the advantage. Bush is human while Obama can still the waters.
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  Ralph Deedsposted 14 years agoin reply to this
  Walk on the waters!
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  Flightkeeperposted 14 years agoin reply to this
  It was reported that Jesus could do that but I had no idea that Obama was in the same league.
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  rhamsonposted 14 years agoin reply to this
  Maybe you are right in some way. We had eight years of Bush to gather much material. It is truly amazing how quickly Obama has been tied to the same idiocy as Bush. The impatience of the scorned is really pronounced in this case.
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  A Texanposted 14 years agoin reply to this
  The guy that says we have to change the way Washington is run takes up for the guy who is attempting to do the most harm. Thats classic.
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  rhamsonposted 14 years agoin reply to this
  What is funnier is the fact that you think that intelligence is a defining factor in play when differentiating between the two camps.
  
  Both are equally dangerous but if you want to compare the two based on intelligence I think Obama has it all over Goofy from Texas.
  
  The difference is Bush was a patsy for his handlers. It is too early to tell if Obama is the patsy or the Godfather.
  
  I think both are equally dangerous but Goofy from Texas knew not what he was doing to sell us out.
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  A Texanposted 14 years agoin reply to this
  Goofy is from Connecticut, why is that so hard for people to remember?
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  rhamsonposted 14 years agoin reply to this
  Well he was your Governor and he was heralded from there as far as a lot of people down there accepted him.
  
  Lyle Lovett doesn't seem to care:
  
  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nMhaehb5AnE
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  Flightkeeperposted 14 years agoin reply to this
  We don't know if Obama is as smart as he portrays to be. He didn't release his grades. So much for transparency. I don't think he's smart and that's why he's not releasing his records. But as you say, in Obama's case, intelligence doesn't matter.
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  Flightkeeperposted 14 years agoin reply to this
  It was more pronounced on Bush's inauguration day when they lined up the streets trying to prevent him from getting to his own inauguration. The impatience of the scorned indeed!!!
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  rhamsonposted 14 years agoin reply to this
  I don't know, maybe they were all clambering to get a look at the Emperors new clothes. The disbelief of such a buffoon will drive people to do strange things.
  
  Classic Bush:
  "See, in my line of work you got to keep repeating things over and over and over again for the truth to sink in, to kind of catapult the propaganda." --Greece, N.Y., May 24, 2005
  
  "Goodbye from the world's biggest polluter." --in parting words to world leaders at his final G-8 Summit, punching the air and grinning widely as those present looked on in shock, Rusutsu, Japan, July 10, 2008
  
  "This is an impressive crowd -- the haves and the have mores. Some people call you the elite -- I call you my base." --at the 2000 Al Smith dinner
  
  "There's an old saying in Tennessee -- I know it's in Texas, probably in Tennessee -- that says, fool me once, shame on --shame on you. Fool me -- you can't get fooled again." --Nashville, Tenn., Sept. 17,
  
  What a Maroon! Bugs Bunny
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  Flightkeeperposted 14 years agoin reply to this
  Speaking of doing strange things: Bow to the Saudi King, Bow to the Japanese Emperor, Bow to the Chinese Premiere. Give Brown a DVD collection that won't play on his DVD player.
  
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  rhamsonposted 14 years agoin reply to this
  I don't know I guess it is better to have bowed to try and show some respect rather than have shoes thrown at you instead.
  
  I can't believe you want to continue defending this idiot like it means anything.
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  A Texanposted 14 years agoin reply to this
  I can't believe you would defend the liar and chief and think anyone would see a bow as respect and not subservience!
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  rhamsonposted 14 years agoin reply to this
  Who says I am defending him? I just think that it is funny that you find it neccessary to defend the worst president in modern history by comparison.
  
  Do you know how much damage Bush did in the Middle East for someone to throw his shoe at him? Culturally it is like calling him a dog which is one of the biggest insults. Bushes retort was its okay he did not hit me! the goofball did not know the culture and was like sand in their eyes everytime he appeared there.
  
  I think a misplaced bow is nothing as far as gawfaws with respect to Bushes dumb antics.
  
  Anyway we will have to take this up later if you like or not as I have to go to an appointment. Godd trading with you again Texan.
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  A Texanposted 14 years agoin reply to this
  Ok
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  Flightkeeperposted 14 years agoin reply to this
  Would you prefer that Bush had him hung like what normally happens under Saddam? That Bush was able to turn the other cheek at that insult is commendable. Not to mention great reflexes
  
  See ya!
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  rhamsonposted 14 years agoin reply to this
  Maybe with your western understanding you think that was a good way for him to deal with it. But it was a great sign of weakness in the Arab world and a disgrace to the American people in their eyes.
  
