Is America Finished?
With too many examples to jot down here, I have come to the conclusion that America is in serious decline. I am speaking in terms of economics, basic liberties, and safety. Do you think this can be turned around soon (assuming you agree)? Or, do you disagree? I just see so many things pointing out major intrusion into our private lives. And, the decline in earning potential of the middle-class, albeit stealthy, is undeniable between my parents' generation and mine.
Other than that - happy Friday!
Other than that - happy Friday!
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Gun laws- In Oz and NZ would not be to the liking of most on the Gulch. Laws are very tight, those who get licenses such as for sport or for protecting livestock are such a kind of person who would not even overstay a parking limit. But shootings happen, then there is an outcry for tougher restrictions, of course those who did it invariably did not have a license.
Government debt- The government elected last year, the libs (=conservatives) are not as spendthrift as the labs (=liberal/lefties) and are still increasing debt but much slower. We are probably at the lower end by international standards, this is taken by the left that borrowing more is ok, others think that other nations have borrowed too much.
Now, sure, the size of US gov debt is alarming, but does it matter who owns that debt? If it is other branches of gov, or no one eg the reserve bank, then what? Can so much be borrowed that there are not enough zeroes to express it? I suspect the problem is not so much being vulnerable to China or Saudi as destroying the economy by inflation.
Socialized medicine- first I will say I am an extreme left winger as described by a fellow member of our Austrian group here. So, socialized medicine has some merits. One big problem is that it grows and grows. This can be controlled by rationing. So instead of patient/doctor (customer/provider) deciding, decisions are made by pen-pushers who, as they become more important their pay goes up, and there are more of them. Increasing costs are soaked up by this bureaucracy. They vote as a block, one way.
Immigration- It used to be that arriving by boat after weeks at sea got you in especially if claiming to be from Afghanistan, it is tighter now but Islamist preachers appear to have no difficulty with the proper sponsorship. The immigration rules are designed to bring in the healthy, then the skilled, then the professionals, then the entrepreneurs. All these in roughly age order. Yes there is the business entry scheme very popular with HongKongers, as always a good lawyer helps.
"Grannie, do all fairy tales begin with 'Once Upon a Time?"
"No darling. there is a whole series of fairy tales that begin with 'If Elected I Promise'."
Besides which...I like Fairy Tales...
Jan
Wouldn't it be worth it if the constitution were clarified, for example, removing welfare from the federal government's authority and relegating it solely to the states?
Jan
Cameras everywhere, political correctness, people unashamed to take government handouts, lawsuits and government regulations strangle businesses, kids can't do math in their heads, parents don't question laws that usurp their authority, smart TVs that listen to conversations, GPS in cars that can also listen to you, creepy targeted advertising, creepy facebook, doctors who follow one size fits all medical algorithms and are now afraid of their own shadows....I could go on and on about the Alice in Wonderland qualities of the New America.
But I won't.
I just find it odd that so many of the people I know consider this to be "progress." But I guess that's part of the Lewis Carroll story-like charm.
The above scenario would probably fit into a picture of people sitting around in a futuristic fantasy world with embedded electronic devices. Inflation will get out of control while higher and higher taxes are required to fund ever expanding entitlements. The decline will be exacerbated by poverty, cultural decay, loss of borders and language degeneration.
Magic Dog
I have made a start on describing what we'll be doing to make a restart, that at
http://no-ruler.net/ Our focus will be on "Going Voluntary..." and will be written in a series of new posts.
if you take the time to research many of my comments since I joined the gulch you read over and over again that I have said what you are saying now. my saying it is only offering what Ayn Rand has said for years before her death.
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