You're worried about the wrong thang, brother Arnie. Brother Riccie has assured me that everthang is gonna be just hunky dory.
Exactly. You can't issue forever. Well, you can if the Fed continues as the main buyer of the debt. Of course, the currency suffers at that point.
Reading this thread all day has brought me to this. I must say, and please don't take personal offense, but all this "the end is near" talk makes me believe more than ever what a nation of pussies we have become. Could we survive what those old dogs went through in the great depression? Doubtful! What we're expereincing today is a f'n cake walk compared to that. Then they had to fight a world war where thousands died daily. Every day, and it didn't look good for quite some time. We're freaked cause a few thousand have died over a 10 year period in Iraq and Afganistan? Not to dimish their deaths, but that number ain't shit either, comparitivly speaking. There's more. The cold war wasn't just some game during the 50's and 60's. We were on the brink of total annihilation more then once. Then there's the late 60's and riots were the daily thing. Big f'n riots. People getting killed all the time. Assassinations of one key figure after another. The country was in shambles. What do we have today? More bills than money, and that's the end? That's suppose to make me cower in fear? Run for the hills? Bullshit! The difference, we had leaders. Leaders who, love'em or hate'em never said fuck the people, let'em suffer. They did their best to unite the people. They said, we can do this. And for you Reagan lovers, of which I'm not really one, the guy could inspire people. He believed in America and it's people. So do I! I ain't running and I ain't hiding from my reposibility to make this a better place. We need a leader, and if it doesn't come from D.C., then it must come from one of us, all of us. The people!
If this is true, and Lucrum prefers everyone paid their fair share, in other words, every one pitches in for the better of the community as a whole, then perhaps you can at least recognize this view as being somewhat communistic. If the only way Lucrum or yourself can be accepting of society, is for everyone to be paying the same amount equally, then perhaps this is the reason your anger and frustration overwhelms you. The fact is, as far as I can tell, it has never been that way in the history of mankind. I'm not claiming to know what happened thousands, or even hundreds of years ago, but can tell you I have been steeped in the study of tribal and primitive living. No two people are capable of contributing equally as we all have different strengths and weaknesses. I realize I am spouting rhetoric, now, but I still think it's important rhetoric for us to remember. Within a tribe, there are those who can hunt successfully, and their job is maybe the most difficult, and challenging. The success of the hunt often relies on cunning as much as the physical act of making the kill. The majority of the time, the hunt will end in failure. But it doesn't stop the good hunter from trying again, because he/she knows that others are desperately relying on him/her to provide for them, as they may lack the skills or ability necessary to make the kill themselves. Some of those who wait hungrily and patiently for the hunters to return, may be the ones who have the skills it takes to make weapons to hunt and defend with. Clothes for others to wear. Some may not be able to do much at all except take from others what is given to them. Others may only lead in a spiritual sense, or a common sense, and they may very well be the most important members of that society. They face the hard decisions, and accept responsibility when their's and other's decisions have ended in failure, while others may reap the benefits of leadership when the right decisions are made. Everyone eats the same, and every one has warm clothing, and their only hope of survival depends on each other. It's really not so different today, except for the glaring reality that there seem to be more and more who CHOOSE to not do much at all, except take from others. This disappoints me deeply, probably every bit as much as it disturbs you, Lucrum, Ricter, and the list goes on. So how do we fix it? We certainly won't fix it, if we decide to not do much at all, and just take from others because it seems to be the popular thing to do. We won't fix it either, if we decide to take the prey we have killed into a cave and try to consume the entire animal before it rots. That cave is where people go to die a cold and lonely existence. If we decide to stop being the leader, then others will fail, due to lack of guidance, and so we all fail as a result. Perhaps we break away from the tribe in search of others who may make our lives seem more worthwhile, and perhaps this is the fork in road that you stand at, and you are at odds with which way to go. If you decide to go, I wish you the best of luck on your journey, and will say a final thank you for your contributions already made. If you decide to stay, then just know we can always use another good hunter, craftsman, or leader that we can depend on. If there comes a time when your physical and mental skills may deteriorate, or your leadership may waver, then just know we will be there to keep clothes on your back and food in your belly. Just know that many of us who care, will be here trying our best to cope with the challenges of an ever growing society, in which nothing is guaranteed and everything is at stake. Best of luck to you my friend, in the decisions you have to make. who farted
This one sentence rained all over CaptainObvious's thought out post. But it's exactly right. We're not talking about the end of the world, Captain. We're talking about how to prepare for the time when all commerce collapses and we have to figure out our way through via a transition period. Once the transition occurs, we'll have learned our lesson (hopefully) and be on our way to another 50-100 years of prosperity, until someone stupid comes back into power. But when that commerce collapse happens, there will be hunger, famine and loss of life.
But, CO, we didn't have a parasite class President, debt equal to the GDP and a majority of voters voting for free stuff from the redistribution president and Senate in the early 1900's. It's not the same. We've crossed a line and there is nothing we can do about it.
horrible tribe analogy, right now the liberal democrats demand nothing from the takers and denigrate the skilled producers. what people like lucrum want is a fair social contract without budget crushing open ended entitlements for people who produce nothing, or crackdowns on selfish union types who don't give a damn if they cost society too much and btw in the old tribes, it was your duty to die when you weren't useful, or else they just left you behind
A good post, but the problem isn't that people aren't good at a particular thing, it is that people are being enabled to do nothing. Cradle-to-grave nanny states do not solve problems for long, because the people who are contributing say "you know what? Screw this. I'm done. Give me my hand out." And pretty soon they either move away, or stop paying into the system. No one says (at least no one I know) get rid of all safety nets. People sick should just die. Those who are starving should die to make room for those who are strong, or some shit like that. But an environment must be fostered that says "if you work hard, you get success." Work is being replaced with a government check. A handout. I think it was Mav or Max that said it earlier. In the past, to take a check from the government was embarrassing. When you got on assistance, you worked hard to get off as soon as possible because you felt a loss of self worth. Now it's a badge of honor or something. Friggen videos about "It's free, swipe yo EBT" and shit like that. Disgusting. What's that quote again? "The problem with Socialism is that eventually you run out of other people's money."