American Authoritarianism

[Revoltingest]

Can we agree that preventing an American dictatorship is better than trying to cure it?

 

[Laika]

no

Does that mean you want an American dictatorship?

I'll take that as a yes.

 

[Revoltingest]

Does that mean you want an American dictatorship?



I'll take that as a yes.

Let me be clearer.....

 

[Parchment]

Does that mean you want an American dictatorship?

Those big yellow beer swilling guys in ill fitting white t-shirts are always screwing us and messing up our countries, they OWE us something! We don't owe you a dime

 

[sun rise]

Technology certainly offers them potential to oppress.
But it's just one of the tools of their trade.
And it's one which can also work for us, eg, recording cops' illegalities.

One thing I dread is government's attempts to eliminate non-electronic money.
They want this so that all can be monitored.

I think business is far and away the proponents of eliminating paper money. Look at all the apps that allow people to pay with their cellphones and all the advertising intelligence they get from tracking what we spend and where we spend it.

President Eisenhower (yes, I'm that old) warned us against the military industrial complex

This conjunction of an immense military establishment and a large arms industry is new in the American experience. The total influence -- economic, political, even spiritual -- is felt in every city, every State house, every office of the Federal government. We recognize the imperative need for this development. Yet we must not fail to comprehend its grave implications. Our toil, resources and livelihood are all involved; so is the very structure of our society.

In the councils of government, we must guard against the acquisition of unwarranted influence, whether sought or unsought, by the military industrial complex. The potential for the disastrous rise of misplaced power exists and will persist.

We must never let the weight of this combination endanger our liberties or democratic processes. We should take nothing for granted. Only an alert and knowledgeable citizenry can compel the proper meshing of the huge industrial and military machinery of defense with our peaceful methods and goals, so that security and liberty may prosper together.

It's as true today as it was those long decades ago and we see the influence all the time in who is really running Congress. That's not the citizens but the special interests that President Eisenhower warned us against.

 

[Rival]

Does that mean you want an American dictatorship?

SHHHH

I'm trying to keep a low profile.

 

[Parchment]

the influence all the time is who is really running Congress.

Which depends on popular vote at whatever time period you are talking about

 

[Revoltingest]

I think business is far and away the proponents of eliminating paper money. Look at all the apps that allow people to pay with their cellphones and all the advertising intelligence they get from tracking what we spend and where we spend it.

I'm OK with electronic transactions so long as they're voluntary.
I can refuse to deal with any company I want (other than some pesky utilities).
But I want the legal & practical option to spend nice anonymous little green pieces of paper.

President Eisenhower (yes, I'm that old) warned us against the military industrial complex

This conjunction of an immense military establishment and a large arms industry is new in the American experience. The total influence -- economic, political, even spiritual -- is felt in every city, every State house, every office of the Federal government. We recognize the imperative need for this development. Yet we must not fail to comprehend its grave implications. Our toil, resources and livelihood are all involved; so is the very structure of our society.

In the councils of government, we must guard against the acquisition of unwarranted influence, whether sought or unsought, by the military industrial complex. The potential for the disastrous rise of misplaced power exists and will persist.

We must never let the weight of this combination endanger our liberties or democratic processes. We should take nothing for granted. Only an alert and knowledgeable citizenry can compel the proper meshing of the huge industrial and military machinery of defense with our peaceful methods and goals, so that security and liberty may prosper together.

It's as true today as it was those long decades ago and we see the influence all the time in who is really running Congress. That's not the citizens but the special interests that President Eisenhower warned us against.

Eisenhower was a jerk.
His pontificating was a ruse to distract citizens from the dangers of government by blaming a mysterious boogeyman.
How do I know this?
It's obvious!

 

[Laika]

Let me be clearer.....

Great. What do you think is the best way to go about reversing the trend to authoritarianism then?

Those big yellow beer swilling guys in ill fitting white t-shirts are always screwing us and messing up our countries, they OWE us something! We don't owe you a dime

Given you are either very high or just randomly posting stuff, I feel the appropriate response is to respond in kind.

@Rowan - do you think this is a good use of Godwin's law?

 

[Revoltingest]

Great. What do you think is the best way to go about reversing the trend to authoritarianism then?

I don't know.
I advocate for libertarianism, but I've no illusion that this will succeed.

 

[sun rise]

...

Eisenhower was a jerk.
His pontificating was a ruse to distract citizens from the dangers of government by blaming a mysterious boogeyman.
How do I know this?
It's obvious!

It's obvious you're wrong. I know that because I know that.

 

[sun rise]

Meanwhile, back to the OP, "techdirt" does a good job of tracking government actions against freedom. Here's one example

Arkansas Congressman Who Helped Protect Citizens' Right To Record Police Arrested For Recording Police

They track all kinds of idiocy, not just governmental idiocy, and are on my daily list of sites to look at: https://www.techdirt.com/

 

[Parchment]

Given you are either very high or just randomly posting stuff, I feel the appropriate response is to respond in kind.

Your response seems simplistic and juvenile at best in a weak attempt to justify your own views, until I feel you are able to discuss world matters objectively I am placing you on "soft" ignore.

 

[Laika]

I don't know.
I advocate for libertarianism, but I've no illusion that this will succeed.

As this point I'd be more than happy for you to even if we disagree.

 

[Laika]

.

Honestly Thats the first thing you've said that I understand. But Fair enough.

 

[Parchment]

Honestly That's the first thing you've said that I understand. But Fair enough.

What you state you understand publicly on this particular forum is of no importance to me since you have shown the incapacity to discuss world events objectively.

 

[Rival]

What you state you understand publicly on this particular forum is of no importance to me since you have shown the incapacity to discuss world events objectively.

I think you are talking to a mirror.

 

[Laika]

What you state you understand publicly on this particular forum is of no importance to me since you have shown the incapacity to discuss world events objectively.

Now you can Just put me on ignore and this strange nightmare can be over....

 

[George-ananda]

Should freedom, democracy and the american way of life be reduced to rhetoric or should it mean something more than just fine speeches?

I read the OP. I just think you are taking your side of controversial issues as the correct side and then calling them evidence of American Authoritarianism. I think each of those example subjects you bring out have the other side of the coin that makes the issue not so clear-cut and need to be discussed as separate subjects. Basically, I personally disagree with anti-Americanism and the claim of Authoritarianism. .

 

[tytlyf]

As if the democrats are gonna support a welfare state anytime soon.

I don't like the dems either.

Merkel is not a lefty. Her party is center-right. Similar to the current republican establishment in America.