Here comes "The Squeeze"...are you going to stand by your fellow Americans?

Its "denial" plain and simple...... I have had basic conversations with people.... stores, gas stations, club meetings... starts off with "how's the weather" and the typical answers start coming... then if I change the subject to something serious, money, unemployment, war, politics, wall street, bail outs....they sort of acknowledge... "well something might be going on... don't know for sure...." WHAT IS WRONG WITH THESE PEOPLE???????

I have neighbors in the country that are in denial and NOT stocking up on food supplies... I feel bad for city folks.....
SOMETHING IS REALLY HAPPENING. will someone WAKE THEM UP?

reply to post by Illusionsaregrander


Good points. What I mean by wanting more is when others look to the tangible things we have (consumer goods, food, services, housing, eg) and would like that for themselves. The problem as I see it is as you state

Originally posted by Illusionsaregrander
Our corporations pollute, strip jobs from our country, etc., ....we Amercians turn a blind eye to the fact that our prosperity came in part because of the exploitation of weaker peoples

It takes energy to make the things we have, whether that energy is expended here, or since we've shipped production elsewhere, in China or India or.... . Unless other countries avoid the pitfalls of pollution, relying on petroleum products, refusal to conserve or stop wasting, they'll be doomed to failure. I am not saying that they need the exact same products but rather the same results.

If someone in a hot climate wants their shelter cooler, as an American can flick a switch for a/c, they would be better off developing a better method of cooling, or even shelter construction. Americans refused to build outside the box years ago with alternative construction to the degree we should; we even have a/c in dry desert climes!

There is a point which wanting more becomes gluttony. There is a great saying I saw years ago, Live simply so that others may simply live. There still are many people living without adequate water, food, shelter. Even if I were to live simply by American standards, others elsewhere would have a ways to go to live that simply...if they would even choose that lifestyle. I think living simply should also mean living in a sustainable system..

Yes, there still are big ideas in America, but I fear future generations might stop dreaming. And what big ideas have given us national pride and brought us together, motivating us to be a better nation, driving us forward together? When our manufacturing sector was diminished, America was supposed to be the world's producer of financial products, and look where that got us.

I guess it's like I said elsewhere. Bill Gates to Americans is a symbol of wealth, in Asia he's a symbol of technological progress and entrepreneurship.

We can do without the greed, and we must find our balance or topple. As I said earlier, more citizens are falling off the increasingly tilting playing field.

Koyaanisqatsi. The word and the film.

reply to post by ladyinwaiting

But can we find a way to make corporative lobbyists illegal? Would that help?

There is a movement to end corporate personhood...but it hasn't gained much traction because it will never get on the corporate news.

The supreme court decision last year is what got it started. I've signed petitions but it can't get traction without everyone getting word about it.

If it was aired on television so every could see it...they'd agree. Most people were against the supreme court decision in teh first place...80 percent were against it in polls.

reply to post by galadofwarthethird

Interesting thread dude, by the way aren't you that dude with the kid, who about year ago was arguing about these sort of things on this very site. Anyways if so, glad to see your more mellowed out, because like you said. Sometimes you just got to turn of the tube, and step away from it all for a long time and get your perspectives in check, before you go crazy, and make a big thing on much ado about nothing. Or at least the "nothing" that wouldn't be in your interest to go crazy about, if people are going to go crazy, at least go crazy about something the is worth going crazy about. Anyways just passing through, peace out, and carry on.

Yep, that is me. She's over a 1 1/2 old now. And i definitely took a break...i think it's something people should do sometimes. The world can drive you mad. Luckily I have an awesome daughter and wife to keep me sane.

And here it is....the squeeze is on our doorstep.

We need to stand by those who are the targets of the legislation. It's about damned time we start doing what is right for our fellow Americans.

We need to regain our humanity and humility.

Originally posted by David9176
We need to regain our humanity and humility.

Amen to that!

There will always be some who will have a brutish nature, but they should not be the ones to lead us either politically or religiously.

Will the "waste" in the budget be defined as the people around us...or items like this

The Budget "Waste" Deficit Hawks never Seem to See