I think there's truth to that. At least, we have oligarchs behind the scenes who are manipulating things.
What the founders created was a "Constitutional Republic", not a "Living Constitutional Republic", a Nation of laws and not of men. The Constitution was not intended to be reinterpreted, but allowed change through the amendment process. Those who serve in the different branches of Federal government, Legislative, Executive, and Judicial, are all required to take an oath to "support and defend the Constitution", which would be meaningless if they are allowed to freely reinterpret the document in carrying out their duties. Presently it only takes about 11 states of the 50 to have a democratic majority capable of electing a President. The political parties have created an environment which makes all elections a National process. The sovereignty of individual states has gradually been relegated to the Federal government, who by controlling the purse strings of the Nation can mandate actions to be taken by the State governments in order to receive necessary funding. What's the use? I'm beginning to think the only solution is to just allow the country to continue on the route it's on, and hope enough people will find safe refuge. When I was born the national debt was $28.7B, the population 127M, and the GDP $73.3B. That essentially presented me with a debt of $226 as my share at birth. Today, 2010 the national debt is $12.93T (and rapidly growing), the population 309M, and a projected GDP of $13.27T. A U.S. newborn today comes into the world with a debt of $41,813. That's progressive isn't it? $1 today has the purchasing power of $0.06 at my birth. Or to say it another way, it takes $15.89 today to purchase what $1.00 purchased at my birth. The above represents an annual devaluation rate of just over 3.75% per year. Those working under union contracts might want to take a look at their wage increase percentage and compare. Are you getting increases that average less than or greater than 3.75%? For the governments purposes, it benefits government when the dollar is devalued and wages increase to keep pace. For the wage earner, the devaluation being offset nearly equal or slightly less than the wage increase, reduces or eliminates what is happening. Government benefits by allowing debt which was created by borrowing and spending money with greater purchasing power to be repaid with money that has much less purchasing power. For the youngest here, I will predict that during your lifetimes you will see greatly increased wages and salaries, and greatly increased prices, higher taxes, and a massively increased national debt, which you will pass to your offspring. Of course that assumes you can prevent a complete financial collapse during the course of your lives. I guess the show stopper will only occur when government lacks the funds to purchase the paper and purchase the ink required to print an additional "0" on the bills it creates. Of course some intellectual will be there to propose the use of powers of 10 to reduce the ink necessary, and keep the game going a little longer. In the end, nature always prevails, and survival of the fittest is the result. Does George Soros have kids?
Last time the national debt was $28 billion was around 1935. I mean you may have been born there, but that'd definitely make you the oldest person here by a long shot. Also people who say the constitution isn't meant to be interpreted are people who want to make sure it's interpreted only by their definition of it.
I think god would disagree. But then I am not god and I don't pretend to know what he or she thinks. Of course "reglion and faith" are not compatible they are part and parcial of the same bill of goods. What is sometimes incompatible is science and religion, and that is something all thinking people should be open to, or be vulnerable to manipulation. Government and religion are incompatible. I don't get to vote for god, but I do my government. The two are not compatible or on the same plane. God doesn't require that I file with the IRS every year. And the government shouldn't require that I attend church on Sundays. It's not their job! How do you feel about what just happenned in the Gulf? Or about further drilling? You don't think that consumerism is the key? Should we keep buying crap? Not that I think the Prius or the new light bulb are anything but high priced crap. If we don't begin to conserve there will not be anything left to set aside. The biggest source of tyranny is monied interests seeking to compromise their competition, if they can do that with government help then they are all for it, if government seeks to limit their their control then they will seek to end government. And just a heads up...unions aren't the bad guys anymore, not that they ever were. Competiveness what about the limits set on competion by corporate interests? I remember Bush and Cheney telling California they were going to have to own up and swallow the Enron disaster by themselves, even though it was federal laws that allowed Enron to exist in the first place. I also remember Bush saying he wasn't going to acknowledge California's medical marijuana law. States' rights...then none of us have to take part in Faith Based Inniatives or No Child Left Behind...is that what you want? I am sorry but I pay taxes to support a government which is charged with protecting my society and protecting the interests of everyone that lives here. I expect them to do their job without checking with their biggest donners first.
