IN CONGRESS, JULY 4, 1776
The unanimous Declaration of the thirteen united States of America
When in the Course of human events it becomes necessary for one people to dissolve the political bands which have connected them with another and to assume among the powers of the earth, the separate and equal station to which the Laws of Nature and of Nature's God entitle them, a decent respect to the opinions of mankind requires that they should declare the causes which impel them to the separation.
We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.
That to secure these rights, Governments are instituted among Men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed, That whenever any Form of Government becomes destructive of these ends, it is the Right of the People to alter or to abolish it, and to institute new Government, laying its foundation on such principles and organizing its powers in such form, as to them shall seem most likely to effect their Safety and Happiness.
July 02, 2006
A country founded on the idea of happiness. Brilliant. Someone remind the current administration and religious right. Happy 4th of July.
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21 comments:
I don't think Keith was blaming anyone and I doubt that he is unhappy, he is still too YOUNG to be cynical and unhappy! (G)
The point is that the colonies were oppressed by King George (amazing how history repeats itself) and bore and excessive tax burden and had no voice (representation) in their affairs that really mattered. What so different from today? Government and government expenditures has soared and Congress doesn't listen to the people (oh yes, they do listen to lobbyists, big business, the rich and their own voices).
Our government wastes so much money, funds things that shouldn't be funded, spends so much on administering programs that just giving the money away (or better idea, back to the taxpayer) would be a wiser investment but hey then they'd have to find other jobs for those millions of government workers. And pensions? Gosh, why not abolish all government pensions. After all, they are there to serve the people. They should all have the same protections as the average citizen, no health care or high deductables and premiums, no job security (how many government jobs can we off-shore?) no cost of living adjustments, and no cushy pensions. Make them all save for their own retirement like so many other Americans and invest in 401K plans instead of raising the national debt and taxing the people to pay for pensions we'd all die for!
Oh and Congress shouldn't get a dime for pensions. After all most are rich any way and why should we pay extravagent pensions that would support four or five minimum wage families for life when they think they can't live on $168,000 a year but think families can live on $5.25?
The point is that our government is getting close to moral and financial bankruptcy. It will collapse by its' own corruption or by the disgust of the American people. Back in the 20s and 30s this country came close to a socialist revolution because of similar problems and inequities. The Revolution in Russia and revolutionary movements forced many of the rich and big business to invest in creating a middle class as a buffer against revolution and ushered in a great period of prosperity for most Americans. Our father's could work one job and mom could raise the kids and they could buy a house, a car, new appliances, take vacations etc. Now? Unless you are a skilled professional with a job that can't be exported overseas (sorry high tech doesn't cut it anymore and there are some jobs in medicine that aren't safe anymore) most American's continue to see their incomes decrease and their debt's increase.
All the USA has to do is look south to the Populist politicians to see a possible outcome in this country if the current course isn't changed. Revolution is as American as Apple Pie and I think Keith sees the possibilities of the American People over throwing a government that doesn't represent the interest of the common people. Hopefully that will happen at the ballot box (what will happen in the streets during another Great depression is anyone's guess since American's are not as tolerant of stress and discomofort as our great grandparent's were).
Perhaps the "people" of our Nation should stand up and start a revolution. Under the constitution we are authorized to commence such action. Then again, we can't seem to get the average fellow American off of his/her couch, so there goes that idea.
No doubt Jack mehoff won't get off the couch... hee hehe hhehe ... He's busy. And he thinks that while he diddles himself the right wing republicans will keep his arse safe. What a joke!
Coincidentally, I was thinking today about how we should/can/could redirect our tax money going to fund defense - which is the government's way to "trickle" the money down - very inefficiently in that... Why is that suffering people of today are not as important as them... The government asks the citizens to donate in times of crisis (eg: Kaetrina)...
It ought to be the other way around... The government should pour in the money into social woes and asks donations (of soldiers as well) for waging wars and making useless weapons...
"foxwoodlief said...
I don't think Keith was blaming anyone and I doubt that he is unhappy, he is still too YOUNG to be cynical and unhappy! (G)
The point is that the colonies were oppressed by King George (amazing how history repeats itself) and bore and excessive tax burden and had no voice (representation) in their affairs that really mattered. What so different from today?".........
