What problems face America today?

No it was founded on Republicanism.

Constitution of the United States of America

Article IV.
Section 4

The United States shall guarantee to every State in ths Union a Republican Form of Government.
Not a Progressive Socialist form of Government.
Wow... retarded...

Online Library of Liberty - John Locke

Liberalism (Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy)


Have you read the Constitution?
We are a Republic
Deffination of states rights
States’ rights put greater trust and confidence in regional or state governments than in national ones. State governments, are more responsive to popular control, more sensitive to state issues and problems, and more understanding of the culture and values of the state’s population than are national governments. For these reasons, state governments are better able to address important problems and protect individual rights. In the United States, states’ rights proponents also have maintained that strong state governments are more consistent with the vision of republican government put forward.

We are a Republic, a Constitutional Republic wherein the US Constitution is supreme law of the land. States rights do not presuppose the several states have the right to nulify federal law, in fact we fought a war over this issue.
 
No it was founded on Republicanism.

Constitution of the United States of America

Article IV.
Section 4

The United States shall guarantee to every State in ths Union a Republican Form of Government.
Not a Progressive Socialist form of Government.
Wow... retarded...

Online Library of Liberty - John Locke

Liberalism (Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy)


Have you read the Constitution?
We are a Republic
Definition of states rights
States’ rights put greater trust and confidence in regional or state governments than in national ones. State governments, are more responsive to popular control, more sensitive to state issues and problems, and more understanding of the culture and values of the state’s population than are national governments. For these reasons, state governments are better able to address important problems and protect individual rights. In the United States, states’ rights proponents also have maintained that strong state governments are more consistent with the vision of republican government put forward.

This is basically correct.

It isn't so much that the Founders put greater trust and confidence in regional or state governments--some of those were pretty bad at the time the Constitution was drafted--but the Founders conversely put little faith in the integrity of the Federal government should it become too big or too powerful. That was their greatest fear. Their conviction was that the Federal government should secure our rights and then leave the people to form whatever sort of society they wished to have. It was a concept that made it possible for self government to work in a positive way that anarchy or authoritarian government could never accomplish.

When allowed to work, the concept turned out to produce the most free, most benevolent, most innovative, most productive people the world had ever known. The people allowed to govern themselves would themselves phase out most of the worst abuses and inefficiencies and in time replace those with something good. So the state or regional theocracies phased out and ceased within a decade or two of the ratification of the Constitution.

Horrendous things like the Salem Witch trials were very localized and short lived. For economic reasons, slavery hung on longer and, while it violated unalienable rights and was therefore intolerable to the principles of the Constitution and therefore it had to be abolished, I do think the people themselves would have eventually ceased the practice without interference from the Federal government.

The American people, left to their own conscience and values, generally do get around to doing the right thing.
 


Have you read the Constitution?
We are a Republic
Definition of states rights
States’ rights put greater trust and confidence in regional or state governments than in national ones. State governments, are more responsive to popular control, more sensitive to state issues and problems, and more understanding of the culture and values of the state’s population than are national governments. For these reasons, state governments are better able to address important problems and protect individual rights. In the United States, states’ rights proponents also have maintained that strong state governments are more consistent with the vision of republican government put forward.

This is basically correct.

It isn't so much that the Founders put greater trust and confidence in regional or state governments--some of those were pretty bad at the time the Constitution was drafted--but the Founders conversely put little faith in the integrity of the Federal government should it become too big or too powerful. That was their greatest fear. Their conviction was that the Federal government should secure our rights and then leave the people to form whatever sort of society they wished to have. It was a concept that made it possible for self government to work in a positive way that anarchy or authoritarian government could never accomplish.

When allowed to work, the concept turned out to produce the most free, most benevolent, most innovative, most productive people the world had ever known. The people allowed to govern themselves would themselves phase out most of the worst abuses and inefficiencies and in time replace those with something good. So the state or regional theocracies phased out and ceased within a decade or two of the ratification of the Constitution.

Horrendous things like the Salem Witch trials were very localized and short lived. For economic reasons, slavery hung on longer and, while it violated unalienable rights and was therefore intolerable to the principles of the Constitution and therefore it had to be abolished, I do think the people themselves would have eventually ceased the practice without interference from the Federal government.

