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Did you two discuss which players in the American political establishment actually GAIN from the "dumbing down" of the American election process?
Oh yeah both of my sons are doing real well and the wife and I are retired comfortably at 60. The educated who understand the economy are the ones who gain.
Lets assume for a moment that we are, "screwed" as outlined in the OP and we in fact have some form of mercantile bourgeoisie or aristocracy,a plutocratic oligarchy, or something along these lines. What is the immediate manner of dealing or changing this situation? Most would agree that a comprehensive education would raise the citizenry's ability to engage in our political process, but this would take at least a generation. There could be some form of revolution, be it soft or hard, narrowly defined or broad, but this would require a state of condition in which people were willing to risk what they have, including their freedoms in order to attempt to obtain something greater. Thus why I don't think we are screwed just yet.
As bumpy and rocky as things are, folks are still fat and plump, and while economic times are getting tight, there is enough fat stored up to live through the next winter and then some. The point in which things are so bad that the risk of doing nothing is a greater detriment than the risk of doing something, then the people will act. I just don't see this happening as it is now, but that is not to say things will change in the next 12 months.
Much of the things people may claim were lost such as civil liberties, the integrity of the voting/election process, a sense of national unity, were not lost, they were traded. Traded for a green field of juicy big screens, yummy and decadent gas guzzlers, delicious hedge fund options and quick potential wealth.
The fruits of our labors are great things but they are not the only things.
I don't think we are screwed. We just have unrealistic expectations. Once we lower our expectations, we'll realize we really aren't all that screwed. We're much better off than our ancestors from 100 years ago. And we're much better off than the rest of the world.
CBS) This segment was originally broadcast on Feb. 18, 2007. It was updated on Aug. 3, 2007.
Try to imagine a peaceful and stable Iraq where business is booming and Americans are beloved. Now open your eyes because 60 Minutes is going to take you to a part of Iraq which fits that description: it's called Kurdistan.
Technically, it's inside Iraq but the Kurds who live there behave as if they already live in a separate state. As correspondent Bob Simon reports, they have their own prime minister, their own army, their own border patrol—even their own flag. And the overwhelming majority of Kurds will tell you they want nothing to do with Baghdad and the rest of Iraq.
And why would they after the brutal way Iraqis under Saddam treated them in the past? Why would they when they’re doing just fine on their own?
Last edited by E Roy Slade; 05-24-2008 at 01:26 PM..
Because Kurdistan is ok we are ok? Given time after Iraq and elsewhere McCain will eventually get to the United States and in time 20-30 years we to will be ok. Is tha what the post means?
Geeez from the direction this thread has gone it proves we are screwed.
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