Author Topic: Where the left will take this country, ...  (Read 4454 times)

Offline North Pack

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Where the left will take this country, ...
« on: April 11, 2010, 11:33:47 PM »
England is about a generation ahead of us on the road to socialism, ... it's the road that the lefties unbelievably somehow find attractive. God help us, ...
.
Once Upon a Mattress
By Joe Herring

The American Thinker
April 09, 2010


In an unalloyed example of bureaucratic overkill, the Metropolitan Town Council of Bolton, England decided that a mattress dumped in a roadside ditch in the village of Little Lever would prove too daunting for mere mortals to remove. Locals had noticed the mattress lying on the side of a ditch and promptly reported it to the local waste authority. Rather than a couple of denim-clad, blue-collar types showing up to turn this mattress into a memory for the good citizens of Little Lever, a man in a business suit appeared instead and stalked around the mattress, busily jotting his impressions on some arcane government form affixed to his very official-looking clipboard.

This man was performing a "risk assessment" regarding the potential danger to life and limb should a team of men attempt to face this pillow-topped foe without the aid of heavy, mechanized equipment. A report about this mattress was duly filed with the man's superiors, who, in the interest of health and safety (concepts the British government only seems to care about outside of their hospitals), decided that there was not one man among them able to safely rid Little Lever of this nuisance. No, the job must be done by machine.

The feat of engineering (otherwise known as picking up the mattress) was scheduled for a week later, to coincide with the availability of the necessary heavy equipment, the news of which prompted the last two remaining real men in England to spring into action. The men, one pushing fifty and the other in his sixties, managed to bring the mattress to justice in a scant four minutes, although the elder of the two admitted that it "was a bit heavy."

Great Britain is about twenty-odd years ahead of our country in the race to socialist oblivion. The instances of incompetence, nanny-ism, and inexcusable fecklessness by those charged with the administration of government in England provide a useful glimpse into our own future. During the 1970's, the thuggish power of the trade union movement caused terrible economic convulsions in the once-impressive British system. The nationalization of virtually all major industry in the immediate post-WWII era enabled the trade unions to position themselves as the sole voice on behalf of the working class, pitted against the government in the role of Management.

The resulting gold-plated labor contracts across all of British industry led to a predictable collapse of competitiveness globally and a growing hunger for government to guarantee that workers would not see their standard of living fall, even though the industries they bankrupted had nothing left to give. The eventual return to private ownership of industry was hobbled by the State's insistence on maintaining operational control. This had the same disastrous results, but it forced the private sector to shoulder the losses brought on by government mismanagement. The mirror image of this can be seen in our own country with the TARP debacle, with the losses laid at the feet of the public sector and the profits privatized.

As the British economy crumbled, government was the only entity large enough to bridge the gap between the fantasy sold to the workers and the reality of the economy they had devastated with their insupportable collective demands. Government grew exponentially in England in the seventies in a stumbling attempt to keep up, building on the foundation laid by the misguided economic theories of John Maynard Keynes. This is the same Keynesian theory employed by the Obama administration as they boldly lead us down the same garden path.

The overbearing intrusiveness of government in the daily lives of British citizens is astonishing to those of us raised with an individualist spirit and a healthy respect for personal property rights. In parts of Great Britain, Town Councils have set up "energy monitoring" programs involving government planes equipped with infrared scanners flying over neighborhoods to record the heat signatures of homes. This is a very costly endeavor to determine who is wasting energy through poor insulation or leaky windows. Of course, it is still the homeowner who pays for his own utility use, but that doesn't stop the town council from forcing him to spend thousands on retrofits to gain greater efficiency or risk running afoul of the Planning and Compulsory Purchase Act of 2004, which allows the Council Authority to force the sale of the property to the council in the service of public environmental interests.

In other parts of England, homeowners are wrestling with a flood of homeless immigrants living in the homeowners' backyards. These homeless are taking up residence in people's coal sheds and storage buildings, and they are even building tree houses for themselves. The squatters use the yards as toilets, and heavy drinking and drug use among them leaves detritus of used needles and assorted trash. Homeowners have appealed to the police for assistance only to be told that it is a civil, not a criminal matter. Turning then to their local town councils, they are hearing that it is difficult to deal with the influx of immigrants under current budgetary constraints and reportedly have been told that they, the homeowners, should help the squatters access needed government services. Clearly private property rights are not top-of-mind for the average government staffer in Great Britain.