The American people, left to their own conscience and values, generally do get around to doing the right thing.

Have you ever read any history? I don't mean to be mean, but reality is much different than you hope to present it. For example, if we are to take The Constitution as constructed, strictly, the founders meaning within Article I, section 2, clause 3 counted slaves (not free men nor indentured slaves or Indians not taxed) as three-firths of a person. The aggrevate of the American people did not by their own conscience and values support the 14th Amendment, and in fact the New Right hopes to one day repeal its provisions.
I also wonder how you view the first decades of the 20th century where labor and capital clashed - did capital give in out of conscience and values? Did child labor end because the owners of factories felt bad?
 
The Traditional Values argument annoys the hell out of me. The real tradition of the Republican Party and its conservative wing for the last 60 years has been ruled by Avarice, Bigotry and a Callous disregard for others. It's leaders are demogogues who entice their followers by appealing to fear, greed, and hate.
 
Have you read the Constitution?
We are a Republic
Definition of states rights
States’ rights put greater trust and confidence in regional or state governments than in national ones. State governments, are more responsive to popular control, more sensitive to state issues and problems, and more understanding of the culture and values of the state’s population than are national governments. For these reasons, state governments are better able to address important problems and protect individual rights. In the United States, states’ rights proponents also have maintained that strong state governments are more consistent with the vision of republican government put forward.

This is basically correct.

It isn't so much that the Founders put greater trust and confidence in regional or state governments--some of those were pretty bad at the time the Constitution was drafted--but the Founders conversely put little faith in the integrity of the Federal government should it become too big or too powerful. That was their greatest fear. Their conviction was that the Federal government should secure our rights and then leave the people to form whatever sort of society they wished to have. It was a concept that made it possible for self government to work in a positive way that anarchy or authoritarian government could never accomplish.

When allowed to work, the concept turned out to produce the most free, most benevolent, most innovative, most productive people the world had ever known. The people allowed to govern themselves would themselves phase out most of the worst abuses and inefficiencies and in time replace those with something good. So the state or regional theocracies phased out and ceased within a decade or two of the ratification of the Constitution.

Horrendous things like the Salem Witch trials were very localized and short lived. For economic reasons, slavery hung on longer and, while it violated unalienable rights and was therefore intolerable to the principles of the Constitution and therefore it had to be abolished, I do think the people themselves would have eventually ceased the practice without interference from the Federal government.

The American people, left to their own conscience and values, generally do get around to doing the right thing.

Have you ever read any history? I don't mean to be mean, but reality is much different than you hope to present it. For example, if we are to take The Constitution as constructed, strictly, the founders meaning within Article I, section 2, clause 3 counted slaves (not free men nor indentured slaves or Indians not taxed) as three-firths of a person. The aggrevate of the American people did not by their own conscience and values support the 14th Amendment, and in fact the New Right hopes to one day repeal its provisions.
I also wonder how you view the first decades of the 20th century where labor and capital clashed - did capital give in out of conscience and values? Did child labor end because the owners of factories felt bad?

American and religious history is one of my disciplines actually and I write and teach both. And I'm pretty damn sure I have a very clear grasp on the reality of our history and our present.
 
This is basically correct.

It isn't so much that the Founders put greater trust and confidence in regional or state governments--some of those were pretty bad at the time the Constitution was drafted--but the Founders conversely put little faith in the integrity of the Federal government should it become too big or too powerful. That was their greatest fear. Their conviction was that the Federal government should secure our rights and then leave the people to form whatever sort of society they wished to have. It was a concept that made it possible for self government to work in a positive way that anarchy or authoritarian government could never accomplish.

When allowed to work, the concept turned out to produce the most free, most benevolent, most innovative, most productive people the world had ever known. The people allowed to govern themselves would themselves phase out most of the worst abuses and inefficiencies and in time replace those with something good. So the state or regional theocracies phased out and ceased within a decade or two of the ratification of the Constitution.

Horrendous things like the Salem Witch trials were very localized and short lived. For economic reasons, slavery hung on longer and, while it violated unalienable rights and was therefore intolerable to the principles of the Constitution and therefore it had to be abolished, I do think the people themselves would have eventually ceased the practice without interference from the Federal government.