  Turning the other cheek is a Christian value you superimpose on them. Guess what they are not Christian and besides this was a cultural phopa and not religious.
  
  No I don't think that he should have been treated as Saddam would have handled it but the other end of the situation was that the Iraqis released him from his already short sentence. A real slap in the face to Bush if we were paying attention.
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  rhamsonposted 14 years agoin reply to this
  I think it is funny that you continue to defend goofball from Texas as some sort of paragon in foreign relations.
  
  The cultural insensitivity Bush expressed when a shoe was thrown at him only showed how stupid he really was. That act in the region is one of the biggest insults you can possibly show someone short of calling them a dog. He was like sand in their eyes the distain they held for him and dummy did not even know it.
  
  The only people insulted with Obamas gawfaw was us and our stupid pride once the incident was explained to us.
  
  I just find it hilarious that you think the two are anywhere close to each other in intelligence and cultural sensitivity.
  
  It's been great trading barbs with you as always Texan but I gotta go to an appointment.
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  Flightkeeperposted 14 years agoin reply to this
  I find it even more hilarious that you think Obama has any cultural sensitivity asking the Germans to use the Berlin Wall as a prop? Yeah, that's really culturally sensitive.
  
  Auf Wiedersehn
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  Flightkeeperposted 14 years agoin reply to this
  It's not nice to call your president Obama an idiot for bowing a lot.
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  rhamsonposted 14 years agoin reply to this
  Can you read or are you making a funny?
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  Flightkeeperposted 14 years agoin reply to this
  Whoosh!
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  rhamsonposted 14 years agoin reply to this
  Good trading with you again Flightkeeper but I gotta go. Later.
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  Ralph Deedsposted 14 years agoin reply to this
  As somebody said, "You have an instinct for the capillaries!"
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  Harvey Stelmanposted 14 years agoin reply to this
  rham & Tex,
  
  Cut the crap! They've both said stupid things; haven't we all? The big difference is Bush gave his word and stuck to it, right or wrong. Obama changes the meaning of what he has said.
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Mamelodyposted 14 years ago
What's wrong with America? You call football "soccer"!!!...
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  A Texanposted 14 years agoin reply to this
  What's wrong with America? That we allow soccer to be played at all!
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Flightkeeperposted 14 years ago
"It was also interesting to see that political interaction in Europe is not that different from the United States Senate. There's a lot of, uh, I don't know what the term is in Austrian, wheeling and dealing."

Barack Hussein Obama, April 2009, speaking before an Austrian audience. Austrians speak German, there is no Austrian language.
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Iðunnposted 14 years ago
False sense of entitlement, lack of self control, lack of personal responsibility, systemic enabling, greed, short term vision, lack of priority given to raising children leading to exponentially increasing nationwide mental illness, distorted value system, distorted perceptions. Personally I think it's a top down phenomenon that was exacerbated by poor character in political leaders, and other people Americans generally perceive to be 'winners' which created a general illusion that the only way to get ahead was to be ruthless and/or corrupt when in fact that very behavior is what brought us to the brink of economic disaster.
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awareposted 14 years ago
dont like it leave it . or run for president yourself
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Ralph Deedsposted 14 years ago
Here's a link to a column in MetroTimes entitled "Cable TV vs.America" by Jack Lessenberry, Michigan's leading political pundit:

http://www.metrotimes.com/news/story.asp?id=14739

Lessenberry concludes:
More than at any time in their history, the Republicans are merely the party of "No." They stand for nothing and against nearly everything. They steadily inch closer to their neo-racist allies in the so-called "Tea Party Movement," who lash out at liberal elites and illegal immigrants. The Tea Party crowd also hates Wall Street and the banks, which gives some Republicans a bit of pause before completely jumping in bed with them, but, hey, …

Last week commentators were all over Obama for his seeming lack of passion and loss of apparent focus, and for the fact that the health plan is confusing to most voters. There's some truth in all of that, and yes, it would be nice to have a more passionate leader. But it would be even nicer if the media treated us as grown-ups and reported like they were adults who weren't channeling an attention deficit disorder. Forget style.

Look at what is at stake. Something like 54 million Americans still lack any health care at all, and a small minority of Republicans in the U.S. Senate are determined to deny it to them.

Is that really what we want? Is your own health care that secure? The Republicans can now do this because Brown's election gives them the ability to be able to choke off a vote.

Democrats still control the Senate, 59-41. President Obama promised national health care when he ran two years ago, and he won by an amazing margin of nearly 10 million votes.

For the last year, Obama has been preoccupied with trying to prevent a Great Depression-scale collapse of the whole economy. So far, he has succeeded. General Motors is not in great shape and Fiat owns Chrysler, but it is clear that, had John McCain won the election, neither of those companies would exist at all.

