Gun and Property rights issues in the aftermath of Katrina .(please watch video clip), page 7

I think swearbear makes an interesting point that bears mentioning, no pun intended.

When institutions are created, they take on some of the properties of organisms by necessity, for example, self preservation. Politicians are engaged in this day in, day out. The logic goes like this: they think they want to help the people, but in order to do that, they have to stay in power. It's a survival issue for them, and it's the same for the government as a whole.

It has a will, a desire, to survive. I can't exactly begrudge it that either.

The government will do whatever it thinks is necessary to continue the status quo, even if that means alienating and even murdering some, or lots, of the citizens that make this country what it is.

The justification of course is the greater good. Always, without fail, this is the logic that leads governments down the path of atrocity. It was no different with the Nazis. They think they're doing good, and no matter how many twisted decisions the powerbrokers make, they rationalize it away as being for the greater good.

As far as Winchester's irrational fear of liberals, I think it behooves him to check the affiliation of the party in power right now, and check his assumptions at the door. It's quite clear to me that the old loyalties are no longer being maintained. The so-called 'conservatives' in power bear absolutely no resemblance to traditional conservatives.

It's interesting, the reaction to this disaster that we're seeing. People are playing right into the government's hands, by complaining about the response. It will be used as an excuse to increase the powers of the feds, and reduce the independence of the states in times of crisis.

I didn't see this initially, because I was so upset by the lack of response. I, like everyone else, was calling for reform. Unfortunately, it's starting to look like this was a garden variety bear trap, and the people of America have wandered into it.

The only hope for any sort of fledgling resistance movement is to engage in asymetrical warfare. Doing the exact opposite of what the state wants you to do is probably the only way to hold off defeat long enough to have any hope of victory.

What people should be doing, I think, is taking care of themselves. If they don't rely on the government, the government loses much of its power and appeal. This is the key to reducing their influence I believe, simply reduce their usefullness, and wean yourself off the favors of the state.

Like I said though, swearbear makes a very interesting point about the self preservation instinct of the state, when it comes to the will of the people. It should serve as a clear sign of trouble ahead when the state sees the people as a threat.