Now that the 4th of July is over, has the United States of America died with the last ember

originally posted by: Benevolent Heretic

originally posted by: grandmakdw
In the past six years the US has plunged in all positive global measures of human development, prosperity, morality, and overall life satisfaction.

Six years? SIX YEARS?? We did all that in just six years??? Try 50. If you think this current government (Obama) is to blame for all of this, you're simply uninformed and terribly biased.

Didn't you know everything is Obama's fault. Even if it happened before he became President it's his fault. And do you want to why it's his fault? Because he has a time machine that was given to him by the CIA that enabled him to disrupt the time stream. He is a MK Ultra clone that received his training on how to destroy America while he was living on Mars with the Nazis.

a reply to: kosmicjack

I love the USA..wouldn't want to live anywhere else...but it's sucking at the moment...broken and dysfunctional and not because of the President or Congress or the Supreme Court - but because of it's citizens.

Couldn't that be attributed to the conditioning that has been shoved down our throats by the establishment though?

Turn on any news source and what do they harp on? Anything and EVERYTHING that was devised to further divide us into our little hate filled, radical tribes of "it's all about ME"!

I am not disagreeing with your view at all, but trying to show people how the mind control has been used against us.

How does a country so divided EVER come back? It doesn't! People really need to study the Constitution. Look up the word "Freedom" and reflect on it and realize that it doesn't mean freedom for just them and not for those whom don't think as they do, but for EVERYONE!

Selfishness and ignorance seems to be the attitudes for those whom are so divided by political, religious/non religious beliefs that we as a collective citizenship have willfully given authority over our freedom to those whom have orchestrated our pathetic predicament!

MLK was a great and smart man! He got it! Thus his death was a necessity for the PTB to continue.

The biggest threat to our government is peace!

With that, I am out......

a reply to: buster2010

So you like the federal government managing your health care using government bureaucrats?

You like being told what you must purchase? ACA

You like having the NSA reading your every email and monitoring all your phone calls?

You like small businesses being told to either do something against their conscience that is PC or go out of business.

You like a park service who is militarized?

You like an IRS who is used to persecute those who disagree with the government?

You like a ruling class that takes multimillion dollar vacations using tax money?

You like a political class that makes laws for the people but exempt themselves from those laws; after more than 6 years ago passing a law against that very thing from happening?

You like a ruling class who says to h--l with what the people want or what their elected officials pass as laws or don't want to pass as laws, it will do whatever the ruling class thinks is best for the little people?

You must, because you said you are loving socialism and the current changes happening to make the US more fair

a reply to: seeker1963

Yep...we have lost our perspective...as well as our sense of the benefits and responsibilities that come with living in a civilized and modern society.

a reply to: kosmicjack

Maybe it's because the expectations are far too high. Most citizens (like every other nation) want their country to be number one in every facet, and when the US is supposed to be the worlds superpower then many people expect the best and won't settle for less.

There are people willing to jump the border to make a better life for themselves so it can't be that bad. Maybe those who are disillusioned should jump the borders themselves and then maybe they'll realize how lucky they are. Sure the situation isn't perfect and there are issues that really grind peoples gears and for good reason, but if there was a perfect place to live then we'd all be there.

originally posted by: grandmakdw
Oh, yeah, and the real unemployment rate of around 8% to now having millions of discouraged workers now not counted as unemployed making the real unemployment rate at some estimates near 15-20%

The unemployment rate has always been calculated the same way. Regardless what's "real", we have to compare apples to apples. This is a chart of the unemployment rate since Obama took office. It's LOWER than it was when he took office.



Secondly, RIGHT before Obama took office, this country underwent one of the worst financial crises in our history. We are still recovering from that. And we ARE recovering.

I agree with kosmicjack. There's so many bitchers and complainers and haters.

a reply to: Thecakeisalie

I do think that's part of it. Most have no huge, life threatening, gut-wrenching, survive or die issues to face daily, so it gives them the luxury of time and money to fixate on ideology and other, more cerebral concerns.

Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs comes to mind.

originally posted by: Thecakeisalie
a reply to: kosmicjack

Maybe it's because the expectations are far too high. Most citizens (like every other nation) want their country to be number one in every facet, and when the US is supposed to be the worlds superpower then many people expect the best and won't settle for less.