By the way, in a very real sense, George W. Bush's presidency is still with us. He gave us a malevolent gift that could keep on giving for perhaps the next 30 years — Chief Justice John Roberts, a right-wing ideologue who helped engineer last week's U.S. Supreme Court ruling that says nobody can limit what corporations can spend to influence elections.

Last week was a wonderful one, if you happen to be a huge corporation or someone who makes a lot of money from the way things work now. The saddest thing is to see working-class idiots who think they scored a victory in Massachusetts. Yes, they sent Washington a message, all right: Feel free to keep screwing us over. Deny secure health care to all but the richest, and say you are doing that to protect personal freedom. That's the message Massachusetts sent them, and you know what?

They got it, big-time.
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  Sab Ohposted 14 years agoin reply to this
  Do you think all working-class people are idiots, or just the ones who don't vote the way you want them to?
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  Harvey Stelmanposted 14 years agoin reply to this
  Ralph,
  
  I have been very kind to you and your opinions in the recent past. What you now write, I think you would have voted for Woodrow Wilson. You are in simple English, a far left Progressive.
  
  Your education background shines bright on your Party. A good Democrat always blames the Republican's; can you set a date when Bush will disappear from the conversation?
  
  Since Obama came to office we consistantly lose jobs. The three tenths of a percentage point is very misleading, I'm sure you understand. During this time we lost 20,000 jobs, the Prsident sees this as a turn-around.
  
  The debt is rising faster than it ever has before, and China owns us. Isn't it obvious why we don't punish China for the faulty products they send us?
  
  Obama believes he is an elitist and; how dare anyone challenge him! The man has NO spine, that is why hee has never taken the lead in his political life before. The man is way over his head as President. He chooses poor advisors, and only deals behind closed doors.
  
  He is owned by the unions, but says he is against PAC's. Maybe he doesn't like the over 30 representatives he has working for him.
  
  He does not care for the Constitution but swore to upold it. That may be the biggest LIE he has ever told us.
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marinealways24posted 14 years ago
What is wrong with America? The balance of freedom.
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  Ralph Deedsposted 14 years agoin reply to this
  What does that mean?
  
  Here's something that's really wrong with America--
  
  http://cohort11.americanobserver.net/la … final.html
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  marinealways24posted 14 years agoin reply to this
  If there is absolute freedom, there is absolute anarchy. If there is absolute control, there is absolute monarchy. Capitalism is freedom that made our country one of the richest and most powerful countries in the world. Capitalism without regulation is also one of our greatest enemies where only the strong survive. I think there is currently an unbalance of government controlling capitalism/freedom. The more power of government, the less freedom.
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  Ralph Deedsposted 14 years agoin reply to this
  The current Great Recession resulted from a number of causes an important one of which was a failure or absence if effective govermeent regulation of the banking and mortgage industry.
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  Sab Ohposted 14 years agoin reply to this
  Too much and inappropriate regulation
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  Ralph Deedsposted 14 years agoin reply to this
  Any particular reason why you say that?
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  Sab Ohposted 14 years agoin reply to this
  Interference in lending by elements in the congress with a 'social justice' aim who all but required that mortgages be given to people who were unlikely to honor them set events in motion that led to the real estate market meltdown.
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  Ralph Deedsposted 14 years agoin reply to this
  That's an over-simplification.
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  Sab Ohposted 14 years agoin reply to this
  Anything we say here will be, to an extent.
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  marinealways24posted 14 years agoin reply to this
  And now they are over regulating causing an unbalance of freedom and preventing economic progression.
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  Cagsilposted 14 years agoin reply to this
  Actually, the blame goes directly on those who perform the regulation. The individuals who were suppose to be regulating the companies. The regulation is sound, but it is the ineffectiveness of the people who are doing the regulating work. These people are the direct cause, not to mention the poor business tactics practiced during the time, and had the regulators done their job properly would have caught the problem, before it got out of hand.
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  marinealways24posted 14 years agoin reply to this
  Agreed. I think over regulation is being done now in attempts to correct the under regulation. I think it requires balance, not either or.
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  Cagsilposted 14 years agoin reply to this
  It doesn't need MORE regulations. It needs people doing their damn job correctly and if they are not, then replace them with people who will.
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  marinealways24posted 14 years agoin reply to this
  When a government regulates and takes over companies, I think this is over regulation. When you start putting limits on how much money an individual can make and start firing CEO's, you take peoples motivation to drive the economy and make as much money as possible. Greed is what drives the economy. I think greed is ultimate freedom. Obama criticizes greedy people when he himself is greedy along with all the other politicians that continually contradict themselves.
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  Cagsilposted 14 years agoin reply to this
  People do not go into business for themselves because of greed. They do it because they are interested in providing a service or goods to the citizen, that which, will help in improving their life. Yes, there is always a price to pay, but that's business.
  