The American people, left to their own conscience and values, generally do get around to doing the right thing.

Have you ever read any history? I don't mean to be mean, but reality is much different than you hope to present it. For example, if we are to take The Constitution as constructed, strictly, the founders meaning within Article I, section 2, clause 3 counted slaves (not free men nor indentured slaves or Indians not taxed) as three-firths of a person. The aggrevate of the American people did not by their own conscience and values support the 14th Amendment, and in fact the New Right hopes to one day repeal its provisions.
I also wonder how you view the first decades of the 20th century where labor and capital clashed - did capital give in out of conscience and values? Did child labor end because the owners of factories felt bad?

American and religious history is one of my disciplines actually and I write and teach both. And I'm pretty damn sure I have a very clear grasp on the reality of our history and our present.

If that's your best argument, I doubt your assertion very much.
 
Aside from the debt, we have few problems.

Lowering the debt by cutting programs or by elimination will work quickly.

A Federal sales tax may be one positive option. It affects the richer more than the poor.

Even possibly to the point of ridding ourselves of income tax, and thus the IRS.
 
Have you ever read any history? I don't mean to be mean, but reality is much different than you hope to present it. For example, if we are to take The Constitution as constructed, strictly, the founders meaning within Article I, section 2, clause 3 counted slaves (not free men nor indentured slaves or Indians not taxed) as three-firths of a person. The aggrevate of the American people did not by their own conscience and values support the 14th Amendment, and in fact the New Right hopes to one day repeal its provisions.
I also wonder how you view the first decades of the 20th century where labor and capital clashed - did capital give in out of conscience and values? Did child labor end because the owners of factories felt bad?

American and religious history is one of my disciplines actually and I write and teach both. And I'm pretty damn sure I have a very clear grasp on the reality of our history and our present.

If that's your best argument, I doubt your assertion very much.

I suspect I could show a Nobel Prize and PhD emeritus and you would miss the point made and doubt the truth on this my friend. At least I know the difference betwen applied logic and non sequitur. :)
 
American and religious history is one of my disciplines actually and I write and teach both. And I'm pretty damn sure I have a very clear grasp on the reality of our history and our present.

If that's your best argument, I doubt your assertion very much.

I suspect I could show a Nobel Prize and PhD emeritus and you would miss the point made and doubt the truth on this my friend. At least I know the difference betwen applied logic and non sequitur. :)

I could show you my sheepskins from CAL and SFSU; and I do know the difference between reasoned arguments and bull shit.
 
If that's your best argument, I doubt your assertion very much.

I suspect I could show a Nobel Prize and PhD emeritus and you would miss the point made and doubt the truth on this my friend. At least I know the difference betwen applied logic and non sequitur. :)

I could show you my sheepskins from CAL and SFSU; and I do know the difference between reasoned arguments and bull shit.

Good for you. With practice and time you may even be able to eventually utilize that.
 
List the top five, then offer a somewhat comprehensive solution. Leave the cliches, glib comments and ad hominems out. If you have nothing to offer, don't post.

P: Spending, the deficit and the Debt

S: The House of Representatives needs to share the pain and recognize zero sum games harm everyone. The Debt is a long-term result of years of deficit spending under both Democratic and Republican Administrations.

Hiring needs to be frozen and early retirement offered if we are not to exacerbate the unemployment problem. The size of government reduced by attrition, not lay-offs. This applies to all levels of government.
Taxes need to be raised across the board on a flat percentage - for example all tax payers billed 5% on their tax liability and the revenue used only to reduce the debt (not the deficit) until we have reduced our interest payments to a manageable level.
Taxes need to be raised on all non-commercial fuel used for transportation, forcing commuters to use public transportation (a tax credit on a dollar for dollar basis for those rural zip codes where public transportation is not an option).
The deficite needs to be fixed by safe and sane practices, across the board cuts put people at risk. It makes no sense to cut the jobs of first responders, continue to ignore our aged infrastructure or allow medical costs to rise because we ignore creating an environment where early detection. Early detection of disease allows for cures or manageable treatments at a lower cost than waiting for the crisis.