We've seen this movie before, and the plot has no twists. Like a spinoff from a once-popular sitcom, the actions of this administration are formulaic and wooden. The ending is pre-ordained. Our president and his allies in Congress are engaging in the same lunacy, akin to tossing the American people out of airplanes in the hope that eventually, one of us will learn how to fly before we hit the ground. There are few certainties in this life; however, the inevitable tendency of government to draw to it powers never intended for its use is axiomatic, regardless of culture, era, or location.

The uniquely American spirit of "rugged individualism" that winds through our nation's history is devolving into a relic of a wiser time. Having spent the better part of three centuries as the innovation benchmark for the rest of the planet, America is finally succumbing to the bed-wetting pillow-biters' vision of the Promised Land. We are becoming Europe, and the mattresses have begun piling up. It is past time for the people to reject the perverse "mothering" of the state and look to themselves and each other to deal with the problems in our own towns and lives. It is important to remember the words of Benjamin Franklin when tempted to make the same mistake twice:

"I should have no objection to go over the same life from its beginning to the end: requesting only the advantage authors have, of correcting in a second edition the faults of the first."

It would be prudent to consider Great Britain as the first edition of the book of liberty. May we be the wiser for having read that book before writing the final chapters of our own

Offline Gene_SC

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Re: Where the left will take this country, ...
« Reply #1 on: April 11, 2010, 11:55:00 PM »
And I see in the future that the US and many other countries will join as one to make one big government.  One big socialized government.
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Offline caplock

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RE: Where the left will take this country, ...
« Reply #2 on: April 12, 2010, 12:19:56 AM »
Ohh lord 'rugged individualism'???
Blimey I've just spat my tea all over the screen
Maybe in Joe Herring's  grandfathers day.

Don't get too rugged or individual or some one will sue your ass for infringement of their wot nots and also that of their cats.
Do rugged individuals slap no win no fee, ambulance chasing antics on each other. '
'I'm gonna sue ya cos I burnt my mouth on your clearly labelled HOT coffee' or ' Im sueing because I thought cruise control meant I could leave the controls of my RV and pop out the back' are unique examples of exports that people seem to have grasped onto the world over.
Screw you I'm gonna make a buck.
Sorry sir I can't even attempt to assist in your sidewalk coronary episode, you might sue me.
Real individual attitude

Can't stand the left the right or the middle.

All I want is values and respect. To give and recieve.

Offline TCups

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RE: Where the left will take this country, ...
« Reply #3 on: April 12, 2010, 03:24:52 AM »
Yes, and thanks so much for many of the legal traditions and principles we yanks have inherited from the English common law.  It may not be rugged, but at least most of our counselors have adopted blow dried hair styles over the barrister's powdered wigs.  So much for conservatism.  But if you don't like the left, right or middle, what remains?  Pardon the "rugged individualism" cliche.  But there are those of us 'cross the pond that still believe in individual rights and responsibilities and the merit of the principles of our original Constitution and Bill of Rights.  Not all of us have sold out to socialism yet.  Maybe there is still a chance we won't go the way of the sun setting on the British Empire -- or not.

Offline caplock

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RE: Where the left will take this country, ...
« Reply #4 on: April 12, 2010, 03:46:57 AM »
But T there lies the rub. Granted it's a cliché 'RI' but it's no more a nod to nostalgia.
Why a risk assessor in the original post?, so that two tarts that besmear the good badge of 'denim clad workmen' don't wrench a muscle and sue their employer. The worlds gone mad
Sun set here a long time ago, and  I'm not being antagonistic, but what of America?
What influence doe's it really wield in this post cold war world today?
Voice of America?, speak up!

Offline daveshoot

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RE: Where the left will take this country, ...
« Reply #5 on: April 12, 2010, 03:50:43 AM »


Just look at Kalifornia if you want examples closer to home. The state has spent itself into near-bankruptcy, but can't say no to a single program.



