Hi folks! (Jeff/ILC) I haven’t posted here for several months. Where have I been?
As a rule, I dislike negative people; I like problem-solvers and try to be one. But sometimes, even a problem-solver can get negative because problem-solving starts with acknowledging reality, and the reality may be very negative.
This is the situation I’m in, with regard to the United States of America. By my guess, Americans today fall into roughly four categories:
- 25% good people. (Constructive people who see clearly and value liberty.)
- 25% confused people. (Semi-good people who have been mis-educated with anti-freedom ideas. Some of these may live off the public trough, although they know they shouldn’t.)
- 25% parasites. (People who expect to live off the public trough, claiming it’s right and they deserve it.)
- 25% fascists. (People, usually leftists though not always, who actively want government to control more and more of everyone’s lives. Even speech, for example with speech codes.)
When I was a kid, things were not much better; but they may have been a little bit better. The proportions seemed to be more like 30, 30, 20, 20. So the balance was a little more in favor of the good people.
I believe that, by now in 2015, the balance has tipped against the nation’s remaining good people. As a result:
- We get “leader” after “leader” who is either pathetic and confused (Donald Trump, any of the Bushes), or pathetic and malevolent (Barack Obama, any of the Clintons or Kennedys).
- We get government officials that continually lie – for example, saying that unemployment is 5.1% when it is 11% or more – and a media that couldn’t care less, as long as Planned Parenthood or its other favorite causes will be funded.
- Add your own. (Libya? Syria? Talk about illegal wars! Given that ISIS and the disgusting, U.S.-backed “Syrian rebels” are much the same people, shouldn’t we be asking if ISIS may be an incredibly-stupid U.S. covert op?)
I gotta be honest: It’s depressing. As I survey this post-modern, corrupt, neo-socialist wreck of a nation that had once proudly taught the world about human freedom and productivity, I feel disgust and disappointment. I’ve been absent from the blog because I hit a point where I simply did not want to pay any attention to current events. And because I (still) feel uncomfortable writing at a blog with the word “patriot” in the title when, in Obama’s America, there is increasingly less that is worth defending.
I love and support the America that its Founders had intended: a beacon of liberty. I do not love or support (except by paying a ton of taxes, in cash) the America that we have in the year 2015: a deceit-filled, national-socialist travesty whose eventual crash (and/or takeover by China) can no longer be prevented.
That’s at the political level. On a personal level: I have to admit that it took me a couple decades to “get it” – that is, to understand real economics, psychology and morality and how they should interact to make a free society. It took me awhile, because I was mis-educated originally (was told a lot of the standard lies), and because my general desire to love people and give them credit made it hard to disbelieve the lies. It took me a long time; so why not be patient with the many people today who “don’t get it”?
Here’s why not. Yes, it took me a long time; but I did “get it”, because of my lifelong commitment to figuring out what’s real and what isn’t real, what works and what doesn’t work. I don’t see most people making even half of such an effort. I see a majority of people lying to themselves and others, spouting crap, not caring that they’re spouting crap, and treating their families like crap – as they indulge themselves with daily marijuana, coke, alcohol, iPorn, affairs/hookups, all-day gaming or other destruction. Which they rationalize.
Anyway…your thoughts?
There’s much to be said of a return to the “progressive Republicanism” of Teddy Roosevelt and the Square Deal; cleaner government, reining in the excesses of crony capitalism and monopolism, strong defense and the occasional when necessary engagement in world affairs. The days when most Americans didn’t feel the larcenous-reach if the Federal Government into their wallets, not the coercive-hand of government on their shoulder.
**le sigh**
Lifted right from The Fountainhead.
Not really. For one thing, Rand put the first category at 2%. I could go on Iggy, but you don’t care.
Ted – The problem is, the Progressive Republicans did a lot to set the last 100 years of Big Government in motion.
I am sure many of them had good intentions. But one of the things wrong with this country is that advocates of Big Government have been allowed to brand themselves as “progressive” “reformers”. (But we know they’re not; they’re actually reactionaries.)
I am unsophisticated in these matters. Here is my take on the current situation : we have lost the principle of “leaving well enough alone”. Politicians seek solutions to problems that don’t exist, to make it appear they are actually doing something. Teachers become bored with teaching the basics over and over, so they adopt new methods of teaching the basics. Families bought into the idea that both parents must work, thereby abdicating the responsibility of raising children to daycare facilities and schools. All of these things make it seem as if problems are so big that only an entity as big as the government can solve them. This has a snowball effect. We have given up our rights sliver by sliver, only to find most rights have been lost forever. The “system” is now self perpetuating.
I understand your frustration Jeff. I wrote this a long time ago. Still think it’s relevant.
And welcome back, I at least have missed you.
