Is the United States broken?

[rudeguy]

and if so...is it beyond fixing?


It seems like the who representative concept is gone. Sure we elect our leaders but our only real choices are usually the two with the most money. I just don't think that what we have is anything close to what the Founding Fathers intended. I have never personally met anyone who supposedly represents me.

It also seems like the government has transitioned to deciding how to spend our money instead of how to serve us. How does that work? How can the people that fund the government be broke and bleeding jobs but the government is employing more and more people and wanting more and more money?

It also seems that the government can't tell the truth or be transparent about anything any more. Sure I understand that we need some national secrets, that's a good thing. But what's going on now seems to be spin and slight of hand.

Am I wrong here or are things really getting worse and worse?

 

[feralkid]

It's been like this for ages, people just bitch louder these days.

 

[XZeroII]

Here in WI our senators won't even show up for work. Is that how our founding fathers intended our government to work? If you are in the minority, you just don't show up and bring everything to a standstill?

 

[wuliheron]

Quite yer whining.

The American people sold their government to the highest bidder ages ago, gambled away the money, and then took out a loan when that was gone. Nobody is forcing them to vote for all these two-faced lawyers taking billions from the wealthy, corporations, and special interest groups. Now that they've found out the tables were rigged and they've lost their shirts they're suddenly complaining about the lawyer's taking too much of their money.

Get a life. Preferably one of your own rather then stealing it from someone else.

 

[Patranus]

It broke when FDR perverted the commerce clause.

Since then, the federal government has been slowly expanding while states rights have been slowing shrinking.

What made America so great was competition between states.

 

[JSt0rm]

fucking dude lives in Michigan, cut him some slack. All he sees is sorrow. I to used to live in the rust belt, its fucking depressing there.

I remember a couple of years ago before the big bust I was visiting a friend in Cleveland. She owned a home that she just bought and when I looked around there I told her firmly to fucking sell it and gtfo. She did sell it at a 10k loss and she moved to San Fran and is VERY happy. She has a good career and a nice apartment and no debt in a loser city no one wants to live in.

 

[JS80]

It's not the US that is broken, it's humans. Humans will be humans; human nature is human nature. A democracy is only as good as the participants.

 

[wuliheron]

It's not the US that is broken, it's humans. Humans will be humans; human nature is human nature. A democracy is only as good as the participants.

Right, the US isn't people, its an abstraction! Makes for much better marketing that way.

 

[wirednuts]

Here in WI our senators won't even show up for work. Is that how our founding fathers intended our government to work? If you are in the minority, you just don't show up and bring everything to a standstill?

no kidding they expected governers to work like dictators. walker is exactly what the forefathers wanted. screw doing whats right in time of peril, you should obey your job at all costs.

 

[boomerang]

The End of the Beginning

Stick it out to the end. Personally, I found it uplifting.

 

[manimal]

So were we more or less broken in the 1890s?


How about the 1980s?


the Good Ol' days weren't always so good...ask any old timer..

 

[davmat787]

Is the US broken or is it the people that are at the wheel?

 

[Siddhartha]

and if so...is it beyond fixing?


It seems like the who representative concept is gone. Sure we elect our leaders but our only real choices are usually the two with the most money. I just don't think that what we have is anything close to what the Founding Fathers intended. I have never personally met anyone who supposedly represents me.

It also seems like the government has transitioned to deciding how to spend our money instead of how to serve us. How does that work? How can the people that fund the government be broke and bleeding jobs but the government is employing more and more people and wanting more and more money?

It also seems that the government can't tell the truth or be transparent about anything any more. Sure I understand that we need some national secrets, that's a good thing. But what's going on now seems to be spin and slight of hand.

Am I wrong here or are things really getting worse and worse?

I know a guy who decided he was not happy with who was running and winning political office. Instead of just complaining about how the system sucks he actively works for people he supports and he runs for office.

 

[WhipperSnapper]

and if so...is it beyond fixing?

Yes. No.

It seems like the who representative concept is gone. Sure we elect our leaders but our only real choices are usually the two with the most money. I just don't think that what we have is anything close to what the Founding Fathers intended. I have never personally met anyone who supposedly represents me.

If Americans became politically active and developed a sense of rational selfish economic interest they could stage a revolution at the ballot box quickly. Especially in an Internet age. All a candidate really needs is a website and politically active constituents who could care less about how much money he has for TV and radio advertising.

It also seems like the government has transitioned to deciding how to spend our money instead of how to serve us. How does that work?

A great much of it is spent on military expenditures which benefits the wealthy people who own defense industry-related businesses.

How can the people that fund the government be broke and bleeding jobs but the government is employing more and more people and wanting more and more money?

The government seems to be cutting back on government employment now. Of course, when a government engages in economic class warfare against its middle class by shipping millions of jobs overseas, by importing foreigners on H-1B and L-1 visas to displace college-educated Americans, and by importing tens of millions of poor people through immigration (legal and illegal) its tax revenues will decrease as the lower classes suffer economic malaise. Also, the thought of taxing the wealthy people is completely out of the question.

It also seems that the government can't tell the truth or be transparent about anything any more. Sure I understand that we need some national secrets, that's a good thing. But what's going on now seems to be spin and slight of hand.

I'm not sure much has changed in those regards.

Am I wrong here or are things really getting worse and worse?

It's getting worse and worse and has for several decades.

 

[WhipperSnapper]

Here in WI our senators won't even show up for work.

It could be argued that those missing Democrats are working in the same way that Senators who support a fillabuster are working. By going AWOL they are serving a great many of their constituents while combating Governor Walker's attempt at class warfare on the lower classes.

 

[WhipperSnapper]

It's not the US that is broken, it's humans. Humans will be humans; human nature is human nature. A democracy is only as good as the participants.