Our "republican" governator became a leftie to be seen as conciliatory. Now he is just another one of "them". They still won't work with him or each other.



They chase business out of the state and wonder why the tax base has shrunk- oh, easy answer, just raise taxes on the remainder. That should fix it. Every interest group (teachers, unions, civil employees, minority activists, and on and on) can find some heart-rending reason why their bennies can't be cut, so we'll just not say "no" to oblivion. We are going to let the prisoners out early to save some money, there's a bold step that shouldn't cost anyone their right to a state guarantee to a happy life.



And we'll continue to focus on the things that matter, like gun control, gay marriage,state meddling in the teaching curriculum, anti-smoking ordinances, and fast food. Between that and a slavish devotion to illegal immigration we expect the books to balance in... oh, what does it matter when our causes are so GOOD? If Obama bailed out GM, he'll take care of us, too. Thanks all in advance for your cash!

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Offline caplock

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RE: Where the left will take this country, ...
« Reply #6 on: April 12, 2010, 04:01:10 AM »
Just read your reply Dave and save the name Kalifornia it sounds like the U.K!
Enough's enough. Hopefully the upcoming election here will be a time to change things.
OR it could be a chance to vote in the exact same money grabbing two faced lying pr 1 cks that sit on the other side of the house claiming to be the saviours

Offline TCups

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RE: Where the left will take this country, ...
« Reply #7 on: April 12, 2010, 04:02:34 AM »
Speak up, yes indeed!  I think our voice will be heard come this November.  Please just don't make the mistake that the "voice" of America you hear on the BBC or the mainstream news media is the same as the voice of what is probably a narrow majority of like-minded, conservative right-of-center Americans who are far from resolved that what Mr. Obama has wrought will be the new, "Transformed America".  That little [insert your own pejorative] is on his way out as are a majority of the left-wing, liberal Democrat accomplices in our Congress.  The later will begin to answer in a few months.  BO must wait until a bit later.

Like the UK, there are those who still have some sense of what was and can be if the government will just get out of the way.  We "RI" types pray it ain't too late.  At least for now, we can still buy our own insurance policies and firearms here in the states.

Offline TCups

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RE: Where the left will take this country, ...
« Reply #8 on: April 12, 2010, 04:06:50 AM »
'tis one thing to be a crooked politician lining his or her pockets at the public taxpayer's expense. 'tis quite another to sell the whole country down the dumper for history's failed policies of tyranny and socialism.  The Republicans may not be our "savior" but as yet, they are not the equal of the likes of Obama, Pelosi, Reid, Frank, and the elected majority that is running roughshod over our government and citizens.

Offline daveshoot

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RE: Where the left will take this country, ...
« Reply #9 on: April 12, 2010, 10:00:08 AM »


I'll agree that by and large the Repubs are not as bad. Unfortunately, it's about the best I can say... sometimes it seems like they are heading in the same direction, just at different speeds. They sure haven't produced much in the way of leadership, lately.



The last Bush administration did great harm to the conservative cause, IMO. Actually, ALL the Bush administrations did. No one has been able (or cared)to sell free enterprise and individualism as positives, since Ronald bygawd Reagan left us. Newt totally dropped the ball when it was ours to carry. Sarah has shot herself in both feet.



There has been far too much incestuous across-the-aisle "bipartisanship" and not enough visionary packaging of the position. IMO.



I think we need some new, presentable outsiders. I thought Condoleeza might be a neat two-fer package but she is too academic, and a foreign policy geek. Maybe Tommy should run!

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Offline geiger

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Re: Where the left will take this country, ...
« Reply #10 on: April 12, 2010, 11:17:35 AM »
So you're inclined for a new option? that's good, finally

@TCups

Amongst other things I'm:

pro gun
anti-immigration
pro choice
pro free market
anti monopolies
for religious freedom
for separation of church and state
anti multiculturalist
...

Obviously i'm not either extreme left nor right...i'm pro common practical logic.
Guns->self defense/fun
immigration->economy destabilizing
pro choice-> it's none of our business
free market->freedom to succssed
monopolies->the major enemy of the free market
religion-> everybody should believe in what they want
separation of church and state-> we're in the 21st century thank you, the dark ages weren't that fun  
multicultural culture->that's like throwing a wolf into a sheep enclosure and expecting to be friends  

It's really not that black and white as you think. Why can't you understand that?

