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Politics : Liberalism: Do You Agree We've Had Enough of It? -- Ignore unavailable to you. Want to Upgrade?

To: lorne who wrote (121506)	1/10/2012 4:19:12 PM
From: Wayners	2 Recommendations Read Replies (1) \| Respond to of 224707

or maybe not. It's clear we cannot and will not ever pay these enormous debts. Many countries in the world have defaulted on their debts by either not paying or printing money. Oftentimes this has led to war over the debts, but even if it doesn't lead to war and just as we saw with the banks lending money to borrowers that could never pay, eventually bad credit risks get credit again, just at very unfavorable terms. And if you look at history, hasn't the United States defaulted before? For example when we stiffed foreigners on being able to convert their dollars into Gold back in 1971, wasn't that a technical default? The contract with the issued Federal Reserve Notes at the time was to allow conversion to Gold. You can't just change the rules without it being considered a default. I know the Feds don't consider 1971 a default, but how did foreigners look at it and also take a look at what happened to interest rates between 1971 and 1982 and how they skyrocketed. Did they skyrocket because of this default and resulting inflation, or did they just skyrocket because of inflation? Hmmmmmmmmm.

To: lorne who wrote (121506)	1/10/2012 11:54:41 PM
From: TimF	2 Recommendations Respond to of 224707

Empires have lives of their own. They go forward...expanding...spending...stretching...until, boom, they go too far. Empires do not back up. The portion of our economy spent on the military has been in a long term decline since the end of WWII, its bliped up in recent years, as it did before in the 80s, but both blips are small compared to the long term downtrend, which looks set to resume. The long term deficit problems are entitlement problems. "Imperial overstretch" is a non-issue. Which doesn't mean we should not look for savings from military spending. Its no longer the bulk of spending like it used to be, but it still too large to ignore. The downward trend I talked about above should resume, and probably will, but we don't need to take any dramatic new effort to cause that to happen, and even if the trend ended, defense spending wouldn't be the drive of the deficit. Also the US is not an empire, or at least not much of one. Guam, Northern Mariana Islands, Puerto Rico, United States Virgin Islands, American Samoa, Guantanamo Bay Naval Base, and an additional few, small, often uninhabited islands, doesn't make for much of an empire. As for not going back as an empire see en.wikipedia.org

To: lorne who wrote (121506)	1/11/2012 3:07:10 AM
From: MJ	2 Recommendations Read Replies (1) \| Respond to of 224707

Lorne I rarely have a problem with the articles you provide. I do with this one. The writer is connecting the owning of gold with military action. The only way that I see it is possible for the military to be used to bring down America would be via Obama and his Executive Pen-------to 'Occupy America' to take over America. What is an Executive Pen? How many Americans are aware that the President of the United States can quite literally pick up a pen and write an order and sign it giving an order to an agency, or write a veto of legislation passed by Congress that we the people elect. If they understood the connection between the Executive Pen and control, they would be extremely careful in how they exercise their vote. The only way that I see it is possible for the military be used to bring down America would be via Obama and his Executive Pen. Unless and until Obama is out of the Oval office------Obama has an Executive Pen which is as dangerous as a double edged sword while as lite as a feather. People must be aware that Obama or any President can use the Executive Pen to control, to direct the military and other agencies via his Executive Pen with his wishes------right or wrong. It is possible that he could use his position as the titular President who becomes the titular Commander In Chief of the armed forces with a stroke of his pen to attempt to turn the military against the American people. In other words order them to take over in whatever way he directs. A permanent curfew--------total control---no man or woman would be able to buy or sell---in other words to live without Obama's consent. I find the writer's opinion extreme , but possible. WHAT CAN BE DONE? We have now had if you include the 2007 campaign 5 years of Obama and his ideas that have wrecked America and the world. It is time for Obama to go. Americans have had enough of Obama--------if Congress will not or cannot take control of his Executive Pen then the people can. That of course means either calling for his impeachment or voting him out in the November 2012. election. mj