  Greed is for those who make money, but do nothing to benefit others.
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  marinealways24posted 14 years agoin reply to this
  lol I didn't say all people are greedy, I said greed drives capitalism and the economy. I don't think every person that makes money by only benefiting themselves is all greedy. If they were, this is their individual right if it's done within the laws. The current administration is not acting within the laws and constitution to regulate.
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  Cagsilposted 14 years agoin reply to this
  Greed doesn't drive capitalism or the economy.
  
  Then I would say you don't understand the word or true meaning of greed.
  
  An individual right, is based on whether or not, their individual right invades the rights of others or is harmful to others. If so, then they have no right, as morality dictates action is to help society or an individual. And, not harm them.
  
  There are many things happening in the U.S. that are against the Constitution. However, I don't see you proposing a solution, but only bad mouthing the actions of other.
  
  So, what's next?
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  marinealways24posted 14 years agoin reply to this
  lol Yes it does. The right and freedom to be greedy and make as much money as possible is a huge motivation and drive behind the economy. If people were content on just enough money to live on, they wouldn't work 12 hour or more days. I think you are missing the meaning. lol.
  
  Greed - Making more money than you need to live on. A lot of people make and strive to make more than they need. This is part of greed. Not all greed is bad, it motivates people to work hard.
  
  lol Who gets to decide when the rights invade others rights? You or the mobb, or Obama?
  
  I'm not badmouthing, im just pointing out the contradictions. There are many of them. It's mine and every other citizens right and duty to point them out or else the government and politicians would have absolute control.
  
  Maybe you are for them having absolute control.
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  Sab Ohposted 14 years agoin reply to this
  Lots of people go into business for themselves because of greed. People do lots of things for lots of reasons. Blanket generalizations are rarely if ever accurate.
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  Ralph Deedsposted 14 years agoin reply to this
  Your previous comment might qualify as a "blanket generalization."
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  Sab Ohposted 14 years agoin reply to this
  No, it was pretty specific. You just don't seem to agree, which is completely fine.
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  marinealways24posted 14 years agoin reply to this
  Sab, rather than just saying the generalization is incorrect, maybe you should explain why you think it's incorrect.
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  Sab Ohposted 14 years agoin reply to this
  I didn't say it was incorrect, I said it was an over generalization. I'm sure many people go into business primarily because they want to provide a service, etc. just as I know many people who went into business for themeslves first and foremost because they wanted to make money. As I said, people do many things for many reasons, which is what makes blanket generalizations about motivations inherently unreliable and incaccurate.
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  marinealways24posted 14 years agoin reply to this
  I think it is both reliable and accurate. Do you disagree that greed is working for more than you need to survive? Do you disagree that the majority of Americans are greedy and that greed can have positives?
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  Sab Ohposted 14 years agoin reply to this
  To Marine: Did you read the comments to which I originally responded in this branch of the thread? I'm not sure I see how your latest comments relate to mine.
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  Harvey Stelmanposted 14 years agoin reply to this
  Ralph,
  
  It was Barney Frank & Company that killed the mortage industry.
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  Ralph Deedsposted 14 years agoin reply to this
  Not that simple. There is plenty of blame to go around: Washington Mutual, Countrywide and other crooked mortgage brokers, Greenspan who denied the bubble and kept feeding it, AIG, Goldmine Sachs who cooked the toxic stew of mortgages concoctions, sold them and then shorted them, regulatory failures, repeal of the Glass Steagall Act, Wall Street heads I win, tails you lose bonus schemes and so forth. They nearly killed the world economy, not just the mortgage industry.
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Will Apseposted 14 years ago
Too many people in the US are too scared on a personal and social level. Change is the scariest thing of all.

It's not that surprising- the US is a high stakes country. Fail, get sick or upset your employer and you are heading for a kind of Hell on Earth.
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marinealways24posted 14 years ago
I would like to see anyone prove wrong that greed hasn't made America at one time the most powerful country in the world.

Obama philosophy to be humble and not be greedy.

So is Obama for or against economic growth?
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ralwusposted 14 years ago
I don't know what is wrong. They've been fixing things for many years and years though. Still working on her too. Is that maybe the problem? Too many fixers?
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  marinealways24posted 14 years agoin reply to this
  Or just not honest fixers. lol
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ralwusposted 14 years ago
Maybe that as well. LOL
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marinealways24posted 14 years ago
We are also "greedy" with our freedom. We want more freedom than is needed to survive. There is nothing wrong with this. This is human right.
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Ralph Deedsposted 14 years ago
What's wrong with America? Too many people like this whack job.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XflE0RMiIiA
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  Jeffrey Nealposted 14 years agoin reply to this
  Agree with you totally, Ralph! Chris Matthews is a MAJOR whackjob who needs to keep his thrills to himself.
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  Harvey Stelmanposted 14 years agoin reply to this
  Ralph,
  
  Chris needs to know about who and when the income tax was started. I give Chris an A for yelling and interrupting.
  