Analogy: Does anyone here shoot public signs? I don't because i've partially paid for them and they help people. I don't destroy "government's" propriety out of common courtesy and sense even though i might not like who the leader is. Should there be a law against shooting signs? Yes undoubtedly, is that regulating my freedom...in a sense yes, but that is just part of living in a society.
This simple analogy can be drawn to most subjects (economy,...), we just can't let some misbehaved people run amuck and destroy everything.

In short, stop referring to me as a leftie.

Offline TCups

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Re: Where the left will take this country, ...
« Reply #11 on: April 12, 2010, 02:16:35 PM »
back @ geiger

Guns->self defense/fun
Guns ->defense of self and defense of freedom/responsibility

immigration->economy destabilizing
legal immigration-> basis of American diversity and an influx of some of the smartest, hardest working Americans seeking freedom and opportunity

pro choice-> it's none of our business
pro choice-> it's not a choice, it's a life  Abortion should be safe, legal and rare, not a Constitutionally protected, tax payer supported human right

free market->freedom to succssed
free market->freedom to succeed (or fail), independent of government intervention -- freedom of opportunity, not equality of outcomes.

monopolies->the major enemy of the free market
ever-expansive, unconstrained government power->major enemy of the free market

religion-> everybody should believe in what they want
religion-> everyone should be free to believe what they believe and worship without fear of reprisal, but certainly not free to hide behind a specific set of religious beliefs as an empowerment or moral justification to act in illegal or immoral ways to the harm or detriment of others who believe differently.  Religious beliefs should constrain how an individual chooses to behave, not dictate how others must behave.  Organized religions should codify such a set of beliefs and bring like believers together, not seek to forcefully impose such beliefs on those who do not.

separation of church and state-> we're in the 21st century thank you, the dark ages weren't that fun
separation of church and state-> no single state sponsored religion

Our founders had a firm belief in God and the moral underpinning of human rights coming from God, not granted by government.  The original context of separation of Church and State is completely subverted when it is understood as the absence of godliness and morality from government.  The separation of Church and State means no State-sponsored religion, not banning Christmas nativity scenes, the 10 Commandments, In God We Trust, and public prayer.  The 21st century risks, perhaps more than ever, lapsing into a lost generation of godless moral relativism and all the social ills that follow.  Some might define our current state of affairs as a very dark age, indeed.

multicultural culture->that's like throwing a wolf into a sheep enclosure and expecting to be friends
multicultural culture-> multiple cultures are fine, as long as the primary culture of Americans is American -- "and to the Republic for which it stands, one nation, under God, with liberty and justice for all."

And finally, every moral person must have a moral compass -- right/wrong, good/evil, yes I will/no I won't.  That's why in the Judeo-Christian tradition, there were 10 Commandments, not 10 Suggested General Principles.

Offline geiger

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Re: Where the left will take this country, ...
« Reply #12 on: April 14, 2010, 12:13:51 AM »


well if you wanted to go philosophical about it


guns->pretty much what you've said, however i wouldn't mind some limited control as in background checks and limits to military equipment (you don't need an m249 for home defense)

immigration->of course i wouldn't ban it altogether, i'd just limit it so only skilled workers could get in and people with education

pro choice->at the stage abortions are performed the fetus has the mental capacity of a chick or even less, it's not really a "life" as some want to put it. However i do agree that the operation should be partially if not entirely self paid. With proper parenting and school education, abortions are very rare in the first place. Using contraception is the only good alternative. I'm pretty sure teenagers who use abortions are irresponsible to begin with and their parents too. I would however subsidies contraception to a certain degree, even if i might not like paying for it. I'm a firm believer that overpopulation is the root of most of our problems, so i'm just choosing the lesser of two evils.

free market->what you've said. But i'm also an environmentalist (a rational one) so therefore i would want regulations on pollution. The free market has totally failed in this regard time and time again.

monopolies->mega government, mega corporation...it's in the same ball park. Anti trust laws are a must. Price fixing and all that is just degrading the concept of free market.

