We are doomed as a country & as a society

[Geronimo!]

Our **** has been slowly deteriorating for many years. I have always thought that I was born in the wrong time. Look at how people were in the 30's, 40's and 50's. Look at how they helped each other out and tried to take care of one another. That doesn't happen much these days.

I think you're interested in making your society better, and that is a good thing. If all people were interested in that, I don't think we'd be in the situation we are in.

I Just think it's romantic to think that people were more caring or more ethical 'back in the day' than are now.

Just as an example, the socialist (welfare) movement started in the 30's. This was a result of a stock market bubble bursting of the 20's, much like the one that bust last year. Social security was used to feed starving American's which is was certainly a caring act. It has since become a burden on taxpayers and is one of the most abused federal welfare systems.

In the 40's we joined ww2 to stop Hitler from exterminating every jew. This was definitely a caring act. Since then, Germany has shaped up, but we've faced multiple genocides in multiple countries.

Lastly, in the 50's, the internal revenue service enacted the Internal Revenue Code of 1954. It was enacted to create 'administrative convenience' for the irs and taxpayers, but ended up making tax laws infinitely more complex.

In 2009, we try to recover from a stock market bubble by creating affordable health care. We fight the terrorists in their home to keep them out of ours, and tax laws have seemingly become more complex in the (official) interest of convenience(). Everything we're doing now is in the interest of mutual well-being for the world, but as history has proven, it generally ends up failing or making our lives worse.

The way I see it, there are two sides to every story and the winner's is the side that gets written into history books. It's like 2d2k said, he who screams the loudest wins. Well, for the past century, the US has been the winning and we tell this great story about how we've shaped the world. Man lives longer, hunger is gone, and life is better. However, when you look at what laws, acts, and regulations we've passed, and what acts we're implementing now, you see not from the eyes of a textbook, but from the eyes of a free man. You're in the present and looking ahead and every law that is passed and see that laws are planned for the short-term. Very few laws are passed to implement long-term strategies and I think this is why our society is falling apart. Our shortsightedness.

If for every proposed law, the government asked, "how will this affect the public in 20, 50, 100 years?" or "how will this affect the world in 20, 50, 100 years." We'd be living in a very different place my friend. Much different

Sorry for my rant or if I became a little too political, but this has just been one doof's opinion.

[canid]

if you had to learn the indigenous language to emigrate here, we'd all be speaking Tsalagi, Sioux, Navajo, etc.

[BENESSE]

Currently the United States does NOT have an official language.

You're right.
I should have said "the unofficially primary language."

[panch0]

if you had to learn the indigenous language to emigrate here, we'd all be speaking Tsalagi, Sioux, Navajo, etc.

Very good point. But immigrants should try to learn the lingua franca.

[doug1980]

Whether or not people learn the language or not is the least of my concerns. If they become legal taxpaying citizens and contribute than I could care less what language they speak. Only time I get aggrevated is when I call customer service and try to explain my problem with someone who doesn't understand me or vice versa. That may not be the best job to have.

[2dumb2kwit]

Whether or not people learn the language or not is the least of my concerns. If they become legal taxpaying citizens and contribute than I could care less what language they speak. Only time I get aggrevated is when I call customer service and try to explain my problem with someone who doesn't understand me or vice versa. That may not be the best job to have.

Yeah, but you have to understand, that most of the time, when you call customer service, you are not speaking to anyone in the U.S.of A.

[Ole WV Coot]

I don't know if this crosses the line on politics or not. I'm certainly not trying to make any statement. However, just last week I sent an email to both Senators and my Representative stating my position on health care reform. Mine is only one voice but three people heard it. If everyone did that then together we could make an impact. It could be on gun laws, hunting or anything you care passionately about.

We can either sit back and do nothing and @#$%# about the results or try getting involved at the grassroots level and try to make a change. It really is up to you.

......end rant

You folks know where I live and who we have had in Washington long before most of you were born. All you get from any of them is a nice form letter, maybe. Ain't gonna be voted out and are getting more out of touch with reality every day. Give me an answer, my voice isn't heard.

