Things are bad out there but we haven't hit the stage of total breakdown of society . . . YET
When that time arrives, I'll say, "You, you, you, and you; panic. The rest of you, these are your instructions . . ."
In the meantime, here is an introspective read:
London was gripped by massive demonstrations over cuts to university funding earlier this week. Both police and protesters were injured. Prince Charles' car was assaulted. The riots were sparked by the government's decision to raise maximum university tuition rates, although the top rate still works out to only about $15,000 in American dollars per year. A disgusted cabbie told Time it was "the sort of thing they do in France."
He's right about that. France was paralyzed by massive strikes and demonstrations in October, brought on by the government's decision to raise the retirement age from 60 to 62.
After London, we saw a somewhat more restrained set of riots in Rome . . . once again prompted, in part, by cuts to university funding.
Things got much worse in Greece on Wednesday, as a massive general strike degenerated into violence. Rioters trashed cars and threw firebombs to protest "austerity measures." A post office was set on fire. Back in May, rioters in Athens killed three people when they burned down a bank.
We're a little behind the European curve, but then, we haven't started implementing "austerity measures" yet. Far from it – the Democrats just dropped a trillion-dollar omnibus bill in our laps, which doesn't cut a dime from the outrageous spending that got them pounded in the midterm elections. The sole form of "fiscal restraint" understood by their party is tax increases.
Well, 90 percent of our deficit is due to spending. There is no possible way to tax ourselves out of that hole, any more than England, Greece, Italy, Ireland, Spain, or Portugal could.
Margaret Thatcher once observed that "the trouble with socialism is that eventually you run out of other people's money."
That moment has arrived, both in Europe and the United States.
— John Hayward
http://www.humanevents.com/article.php?id=40624
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Storm,
ReplyDeleteI realize that we need folks like you and Glenn Beck to be the "canaries in the mine". Canaries that squack and chirp about the dire events of the day. Here in Madison, WI we have a humdinger-Vickie Mckenna. She is continually sounding the clarion bell about the fuzzled up government that we have.
I know that some folks need constant "yippin' at the heels" like a good cow dog. We have too much of a Carter style malaise amongst the conservatives...may be its due to us working our tushies off and we are too tired to fight the good fight.
What I would like to see or hear is a list of "steps to follow to protect MY hinny". Every thing that I read from conservative blogs revolves around the nation and how to save the nation. I agree with all of those thoughts and fundamental ideals. And we need that practical discourse to educate folks on how this great country should run.
But I'm already a convert, a tea partier, a burgeoning conservative, a quickly becoming vocal supporter of true American ideals (much to my wifes chagrin).
So I would like to see some body giving us a top ten list of things that we can do to affect our personal bubbles of influence.
I realize sounding the alarm is a heck of a lot more fun then the down and dirty task of changing our society. But I think we are at a phase in our conservative "hope and change" odyssey; where we have to identify the next step.
And I think this idea goes beyond the survivalist dogma of "bug out bags".
Actually, we need a couple of lists: the first one should be personal, ie: getting out of debt, refinancing your home, learning how to live wihtin your means. And the second list could be about the things you could do locally in your municipal governments and/or your schools.
I for one, will be checking into hooking up with our states election board. I hope to be instrumental in researching the validity of voters addresses. This may turn out to be like a fart in the wind; but at least "I'm doing something".
Lets continue to alert folks about the foolishness that occurs in Washington. But lets also, begin the conversation about how to deal with AO (After Obama)!
Steve
Oops, just reread my statement...my wife isn't chagrined that I'm a true supporter of American ideals...just that I've become increasingly more vocal.
ReplyDeletemea culpa
Steve