NEXT: Unemployment

The current administration.
 
List the top five, then offer a somewhat comprehensive solution. Leave the cliches, glib comments and ad hominems out. If you have nothing to offer, don't post.

P: Spending, the deficit and the Debt

S: The House of Representatives needs to share the pain and recognize zero sum games harm everyone. The Debt is a long-term result of years of deficit spending under both Democratic and Republican Administrations.

Hiring needs to be frozen and early retirement offered if we are not to exacerbate the unemployment problem. The size of government reduced by attrition, not lay-offs. This applies to all levels of government.
Taxes need to be raised across the board on a flat percentage - for example all tax payers billed 5% on their tax liability and the revenue used only to reduce the debt (not the deficit) until we have reduced our interest payments to a manageable level.
Taxes need to be raised on all non-commercial fuel used for transportation, forcing commuters to use public transportation (a tax credit on a dollar for dollar basis for those rural zip codes where public transportation is not an option).
The deficite needs to be fixed by safe and sane practices, across the board cuts put people at risk. It makes no sense to cut the jobs of first responders, continue to ignore our aged infrastructure or allow medical costs to rise because we ignore creating an environment where early detection. Early detection of disease allows for cures or manageable treatments at a lower cost than waiting for the crisis.

NEXT: Unemployment

The current administration.

I suspect you missed this part: "If you have nothing to offer, don't post."
 
Not only does our domestic energy policy suck, but our foreign policy is atrocious. It is so harmful to our nation. Ironically, it is an isolationist policy.
 
List the top five, then offer a somewhat comprehensive solution. Leave the cliches, glib comments and ad hominems out. If you have nothing to offer, don't post.

P: Spending, the deficit and the Debt

S: The House of Representatives needs to share the pain and recognize zero sum games harm everyone. The Debt is a long-term result of years of deficit spending under both Democratic and Republican Administrations.

Hiring needs to be frozen and early retirement offered if we are not to exacerbate the unemployment problem. The size of government reduced by attrition, not lay-offs. This applies to all levels of government.
Taxes need to be raised across the board on a flat percentage - for example all tax payers billed 5% on their tax liability and the revenue used only to reduce the debt (not the deficit) until we have reduced our interest payments to a manageable level.
Taxes need to be raised on all non-commercial fuel used for transportation, forcing commuters to use public transportation (a tax credit on a dollar for dollar basis for those rural zip codes where public transportation is not an option).
The deficite needs to be fixed by safe and sane practices, across the board cuts put people at risk. It makes no sense to cut the jobs of first responders, continue to ignore our aged infrastructure or allow medical costs to rise because we ignore creating an environment where early detection. Early detection of disease allows for cures or manageable treatments at a lower cost than waiting for the crisis.

NEXT: Unemployment

The current administration.

I suspect you missed this part: "If you have nothing to offer, don't post."

So let's get this clear. Whether or not you agree that the current administration is one of the serious problems America has--a sentiment I happen to agree with--you don't consider that a valid answer?

Is only what is on YOUR list will be considered suitable for discussion here and those of us with a different perspective should just butt out?

It's your thread, and I will honor your wishes re that. If those of us with a different perspective are going to be received with nothing but ridicule and ad hominem snarky comments such as I got, I will happily unsubscribe.
 
Not only do our domestic energy policy sucks, but our foreign policy is atrocious. It is so harmful to our nation. Ironically, it is an isolationist policy.

[ame=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ur4hKqTikqM]YouTube - Ron Paul - New hope for foreign policy[/ame]
 
The current administration.

I suspect you missed this part: "If you have nothing to offer, don't post."

So let's get this clear. Whether or not you agree that the current administration is one of the serious problems America has--a sentiment I happen to agree with--you don't consider that a valid answer?

Is only what is on YOUR list will be considered suitable for discussion here and those of us with a different perspective should just butt out?

It's your thread, and I will honor your wishes re that. If those of us with a different perspective are going to be received with nothing but ridicule and ad hominem snarky comments such as I got, I will happily unsubscribe.