[finallyME]

I wrote to my senators last year. Two weeks later, the newspapers reported that one had collapsed. At first, I figured it was because he'd read my letter.

Quick, write to the other one again. Maybe he needs more motivation.

[oldsoldier]

I have called, written and e-mailed my two Senators, my Congressman, and the Congressional leadership on the issue.

Same here all I got was the "party line" form letter from them

[tipacanoe]

I know this is getting away from the original idea of the post, however, I was going through security at Laguardia after spending the night at the airport because of delayed flights, the person who was checking me through, didn't speak English, and couldn't speak with me or the other persons working security with her. I made mention that who was in the wrong country, and I was another 30 minutes getting cleared. This was after they brought out the wipes looking for explosives, and pretty close to a full body search.

[Rick]

You got choices.

1. Manup and live with it.
2. Try to make some positive impact. Vote!!, Run for Office, Volunteer for a civic committee or party, write your Congressman/woman. You all know the examples.
3. Bit$% about it and do nothing (see 1 above)
4. Move

That's about all the options I can think of. I find 1 and 3 pretty ineffective and I'm not about to do number 4 so I do what I can with number 2 (there has to be a joke in that somewhere).

[crashdive123]

You forgot - Run around like a little school girl (no offense to little school girls out there) screaming and waving your arms, all the while causing a panic of epic proportions.

[Rick]

There you go. Number 5. Thank you.

[canid]

there has to be a joke in that somewhere

there is, but don't worry, my lips are sealed.

[glockcop]

I wrote to my senators last year. Two weeks later, the newspapers reported that one had collapsed. At first, I figured it was because he'd read my letter.

Sure we do. It is whatever the Libs want it be at the moment. And yes, the dumb a$$ A.D.A. has to give the man his guns back. No clue about their own job. Amazing, isn't it? Stay safe yall.

[SARKY]

Whether or not people learn the language or not is the least of my concerns. If they become legal taxpaying citizens and contribute than I could care less what language they speak. Only time I get aggrevated is when I call customer service and try to explain my problem with someone who doesn't understand me or vice versa. That may not be the best job to have.

Sorry doug but I have to say, that is the dumbest thing i've heard in a long time. Historically speaking it was people speaking/communicating in the same language that allowed this country to become as great as it was and not the fact that they paid taxes (by the way a goodly majority don't pay taxes and in fact get money back from the govt. (you and I)). I'm not a big religious nut but try reading the story of babel (tower of babel). Without a common language we can't communicate with each other or at best miscommunicate with each other. Now the politicians love that (think divide and conquer) because they can something to one group (lie) then go to another group and say the exact opposite(lie) and noone will be able to compare notes.
As to the customer service jobs (not being the best job to have) go down to an Apple store and check out their customer service. It is incredible and these people don't have to read a prompter to try and figure out what is wrong with your computer etc. Yes they all spoke english!

[trax]

You forgot - Run around like a little school girl (no offense to little school girls out there) screaming and waving your arms, all the while causing a panic of epic proportions.

Naw, that one doesn't count, I already do that all the time.

[owl_girl]

You got choices.

1. Manup and live with it.
2. Try to make some positive impact. Vote!!, Run for Office, Volunteer for a civic committee or party, write your Congressman/woman. You all know the examples.
3. Bit$% about it and do nothing (see 1 above)
4. Move

That's about all the options I can think of. I find 1 and 3 pretty ineffective and I'm not about to do number 4 so I do what I can with number 2 (there has to be a joke in that somewhere).

you forgot get stoned or drunk.

[Rick]

Man!! I should have posted this sooner. I'm getting all kinds of ideas. I'm not too certain about that stoned thingy. That sounds awfully painful. Don't they do that in the Middle East to people they don't like? Now the drunk thing. I've done that. That has potential.

[BENESSE]

you forgot get stoned or drunk.

Always a good choice.