You don’t know Rand very well; each of your 25% descriptions paraphrase the four main characters of the novel. She wrote a now well-known synopsis and moral structure that guided the plot. Whatevs.
Thanks TL! “We are not perfect, but we’re a hell of a lot better than countries out there.” – Yeah….except, increasingly less so.
I think that’s the answer.
TnnsNe1 – “Politicians seek solutions to problems that don’t exist, to make it appear they are actually doing something.” – Exactly.
“Families bought into the idea that both parents must work, thereby abdicating the responsibility of raising children” – Yes….except that even families with a stay-at-home parent may be permissive with their kids, to the point where it becomes neglectful abuse. Example: my 17-year old, bright nephew being allowed to smoke pot in the home. Because his parents just can’t be bothered to set a good example or show him a better path.
We’ve long since established that I know her (writing and thought) better than you. The 2% number is one of her interview quotes. Also, none of the novel’s 4 characters (that had a part named after them) fits into my second category. (Neither Keating nor Wynand fits.)
For labels, I prefer ‘progressive’ to Libertarian in today’s political micro-ecology. While libertarian political-thought has much merit in today’s political climate, it’s “party” has become the home of the tinfoil-lined-hat conspiracy theorists, UFO cultists, demented gun-crazy preppers and suburban limousine-anarchists.
The irony is that FDR gets much of the blame by the Right for Big Government, but it was really Woodrow Wilson that started the process. Much of the coercive power of the Federal Government started during his Administration; federal taxes, the espionage act, de-facto nationalization of commerce and production, labor and price controls, immigration and border controls, etc… Before Wilson, the largest governmental agency — and the only one most Americans ever had any real contact-with in their daily lives — was the US Postal Service.
“Woodrow Wilson that started the process” – And, I hate to say, Herbert Hoover continued it along with Roosevelt. Hoover became a small-government conservative, **after** he left office and pondered what a mess he and Roosevelt had made of things. Kudos to him, for being able to ponder and change.
“As I survey this post-modern, corrupt, neo-socialist wreck of a nation that had once proudly taught the world about human freedom and productivity”
When was that again?
American Revolution and Constitution, providing inspiration for the good parts of the French Revolution, leading the Industrial Revolution and basically making the whole thing possible via free enterprise, raising wage & living standards as the world had never before seen, ending slavery, creating the world’s first majority-middle class and first “city of skyscrapers”, saving Europe from the Kaiser, saving the world from the overt-racist type of fascism (though unfortunately adopting the fascists’ economic planks), reaching the Moon, saving the world from the overt-totalitarian type of communism, the computer revolution, saving the Middle East / world from Saddam Hussein.
Things started going south about 100 years ago, as others have pointed out. Once people have built something great, it may take people quite awhile to bring it down; America still had some achievements, after it started to go bad.
Things started going south about 100 years ago, as others have pointed out.
I think you need to go back at least another 70 – 100 years, but lets start at Lincoln for simplicity sake:
Some have called Lincoln the first American Socialist. The Homestead Acts were among the first great American Give-away.
The Grant Colleges Act started the practice of the government funding colleges
Through the Pacific Railroad Act he issued 30 year bonds to finance the railroad companies
He created the first income tax
He set up the first National Park
The National Banking Act solifiied the Government as the backer of currency
He increased Tarriffs to restrict competition
Me thinks you do as many of you utopians do, you have made a false idol out of America’s past and fail to realize that your fantasies have always been fantasies and never existed.
[ILC says: An example of how mike argues. Of course I’m aware of Lincoln’s flaws and criticize him where he might deserve it. mike doesn’t care. He’s too busy with his straw men to ask me what I think of Lincoln.]
Wrong, mike.
Perhaps you ought to actually read what the conditions of the Homestead Acts were — emphasis mine:
The homestead was an area of public land in the West (usually 160 acres or 0.65 km2) granted to any US citizen willing to settle on and farm the land for at least five years. The law (and those following it) required a three-step procedure: file an application, improve the land, and file for deed of title. Anyone who had never taken up arms against the U.S. government (including freed slaves) and was at least 21 years old or the head of a household, could file an application to claim a federal land grant. The occupant had to reside on the land for five years, and show evidence of having made improvements.
In other words, it was NOT a giveaway — in order to get the land, you had to actually put your own time and equity into it and earn it.
Same with the Land Grant Acts. In this case, the government ceded lands to the states, not to individuals, with the goal that the states could sell the land and would use the proceeds to set up agriculture-focused universities. Again, NOT a giveaway — the states had to put their own time and equity into it and earn it.
But what do you do, mikey? You scream and piss and cry for your welfare and demand that the government take from those who work and give it to you. You don’t want to work. You have no intention of working. You want the land, you want the money, but you refuse to put any effort into it.