Obviously you're free to do as you wish. I simply wanted to post five problems and see what others thought, as well as read how others might solve them. Pages in only a few of the posters were able to offer what problems face us, and fewer still had any answers beyond the usual cliches and unproven dogma.

I embrace rational different perspectives, comments such as "the current adminsitration" offers nothing. One might conclude gunny finds Obama's policies harmful to the nation or that gunny is racist and hopes Obama fails becaue of the color of his skin, or even he finds all Democrats are wrong on every issue. There is no substance to such glib comments, they get the response they deserve - usually ignored.
 
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List the top five, then offer a somewhat comprehensive solution. Leave the cliches, glib comments and ad hominems out. If you have nothing to offer, don't post.

P: Spending, the deficit and the Debt

S: The House of Representatives needs to share the pain and recognize zero sum games harm everyone. The Debt is a long-term result of years of deficit spending under both Democratic and Republican Administrations.

Hiring needs to be frozen and early retirement offered if we are not to exacerbate the unemployment problem. The size of government reduced by attrition, not lay-offs. This applies to all levels of government.
Taxes need to be raised across the board on a flat percentage - for example all tax payers billed 5% on their tax liability and the revenue used only to reduce the debt (not the deficit) until we have reduced our interest payments to a manageable level.
Taxes need to be raised on all non-commercial fuel used for transportation, forcing commuters to use public transportation (a tax credit on a dollar for dollar basis for those rural zip codes where public transportation is not an option).
The deficite needs to be fixed by safe and sane practices, across the board cuts put people at risk. It makes no sense to cut the jobs of first responders, continue to ignore our aged infrastructure or allow medical costs to rise because we ignore creating an environment where early detection. Early detection of disease allows for cures or manageable treatments at a lower cost than waiting for the crisis.

NEXT: Unemployment

The current administration.

I suspect you missed this part: "If you have nothing to offer, don't post."

Gunny hit the nail on it's proverbial head. Can't stand the truth can ya.. :lol::lol::lol:
 
I suspect you missed this part: "If you have nothing to offer, don't post."

So let's get this clear. Whether or not you agree that the current administration is one of the serious problems America has--a sentiment I happen to agree with--you don't consider that a valid answer?

Is only what is on YOUR list will be considered suitable for discussion here and those of us with a different perspective should just butt out?

It's your thread, and I will honor your wishes re that. If those of us with a different perspective are going to be received with nothing but ridicule and ad hominem snarky comments such as I got, I will happily unsubscribe.

Obviously you're free to do as you wish. I simply wanted to post five problems and see what others thought, as well as read how others might solve them. Pages in only a few of the posters were able to offer what problems face us, and fewer still had any answers beyond the usual cliches and unproven dogma.

I embrace rational different perspectives, comments such as "the current adminsitration" offers nothing. One might conclude gunny finds Obama's policies harmful to the nation or that gunny is racist and hopes Obama fails becaue of the color of his skin, or even he finds all Democrats are wrong on every issue. There is no substance to such glib comments, they get the response they deserve - usually ignored.

Ah I see. Your idea of substance is to accuse me of having no history education and to jump on Gunny for presenting a 'problem' many of us agree with. Of course your one liners are loaded with substance.

But nevertheless, I'm not interested in picking a fight or derailing the thread. Knock yourself out. But if you consider nobody's remarks as pertinent other than your own and those who agree with you, I doubt the thread will yield much. Do have a nice day.
 
So let's get this clear. Whether or not you agree that the current administration is one of the serious problems America has--a sentiment I happen to agree with--you don't consider that a valid answer?

Is only what is on YOUR list will be considered suitable for discussion here and those of us with a different perspective should just butt out?

It's your thread, and I will honor your wishes re that. If those of us with a different perspective are going to be received with nothing but ridicule and ad hominem snarky comments such as I got, I will happily unsubscribe.

Obviously you're free to do as you wish. I simply wanted to post five problems and see what others thought, as well as read how others might solve them. Pages in only a few of the posters were able to offer what problems face us, and fewer still had any answers beyond the usual cliches and unproven dogma.

I embrace rational different perspectives, comments such as "the current adminsitration" offers nothing. One might conclude gunny finds Obama's policies harmful to the nation or that gunny is racist and hopes Obama fails becaue of the color of his skin, or even he finds all Democrats are wrong on every issue. There is no substance to such glib comments, they get the response they deserve - usually ignored.

