It looks like you're using an Ad Blocker.
Please white-list or disable AboveTopSecret.com in your ad-blocking tool.
Thank you.
Some features of ATS will be disabled while you continue to use an ad-blocker.
originally posted by: vexati0n
Well, in 1981 the US had just experienced 3 solid decades of explosive economic growth, a seemingly unstoppable expansion of the middle class, shrinking wealth gaps, low energy prices, high wages, and social policies swinging toward equality. We were optimistic about the future because we saw our past as a success. Many people had it rough, but almost everyone was doing better than they had been a decade earlier. We were on the right track.
At the end of 2014, the US has had 30 years of "supply-side economics" sapping the middle class, expanding wealth gaps, low and stagnant wages, a series of booms and busts in every economic sector, dwindling investment in infrastructure and education, and a culture war that has put lunatics in charge of almost everything. We are weary of war, spied on by our government, killed like dogs in the street by the police, and we're constantly being bombarded with so much useless information we can't even hold a conversation anymore.
What went wrong? Who knows. Who cares? The US is a rickety old empire built on the empty husk of a fundamentally flawed republic that died out a century ago. The only way to "fix" it is for Americans to quit pretending the US is God's gift to humanity and stop trying to rule the planet. But we won't, because "hurr durr 'MURICA!" and if we weren't barking orders at somebody we wouldn't know what to do with ourselves.
originally posted by: khnum
a reply to: LOSTinAMERICA
There is still hope here in my state the prior government was the medias darling and the Premier made the assumption that people were stupid and deserved to be treated like children word got out however about their outrageous fracking approvals and corruption and arrogance we voted him out despite him having a huge majority,no its not just a US problem this dumbing down media and all the rest of it but try as they may you cant eliminate basal common sense the masses do sniff you out eventually.
originally posted by: khnum
a reply to: vexati0n
I dont find your constitution or bill of rights fundamentally flawed and there was a time where to the rest of the world America was the light on the hill if it wasn't for the USA I would be speaking Japanese but Im no expert on such matters your loss of faith in the system is very common,yes the world is tired of your country trying to run it but there does have to be a top dog and would Russia or China be any better,I think not.
originally posted by: khnum
a reply to: LOSTinAMERICA
I think your post might of been for someone else but if you think I believe Americans are evil you are very,very wrong for example in Vegas I asked a couple where I could buy good American goods they took me to the Fashion show mall and showed me round no the average American is a very good person,but as you comment no they dont run the show.
originally posted by: TheNewRevolution
Well what went wrong? People became complacent and complient.
Where once the belief that government was there to aid the people was true, it is true now that the government serves to make men wealthy and powerful.
There were always demons at the doorstep of the US, warned about by the Founding Fathers, we just didn't heed those warnings. Slowly the demons took over and with each event that transpired they used it as an excuse to gain more power. 9/11 was the benchmark and the turning point of the modern age.
It's all downhill from there.
But can it be fixed? Nay. Not in the old ways. People were silent for so long that their voices of displeasure no longer matter to those in power, and distractions of technology and pointless political debates over social issues keep them content and quiet regardless.
There is no way to fix it besides collapsing it and starting over, careful this time to heed the warnings and stay vigilante. And it will indeed collapse eventually.
Will it be a natural calamity, an economic collapse, a military coup, or a violent revolution of the people? Only one of those gives power back to the people. Only time will tell which happens first.
People became complacent and complaint.