This is your perversion, mikey,. You are a pervert, a sick, deluded and immoral thief. You’re also a coward, as I pointed out, who supports abusing and raping women. That’s why you rewrite history and tell your lies — they’re all to enable your irresponsible, lazy shiftless lifestyle, the hallmark of liberalism.
Why do you think liberals like yourself are so lazy, mikey? Why do you think the government should steal from those who work and give it to lazy, uneducated liberals like yourself who post lies constantly?
Believe me, I understand. Part of me just wants to throw a match on the whole thing and dance naked around the bonfire.
The Freedom Caucus has proven themselves to be no different from other politicians. The Republicans have allowed an unrealistically positive view of corporate America to enslave them to that same party. The Democrats are either completely insane or pretend to be for “the little guy” to line their pockets. The conservative movement is disintegrating into those who are still loyal to a party who hates them, and those who drift further and further towards fascism out of disillusionment with a movement that has relied on the Supreme Court to hand them most of their political victories for the past twenty years. Europe is slowly overwhelmed by Muslims who want to institute Sharia, and thus extinguish the ideals that the modern West is built on.
I’m about this close to giving up on the whole fiasco. Anybody want to start a farm in the middle of nowhere or a commune in the mountains.
I want to marry Ignatius. Are you single?
CCP: You do that. (Or as the saying goes, “You go, girl!”)
SL:
The way I think of it is: America has achieved an effective merger of Business and State. Both major parties are, if in slightly different ways, captives of that merger by now.
You may or may not remember, from my past comments, that “America has achieved an effective merger of Business and State” is quite a negative/unhappy remark from me. Since it is the economic model of fascism, or of dictatorships in general; whereas I support Separation of Business and State.
@ ILC: Was that directed at me or CrayCray?
Just updated the comment to make it clear
Also, just thought, wouldn’t it be cool if CCP switched to CrayCrayCrayPatriot? Because then he’d be CCCP 🙂
Sean L:
COUNT. ME. IN.
Sean L., may I join you!?
I am buying land in one of the original 13 colonies with a subsistence farm and let the world go its way without me as a backup purpose, but I’m afraid my state is going to hell, and I’ll have to find that refuge land elsewhere.
Good to see you, ILC – it has been a while.
Do you suppose that for many (most?) people, actual liberty is too big a burden? I think people like the idea of freedom; it’s the work that bothers them.
Lot’s of people confuse license for liberty – they don’t want gov’t to be a buzz kill but they also want gov’t to take the wheel when they screw up. Let me smoke pot and if I smoke too much, give me an EBT card and subsidized housing (ditto for a lot of other vices).
Liberty requires prudence, self-restraint, recognition of one’s duty to self and others – kind of a drag. Dig it?
@5: your comment reminded me of a comment the mayor of a town I used to live in made… she said that city gov’t needed to work harder to heal the “racial divide”. This was a city that was utterly incapable of synching two traffic signals 200 feet apart or fixing a pothole in anything less than a couple of weeks. Apparently, gabfests to nowhere about race and the occasional trip to, say, Switzerland for some sort of conference is much more interesting than the minutia of traffic signals, potholes, and sanitary sewers.
How can you conflate the nation and the economy of Lincoln’s time with Obama’s economy and current culture? You can’t, unless you are isolationistlittlelettermike.
We are in the post industrial age in which the numbers manipulators come up with 5.3% unemployed but only by not counting the huge core of citizens who have dropped out of the workplace and taken refuge under the vast umbrella of entitlement programs.
ILC has retuned (welcome back — missed you) relating his concerns for America with mirror the concerns of more and more people who despair for the lost American primacy.
What are the chances that isolationistlittlelettermike is busting his hump keeping his small business open and earning?
“He’s too busy with his straw men to ask me what I think of Lincoln.”
No ILC.
You said your utopian fantasy of America ended 100 years ago. I merely showed you that well before that Leaders where governing pretty much the same way they do now. – Through governance.
“How can you conflate the nation and the economy of Lincoln’s time with Obama’s economy and current culture”
Helio – I wasn’t. I was merely pointing out that ILC libertarian utopian belief of what America was never really existed. Its his fantasy and nothing else.
Littlelettermike, must you filter everything through the failed lens of Cultural Marxism?
Not enough parasites. If you don’t count government employees only 1/3 of the population is positively contributing taxes.
Ouch. This will not end well. Particularly given the increasing evidence that the human male brain is not fully developed until around age 25 and therefore is subject to damage by numerous factors. I hope his parents plan to spend a significant part of their retirement babysitting him and providing for his basic welfare. If they are lucky, he won’t be too addled to reciprocate by assisting in their basic care.
One thing that frustrates me is that many people have undying loyalty to their political party, no matter how bad the party gets. No matter how much the Vikings lose, there’s a certain fan base that will support them no matter what. And no matter how bad the democrats get, certain people will support them forever.
KCR – I’d say yes, except……it wasn’t always that way, was it?