I agree. Americans do have the government they deserve.

 

[thobel]

Honestly until the American people get as pissed as the people in Egypt did we will have no change. I'll leave everyone with some of our founding fathers thoughts on this.

"The tree of liberty must be refreshed from time to time with the blood of patriots and tyrants." - Thomas Jefferson

"When a government betrays the people by amassing too much power and becoming tyrannical, the people have no choice but to exercise the original rights of self defense - to fight the government." - Alexander Hamilton

"The ultimate authority resides in the people, and that if the federal government got too powerful and overstepped its authority, then the people would develop plans of resistance and resort to arms." - James Madison

"The strongest reason for the people to retain the right to keep and bear arms is, as a last resort, to protect themselves against tyranny in government." - Thomas Jefferson
"This country, with its institutions, belongs to the people who inhabit it. Whenever they shall grow weary of the existing Government, they can exercise their constitutional right of amending it or their revolutionary right to dismember or overthrow it." - Abraham Lincoln

"We, the people are rightful masters of both Congress and the courts - not to overthrow the Constitution, but to overthrow the men who pervert the Constitution." - Abraham Lincoln

"We need a revolution every 200 years, because all governments become stale and corrupt after 200 years." - Ben Franklin

"What country can preserve it's liberties if their rulers are not warned from time to time that their people preserve the spirit of resistance? Let them take arms." - Thomas Jefferson


The are running a little late 1976 was 200 years

 

[Jaskalas]

People say revolt.

Do you realize how modern society prevents that? If we revolted the store shelves would go empty. You'd starve or make peace. Only self sufficient people have their god given rights. Would you like another welfare check with that?

 

[Veliko]

Yeah, it's been broken since about 1776 or so. Face facts boys you lot failed - the redcoats are popping over to put the REAL leaders back in charge of the place.

 

[Macamus Prime]

Yes.

The USA is a Plutocracy, not a Democracy. It's all about who has the most money to get what they want done - which is not always the right thing.

 

[fskimospy]

and if so...is it beyond fixing?


It seems like the who representative concept is gone. Sure we elect our leaders but our only real choices are usually the two with the most money. I just don't think that what we have is anything close to what the Founding Fathers intended. I have never personally met anyone who supposedly represents me.

Exactly what do you think the founding fathers intended? You do realize that they designed two of the three branches of government to be outside of the control of the common people, right? The Senate was originally elected by the state governments (ie: the rich people), and the President was/is selected by the electoral college (back in the day, more rich people) In a practical sense, our government is FAR more accountable to the people it governs now than it was when originally created. The founding fathers were sort of assholes that way.

Oh, and what percentage of people do you think met their federal representatives back in the day? Why don't you go meet your congressional representative? You can, you know.

It also seems like the government has transitioned to deciding how to spend our money instead of how to serve us. How does that work? How can the people that fund the government be broke and bleeding jobs but the government is employing more and more people and wanting more and more money?

Private sector payrolls are currently increasing, government payrolls are continuing layoffs. In addition, federal revenues are at their lowest point in quite a long time. Reality is the exact opposite of what you're saying.

It also seems that the government can't tell the truth or be transparent about anything any more. Sure I understand that we need some national secrets, that's a good thing. But what's going on now seems to be spin and slight of hand.

Am I wrong here or are things really getting worse and worse?

You're mostly wrong. If you look throughout history, people always think that the world is going to hell in a handbasket. I have no idea what you mean about the government not telling the truth or being transparent. What are you referring to? If you're just going to say 'everything', then that's sort of pointless. Give specific examples.

 

[PokerGuy]

Yes, it's broken and I don't think it will ever be fixed. The country became a superpower based on the work of its people. Now many of those people feel they are entitled to so much without having to work for it, and everyone squabbles about stupid things while the titanic sinks.

 

[Scotteq]

I don't believe the country is "Broken". Not at all.


I do, however, absolutely feel that the Government spending policies since WW2 have gotten further and further out of line - {driven in no small part by the fact that all the guys/gals in office have to do is juggle the ball long enough to hand it off to the next OfficeHolder} - and that we are in for a LOT of Pain because of that.

 

[piasabird]

We should be able to vote for none of the above and just let the governor or city council appoint someone. A random person should work better than some of these slugs that run for office. When people like McCain and O'Bammah are running for president, there is no good choice.

 

[Linflas]

Honestly until the American people get as pissed as the people in Egypt did we will have no change. I'll leave everyone with some of our founding fathers thoughts on this.

"The tree of liberty must be refreshed from time to time with the blood of patriots and tyrants." - Thomas Jefferson

"When a government betrays the people by amassing too much power and becoming tyrannical, the people have no choice but to exercise the original rights of self defense - to fight the government." - Alexander Hamilton

"The ultimate authority resides in the people, and that if the federal government got too powerful and overstepped its authority, then the people would develop plans of resistance and resort to arms." - James Madison

"The strongest reason for the people to retain the right to keep and bear arms is, as a last resort, to protect themselves against tyranny in government." - Thomas Jefferson
"This country, with its institutions, belongs to the people who inhabit it. Whenever they shall grow weary of the existing Government, they can exercise their constitutional right of amending it or their revolutionary right to dismember or overthrow it." - Abraham Lincoln

"We, the people are rightful masters of both Congress and the courts - not to overthrow the Constitution, but to overthrow the men who pervert the Constitution." - Abraham Lincoln

"We need a revolution every 200 years, because all governments become stale and corrupt after 200 years." - Ben Franklin

"What country can preserve it's liberties if their rulers are not warned from time to time that their people preserve the spirit of resistance? Let them take arms." - Thomas Jefferson


The are running a little late 1976 was 200 years

If those Lincoln quotes are correct he had a fair bit of Chutzpah in expressing them.