Saturday, March 17, 2012

America: Beyond "Awkward"

The United States is past the awkward stage; it's too late to improve matters by shooting the bastards and voting is how we got there.

12 comments:

Kevin said...

Roberta, I've been saying that it's too late to shoot the bastards for quite a while. Nice to see that others have concluded the same.

So why is it that we're in this handbasket again? And where are we going?

rickn8or said...

'So why is it that we're in this handbasket again? And where are we going"

Never mind that! We're making really good time!

SordidPanda said...

The awkward pimply faced neo-communist government has fully blossomed into a full on tyrant. After reflection I have come to realize it is too late to fix the current system, but like "junkyard wars" we can take parts of the old one to build a new system.

Guffaw in AZ said...

Those are pretty much our choices.
SO, what WOULD you offer as a solution?

sign me,
wondering

Anonymous said...

"When all else fails, read the directions." Y'all don't think there's any hope of re-educating the population into supporting a Constitionally limited Republic? Admittedly, the pubic schools have done their best to homoginize constitutional education into junk... JohninMd.(help)

Earl said...

Are you prepared for the collapse of common sense and common good? Those that are in charge, can't stop the stupidity - since they caused most of it.

Don't worry, you will do fine.

Stranger said...

We got to where we were by shooting a few of the, ahem, by-blows. To use a proper Victorian term.

At the moment less than 17 out of 100 support the fast track to tyranny we are on, and a great many of those have never had to earn a meal in their lives.

While I cannot say what day real life will set in, we will not have to trouble ourselves shooting El Bastardos, their former supporters will do it for us.

As for our broken system, there's nothing a healthy admixture of Heinlein would not cure. Particularly the "serve to vote."

Stranger

Roberta X said...

It is interesting to note that some (but not all!) of the earlier limits to the franchise were intended to have effects similar to the Heinlein notion of public service* as a requirement to voting. Ownership of real estate, for example, is an indicator of having some stake in the community and the future.

--I am not sure that any of them would be a sure cure.

It seems doubtful to me that Congress and the Presidency could be convinced to abide by the Constitution. Both entities are too accustomed to wielding far more power than that document grants them.

My personal hope is for a not-too-oppressive decadence of the Federal government -- and for advocates of liberty to continue to press for reforms like the changes in firearms laws in recent years.

I don't think the Republic can be fixed. We're tens of thousands of laws too late.
______________________
* RAH points out in ST that MOST of the voting pre-req jobs were not in the .mil; his critics tend to ignore that.

JFP said...

Property ownership doesn't really work, especially in our current tax system IMHO. Given property taxes, you don't really own your land in the USA and renters are usually paying the property tax throught their rent. It will just lead to rotten boroughs (and rubber buttons).

Income tax is the gov stealing your property before you even get to see it turned into currency for barter, thus everyone not working under the table is contributing to society regardless of owning land.

Anonymous said...

"My personal hope is for a not-too-oppressive decadence of the Federal government -- and for advocates of liberty to continue to press for reforms like the changes in firearms laws in recent years."

Nobody wants a Civil War II. What you describe seems like the least-bad outcome.

But the Post-Americans will not cease striving to make all of us Post-Americans. The outrages, large and small, will not cease. Those people don't think that way, there is always one more bit of good left to do to someone else, some trait of someone else they don't approve of, and can convince themselves is a social evil, to be done away with by the force of a mob, if they can't manage the force of law.

Occupy has already begun organizing and breaking up, with physical force, meetings of what they consider their opponents, Republican and TEA party both. Union cops in Wisconsin stood aside and smiled and allowed screaming Leftists to shut down the state Capitol. How much hope are you holding out for a "not-too-oppressive decadence"?

If it looks like I'm arguing in favor of shooting, I'm not. I'm pessimistic, and History is going to get all over us just like it does other countries.

Mike James

Anonymous said...

I fear y'all may be correct and we certainly seem to be in a post-constitutional society. Not quite R.A.H.'s "crazy years", but not far from it. But, screw-ball optimist that I am, I keep hoping a little "discreet action" might demonstrate to the powers-that-be the error of thier ways, ala John Ross's "Unintended Consequences". Pageing Mr. Bowman.... JohninMd(help)

The Freeholder said...

You need a "Like" button. :-)