The Corruption of America

[+DieChecker]

I found this while googling around the internet.

This is from 2011, but OMG it rings so True to me...

It actually is not political, but is is totally about America and how it is being Run.

http://secure.stansberryresearch.com/pub/reports/201112psi_issue.html

I know this is a politically charged and emotional issue. My conclusions will not be easy for most readers to accept. Likewise, many of the things I am writing about this month will challenge my subscribers to re-examine what they believe about their country. The facts about America today tell a painful story about a country in a steep decline, beset by problems of its own making.

Once again… please realize, I'm not taking a political side here. I'm not saying the Democrats are singularly responsible for the state of our country. I'm not saying the Republicans are all to blame. And I'm not saying this is a black problem or a white problem. The problem is rooted in the corrupt belief that you can live at the expense of your neighbor... that we have become a nation where the vast majority of people believe their well-being is primarily, someone else's responsibility.

This bankrupt belief has taken complete control of our government, educational system, medical industry, and our corporations. And unless we demand better from each other and our political leaders, our society is doomed to collapse under the crushing weight of the Corruption of America.

[Frank Merton]

All societies have corruption to some degree. I suppose it has to be opposed when it gets out of hand, but at low levels it greases the machinery. Also a lot depends on how it is defined: I pay extra to my barber and he does special things for me like trimming the inside of my ears with a special blade (as one gets older one's head hair gets thinner and one's ear hair gets thicker). Neither of us asked for anything special, but the understanding is there.

This is one of the reasons private enterprises on the whole do better than public ones: depending on the labor unions and labor laws (which can effectively defeat this), it it easier for private enterprises to deal with corrupt employees. Civil employees have to be formally charged and convicted before they can be dismissed.

[acidhead]

This sounds like an individual who just woke up from a libertarian intervention.

ha

[Frank Merton]

If this is reference to me, I would say I am a Communist first, a Buddhist second, and hold the values of liberty, human welfare, and progress to be roughly of equal importance, with equality trailing but still needed, and so am hardly a Libertarian. That there are both the advantages and disadvantages of private enterprise is just something Communism has learned over the years.

[Space Commander Travis]

I can see their argument, and I do think it is indeed true that people do think that everything is someone else's responsibility, so why should they bother because someone else will do it, but it could very much, and this does sound as if it is here, be used as an argument for "why should I pay taxes for people who are too lazy to help themselves/find a job/have Medical insurance", and I'm afraid that attitude is one of the major things that leads to the disintegration of society (it happened in the 80s in the UK during the glorious Thatcher regime, the "No such thing as society" attitude that leads everyone to just care about themselves and why should they bother about others?). I'm afraid his attitude,

[questionmark]

If you let children grow up believing that the world is all about them you will get egotists. Egotists only consider right or wrong what directly benefits or harms them without considering the effect on society as whole. If you don't consider the effects on society corruption is a good thing as long as it benefits you.

Regardless of who rules: while the general sentiment is that cool is egotistic and antisocial nothing will change.

[Space Commander Travis]

* Reading a bit further, I see we come to, How Socialism Came to America...

and Destroyed Detroit

So I'm afraid we can classify it along with all the other right wing American Pundits who don't have a clue what Socialism means, but uses it as an all-purpose word to blame Obama and the Dems for everything,

[Frank Merton]

I think I know what socialism is -- it is when the government produces goods and services in a command rather than competitive economy. Except for previously socialist countries, the whole world tends to head in that direction, I think because only government has the power of law and police and can therefore always sooner or later get its way.

[preacherman76]

* Reading a bit further, I see we come to, How Socialism Came to America...

and Destroyed Detroit

So I'm afraid we can classify it along with all the other right wing American Pundits who don't have a clue what Socialism means, but uses it as an all-purpose word to blame Obama and the Dems for everything,

They (this rag) knows what socialism is. And they know full well it doesnt really apply here. Seems like both the left and the right want the people from both sides too believe 0bama is a socialist. Slight of hand for his true purpose, fascism. Corprate rule.

[lightly]

one problem is.... programs allegedly designed to help people are PROFITABLE for the businesses from which the Help is mandated From.

Food stamps/cards??? sure they can be helpful to people ... while boosting the profits of Food Providers.

Exactly the same with Energy assistance, prescription drug assistance, or any other assistance, (including militarily saving countries from themselves) WHO GETS THE MONEY spent on the assistance????

Think about it.

Edited November 14, 2013 by lightly

[RavenHawk]

* Reading a bit further, I see we come to, How Socialism Came to America...

and Destroyed Detroit

So I'm afraid we can classify it along with all the other right wing American Pundits who don't have a clue what Socialism means, but uses it as an all-purpose word to blame Obama and the Dems for everything,

Socialism and corruption always seems to go hand-in-hand. And there is a reason for that which I will get to later. There is plenty of blame to go around, but the lion’s share goes to the Democrats for perpetuating a Socialist state. The Republicans share the blame because they have allowed it to happen, however, when they do try to rein in the Progressives, they get accused of throwing grandma under the bus. But perhaps the real responsibility lies with the American people. We deserve the government we elect. And when the people don’t take a more active role in government, we deserve the lowest dregs of Socialism. Personal responsibility has shifted from the individual to someone else.

I’m going to assume that this was at least in part, directed at me, so I will respond for myself. To show you that at least some of us really do understand what Socialism means, let me ask you a question. It should only require a simple yes or no but I want to make sure we are on the same page here. So this is the question. Do you agree with the following definition of Socialism? I forget who had originally posted it but it’s nothing special and I think all they did was google the definition. I personally think that it is accurate but I would like to know if you concur. If not, what would be your definition? After you answer, I will craft a response.

"socialism, social and economic doctrine that calls for public rather than private ownership or control of property and natural resources. According to the socialist view, individuals do not live or work in isolation but live in cooperation with one another. Furthermore, everything that people produce is in some sense a social product, and everyone who contributes to the production of a good is entitled to a share in it. Society as a whole, therefore, should own or at least control property for the benefit of all its members."

[Yamato]

In nearly all cases, government doesn't own the property but it's controlling and subsidizing it with its power and leverage. In nearly all cases, the problem with America is fascism, not socialism.

[Babe Ruth]

Welfare for corporations is fascism

[+OverSword]

snip

Edited November 15, 2013 by OverSword

[+DieChecker]

* Reading a bit further, I see we come to, How Socialism Came to America...

and Destroyed Detroit

So I'm afraid we can classify it along with all the other right wing American Pundits who don't have a clue what Socialism means, but uses it as an all-purpose word to blame Obama and the Dems for everything,

You are right, it should read, "How the Democrats took elements from Socialism destroyed Detrioit".

I blame those who nanny-stated the poor into remaining poor. I blame the people who ruined generations of otherwise good people by making them dependant on the State/FedGov.