PURO SAID...But you are still sadly mistaken in one HUGE point. I've never said the Republicans weren't to blame. They are! George Bush Jr. and Sr. Bill Clinton, Reagan, Carter... As Presidents they all share some of the blame, as does the Republican Congress we had in the 90's and the Democrat congress we have had since then. No one party is to blame. The policies of both parties, which when it comes to spending have pretty much been the exact same, are to blame for this outrageous debt and financial meltdown.
At least we can both agree totally on this one Jason. I really believe that Politicians from ANY stripe are to blame for the utter failure of Domocracy, as it is practiced in both our countries. I also don't think this is an accident. There is a false rivalry built up between the parties to divide people and steer their focus from what is important to people, and I am talking here on a human level, as a species.
The animosity and resentments born out of differing political views serves this divide well, and is fed regularly by the political powers that be. If people would step back from ANY political affiliation and start to think with their own thoughts... think about the way things are in the world today, think about the state of the wordl which we are leaving to our children and grandchildren. Think about the waste of resourses, which are greedily used up in order to gain access to other resources, or more of the same resource. It's really crazy.
However that is a social question, and politicians are scared to death that people might start to consider these questions in a real serious way. Fighting between the differing "sides" of the political spectrum serves politics, and politicians only. We know that big business has a very strong representation in our political systems, for good or bad. We know that many politicians are, were or will be working for one big company or sector before or after their political career. IS this a conflict? In many, many cases the answer turns out to be YES. It is more of a moral question then a legal one. Politicians are good at legal questions and twisting the bounds of reason to something unrecognizable. Moral questions and decisions, ehh, not so much.
People are the group who are not represented in our systems of government. Oh sure , they will tell you that voting is the true sign of a democratic system. But let's face it, the day after you cast your vote, your voice is lost, and your concerns forgotten. You don't count because you are not important enough. That is the true story for the majority of people in both our country's, and argueing about who is right and who is wrong is really a waste of time. We are asking the wrong questions and allowing ourselves to be distracted by politicians and spin doctors who try to tell us what the message is, and therefore how the arguement will transpire.
I have said it before, (but like a lot of others here... you get drawn back in, right), that we will never change a single thing which is wrong in the world, in our country's or state/province, by what we argue about here on the forums.
I was somewhat with you up until the last line. Our debates, discussions, and sometimes all out battles here might not change the world, but they may open peoples minds enough to make them think and do a little research on their own without just believing what is spoonfed to them by the media, society, teachers, Hollywood, politicians, etc...etc... The more people think and actually care, the better place the world can be.
Now this is interesting. Common ground! I find Puro and myself in agreement, and he was nearly in agreement with Laker, (until the last paragraph). I think this is illustrative of American society. Unity in diversity. Puro looks at what's happening on the Left, and sees (correctly) that left unchecked progress in this direction leads to an authoratarian society, government in power over every aspect of our lives. Laker looks at the right, and recognizes (correctly, in my opinion) that the uber-rich in our society would love for our work force to be competitive on a global scale, by making us as poor as the peasants they're hiring elsewhere, accomplished by sending our jobs and wealth overseas. Clowns to the left of me, Jokers to the right...
Pssst! Laker is Canadian... lol But you meant North American society right?
I am quite certain that Amos Umwhat knows I am Canadian. He tends to take a larger world view of these things I believe.
Indeed. I'm not sure if we're getting anywhere with this thread or not, but it certainly has been an interesting conversation. I'll most likely be out of touch for the next week or two, hoping to get out of town on the Electra-Glide for a few days, see the leaves, etc. Wish me luck, guys, and pray for patience for my wife.
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