Good reply! We are repeating history so completely it’s scary.
The government (Dem and Rep have both sold their souls to the high bidder) is beyond corrupt. It takes, takes, and takes, and gives back nothing! And that starts at the top (FED/STATEHOUSE) and works its way down to the smallest political entity.
Rule #1: Vote The Party Rule#2: Vote the special interest groups that pay for your re-elections. Rule#3: Vote YOURSELF!
Screw the taxpayers/voters.
The mayor is pushing for a big, un-needed, un-wanted, minor league stadium complex costing x-million.
Supposed to create y-number of $20,000 a year jobs. Some reporter figured out that they could take the money, stick it in the bank, and simply pay the proposed new employees the same salary for life, with benefits, and pension, and still have money left over without all the fuss and bother.
The currant national scene is just another unsustainable scenario, just like the housing bubble. We are far too spoiled as a people and a nation to put up with a downturn in the economy, like our great-grandparents did in the thirties, and not hit the streets in anger.
That's what spoiled little children do; throw temper tantrums when all their toys are taken away!
Its always great to be rich and have plenty, might not be so great in the future. When people can't earn to achieve, they will quickly learn that’s its easier to take (by force.)
All that’s needed is a popular leader to point the finger at those who are to blame; whoever that might be, and give the little kids a target for their anger. Not like it hasn’t happened before.
Have a happy Fourth of July everyone. Hope we have many more!
"Monetary central planning, as perpetrated by the Federal Reserve, provides the key to hollowing out and creating a pro-statist populace. So when the bust occurs, watch out for the two-thousandaire — he is going to vote to pick your pocket. "
http://tinyurl.com/eda5v
"All too often we have only two choices in an election: a Democrat or a Republican. And no matter which one you vote for, you get higher taxes, bigger deficits, and broken promises."
http://www.lp.org/
"uknowwhoiyam said...
Perhaps the "people" of our Nation should stand up and start a revolution. Under the constitution we are authorized to commence such action.
You're surely not reading the US Constitution. Any such action is Treason."
Maybe confused with the Declaration of Independence???
I am armed and ready - where do we sign up - the ballot box does not work anymore.
all men are created equal except gays - we need to adopt a constitutional amendment to discriminate against them. Yup, they're sub-human, and the founders definitely would like to see them legally and socially kept in their place
oh, and women too. they should not be allowed to pursue their happiness - we should legislate what they do with their bodies. we should force them to bear children. yup, that's what the founders meant when they used the word "men". yup.
oh, we should also force christianity on jews, agnostics and athiests. all men are created equal as long as they're christian.
This country was founded by Christians for religious freedom but those of you on the left who are "tolerent" can't even tolerate the generic word "God". You only tolerate free speech if you agree with it and the left feels sympathy for murderers on death row but not for the unborn......liberals lack consistancy, morality, and common sense
liberals lack consistancy, morality, and common sense
no, liberals are for the most part christian church going people. who don't hate gays and women. Like Jesus.
Right wing zealots are seemingly full of hate and judgement. Their god is a mean one, and they live their lives in fear. When they're not at the strip joint of course.
The phrase 'created equal' means nothing more than being able to expect the law to apply equally to all ranks. It most certainly does not mean the impossible condition of all people being just as good as any other person. That would be a communist ideal.
What party was against Slavary? Republicans.
What party did Abraham Lincoln belong to?
Republicans.
Who fought against Equal Rights Ammendment?
Democrats.
Libs, don't hate because your party is in a 50 year decline and continues to be run by poor decision makers- Dean, Pelosi, Schrum. Don't hate....
liberals lack consistancy, morality, and common sense
No man is as corrupt, degraded, debauched, depraved, sick and disgusting as a conservative. Conservatism is moral syphlis. Thirty years ago conservatism seemed young and alluring, and seduced the foolish; today she is an aging, chankered whore whose open sores warn off all but the blind.
Red states have the highest divorce rate, and the highest incidences of rape, murder, incest and child abuse. Having a fundamentalist Christian male relative is one of the highest known risk factors for child rape, while Massachusetts, home of same-sex marriage equality, has the lowest divorce rate in the nation and launched the most rigorous pursuit of the Catholic Church's massive child-rape ring.