There are people willing to jump the border to make a better life for themselves so it can't be that bad. Maybe those who are disillusioned should jump the borders themselves and then maybe they'll realize how lucky they are. Sure the situation isn't perfect and there are issues that really grind peoples gears and for good reason, but if there was a perfect place to live then we'd all be there.

I don't want to jump the border to a socialist country.

I just want the US to return to a real democracy where the people actually have a say in the laws that are made and the direction taken by "servants of the people" not a ruling class bordering on dictatorship -

where the states do the microeconomics, make regulations for businesses and provide for the needs of its citizens -

and the federal government is drastically limited to interstate commerce, international diplomacy, international commerce and protection of the entire country (not within the states) - and people are free from constant spying and intrusion in private lives.

It died long ago .. the "american dream" is one of the biggest pieces of pie in the sky propaganda there is ..

Far more opportunity .. freedom and less taxes elsewhere in the world not to mention better standards / quality of life and better healthcare elsewhere ..

Maybe one day america will get its act sorted and become once again what it was meant to be instead of what it is now ..

a reply to: grandmakdw

so then work towards it? get your law degree and work to become a senator or governor or hell maybe the president. if you work hard enough you could very well become the head of the NSA and id be willing to bet you'd feel a little differently about their spying capabilities then. no ones watching you pick your nose while you surf ATS.


DONT JUST COMPLAIN about it do something about it. thats the beauty of this country.

this scene is a great metaphor



just because your turn down basic welfare (the $1000) doesn't mean your still not looking for a handout..

NO ONE IS GONNA HAND YOU A BRIGHTER AMERICA. WE NEED TO GET OUT THERE AND MAKE IT AND TAKE IT.

IDK, there wasn't as big of a turn-out at 4th of July celebrations like there were in the past. I think many opted to stay at home. It was sort of eerie. The fireworks show didn't last as long compared to former ones. Every vehicle that I saw pulled over was being searched by K-9 units. 'Murica

I also noticed at the local carnivals, hardly no one showed up. It was empty.

Everyone has went back to work so that they can pay their interest on their loans. Same ol' same ol'.

a reply to: Fylgje

then maybe not sign up for those loans??

ten years ago when i first turned 18 i had a 40+ hour a week union job. was married and had about zero debt. i used to get pre approved $250,000 mortgage notices by the handful... i watched my dad my whole life work union trades and have the "hard times", the winters.. economy slow downs, new tech. theres all kinds of reasons for you to lose your job. ANYWAY i watched him struggle bad through all these times so i said to myself that i wasn't going to dig such a huge hole to work from and i never took on one of those huge mortgages... BOY IM GLAD~!

i always wonder when i hear about all these families kicked out of there homes and whatnot, I bet if it was possible to get a straight forward answer a lot of these folks would admit to buying a house worth more then they could afford "because they let us" or taking out 1 too many mortgages against your home "because they let us"

debt is a drug just like any other. a crack dealer "will let you" buy crack from him too!

SOOO if people have to work overtime to payback mortgages with bad rates or malicious fine print then they are probably learning a valuable lesson for their future and maybe they can succeed once they get back on their feet.

yes we can be mad at the bankers and rich folks but honestly WE made the decisions. the final blame lies with the american people for taking the bait. a lot of us learned tho.. hopefully

a reply to: grandmakdw

So you like the federal government managing your health care using government bureaucrats?

Insurance is one of the biggest scams on the planet. And if private run insurance is better than government run they why are nations with national healthcare have healthier citizens than America does?

You like being told what you must purchase? ACA

I don't support corporate welfare that's why I didn't sign up for it.

You like having the NSA reading your every email and monitoring all your phone calls?

I do nothing by Email and watch what I say on the phone and seeing how I might use a phone ten times a month I have nothing to worry about. I hate talking on the phone I prefer face to face. The NSA has been monitoring our phone calls for decades now anyone who thinks it just started doesn't have a clue.

You like small businesses being told to either do something against their conscience that is PC or go out of business.

I support the government telling companies that they can't force their religious beliefs on their employees.

You like a park service who is militarized?

Where is the park service militarized? If they are going against the drug cartels that are destroying parks to grow drugs then they should be armed to defend themselves.

