Losing America's republic?

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pitz96

New member
Thanks to B22 for posting this anti-war site in the democracy Poll thread; after listening to the link he gave, I found this one interviewing Chalmers Johnson, former CIA advisor and author of several books, the latest being "Nemesis:the last days of the American Republic". Former books included "Blowback" and "Sorrows of Empire". He makes a lot of interesting points about how America has become an unwieldy empire and is in real danger of loosing our republic and ignoring our Constitution.
http://www.antiwar.com/blog/2007/05/18/chalmers-johnson-2/

Is military overstretch, out-of-control debt, and loss of industrial base leading to a serious and virtually irreversible decline for America? Johnson seems to think so, and he sees little to choose from between Hillary and McCain or Romney as to stopping the slide. I'd be interested to know what TFL folks think about these arguments.
 
Doom and Gloom....

Ive lived through the the cold war, the cuban missle crisis, the military industrial crisis, aids, vietnam, the red brigades, the gas crisis, the japanese are buying america crisis and the general doom and gloom crisises derived therefrom, so excuse me if I cant get worked up all over again

WildistheweathernicewwhereyouareAlaska
 
I think we peaked about 10 years ago. Then we decided it would be swell to overextend our finances and our armed forces. Pretty much the things that brings down all empires eventually. Usually at the hands of greedy, messianic leaders.
 
...excuse me if I cant get worked up all over again
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***:rolleyes: One thing I've found about being on the wrong side of 50 is I don't worry all that seriously about the country going in a bad direction, even though IMO things don't look good for America's future. I figure by the time things get really bad, I'll be dead. But I still take an interest in what's going on in the world, even if I can't change it.
 
America is following the historical path to destruction that all republics have taken throughout the centuries.:(
 
Yes, things certainly do stay the same! And the US is eternal, TOO! Didn't y'all know? The US will still be here 50,000 years from now and all will be well and unchanged...just as long as we keep telling ourselves everything is ok and no matter what happens it can't really hurt us... :barf:

We've already lost the Republic. We lost it about the time we lost track of the fact there IS right and wrong and about the same time we started accepting the bizarre idea all views and positions have merit and deserve respect. What we're doing now is simply deciding whether we are giving up on ever getting it back or not.
 
Is military overstretch, out-of-control debt, and loss of industrial base leading to a serious and virtually irreversible decline for America?
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No, I think that the rapid and continuing downturn of the average American's IQ will be the cause of America's decline.

I blame television.
 
Well, within the next 25 years I think all of these things are going to happen or get really bad:

Peak Oil
Global Warming
The Dollar Losing it's Value

The way I see it, the USA and the world in general are heading for disaster even without the problems talked about in that podcast. Why bother trying to change? We're screwed anyway. :(

I blame television.
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Me too.
 
Depending on one's viewpoint, I like to think of myself as on the right side of 50, and just as LocoinAlaska, I too have seen the "End of the World is coming" sandwich boards worn by many counter culture folk on the streets of New York and San Fran since the late 50's...I think we will bounce right back up just fine, no matter how many blows we take from our "enemies", and how many mistakes we make as a nation...that's what seperates us from the rest of the world...the ability as a nation to stand up and say enough is enough...we will prevail...or what I used to say when I was a young warrior...follow me or GTF out of my way.
 
My favourite is when they have the likes of Buchanon on tv commenting how the evil mexicans are totally destroying america by corrupting its values and changing it away from the white dominance it had and therefore bring down the Republic from within..

They used to say the same thing about no good paddys that all they brought was crime and violence because they were the scum of the earth and couldn't be trusted not so long ago too. The same things come up pretty much every ten years or so but people tend to have short memories.
 
I don't have a short memory...I remember when Puerto Ricans were not granted security clearances in the military 'cause they "...no spicky english..." and therefore could not be trusted. When Black warrant officer candidates in flight school were so mistrusted by the civilian contract instructor's, that less than 10% of Blacks who went to flight school in the Army during the 60's and 70's actually got their wings...even less so for Hispanics of all flavors. Many Italians could not get on a police department in many large urban centers because they were thought of as "connected"...you know, La Cosa Nostra...the list goes on, and sadly, I see today's generation of "kids" more intolerant of other cultures and races, as well as having what I believe to be the most unacceptable level of secondary school education...we are dumbing our kids down before they are even of draft age...even more so when it comes to learning about cultural diversity...damn shame that we have to teach cultural diversity these days, but not surprising...heck, this new generation(s) spend upwards of 5 years to get an associates degree, 'cause the first 2 years are spent learning the 3 R's before they can start earning college credit.
 
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So how many of them "paddys" or 'ricans or "Black"s were sneaking in to the nation as illegal criminals from day one?

None?

Gee, then I think I see a difference here, much as some desperately try to ignore it.
 
It's already gone. I've seen too many time in my life where the government at all levels blatantly ignores the will of the people and turns around and does what it can to increase it's OWN power.

The government never truly has the good of the people in mind (though some politicians genuinely may)..it only uses that idea as a means to grant itself more power and authority at the expense of the people.
 
Gee, then I think I see a difference here, much as some desperately try to ignore it.
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You see the difference because you are ignoring the historical facts :)

WildanddontgivemethebsthatitsoverillegalityAlaska
 
I just HATE it when I have to agree with WildAK, but...

The country was gone doing the tubes, sold out to the military-industrial complex, when that guy Eisenhower was President. And then that Catholic guy Kennedy was elected and that just had to be the end.

Then in the '80s, we had peaking oil, the dollar was devaluing, and we were scared of... the coming ice age.

Excuse me if I am in no rush to call the game over.
 
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