Under conservative Republicans, government official gave a male prostitute run of the White House, keeping his entrance and exit times hidden from the Secret Service while allowing him to pose as a journalist and granting him direct, prime-time conversations with the president. The chief Republican lobbyist explicitly exchanged votes on bills for sex with prostitutes, something that has never happened or even been accused in more than 200 years. Pork barrels and earmarks are four times what they were under the last Democratic Congress, and right-wing Web sites are currently leading a charge to attack the children--yes, I am not kidding, the children--of journalists who report the Administration's many crimes.
Apart from all of this degradation, the idea that someone on a bubble blog, of all things, would defend the current crime ring running the government is a shining testament to human stupidity. Greenspan opened the floodgates of credit because today the Fed is the servant of commercial banks, and the entire federal government is the servant of the corporate aristocracy. This bubble was created solely to protect bank profits in an era of declining interest rates, allowing massive short-term profits through relaxed, unregulated lending standards while promising federal bailouts through Fannie Mae on the other end--a favor to major Republican campaign contributors.
So shut your piehole. I will not be lectured on morality by a self-admitted degenerate.
Excuse me, I have to wash now.
For people interested in learning or predicting from history- it seems like the Weimar republic in Germany is a good time period to check out.
Their economics are so similar to our own, but they had a little better metrics going in to their down cycle.
Germany went from a left leaning democracy to a fascist state in about 11 years once the economy started to falter. Wasn't a slow crash, wasn't soft landing.
We probably on the site mostly feel the bubble collapse is manifesting around us as we speak. I wish all the clear thinkers could change focus from alerting people (way too late for that)and start honing in on what we could do differently this time?
In the past, open and respectful public discourse alone has been able to stop similar political descents into fascism.
What do you think we could do differently?
Liberals lack this, conservatives do that, blah blah blah. I don't even know what those labels mean anymore.
Can you really define yourself in 2 dimensions? Of course not. So what's the point of labelling someone else?
This government has gone out of control and it doesn't matter who's in office. Democrat or Republican. Whatever those words meant 50-150 years ago has nothing to do with what they have become today.
Government becomes larger and more expensive and more intrusive every single day. What do we receive for 50+% of our income sent to DC?
That's the real enemy. Not the particular tactics used by the current party in office.
Republicans and Democrats are two sides of the same coin. It's easier to control the masses by giving us the feeling that we're making a choice. In reality both choices are equally beneficial to those in power.
Many Independents realize this more and more, but we have no way to express it and we're stuck with the false choice they've provided for us.
The religious right is a creation of the republican party.
republicrats... same party. bush will leave office about as popular as herbert hoover.
I am amazed at the viewpoints of some bloggers on this thread.
So much for "One nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all."
There is a mechanism for change and you can freely utilize it this November. Revolution? That is just too crazy. Did any of you revolters watch what happened in NO after Katrina? Do you want more of that? Get real.
Folks, we celebrate being a free democracy on the 4th of July. You should thank a soldier for that.
>> Perhaps the "people" of our Nation should stand up and start a revolution.
Won't happen as long as there's a ball game on tonite...
Or you have to go to work in the morning to feed your family and pay the rent/mortgage...
Or you have to spend ANY time worrying/thinking about life's everyday challenges...
It is amazing to me how people can be so revolutionay online and not in person. If a leader were to emerge who was not a Harvard educated NFL white blonde blue eyed 6'5" man, would you follow this person? I am trying not to be hypocritical at this point, but are people willing to deal with insecurities and fear to the point where courage and common sense will prevail? I have beocme so jaded at this point, that in many cases when I talk with conformists, I can finish their sentences. There are numerous self-help books that state that if you tell someone the truth, then you will be rewarded with hostility. Why is this the case? I may be rambling, but I know who I am and cannot lie to myself, and my best friends are inveterate truth tellers. I refuse to reward liars with value. They may have US currency, but our monetary value is largely dominated by people who got money from things that hurt other human beings. If you don't accept this sense of value, then do something about it personally. Do not reward evil.
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