US Politics Thread 2016-2020

[Onkel Neal]

Someone else should fend for the little people? Who is supposed to fend for them? Who fends for you? Who is going to fend for me?

[Oberon]

Well, traditionally isn't it every man for themselves over there?

[Catfish]

For himself..

[Rockstar]

we're no longer allowed to fend for ourselves. we own nothing, instead we find ourselves having to always owe someone else or organization, buy our food from a grocery store, pay taxes on a house and land we really dont own.

Id love to disconnect and fend for myself but its nearly impossible to do these days.

[Onkel Neal]

Originally Posted by Oberon

Well, traditionally isn't it every man for themselves over there?

I would hope so, at least as far as "men" go.

[Skybird]

People willing to accept the responsibility for themselves are the biggest threat to states and political establishments. Your dependency is their power. Your need is their alibi. Your helplessness is their claim for existence. First duty of every subordinate, servile state citizen: you must depend on the state.

Zum Kotzen. Ich bin sowas von fertig mit diesem Staat und dieser Gesellschaft.

Originally Posted by Skybird

Zum Kotzen. Ich bin sowas von fertig mit diesem Staat und dieser Gesellschaft.
[/I]

Auswandern?
Seriously, did you consider it?
I sure do, but that's something quite risky of course. Our country sure isn't running that great but... It could really be worse. As for the society, I agree, it's my biggest gripe too - but would it be that different in another western country? Can't make my mind up about that.

Canada's more secluded areas have become very tempting to me, in all honesty. Or Skandinavia - but the downfall started there as well so...ugh.

Mars One, maybe.

[Oberon]

Originally Posted by Onkel Neal

I would hope so, at least as far as "men" go.

Well, there you go then, no-one fends for the little people because no-one cares.

[Skybird]

Originally Posted by Nippelspanner

Auswandern?
Seriously, did you consider it?
I sure do, but that's something quite risky of course. Our country sure isn't running that great but... It could really be worse. As for the society, I agree, it's my biggest gripe too - but would it be that different in another western country? Can't make my mind up about that.

I now feel too old for that, also I have growing health issues. And I hold no profession that is in demand in places I would consider. According countries have no reason wanting to let me in, and I absolutely play by my own rules which I also demand from others: you have no right whatever to demand entrance where you are not wanted by the owners of that place.

30 years ago, there was sort of a chance, a choice that formed up as an option, but then fate plowed it under. So it goes.

---

I now have gotten a copy of that book that I linked - or whose author I linked - to some days ago, in context with that part of discussion about comparing Roman and EU history. Friday and Saturday I did nothing else, almost, than reading it. Brilliant analysis. Author is a German-Belgian professor for ancient Greek and Roman history, originally poublished in French (David Engels: Le Déclin. La Crise de l'Union européenne et la chute de la République romaine - analogies historienne) it already was a big surprise success on the French market and since two or three years has been reworked and rebublished by him in his mother tongue, German: Auf dem Weg ins Imperium. Die Krise der Europäischen Union und der Untergang der Römischen Republik: Historische Parallelen.

LINK French

LINK German

Very much recommended, the term "brilliant" is on my mind. 540 pages, 70 of which are appendices. His empirical data and his comparisons reveal stunning conclusions. The new German revision goes even beyond the French first edition from 2013.

[Onkel Neal]

Originally Posted by Oberon

Well, there you go then, no-one fends for the little people because no-one cares.

Sure, everyone cares. I care. But I don't agree that I am obligated to support others with my labor. It should be my choice. And if the little people want more, they can do the same as me; get a job and support themselves.

[August]

Originally Posted by Buddahaid

That's an ice wall? lol

We have the remains of one of those around here, or should I say the remains of the giant crack in the ice wall that let the giant state sized lake behind it spill out back during the end of the last ice age.

http://www.mass.gov/eea/agencies/dcr...servation.html

[Skybird]

Originally Posted by Onkel Neal

But I don't agree that I am obligated to support others with my labor. It should be my choice.

Hehe, twelve or fifteen years ago we had a little collision about right this, you saying what you just repeated, and me back then still being stupid enough to think the state should be responsible and that instead of voluntary charity people should be forced to pay mandatorily for it via taxes.

Boy, have I swung around in these years. Has been a long thought voyage for me, it seems.

You already were right back then, of course. Today I completely agree.

Funny that some people strictly disagreeing with me on things around here hardly can imagine or remember that once, long time ago, I may have sounded like them. But as they say: if you are no socialist when you are are twenty, you are heartless, and if you still are a socialist when you are thirty, then you are dumb.

“I swear, by my life and my love of it, that I will never live for the sake of another man, nor ask another man to live for mine.” - Atlas Shrugged

[vienna]

Originally Posted by Platapus

Sure, easy to do. Just don't pay or underpay on the contract and boom your wall is finished and the costs are less.

The little people can fend for themselves.

Originally Posted by Onkel Neal

Sure, everyone cares. I care. But I don't agree that I am obligated to support others with my labor. It should be my choice. And if the little people want more, they can do the same as me; get a job and support themselves.

I may be mistaken, but I do believe Platapus' post is in reference to Trump's long-standing, well-known, and thoroughly documented history of either not paying or underpaying contracted debts related to his businesses. The "little people" in those many, many cases were honest small companies and individuals who got shafted by Trump and suffered significant monetary losses affecting not only themselves, but, also, the "little people" employees of the companies and the "little people" families of those who were scammed. It appears not even gaining the Oval Office has changed the ways of Trump:

Donald Trump’s D.C. Hotel Was Just Hit with a $2 Million Lawsuit -

http://fortune.com/2017/01/25/donald...it-contractor/

But the US taxpayer shouldn't worry; Trump won't default on his big money federal projects; after all, it isn't his money, so why should he even care, it's "house money" and, if any of it goes pear-shaped or fails, the "little people" will foot his bill...



<O>

[ikalugin]

Well, look where this thread went.

By the way, did Trump say anything about offensive cyber weapons? Previous administration was known to develop, use and threaten with the use of offensive cyber weapons.

(there is a difference betwenn data collection via cyber means, something Russia has been accused of, network attacks and offensive cyber weapons - later cause direct physical dammage, for example destroying Iranian centrifuges)

[Oberon]

I think he's still looking for the cyber.


Meanwhile, prominent historian Richard J. Evans weighs in:

http://www.slate.com/articles/news_a...h_all_dt_fb_ru