  The guy with the gun did not break any laws.
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  Ralph Deedsposted 14 years agoin reply to this
  The income tax started in the Han dynasty in China in the year 23 and in the U.S. in 1861 according to Wikipedia;
  
  Han Dynasty (China)
  
  In the year 10, Emperor Wang Mang of China instituted an unprecedented tax -- the income tax -- at the rate of 10 percent of profits, for professionals and skilled labor. (Previously, all Chinese taxes were either head tax or property tax.) He was overthrown 13 years later in 23 CE and earlier laissez faire policies was restored during the Later Han.
  [edit] Kingdom of Great Britain
  
  Another income tax was implemented in Britain by William Pitt the Younger in his budget of December 1798 to pay for weapons and equipment in preparation for the Napoleonic wars. Pitt's new graduated income tax began at a levy of 2d in the pound (0.8333%) on incomes over £60 and increased up to a maximum of 2s (£7.11 in 2007)(10%) on incomes of over £200.(£170,542.04 in 2007) Pitt hoped that the new income tax would raise £10 million (£8,527,100,000 in 2007) but actual receipts for 1799 totalled just over £6 million (see UK income tax history for more information).[3]
  [edit] United States
  Main article: Income tax in the United States
  
  The first United States income tax was imposed in July 1861, at 3% of all incomes over 800 dollars in order to help pay for the war effort in the American Civil War.[4][5] This tax was repealed and replaced by another income tax in 1862. [6]
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  Ron Montgomeryposted 14 years agoin reply to this
  
  Huh Huh..you said wang
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  Harvey Stelmanposted 14 years agoin reply to this
  Ralph,
  
  I think we're talking about.................Forget it!
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ledefensetechposted 14 years ago
There you go again, Ralph. If anything the markets were over-regulated and those regulators weren't doing their jobs. Or maybe they were. The SEC, Fed and Treasury are all filled with ex-bankers. Who do you think their loyalty lies with, their friends in the industry or the American people? The Second Great Depression is the result of one thing and one thing only, the massive increase in the amount of money sloshing around the economy.

Why else do you think Brenake and his ilk are floundering for answers. Nothing of what has happened fits the theories of Keynesian economics, so they have to try to make stuff up to explain it. That's how we get words like "jobless recovery". Interestingly enough this is not the first time this word has been used. It was also used in...wait for it....the 1930's to describe the effects of FDR's failed economic policies.

The only school of economics to see this coming and correctly diagnose the cause and effect of the Second Great Depression was the Austrian School of Economics. Interestingly enough Ludig von Mises himself was in charge of the economy of Austria in the 1920's. Unlike Germany, who kept printing money and suffered hyperinflation, Austria adopted many of Mises' suggestions and while the depression was harsh, they did avoid the total economic collapse that you saw in Germany. Food for thought, don't you think?

http://mises.org/daily/4016
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  Ralph Deedsposted 14 years agoin reply to this
  The Austrian school of economics was correct mainly on one thing--market systems are superior to over-regulated socialist economies. However, there has been a lot of water over the dam since the days of Carl Menger, Mises and company. National economies are much more complex and interdependent and in need of regulation. BTW Carl Menger's granson Karl Stephan Menger was a college classmate of mine. He graduated first in his class in electrical engineering, went to MIT in computer science and ended up getting a PhD in math from Harvard. He now lives near Boston. The issue is not whether modern market economies need regulation or not, but what regulation is necessary and effective. I'm pretty sure the majority of economists would say today that repealing the Glass-Steagall Act was a mistake. And if Menger and Mises were alive today they would agree. Your enshrinement of them is akin to the Creationists and Biblical literalist Evangelicals, and the people who won't accept that the Constitution must be interpreted in light of current conditions rather than conditions when it was written by the founders.
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  ledefensetechposted 14 years agoin reply to this
  It's not just the Austrian school, Ralph, the free market tradition goes back literally centuries. At least as far back as the School of Salamanca, who incidentally warned the Hapsburgs of Span of the dangers of clipping their gold coins in order to pay for their disastrous wars during the Wars of Religion in the 1600's. Prior to that we have the insane policies of Diocletian who may have been the first ruler to decree a centralized economy over such a large area. All he succeeded in doing was creating the foundations for serfs in the Middle Ages. So no, I don't just blindly follow the writings of Menger, Mises, et al because I believe them to be the Word, I follow their writings because their theories better explain why things have happened and continue to happen economically than any others. Should someone someday come up with a better explanation, then I'll accept their theories.
  