You like an IRS who is used to persecute those who disagree with the government?

No just as I don't support groups who place false information on forms to get a tax classification that they shouldn't have. Which was something the TP parties were doing.

You like a ruling class that takes multimillion dollar vacations using tax money?

Who are you talking about? The Obama's? They pay for their vacations out of their own pocket we just pay for their security. I have no problem with the or anyone else taking a vacation from work everybody should be allowed to do that.

You like a political class that makes laws for the people but exempt themselves from those laws; after more than 6 years ago passing a law against that very thing from happening?

Congress has always held themselves above the law if you didn't know this then you really know nothing about politics.

You must, because you said you are loving socialism and the current changes happening to make the US more fair

The founders wanted the people to be equal in this country. If people get their kickers in a wad because their faith doesn't like this then that's just too bad.

originally posted by: grandmakdw

US global ranking in Child poverty

Roughly one in seven children within the United States currently lives in poverty.

Exactly. Meanwhile last night someone was trying to convince me we should be compassionate and allow all of these illegal children to cross into our borders. As if we don't have poor children of our own. As if those benefits shouldn't be applied to our own destitute. Indeed...America is becoming worse by the day it seems the more I read the news.

I like what Ben Carson said in an interview recently

www.wnd.com...

“They (socialists/progressives/liberals/Democrats) asked themselves what it would take to bring America into alignment, to achieve their one-world vision and their utopian society,” Carson said.

The answer became obvious. Attack, attack, attack, at the nation’s soul, and stir up divisions at every level of American society – women against men, old against young, race against race, rich against poor.

“They said, you know, the problem with America is that they’re too strong. They have a couple of very strong pillars. The family, the traditional family, and their Judeo-Christian values,” Carson said. “You need to attack those things constantly, bring them down, and you will level the United States. You see the constant attacks in our country now.”

A pre-fascist or pre-revolutionary society typically breaks down into warring factions that stop talking to each other. That seems to be the place America has fallen into ...

Read more at www.wnd.com...

a reply to: buster2010

Blaming Bush has become a tired old cliche that needs to be retired
after 2 years of total control of both houses of congress and the Presidency and 4 years of control of 2/3 (senate and Presidency)

If there is no real turn around in 6 years then don't blame someone else. Seems like the same old finger pointing and blame avoiding, "the buck stops there!"


Things the progressives/liberals/Democrats have succeeded in over the past 6 years in the USA:

Convinced Americans that the intact nuclear family is to be made fun of and chastised for being intolerant and exclusive and even far worse the most economically successful of all family types with the best overall outcomes for their children - so unfair.

The intact nuclear family is now a thing to be ashamed of in the US, only the loose knit informally bonded family is tolerant, and even more tolerant and desirable is the LBGT family.

Convinced white people that they are inherently evil and racist and insensitive (ie white privilege) and
not worthy of participating in the US because of their unconscious racism and insensitivity

Celebrated the single parent family and made fathers nothing more than sperm donors
who are unnecessary in raising children in urban life
(which studies show leaves most of these people in a cycle of poverty and greatly increases the chances of the children becoming criminals)

Convinced Americans that to think someone who commits a crime under US law should not only be forgiven but given all the benefits of law abiding citizens (illegal aliens)

Convinced Americans that the people who hire them and pay their salaries are inherently evil and selfish and are not to be trusted under any circumstances.
Building a wall between them that may take generations to break down.

Convinced Americans that to be a Christian or Jew is to be intolerant, ignorant and even violent, and worthy of constant ridicule and exclusion from all public life; but to be any other religion is to be celebrated and venerated as worthy of special consideration because
we must be tolerant of others (except those nasty Christians and their Jewish brothers and sisters)

Convinced Americans that no one is to be trusted and so all email must be collected,
all phone calls monitored and all internet activity scrutinized

because just to be a US citizen by birth is to be imbued and tainted with the intolerance and arrogance that goes along with being an american citizen.

Convinced Americans that it is intolerant and bigoted and evil to fly the American flag or even wave it,

don't even try to express pride in the US or you are considered suspicious and possibly dangerous,

patriotism is now a flag word for a dangerous thinker and perhaps a dangerous person.

