“When the people find that they can vote themselves money that will herald the end of the republic.”
That's really the key thing.

I think that what you are getting at is more personal responsibility - and I totally agree. Our society has moved so far away from that in nearly every aspect that I doubt anything small is going to return us to any degree of sanity. It starts with the welfare program problem, and unless we address that one very soon, its going to melt down on its own and destroy the economy. Social Security is already insolvent and the date at which it becomes a massive problem keeps creeping forward. You know those idiot Green New Dealers who are complaining that the world is going to end in twelve years? Social Security will die sooner than that, and it will invoke some actual hand-wringing and hardship.

As to voting, my idea is simply that if you are receiving government handouts (welfare, etc.), you don't get to vote in Federal elections.

“When the people find that they can vote themselves money that will herald the end of the republic.” - Benjamin Franklin

"I think we must do a better job of teaching the Declaration of Independence and Constitution to our children. Math, science, etc. "
I don't have the solution to this huge problem, but I agree with more teaching of things like the Declaration of Independence and math and science. The tools of reason, including math and science, are helpful in understanding liberty.

I also wonder about the very controversial idea of denying people the right to vote if they clearly have no idea what they're voting for. There is so much potential for this to be abused that it may be impractical. My idea is certainly not for it to be partisan or racist. It just seems to me like you should to show some proficiency to vote.

I think a spirit of liberty would come out of having fewer laws and having a citizen militia who keep and own their own equipment and weapons. Anything that asks people to take responsibility or denies opportunities to turn over responsibility to someone else could help. Decriminalizing drugs could be part of it. Ending any notion of banning products that are safe when used properly but not idiot-proof could help. These sound like effects of liberty rather than causes, but I wonder if they could be a virtuous cycle where liberty begets more liberty.

"A much, much bigger problem is people who are born here but take freedom for granted."

I agree that it is a huge problem.

As to what to do? I think we must do a better job of teaching the Declaration of Independence and Constitution to our children. Math, science, etc. are all great, but it goes back to a quote from Jurassic Park “Your scientists were so preoccupied with whether or not they could, they didn't stop to think if they should.”

That's what I came away with from the three Rand books I read: Let everyone do her own thing, and never feel bad about acknowledging when someone gets something done. We're all "someones", so value our own individual work and lives, etc.

"America is the most freedom-loving nation on earth."
Yes. When an American hears "he rejected all the plans his family had and his religious community to do what he wanted," an American's first thought is "good for him". In much of the world it's "who does he think he is?"

America is great. We've expanded the idea of people living their dreams without interference to everyone, regardless of background or physical attributes. But there is also an element of Roman decadence. The ideals of personal liberty seem to many people like good concepts but not applicable to the modern world.

What I'm referring to is how we keep that passion for liberty alive a century after becoming so successful it feels like freedom comes for free.

I am all for rejecting people who want to immigrate but have clear anti-freedom views. A much, much bigger problem is people who are born here but take freedom for granted.

That's the Progressive approach: divide people up into groups and classes. I don't want to divide people up - that's what is causing so many problems in the first place! I want people coming here to adopt basic American values: hard work, integrity, personal responsibility, etc.

I'm not sure what you are referring to. America is the most freedom-loving nation on earth. I was referring to cultural issues people bring with them that are incompatible with the freedom we enjoy here in America.

"Not only is leaving people and their olive trees alone the right thing to do..." That works when the courtesy is mutual, but there seems to be a lot of GROUPS out there that want to kill the entire American olive grove and replace it with there own.

Those people can take a fast, long walk on a short pier. “It’s cultural” is own if the most bullshit excuses you can use. Nazi germany had a culture of anti-semitism (stoked by opportunists). Only Progressives could claim some are oppressed while excusing what they call oppression as a “cultural” thing to get used to.

Seriously. Consider for a moment this narrative of a “rape culture” on college campuses. Well, if that were true that’d be a “cultural thing” right? Now in reality there is a rape culture, but it isn’t present on American college campuses, rather it as deeply embedded in Islamic “culture”. Lest you think that comparison too extreme, that “cultural “ argument is already making the rounds in European governments.

"If you are bringing something from your culture which interferes from you becoming an American and adopting the virtues of freedom and independence"
That's the easy part. The hard part is "cultural aspects of [American] life" not supportive of freedom and independence.

[Ironic suggestion] We could make a matrix, like a spreadsheet, with rows of group identities and rates of various behaviors as the columns. But it gets complicated when people are members of multiple identity groups.Maybe [/Ironic suggestion] it's better to just skip the whole approach of telling people they're outsiders based on their group membership and just treat people as individuals. Not only is leaving people and their olive trees alone the right thing to do, but it's what generates Lexuses (or is it Lexera?).

At least "Diplomatic Immunity".

I understand the "when in Rome" thing. But the soldier should have gotten a medal. NOT a court martial.

They understand, they just don't care. Their view is death to infidels - us, unless we convert to their religion. Their way of taking over is to move in and expect others to become like them, not to for them to blend in. It just never will work for the USA.

Actually, I think the guy was only severely beaten, but the soldier suffered a Court Martial over it.

When in Rome...

They'll gladly play games with you, but it's by their rules. You don't even get to see the rulebook.

We provide pony rides for little kids. Almost every single time I have done a party or festival for them, something has gone wrong, often seriously wrong. Thus far nobody has been injured, but it's nearly impossible to get things done my way instead of their way. They don't listen, especially when my wife is talking. Some boys started a soccer game during a birthday party. She told them to go around the other side of the house so the ball didn't frighten the ponies. Her words had no effect. I think she stopped doing rides and packed up and left.

Some people have told us, "It's cultural. You'll just have to get used to it." No, it's religious. My wife says, "Never again! YOU do those parties. I won't. They don't listen to me."

I think that accepting muslims into our country is a big mistake. Inherent in Islam is the "kill the infidels" mantra. I am an infidel for sure, so they want to kill me. I therefore want nothing to do with such a worthless culture. If they disavow that part of Islam, I might change my mind.

So....If you're gay you can be thrown off the roof of a tall building. What about the stories about young boys being "kept" by local officials in Afghanastan. Didn't a US soldier kill one of these local leaders for doing this?

They do not understand live and let live, they are incompatible with any other culture and should not have been allowed here, I cringe at thoughts of what my children and grandchildren are going to go through I don't think they are going to change or go away just continue to spread and take over.

Muslims do not migrate into foreign cultures to assimilate.
It is to contribute toward the holy effort to create a worldwide caliphate in accordance to the commands of the Quran.
Allahu akbar! Slavery and death for all infidels!
Erase all signs of infidel religious cultures--ancient and modern--from the face of the earth.

The question is whether or not the "cultural" or religious aspects of one's life are actually pointing them in a positive direction and whether or not they interfere with someone else attempting the same. If you are bringing something from your culture which interferes from you becoming an American and adopting the virtues of freedom and independence, please don't come here.

That is certainly what should happen. Clearly their goal is to take over this and other countries.

An age old question:
Can a square circle be gay?

About the only thing that I find annoying about Jehaovah's Witnesses is that they always come to the door when I am busy. I wish that's all the Muslims were guilty of.