  In addition, Ralph, Mises wrote after the Industrial Revolution had come and established itself in Western nations. He knew what the causes and effects of adoption of industrial processes did, unlike someone like Marx, who wrote at the start of the Industrial Revolution. So if you're arguing about how outdated a person's theory is, well Marx lived long before Mises so wouldn't his theory be outdated from your way of looking at things?
  
  PS You went to school with the grandson of Menger. I guess there really is something to the theory of six degrees of separation.
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  Ralph Deedsposted 14 years agoin reply to this
  Yes, Marx's theory is outdated and wasn't much good to start with. I'm not a fan of Marx. Modern economic theory long ago superceded Mieses, Menger, et al. Try Paul Samuelson, Joe Stiglitz, Paul Krugman, Mankiw or just about any contemporary economist.
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  ledefensetechposted 14 years agoin reply to this
  I've read Krugman and am not a big fan. If anything he's only exacerbated the outdated economic theory of Keynes. I'm not too fond of Samuelson either.
  
  What it comes down to is what sort of universe do you believe we inhabit? Do you believe there are laws and rules that govern the cosmos, including those of human behavior, or do you believe that there are no laws or rules governing anything, that the only rules are the ones that we tell ourselves exist? I came to the study of economics through my study of history, so that may account for our different perspectives. Historically speaking, the Austrian School does a much better job than any other school at describing the decisions people make and how they are reflected in society at large via economic theory.
  
  PS I, too, would encourage you to read other contemporary economists like Doug French, Jeffrey Tucker, Walter Block and others. The Austrian School is not just one that idolizes and worships, as you would have it, Mises, Menger, et al. but a living breathing school of scholarship.
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  Ralph Deedsposted 14 years agoin reply to this
  Here's what Paul Volcker says about the need to regulate huge investment/commercial banks
  
  http://www.nytimes.com/2010/01/31/opini … er.html?hp
  
  The phrase “too big to fail” has entered into our everyday vocabulary. It carries the implication that really large, complex and highly interconnected financial institutions can count on public support at critical times. The sense of public outrage over seemingly unfair treatment is palpable. Beyond the emotion, the result is to provide those institutions with a competitive advantage in their financing, in their size and in their ability to take and absorb risks.
  
  As things stand, the consequence will be to enhance incentives to risk-taking and leverage, with the implication of an even more fragile financial system. We need to find more effective fail-safe arrangements.
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  ledefensetechposted 14 years agoin reply to this
  Oh Paul, not you too. He does have a point about the moral hazard of saving big banks, where he fails is that he assumes that regulation will eliminate the hazard. Again I ask, how do you keep members of the regulated industry from entering public service and taking over the regulatory agency responsible for overseeing them and issuing ruling favorable to the "big boys" in that industry?
  
  You are aware that Geithner gave sweetheart deals to Goldman because he used to work for them, right? You'll note that the Fed asked AIG not to release details on the payments, nor to inform the SEC. That is not big business malfeasance, but government malfeasance. AIG then was forced to give that money up to satisfy contractual obligations to Goldman, among others. Not a bad days work for a de facto lobbyist for Goldman. Geithner really did his job there didn't he?
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  Ralph Deedsposted 14 years agoin reply to this
  Ldt, please try to get your facts straight! Geither's entire career has been in the public sector. He never worked for Goldmine Sachs. However, your point is well taken because as head of the NY Fed, he was quite close to the people at the big banks, including Goldman Sachs. Two or three Treasury Secretaries were former Goldman CEOs--Paulson appointed by Bush and Rubin appointed by Clinton. Jamie Dimon CEO of Morgan Stanley was in Washington last week, had lunch with Obama and breakfast with Geithner, according to a front page article in the NYTimes. For all I know he may have had dinner with Bernanke. Dimon is carrying the water because he hasn't been involved in the controversies involving the pass through of billions of public money through AIG to Goldman and excessive bonuses.
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  Mishaposted 14 years agoin reply to this
  That you definitely got right Ralph
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  Ralph Deedsposted 14 years agoin reply to this
  Even a blind hog finds an acorn once in a while!
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  ledefensetechposted 14 years agoin reply to this
  Fine, he didn't work for Goldman mea culpa, but that doesn't necessarily derail my logic. How is it that a supposedly public sector enterprise, whose responsibility is to the American people, gives sweetheart deals to Goldman, using taxpayer money? How do you keep that sort of thing from happening? Can you do so when you have legislators and other politicians who have to run for office, thus giving those with power the ability to influence over them.
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  Ralph Deedsposted 14 years agoin reply to this
  I agree the deal stank to high heaven. How to fix it? Well fixing it will be harder thanks to the horrible U.S. Supreme Court decision allowing unlimited campaign ads paid by corporations and unions.
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  Harvey Stelmanposted 14 years agoin reply to this
  Ralph,
  
  As you can see, the voice of the people has changed greatly on this and other Forums. Just a few weeks ago you were in the majority, it is now the other way around.
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pct52posted 14 years ago
Off shoring led to permantent job loss

On shoring foreign skilled labor also led to permantent job loss

Both previous items led to loss of income tax revenue for States & Federal government, some foreign contract workers don't even pay with-holdings & taxes.