Job so well done it has permeated the American psyche and become a reality
because US citizens were told so often it was a reality.

And what did the Republicans do while socialists/liberals/progressives/democrats were convincing the American people they are so awful - so awful that it became a self fulfilling prophecy? A big fat nothing and so are complicit.

a reply to: mindseye1609

The system has been set up so that most people have to get a loan. It just is. I don't have a high paying job, I didn't inherit a bunch of land, a house, vehicles....- and those things aren't going to pay for themselves, now are they? I guess I could ride a bike, live in a cave and eat berries? Probably will be anyways....

a reply to: Fylgje

with a minimum wage job its very easy to save some money and get a start in life when your young.

hell even when we are older.

the problem begins when you want to be kanye west and kim kardashian right off the bat.... trying to buy bigger better houses and cars and clothes... its insane what an american household spends on clothes and food and housing costs per month...

honestly.. spend 6 months, maybe a year, saving your pennies. like literally not going somewhere if you dont have too and eating navy bean recipes hobo style and see where your at. you would be surprised.

if just half the people not taking full responsibility for whats going on right now would stand up and do so the world would be a much different place..


ETA the system is set up so its easy to fail but thats not saying one cant succeed either. yes the system needs a little work but people need to not be suckers and take bad loans or stupid school loans "Cause they are supposed to" when they dont even know a career in their field let alone know a way to make money at it. even with a degree its all a hustle. find some people who value you as an asset whatever it may be that you do and tuck in and work hard. dont get too comfy tho cause theirs always competition and evolution. look towards the future. dont wanna be an ice salesman if the worlds starting too freeze... might wanna invest in some firewood.

if i was a young person right now i wouldnt be afraid at all. id be excited. ya the big wave just crashed on shore and theres carnage everywhere and you just watched all kinds of people get taken under in the last wave BUT learn from that... theres another wave on the horizon... start paddling now to get good position and be one of the all stars of this boom. whatever it may be.

a reply to: mindseye1609

You're out-of-touch. You cannot save money if you have a minimum wage job because all of it and more will go to paying for the basic of bills. I know. Trust me. Don't blame it on people not "saving their pennies". When you pay the basic of bills you don't have two pennies to rub together no matter how basic you try to live.

I don't understand why you think that most people out there want to live like this Kanye and Kardashian mattress back. You live by how much you make. The more you make, the nicer your stuff is. Of course some naïve people starting out want the big house, etc., but they learn real quick how the real world works and settle.

Living was cheaper and easier when you were younger. It's hard to make it in this greedy, perverted world nowadays. Maybe you'd be living in your mommy and daddys basement or attic like many of the youth of today are? The system has been perverted and it has failed. There is no American dream. Many people are born without a chance and cannot climb their way out of it. Very few get lucky and do make it, and good for them.

a reply to: Fylgje

I'm only 28 my friend. i did live in my mom and dads basement for a time and paid most of my debt off in that time and then moved on. if it wouldnt of been for their help i wouldnt of had a pot to piss in and this is when i learned the lesson. i had about $20,000 in debt that was easily cleared up in a year working anywhere and everywhere i could.

ATS was big driving factor behind my decision to get out of debt and once you take the bull by the horns its not hard. drive humble vehicles. live in a humble house. We are in an 800 square foot farm house from the early 1900's with 2 kids so we can save money to have half down for our own house.

have you guys ever tried settling with credit card companies or loan companies? especially if its in collections talk to them and a lot of the time you can settle for less then 50% of what you actually owed. yes you take a "hit" on your credit score BUT WHO CARES THATS A GOOD THING IMO. credit is the enemy. kill your score pay your debt off.

due to the economy I've been able to source a TON of low cost equipment for my field of work.

il be able to get a house for 60% of what its going to be worth in 10 years.

commercial property is cheaper then ever before and if I'm lucky il be able to make my dreams come true and have a large office/warehouse/conference center for half the cost of what it should cost.


the rafter can not hope to fight the flow of the river you can only watch the flow and try to best take advantage of it.

im not trying to give excuses for everything thats going on nor do i want all the blame to lie with us the consumer I'm just saying we are not that helpless. theres ways out and the sooner people get up off there A$$ and get to work we can fix this economy!