Ah I see. Your idea of substance is to accuse me of having no history education and to jump on Gunny for presenting a 'problem' many of us agree with. Of course your one liners are loaded with substance.

But nevertheless, I'm not interested in picking a fight or derailing the thread. Knock yourself out. But if you consider nobody's remarks as pertinent other than your own and those who agree with you, I doubt the thread will yield much. Do have a nice day.

Now whose snarky? As for non sequiturs, you do very well there too. Your unwillingness or inability to offer your opinion as to the problems facing our nation is telling. If Obama is the problem, make a case for why you believe this to be true. Again substantive comments are appreciated and further ad hominem attacks, red herring, straw man, and and dogma offered as immutable truths will be ignored. Ignored by those who think, no doubt Willow Tree will thank you no matter what you post.
 
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Obviously you're free to do as you wish. I simply wanted to post five problems and see what others thought, as well as read how others might solve them. Pages in only a few of the posters were able to offer what problems face us, and fewer still had any answers beyond the usual cliches and unproven dogma.

I embrace rational different perspectives, comments such as "the current adminsitration" offers nothing. One might conclude gunny finds Obama's policies harmful to the nation or that gunny is racist and hopes Obama fails becaue of the color of his skin, or even he finds all Democrats are wrong on every issue. There is no substance to such glib comments, they get the response they deserve - usually ignored.

Ah I see. Your idea of substance is to accuse me of having no history education and to jump on Gunny for presenting a 'problem' many of us agree with. Of course your one liners are loaded with substance.

But nevertheless, I'm not interested in picking a fight or derailing the thread. Knock yourself out. But if you consider nobody's remarks as pertinent other than your own and those who agree with you, I doubt the thread will yield much. Do have a nice day.

Now whose snarky? As for non sequiturs, you do very well there too. Your unwillingness or inability to offer your opinion as to the problems facing our nation is telling. If Obama is the problem, make a case for why you believe this to be true. Again substantive comments are appreciated and further ad hominem attacks, red herring, straw man, and and dogma offered as immutable truths will be ignored. Ignored by those who think, no doubt Willow Tree will thank you no matter what you post.

Your opening post repeated several times:

List the top five, then offer a somewhat comprehensive solution. Leave the cliches, glib comments and ad hominems out. If you have nothing to offer, don't post.

My initial post in Post #89:

My top five problems facing America but reserving the right to revise and amend:

1. Too little education in American history, the intent of the Constitution, and the concepts that went into it.

Solution: Get ideology and the federal governments out of the schools and make basic American History and Constitution required subjects for graduation.

2. Too little respect for basic traditional values that were once standard such as working for whatever is obtained; personal responsibility and accountability; paying debts owed and living within one's means.

Solution: Convince the people again that a government big enough to take care of all our basic needs is a government big enough to take anything from us it wants. Government functions should be handled at the lowest and most local level possible.

3. Too much power is in the hands of our elected leaders who have learned that they can take our money and use it to buy votes and allegiance and thereby increase their own power, prestige, influence, and personal fortunes.

Solution: Remove the ability of the federal government to dispense any form of charity or benevolence or special favors and handle all that at the state level only.

4. The nation is losing its spiritual underpinnings and moral center.

Solution: Reinstate the ability of all people in all settings to display or express their religious beliefs. It is not necessary that all the people be religious, but rather that the people relearn what religious freedom actually looks like.

5. Too few people are wlling to look at or discuss issues with an honest interest to learn, teach, or reach a solution. Too much energy is diverted in blame, accusations, finding fault, and demonizing those who have a different point of view.

Solution: Push for a return to civility, intellectual honesty, and personal integrity.

And when expanding on some of those points with FA and Peach and providing the rationale, you jumped on me with ad hominem and non sequitur.

Perhaps you should have been more explicit in exactly the format and sequence that would be acceptable to you in responses. When you don't follow your own guidelines, it is easy to misunderstand what you consider an appropriate post.

But anyway, defending myself and objecting to your deviance from your own specifications is only derailing the thread. Carry on.
 

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