Central bank responds with lowering interest rate, creating the housing bubble, temporarily increase construction employment, but mostly employing cheap Mexican labor, not benefits to tax paying citizens and residents. Meanwhile, people are loading up on loans that they can't pay off because of no employment, betting on house prices will for-ever go up because they are real assets.

The key here is, there is no real growth of income, just growth of loans that require servicing with real income. Real estate prices rose on speculation, demand not generated by real growth. Jobs are limited, citizen income growth are limited. Since there is a finite amount of speculators around, the exhaustion phase of this predatory cycle materialized, when there are no more bigger fools around to take on more loans, to buy all those investment vehicles packaged with loans, the prices collapsed. The bubble started unwinding to its original form.

So the root cause should still be all that off-shoring, on-shoring of foreign workers, especially with not so competitive productivity for the capital expended.
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  Sab Ohposted 14 years agoin reply to this
  Is that a call for isolationism?
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  pct52posted 14 years agoin reply to this
  That has nothing to do with permanent income loss!
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  Sab Ohposted 14 years agoin reply to this
  So, what are you proposing?
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  pct52posted 14 years agoin reply to this
  That's just my explanation of what had happened. There are lots of solutions, when there is a will, there is a way!
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  Sab Ohposted 14 years agoin reply to this
  So, what solution would you personally advocate?
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  pct52posted 14 years agoin reply to this
  Start downsizing on-shoring & off-shoring, targeting ones that are done not for productivity purposes, but so that some bosses somewhere get kick backs secretly. Avoid scams from anywhere on earth, including our own neigborhood, the ones that are "Too good to be true", or Just plain rainbows with pots of gold at their ends. Dispatch corrupted officials in international organizations, including scientific ones, who earned secretly income from banks of different countries while doing not-so scientific work. The list is long, looking like fighting the anti-christ to regain the world for decent honest people.
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ocbillposted 14 years ago
too much greed; little care for even their family let alone their neighbors.
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Cagsilposted 14 years ago
The underlying problem in America:

(1) Corruption in Government by business.
(2) Lack of Knowledge Among Citizen for Obtaining America's Way of Life.
(3) Citizen Failure to Hold Congress Accountable.
(4) Law(s) Being Passed Stripping Citizens Rights.
(5) Self-Responsibility on Everyone's Part, including Business citizens and non-business citizens, not being properly looked after.

Those above are the common problem that directly need to change, in order to move forward as a cohesive community/society.

Every problem in America is classified in those 5 categories.
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prettydarkhorseposted 14 years ago
I think that there is nothing wrong with America, still they are one of the most joyful people on earth, some are always discontented but it is still a very nice place to live as they have "freedom" in a sense and there are still opportunities, and way of life is still one of the top ten in the world,
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  Cagsilposted 14 years agoin reply to this
  Yes, America is still a great place to live over other Countries of the world, however, saying there are no problems? Is insanity.
  
  Please PDH, I don't want to be rude or hurt your feelings, but as I've stated above, the underlying problems, you cannot tell me I am wrong, because it's the exact reason for the growing problems/issues of others, who are getting trampled on, in the midst of other people trying to create their own wealth and power, so they can force their own will via laws onto others.
  
  Too many problems/issues exist and cannot any longer be ignored.
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  prettydarkhorseposted 14 years agoin reply to this
  I am not insane LOL, but you know what, there are processes in society which you cant control and also capitalism et al, like the corporate businesses, -- what is the limit free capitalism without govt intervention??problems which had been there for like many years, after the cold war -- the terrorist?? budget for Americans, debt etc, Capitalism in America is facing lots of trouble but then it will iron itself, we cant just blame it in anybody it is a process...
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  Cagsilposted 14 years agoin reply to this
  It's obviously a process....that no one in America is willing to push forward in the right direction, for which, is the best interests of society. There are too many selfish people, not willing to help others.
  
  Not to mention, a bunch of other things.
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  prettydarkhorseposted 14 years agoin reply to this
  AMERICA cares in a LOT of ways too
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  Harvey Stelmanposted 14 years agoin reply to this
  Cag,
  
  We only care about ourselves? What country gives money and help for disasters like the USA? We are #1; as an immigrant if they are glad to be here. Why do so many want to come to the USA?
  
