StatCounter

Friday, July 19, 2013

Get a big bag of popcorn and pull up a seat



Where to begin? How about Detroit? The largest municipal bankruptcy in history. Nothing highlights the decline of American manufacturing like the demise of Detroit. It used to be a rich city, where hard working blue collar people made good wages. Now large parts of the city look like a zombie apocalypse movie.

The robbery of the little people is ongoing. Detroit has some large pension liabilities that most likely won't get paid. The city acts like those pensions are a surprise, like they weren't at the negotiation table all those years. Those workers were part of a give and take process that took benefits in the form of pensions rather than some other form of compensation. It's not their fault that the politicians and bureaucrats of the city mismanaged things. No doubt the city was overtaken by forces beyond its borders and control, but even a blind man could have seen trouble coming. Problems can be kicked down the road only soon long. For Detroit, the time of reckoning is here.

I think Jimmy Carter is my my favorite ex-president. He says the US “has no functioning democracy.” Don't look for the article in any American Media. After all, he's only a former President.

Snowden really got the ball rolling by revealing the extent of spying going on, both foreign and domestic. The revelations keep on coming. Here's one of my favorites: The NSA admits to two or three “hops” from the initial suspect. They look at their friends, and their friends friends.

Anyone else play the game: Six Degrees of Kevin Bacon? The theory is that there is only about 6 degrees of separation from any two people on the planet. The NSA is already up to 3. Knowing how mission creep works its way into bureaucracies, before long they'll be up to 6. By then everyone in the whole world will be a terror suspect. No wonder they are afraid.

Idiots.

A system that catches everybody, catches nobody.

What do countries in trouble do? Go to war, of course. Nothing like a great big war to distract everyone. Oh look, the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, Martin Dempsey, says the US is considering using military force in Syria. Bingo! Right on schedule.

Let's tally up the score. Politicians who can't manage government, a spy program that would make the Stasi blush, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stasi a non functioning democracy, and the generals beating war drums.

I'm willing to accept the surrender of all these folks. The war is over and they've lost. Unfortunately, they just don't know it yet. When individuals and institutions have zero legitimacy, their power teeters on brute force alone. Look guys, we've been really really patient so far. Nobody has to get hurt. Kindly disable the police state and we'll all live like humans.

-Sixbears

18 comments:

  1. Indeed. The country's gone to shit, or will be there shortly.

    ReplyDelete
  2. They'll never surrender. It's a proven fact that most people will risk it all, rather than give up anything.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Better for them in the long run if they did.

      Delete
  3. If only they would listen! I did a post today that's kin to this very thing!

    Scary times are coming , my friend.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Just read your post. Good one. See how people are starting to have enough of this foolishness? It took the end of a horribly destructive civil war last time. Let's not let it get as extreme this time.

      Delete
  4. They consistently fail to take into consideration that they are severely outnumbered for one thing.
    For another, remember what happened to East Germany , Mother Russia and most recently, Egypt.

    Not a shot was fired by the populace and the governments collapsed overnight.

    We The People have had just about enough and there are certain factions who are just itching for a fight.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. History is on our side. These things always come to an end. I'm thinking a S. African Truth and Reconciliation court type process could heal the country without a shot being fired. That's the good outcome.

      Delete
  5. When Half of the public collects a paycheck from working for the government, then it is highly unlikely for them to fire themselves.
    Actually if you also consider all those on welfare , medicaid, SSD and unemployement then one wonders about the few left paying the bill..

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. My Dad was fond of saying 6 out 10 get a government check of some kind or other.

      These days I'm just pissed that I ain't getting mine,,, I guess.

      Sad ass state of affairs for sure.

      -Moe

      Delete
    2. We know big business isn't paying the bills. Who the heck is? The printing press?

      Delete
  6. As usual a great right on the nose post!! Makes me sad this once great country has been essentially shoved under the bus to the point of no return. I am sure you grieve for your kids and grandkids as I do!

    Florida Mom

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. There is much worth saving and on my good days I have hope.

      Delete
  7. This comment has been removed by the author.

    ReplyDelete
  8. Great post....and here I shall stop before I write something that will come back to haunt me.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Too late for me, but what's life without taking chances?

      Delete
  9. Great post. I'm glad to know I am not the only one seeing our great ship of a nation headed for the rocks!
    Greed, out sourcing, and politics are just some of the problems. The solution... ask the guy in the street.

    ReplyDelete