1470: Breaking Bad

[Tech007]

Very good points Junk.

There are certainly many reasons to be afraid of the goons turning this into a prison-fest.

I, however, believe that protests do not have to go ultra-violent. I was heartened to see Marines going to 'keep the peace'. This is what it is all about.

Zeroing in on the violent ones quite often reveals agent-provocateurs.

Example: 20 minutes from where I live this happened. This one REALLY makes my blood boil. And all we got was an apology - no inquest, nothing. :-(

[Keith]

I promise not to go to any more wars. And I will stay strong AND stay home.

Done.

[The Girl]

Lesson learned! STAY INSIDE!

[PsychoLoco]

Originally Posted by Tech007

Ignore the left/right, red/blue, ignore the TV, newspapers, radio and do some looking around.

...

Control of the democratic process has been hijacked by corporate special interests. The plutocrats and oligarchs have seized control over the power structures, media, legal system, and institutions established to defend the American people.

...

The will of the people is ignored by our government, which proves each day to be little more than a defender of the interests of the corporate state and an unfunny political spectacle designed to distract, dishearten, and disinherit our people of their rights and their treasure.

You say don't look right/left, but then you follow up with 2 statements that are clearly left-wing, almost communist. Look up some quotes from Lenin and all you have to do is replace proletariat with American working class and bourgeoisie with corporations.

The sad truth is that in the video I posted above, all of those protesters chose to get out and protest during their free time about the level of debt they were in, rather than going and getting a job to pay off their debt. They chose to complain about some great injustice, but no specifics. If something specifically had been done to them, they'd have a lawyer and be getting a big lawsuit payday. Life isn't fair, life isn't equal, and we all have to take care of ourselves. We do have a responsibility to each other as a society and should have equal opportunities under the law, but the extent that they want those responsibilities to impact others is not reasonable. Why should my money be taken and redistributed to these protesters because I chose to work today and they chose to hold signs on the street? If they were blocking my business, I'd have coffee waiting for the cops to round them up.

[Tech007]

Originally Posted by PsychoLoco

You say don't look right/left, but then you follow up with 2 statements that are clearly left-wing, almost communist.

And the next statement is "I'm Un-American"

When people express confusion and ask "What Do We Do Now?" and "how the fuck did this happen?" I suggest that they ignore the labels/hype/finger-pointing and look at the results red/blue bickering has got us. No education. No healthcare. No jobs. And rich bankers and defense companies.

We can do better. And take care of each other.

<forgot to add this>

"We the People of the United States, in Order to form a more perfect Union, establish Justice, insure domestic Tranquility, provide for the common defence, promote the general Welfare, and secure the Blessings of Liberty to ourselves and our Posterity, do ordain and establish this Constitution for the United States of America."

[Tech007]

Originally Posted by Keith

I promise not to go to any more wars. And I will stay strong AND stay home.

Done.

Originally Posted by The Girl

Lesson learned! STAY INSIDE!

Hmm, tell me about this house that contains a lifetime supply of food, water, a university AND a hospital. And it is all FREE?

Nice!

[Keith]

I swear to God if this revolution makes me go to college...

[Tech007]

Originally Posted by Keith

I swear to God if this revolution makes me go to college...

"Professor Malley" has a nice ring to it... I vote "YES"

[Junkenstein]

Originally Posted by Tech007

Hmm, tell me about this house that contains a lifetime supply of food, water, a university AND a hospital. And it is all FREE?

Nice!

sounds like COMMUNISM to me.

[PsychoLoco]

Originally Posted by Tech007

I suggest that they ignore the labels/hype/finger-pointing and look at the results red/blue bickering has got us. No education. No healthcare. No jobs. And rich bankers and defense companies.

Let's see where this has gotten me. My mother never went to college. My father was a high school drop-out and died owing my mother about $60,000 in child support. So, I grew up in a single-parent home with 4 kids in South Texas.

This sounds like a recipe for disaster. Probably a little teenage pregnancy high-school dropout permanent welfare scenario. But, everyone around me had equal opportunity. I went to the same public school as my brother and sisters, and the rich kids at the country-club, and the Nicaraguan refugees. We had the same books, same teachers, same classes, same lectures. I studied. I got good grades. I graduated #9 in my class. I was offered financial aid to a public university, half was loans. A guy who graduated several places behind me in my class got a fully-paid scholarship to a private university in the name of diversity because he was Hispanic. Did I protest? No, I studied, and I studied something relevant to the world today. So now, I have $40,000 in student loan debt, but I make more money in two months than my mother makes in a year. The guy who got a better scholarship owes nothing, but he's a car salesman, which really doesn't require a college degree. I could pay off my student loan, but I make more money by investing my money in short-term CDs in higher risk economies that earn 10-12% more per year than the interest rate on my loans. I am taking a risk, not you, or other Americans, or the U.S. Government. I will have to answer to my family if my financial management loses us money. I also pay my taxes. Why should I pay more for taxes for anyone else when I'm still trying to take care of me and my family?

I may sound selfish, but you can't spell America without the I or the ME. All that's missing is MYSELF, and I'm working on getting mine.

P.S. Just to let you know that I'm not a total douche/scrooge, I was on food-stamps and medicaid while I was a student. I used those social programs for their intended purpose, which is temporary assistance during difficult times. I think social programs are worthwhile, but the sense of entitlement by some people just amazes me.