  Maybe trying another country would help you understand.
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  Cagsilposted 14 years agoin reply to this
  Not to bright. But, that's okay. No problem.
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  Obscurely Diverseposted 14 years agoin reply to this
  I don't mean to change the subject, but your new pic (with the cap on) looks really good. It sort of makes you look more spunky, vivacious, sprightly and lively of some sorts, Maita. Now, don't go change your pic, now that I complimented it, ha-ha!
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  Obscurely Diverseposted 14 years agoin reply to this
  I meant to specify: My compliment was directed at 'prettydarkhorse'...
  
  Okay-okay, now I'll go back to the serious mode an re-absorb myself into what is really wrong with America. Personally, I don't think there is any one particular answer for this query. Many people may need to ask, what is wrong with their own self, first...then start questioning others......
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  Ralph Deedsposted 14 years agoin reply to this
  Wars are dragging on in Iraq and Afghanistan with no end in sight; taxes are way too high and so is the national debt; public schools are deplorable; Medicare is going broke; 40 million have no health care insurance; we've lost the "war on drugs;" roads are full of potholes; bridges are unsafe; China is leading the U.S. in high speed rail transportation and solar and wind power equipment production; employment discrimination is still common; the law is unfair to gays and lesbians; we have given our textile, clothing and heavy manufacturing industries to China as a result of our blind dedication to so called free trade; our military budget keeps going up as if the cold war were still on (now replaced by the "war on terrorism, Islamo-facism"); Wall Street banks, health insurers, pharmaceutical, coal, oil and electric power companies dominate both political parties and the Congress; we are feeding terrorism by allowing our country to be perceived as siding with Israel in its atrocities against the Palestinians; the Supreme Court is controlled by right wing legal activists; the Constitution puts Senators who represent more cows and prairie dogs than people in control of the Senate, producing gridlock which was surely not contemplated when the document was adopted; and the Tea Party is spreading discontent and ignorance throughout the land. Aside from those little problems the country is doing just fine.
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  60
  Obscurely Diverseposted 14 years agoin reply to this
  Hey Ralph, you did totally excellent in this reply. This is exactly what I meant when I said "Personally, I don't think there is any one particular answer for this query."
  You had to provide multiple answers & problems just to even break wind on what is really wrong with America.
  That's my point.
  It's also another reason why I find myself getting angry when thinkign about it, so I try to think about things I enjoy, instead. I hate politics, for example.
  Anyway, your reply was perfect for my point being made, thanks.
  P.S. It was also pleasingly elaborate, even though the truth doesn't always produce a warm fuzzy feeling, either.
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  68
  Ralph Deedsposted 14 years agoin reply to this
  Thanks.
  
  Addendum: 12 million undocumented immigrants live in fear of being deported.
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  57
  Sab Ohposted 14 years agoin reply to this
  They shouldn't have come here illegally, then they wouldn't have that fear.
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  68
  Ralph Deedsposted 14 years agoin reply to this
  Well, what's your solution?
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  57
  Sab Ohposted 14 years agoin reply to this
  Let's see:
  
  -Put the screws to the governments of the biggest sources of these illegal aliens
  
  -Convict the crap out of those who hire illegals here
  
  -Beef up border security
  
  -Be more serious about identifying and deporting the ones we know are here (along with a bill to their country of origin for our trouble for each one)
  
  -Make the process of coming here legally for those we want to admit quicker/easier/more sane
  
  and probably a bunch of other stuff I'm not thinking of
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  68
  Ralph Deedsposted 14 years agoin reply to this
  Deporting 12 million people back to Mexico with no chance to attain legal status or citizenship isn't realistic, aside from the fact that families would be torn apart up and employers would lose needed workers.
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  0
  A Texanposted 14 years agoin reply to this
  You mean a US citizen may be able to find a job?
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  68
  Ralph Deedsposted 14 years agoin reply to this
  Responsible people in both parties support a comprehensive plan to deal with immigration issues.
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  Ralph Deedsposted 14 years agoin reply to this
  Responsible people in both parties support a comprehensive plan to deal with immigration issues. I hear there's an opening in Sheriff Joe Arpaio's office. You'd fit right in.
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  A Texanposted 14 years agoin reply to this
  Nahhhhhhhhhh, my days of enforcing laws are over, but thanks for the tip Ralph!
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  lyricsingrayposted 14 years agoin reply to this
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  A Texanposted 14 years agoin reply to this
  They could always turn there selves in to the nearest immigration office and the fear will be gone!
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  68
  Ralph Deedsposted 14 years agoin reply to this
  Get real, Tex.
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  A Texanposted 14 years agoin reply to this
  Whats unreal about that? They have entered a Country illegally and if they live in fear of being deported they should turn themselves in!
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