Great Speech on Where we are as a Nation and Where it's Headed

a reply to: mOjOm

But we'll get into this soon. If you want.

A very reasonable suggestion. I accept your invitation to reason.

Let wisdom be the key to understand knowledge.

Continuing:

From 5:50 he starts talking about how Trump and his family will use the government to increase their wealth. My reasoning to his remark would be in the form of questions.

-He is accusing Trump of something before he has done it. Isn't that going against the core value of America of which you seem to be so concerned with Mr. Hedges?

-Why are you accusing Trump of something that anyone can accuse any President of within the last 30 years Mr Hedges?

-How do I know this? Any man that enters the white house at a certain rate of income and comes out making millions more than he should have, is evidence within itself that the Presidents use the Government to get rich.

I ate a cookie in your honor.
Care for a mint?

originally posted by: 3daysgone

We should get back to that opening quite by Marx too at some point. But for now...

From 5:50 he starts talking about how Trump and his family will use the government to increase their wealth. My reasoning to his remark would be in the form of questions.

-He is accusing Trump of something before he has done it. Isn't that going against the core value of America of which you seem to be so concerned with Mr. Hedges?

I think he's making a prediction based on what happens when you put a narcissistic business tycoon into power at this stage of corrupt capitalism.

I don't see how speculating about what someone might do in the future is against the core principle of America. Let's not get all fantasy patriotic here about something that is nothing new for anyone. How many times do political talking heads make predictions about other people in office?? Seriously.

-Why are you accusing Trump of something that anyone can accuse any President of within the last 30 years Mr Hedges?

So you even admit that those accusations are extremely common and reasonable so what's the issue?? We can safely ignore this and the previous question now.

-How do I know this? Any man that enters the white house at a certain rate of income and comes out making millions more than he should have, is evidence within itself that the Presidents use the Government to get rich.

Great so you were able to answer your own question with your own supporting evidence and everything now. So I guess we can move on and skip this post.

I ate a cookie in your honor.
Care for a mint?

Next, try some humble pie.

a reply to: mOjOm

Well we tried.

You dismissal of valid questions that show Mr. Hedges bias and partisanship is quiet telling of you ability to reason at all.

Next, try some humble pie.

I would, but I fear you would reasonably starve to death. You need the sustenance of it's nurturing.

a reply to: 3daysgone

What are you talking about??

I agreed with what you're saying. You answered your own questions yourself. What more did you want me to say about it???

If you'd paid any attention to anything in this thread so far you'd know full well I'm open for discussion completely. You seem to be set on evaluating him personally or me personally. Or perhaps both of us which I'm not interested in. I also stated quite clearly I'm not interested in discussing the man but what he said.

Others here have had no problem doing so, so I'm not sure why you can't do the same. You're trying to show evidence for him being biased. But whatever his bias may or may not be isn't what he's talking about is it?? So why are you going there??

Even then I still answered your questions line for line in the only way left which was to point out that you basically reasoned your own answers for them. What's left to say about it at that point???

a reply to: 3daysgone

He's already used his position to increase his family's wealth by reducing the Estate Tax.

According to the Joint Committee on Taxation, 99.8% of estates owe no estate tax at all, leaving the estates of 0.2% of the wealthiest Americans to pay up.

Fox Business - Trump Tax Plans

He's seen more than double the profits at Mar a Lago (link) where he increased the fees from 100k to 200k. His hotels now host visiting foreign diplomats and business people. He's a business man and is making hay while the sun shines.

I'd be surprised if any leaders came out of a Presidency or Prime Ministerial role without making minimum seven figure profits. Tony Blair (ex-PM of UK) made millions and stashed it behind the maze of his foundation like the Clintons have. It looks like Trump is being more blatant about it.

The follow on message about increased military spending is also true, but I personally don't see the dystopia predicted by Hedges as Trump's fault. Neither do I see it as particularly Trump's dream.

The slow increase in America's security against its own citizens has been running since Bush declared a 'War on Terror.' Do you remember the days when Americans were aggrieved and angry about Homeland Security and the TSA? Not any more because it's become accepted. Same with the NSA's surveillance of US citizens and the FBI's stance that privacy is not a human right.

It's naive (at best) for Hedges to point the finger at Trump for all this when it's been fuelled by Obama (Democrat) and Bush (Republican). It seems to me that Presidents are fine when they're handing more powers to law enforcement and intel, but get blocked when they seek to repeal or reduce those powers. It's complex and we all get that and also I think we understand the need for security. Plus Intel doen't equate to 'bad guys' in my mind at least. There's more to it than 'blame Donald J Trump.'

So I watched this fear mongering and believe me I am not Trump supporter and know what is going on...

Here is my rub is this just more talk or does he actually stop shaming, blaming and escaping to offer a solution?

a reply to: mOjOm

Very powerful message indeed.

And he gives us the one and only solution we have at our fingertips (or ever will have):

Rally together as one and Rise up !

But (and most importantly) do so wisely, or it will be an exercise in futility.

Yes indeed, sir. Yes indeed.



The corporate pigs are at the troughs slurping back whatever little is left for we the masses to scrounge on... and pretty soon there'll be none left for any of us if we don't fight to get back what's rightfully ours.

Power to the people.