religion-> fair enough

separation of religion->agree, but i think that's not what happening right now in the US

Lambert (2003) has examined the religious affiliations and beliefs of  the Founders. Some of the 1787 delegates had no affiliation. The others  were Protestants except for three Roman Catholics: C. Carroll, D.  Carroll, and Fitzsimons. Among the Protestant delegates to the  Constitutional Convention, 28 were Church of England (Episcopalian, after the Revolutionary WarPresbyterians, seven were Congregationalists, two were Lutherans,  two were Dutch Reformed, and two were Methodists,  the total number being 49. Some of the more prominent Founding Fathers  were anti-clerical or vocal about their  opposition to organized religion, such as Thomas Jefferson[12][13]  (who created the "Jefferson Bible"), and Benjamin Franklin[14].  However, other notable founders, such as Patrick Henry, were strong  proponents of traditional religion. Several of the Founding Fathers  considered themselves to be deists or held beliefs very similar to those of  deists.[15]
was  won), eight were



http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Founding_Fathers_of_the_United_States





It's not as clear cut as you like to think. Some were religious some weren't, some believe in one god some in other.





In the United States, the motto first appeared on a coin in 1864 during  strong Christian sentiment emerging during the Civil War, but In God  We Trust did not become the official U.S. national motto until after  the passage of an Act of Congress in 1956.[2][3]  It is codified as federal law in the United States Code at 36 U.S.C.§302, which provides: '"In God we trust" is  the national motto'.



http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/In_God_We_Trust





Again, it was not here since the very beginning. And besides some people are polytheists, that's kinda discriminating towards them. Same for "so help me god"





It is uncertain how many Presidents used a Bible or added the words "So  help me God" at the end of the oath, or in their acceptance of the oath,  as neither is required by law; unlike many other federal oaths which do  include the phrase "So help me God."[29]  There is currently debate as to whether or not George Washington, the first president, added the phrase  to his acceptance of the oath. All contemporary sources fail to mention  Washington as adding a religious codicil to his acceptance.[30]



http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Oath_of_office_of_the_President_of_the_United_States





One thing is clear, the USA was a heaven for unaccepted religions and therefore i don't see why the christian god should have a primary.





Morality isn't native only to religion, atheist have morals (the enlightenment). We could easily argue about that, but i don't think it's the right place for this.





multiculturalism->of course as long as a major culture has the seat, but that all depends on who is sitting next to you.





As i've said...you don't have to be religious to have a (good) moral compass.




Offline geewhiz380

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Re: Where the left will take this country, ...
« Reply #13 on: April 14, 2010, 02:09:45 AM »
As i always say God Bless us All .we r always attacking the problems but never giving the solution a chance .My name is j.lopez from nys and was physically there 1hr after the twin brothers fell cause i use to work for parks department and my job was to get the elderly and animals out of the area where they lived and it was very sad from where i live at i saw it happened ,then the phone rings that i had to respond to work on my r.d.o .It was clear to me that we were at war,now i suffer aniexty attacks and im on medication .im still in shock and very angry toward my government but i hear problems ,problems ,and more problems ,when do we have a solution ,uh we need not to debate on what is takin place but find ways of makin it better or r we the people are gonna stand and let them do what they want cause if thats so why speak on it .Please do not get angry with me im not the cause ,i can assure u that i will die for my country ,people ,family,and for those that stand for what i believe in which is to live free .We need this not for us but for our children ,grandchildren ,and great grandchildren cause they have to be taught the truth not what they teach them what they learn in school now in days ,all we need is to stick together not against and find a solution and speak up ,we are the majority ,no matter skin ,color ,or the religion you choose its us .....God Bless Us From My Heart To Yours ...jorge

Offline MartinDWhite

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Re: Where the left will take this country, ...
« Reply #14 on: April 14, 2010, 05:59:16 AM »
Quote
geiger - 4/14/2010  8:13 AM



well if you wanted to go philosophical about it


guns->pretty much what you've said, however i wouldn't mind some limited control as in background checks and limits to military equipment (you don't need an m249 for home defense)



I really only depends on what you want to be able to defend your home from.....seriously what gives you the right to limit what I want to own as long I don't use it to limit your rights?


   Martin D. White