Will you riot if your entitlements are cut? Question for Americans.

The scenario is this. A person with an ounce of common sense is elected and doing some quick math with an Abacus determines that we cannot afford all of the entitlement programs we have erected over the past 70 years to buy votes and decides to reduce the entitlement programs including Social Security, Medicaid, and Medicare which are the three worst but also including the programs to give away free housing, cell phones, and internet.

Will you seek out like minded people on Twitter and Facebook, plot which stores you want to set fire to and rob and engage in "political" rioting?

Which stores in particular would you rob? In other words, for those of us that have an interest in investing - where should we not put our money?

You can assume from the question that I would not support rioting against local businesses nor would I support defending an indefensible entitlement program. I remember watching a C-SPAN debate in one of the committees back in 1996 full of charts and graphs about how the entitlement programs would be unsustainable past 2017 and the end result of the warning? Nothing. Its the third rail of politics so instead of fixing it and harming a few people we seem intent on harming everyone.

Considering that I dont collect them and will plan my finances on not collecting them .. .NO.

I guess I would steal stuff from stores if I needed it. Other wise I would get out of town till everything cools down. America needs a strong economy in order to avoid all these problems.

I think the biggest difference between Europe's poor and America's is that the poor in the US still think they be rich someday.

In Europe, it seems from here to me, whatever class you're born into is the class you'll stay. Getting rid of that notion is one reason America has been such a beacon to the world and that is probably why Europe's class struggles persist there.

Originally posted by ManOfGod267
I guess I would steal stuff from stores if I needed it. Other wise I would get out of town till everything cools down. America needs a strong economy in order to avoid all these problems.

I would assume that means things like food and not Sony Playstations, LCD TV's, and Jordan Retros?

no we will, like we have so many times before just roll over and play dead, but for some it will not be playing , for they will die from the lack of food, meds, and shelter, only the working and rich will be ok the rest will be dust.

reply to post by ararisq


If I needed anything like clothes, food, or something then yes. But I wouldn't doubt I would get caught.

Originally posted by TreadUpon
In Europe, it seems from here to me, whatever class you're born into is the class you'll stay. Getting rid of that notion is one reason America has been such a beacon to the world and that is probably why Europe's class struggles persist there.

That is a good observation but I think that holds true for most people in urban cities in the United States if not worse - that you will end up in a worse class than the one you were born in to.

I only pay for entitlement programs, I don't recieve any of it, and likely never will. I hope people don't riot in the streets when they are cut, and they will be cut.

I would hope that if people do choose to riot that they will be objective and target retail chains, but mobs don't think. It won't happen. People will just lose thieir scruples and cause unimmaginable damage to any and everything in their vicinity.

It's sad. Individuals are intelligent, the more people that come together, the collective intelligence decreases exponentially to that of some distructive single cell organism.

It's just the way it is.

We spend just as much on defense and black projects that we do these so-called entitlements..lets cut some of that first...and remember social security is something that is paid into to..

Like the above poster, I do not collect help from the government so I'll be fine if its discontinued.

I think it'll be sad to see a bunch of senior citizens looting because all their benefits get cut..or evern sadder to see them on thhe streets begging..

No.
I don't collect them.

I think how the americans would 'riot' is by ceasing to pay taxes. (claim 10 dependants on your w-4 - HR can do that for you) and take your money out of the banks and put it into credit unions or small local banks.
If everyone did that state wide/country wide the govs would sit up and take notice real quick.

Yes, I would try to disrupt the system by taking away their resources.
Stealing (if needed) must be done in silence so no riot is needed.

Originally posted by Stovokor
I think it'll be sad to see a bunch of senior citizens looting because all their benefits get cut..or evern sadder to see them on thhe streets begging..

I do not expect to see a bunch of senior citizens looting. I expect to see a bunch of people between 16 and 26 looting though and they won't be the ones receiving it. I expect to see this because its what we've seen to date. They will be stirred up by a leader and sent to the streets to fight the "Bourgeoisie" which to them will mean anyone making a living for themselves.

What pisses me off is that if you have a problem with what has happened and the necessary outcome why take it out on regular people trying to make a living. How come the people (the Bureaucracy that created this disaster) get a free pass and their victims get harmed a second time?

Well, I guess it really depends. I paid into Social Security, so I don't look at it as an entitlement program. That's like saying that my 401k is an entitlement program.

Originally posted by ararisq


I do not expect to see a bunch of senior citizens looting. I expect to see a bunch of people between 16 and 26 looting though and they won't be the ones receiving it. I expect to see this because its what we've seen to date. They will be stirred up by a leader and sent to the streets to fight the "Bourgeoisie" which to them will mean anyone making a living for themselves.

What pisses me off is that if you have a problem with what has happened and the necessary outcome why take it out on regular people trying to make a living. How come the people (the Bureaucracy that created this disaster) get a free pass and their victims get harmed a second time?

I couldn't agree more. It is sad to see that although they "think" fighting the elite, they only enforce them.

I do not receive entitlements so no, I will not riot because they are cut.

However, I may riot if they are not cut to force the people who can but do not want to work.

reply to post by ararisq


They get a free pass by living in gated communities isolated from the rest of the peons. Having their investments tied up in non-tangible properties.
For all purposes they are untouchable.

If you can't reach the true enemy, yet are filled with enough rage to do something, you lash out at whatever strikes your fancy at the moment.

The true enemies have never been harmed since the beginning of time.

Originally posted by AnIntellectualRedneck
Well, I guess it really depends. I paid into Social Security, so I don't look at it as an entitlement program. That's like saying that my 401k is an entitlement program.

It absolutely is an entitlement program. You did not voluntarily pay in to the system, it was coerced from you by threat of force/punishment. The money you receive from the program is then stolen by coercion from someone that is younger. The money from both of you was primarily used to pay for the expansion of the federal government and military conflict. The devalued money given back to you borrowed from the Federal Reserve. There is nothing logical or correct about this system.

I would not cause harm or destroy anyone's person or property, but if entitlements are ever stopped, I'm sure there would be mass rioting. I knew there would be rioting over Rodney King. Imagine what it will be like when people can't feed their families. It will be very ugly!

reply to post by ararisq


...only idiots riot... entitlements have always been an obviously baited hook... i'm neither blind or an idiot...