Bingo.
No mike, **you** have just said that. It’s what you wish I’d said. It’s how you wish I would be. In other words, you are still too occupied with your straw men to ask what I actually think, or to find out how I actually am. And go ahead. It’s noted.
The “confused” category partly, and the “fascist” category definitely, include additional parasites.
Thanks RSG. What makes it worse is, his older brother has already been through it with some very bad results. The parents’ passive attitude is inexplicable – except that they probably want to protect/indulge their own addictions, which are semi-normal in today’s world (or supported in a large swathe of society). I’ve expressed my concerns to them, but they have plenty of rationalizations.
Yeah, mns. The diehards being parasites, fascists and drug users (including frequent pot smokers).
Christians have a similar problem. We are instructed to love everybody, but something like 90% of the human race are jerks. It’s a big challenge.
“No mike, **you** have just said that. It’s what you wish I’d said.”
Aaaannnnd the backtracking begings.
You wrote:
“As I survey this post-modern, corrupt, neo-socialist wreck of a nation that had once proudly taught the world about human freedom and productivity, I feel disgust and disappointment.”
I asked you when that was and you wrote:
“Things started going south about 100 years ago, as others have pointed out.”
I showed you that your timeline is way off and your emotional attachment to a false past, clouds your judgment of today’s America. Unfortunately ILC, you like most utopian libertarians, have an idealized version of the past and fail to realize that what you pine for never ever ever ever existed. You have a false vision of what this country was, and that false vision makes you feel “disgust” for the nation you live in.
Here is a self help tip for you as seem depressed:
If you accept the past for what it actually was, you might change your dreary outlook of the present.
“Things started going south about 100 years ago, as others have pointed out.” -what ILC actually said.
“You said your utopian fantasy of America ended 100 years ago.” – Mike’s Lie
Now I don’t like to judge people based on their posts, but given that Mikey is confusing “Begin” with “End”…
Livewire – you are being your silly self I see….
The point being is that ILC’s fantasy of American History NEVER existed (which was quite clear from my post but you chose to snip and whine.
No. The point being that **mike’s fantasy** of so-called “ILC’s fantasy of American History” NEVER existed.
It’s not my fault, mike, if you are unable to grasp the concept of a nation being imperfect but a great innovation (a wonderful improvement on the past) despite its many ups and downs and flaws; then turning (at some point) into a nation which points downhill more steadily and sadly.
Not my fault. Your fault.
I am not in charge of making your brain work. You are.
I am not responsible for your false-extreme dichotomies (what psychologists call “splitting”). You are.
I never stated any kind of view that before 100 years ago, the U.S. was a “utopia”. You did.
(dictionary: an imagined place or state of things in which everything is perfect. I have never said that, about the U.S. at any phase of its history so far.)
You are determined to cast me in a certain role. You can keep trying. I mean, far be it from me to try to separate a man from his delusions. Except if he does it in front of me. Then I might have to correct it a little. My advice is, mike, keep engaging in your delusions but not in front of me. That way, you’ll have a better chance of keeping them.
Nope. What you showed me is, u luvs ur strawmen. I (the real individual) may as well not exist.
For the record: The U.S. has always had some flaws and, in its earlier history, slavery stands out. So does Lincoln’s “greenback” (which his successors rightly reversed), and Lincoln’s unconstitutional power grabs (which his successors sadly didn’t reverse enough). Fair-minded readers know that I never suggested otherwise (indeed, I brought up slavery at #13). Sadly, mike chooses not to be one.
V, great point. My problem (as posted) is nothing new.
Heliotrope – Bet your life that, if a Republican were President, “progressive activists” (so-called) would be bellyaching for critical reforms in the unemployment statistics to account for all those millions of workers who have dropped out. The media would be filled with tragic tales of discouraged workers whom the government has forgotten. And as well, under-employed workers (all those people who would like full-time work, but can only find part time). The President would be widely slagged as a MONSTER…..for having the exact, same economy as Obama right now.
How do we know? Because it happened to Bush (and his economy was actually better for the average worker, than Obama’s).
ILC
The problem is what you regret losing never existed (Even at thr inception of this nation) and thus your sense of loss is merely a fantasy.
Those goal posts come with wheels mikey? And you still owe Jeff an apology.
Freedom? The U.S. as a free country? That is what I regret losing; and if it had never existed mike, then in all likelihood, you wouldn’t even be alive today. In all likelihood, the world would be at a pre-industrial / subsistence level with population under one billion, and you would never have come to be.
A world without mikey? Dangit ILC stop listing positive results of totalitarianism?
heh 🙂
????
Those goal posts come with wheels mikey?
What goal posts are you referring to? I have been pretty clear from the get-go. ILC has a fantasied version of US history making him depressed and whiny about the present.
I have said that from the get-go