Shutdown: How Republicans Are Your Friends

Instead of gnashing your teeth, see the Republicans instead as tools of American progress and help them along.

(CALGARY, Alberta) - Looked at logically, from Canada or Europe, America looks increasingly like an insane asylum run by the inmates. It could even be argued that it’s an asylum for the criminally insane.

This sounds like a harsh judgment, but the evidence is irrefutable (about which more in a moment). Republicans are not the actual inmates, but it is the inmates themselves who elect Republicans to govern—supposedly in the inmate’s interests. Where the inmate analogy comes in is that, collectively, the American people have apparently not noticed that their elected government, seldom, if ever, governs with their interest, or even the majority of Americans in mind. As a result, Republicans keep getting elected and re-elected (G. W. Bush being the most egregious example).

Or consider it from another point of view. Despite the U.S. having sent men to the moon:

But American religiosity is no winner. As Jean-Jacques Rousseau (one of the Enlightenment thinkers who influenced the Founders) wrote in The Social Contract (1762):

“It is said that a people of true Christians would form the most perfect society imaginable. I see but one flaw in this hypothesis, namely that a society of true Christians would not be a society of men….But I err in speaking of a Christian republic; for each of these terms contradicts the other. Christianity preaches only servitude and submission. Its spirit is too favorable to tyranny for tyranny not to take advantage of it. True Christians are made to be slaves; they know it and they hardly care; this short life has too little value in their eyes.”

The Enlightenment of the 18th century produced four republics: Corsica, France, Haiti and America. The first three failed and the fourth, the U.S., is in a constant state of failing. But the French didn’t give up. When the First Republic (founded 1792), failed, the French Second Republic was declared in 1848. France is now the Fifth Republic, declared on October 4, 1958, after a constitutional convention. France went from a parliamentary government to a semi-presidential system. In comparison, the U.S. is four republics behind; instead of going back to the drawing board, the U.S. just tried to patch up their imperfect union with Amendments. The end of the first Civil War would have been the perfect time to form a Second Republic, but the American people missed that opportunity.

“Not that the [American] Revolution was entirely satisfactory. The resulting Constitution, as former Supreme Court Justice Thurgood Marshall has pointed out, was ‘defective from the start’. Even after a civil war and momentous social transformations, the current system of government is still unable to deal with terrible economic disparities, the violence and the growing, uneducated, nonvoting percentage of the population. Nevertheless, Washington and Jefferson managed to hold the republic in place long enough for emotions to cool and for the nation to get off the revolutionary roller coaster. The French experience shows what might have happened. Caught in full revolution with no great republican leaders, they were thrown, as if in an epileptic fit, from republic to dictator to king to republic to dictator to republic to dictator and back to the republic they have today.”

Despite having no oil, no significant mineral resources, and no great expanses of agricultural land, France is no global slouch—the wealthiest European and world’s fourth largest nation in terms of aggregate household wealth. The World Health Organization has listed France as the world’s “best overall health care” provider.

I’ve watched the decline of U.S. politics since the 1970s, beginning with Nixon (and Joe McGinnis’s book 1968 book The Selling of the President). Ford and Carter weren’t particularly effective and it took Ronald Reagan to really turn being American into a species of religion. (Again, from an outsider’s point of view, Americans are brainwashed from the get-go. Reciting the Pledge of Allegiance with hands on their hearts as soon as they can stand up. Just like religion, the uncritical mind of the child accepts what the adults pour into it until it becomes an unconscious repository of attitudes and beliefs with no inclination to be scrutinized.)As the philosopher Arthur Schopenhauer wrote in 1851:

“No child under the age of fifteen should receive instruction in subjects which may possibly be the vehicle of serious error, such as philosophy or religion, for wrong notions imbibed early can seldom be rooted out, and of all the intellectual faculties, judgment is the last to arrive at maturity.”

So it is with the majority of adult Americans; early indoctrination is extremely difficult to even question, let alone root out.

The most harmful myth of all is that of American exceptionalism which is of the same calibre as the Jewish belief that they are the Chosen People. Roger Cohen, reviewing The Myth of American Exceptionalism , by Godfrey Hodgson, concluded:

“The high number of its prison inmates is exceptional. The quality of its health care is exceptionally bad. The degree of its social inequality is exceptionally acute. Public education has gone into exceptional decline. The Americanization of the Holocaust and uncritical support for Israel have demonstrated an exceptional ability to gloss over uncomfortable truths, including broad American indifference to Hitler’s genocide as it happened.”

Cohen argues that “America was born as an idea, and so it has to carry that idea forward. It is in many ways the last ideological country on earth.” But not all ideas are good ideas, and some ideas need additional tweaking to actually work as the example of French political evolution above shows.

Speaking of ideology, this is the fundamental factor behind Republican political activities. The ordinary, working American is under attack. We see it in the anti-union, anti-minimum-wage legislation passed or pending in many states—notably, Wisconsin, Ohio, Michigan and Missouri.

Two weeks ago Paul LePage, governor of Maine ordered a 36x11 foot mural removed from the lobby of the Department of Labor building in Augusta. The mural incorporated scenes from Maine’s labor history. LePage’s objection was that it was too pro-union. A spokesperson for the governor said it was “not in keeping with the department’s pro-business goals.” Rather than reproduce some of the letters of complaint from business people, he released one anonymous letter:

Now, unless the writer steps forward and can prove they wrote it, it will never be known if the letter is authentic or is simply Republican agitprop.

The Federal government shutdown is ostensibly about money, a national budget, but the Republicans are really holding out for social-conservatism issues as they object to money being allocated for Planned Parenthood and the EPA. As Harry Reid said: “The only things—I repeat, the only things—holding up an agreement are two of the so-called social issues: women’s health and clean air.”

Meanwhile, in Florida the ACLU has set up a website www.IncorporateMyUterus.com. It’s not entirely serious but it reflects the sad state of legislation in that state.

In a floor debate on March 31, Rep Scott Randolph said “if my wife’s uterus was incorporated” the legislature “would be talking about deregulating”. The Florida House leadership immediately chastised Randolph for using the word uterus. This is because, his spokesman said, it was “language that would be considered inappropriate for children and other guests”.

There are currently ten bills before the Florida legislature seeking to place further limits on abortion in that state.

This is where the asylum analogy re-enters. Inmates of asylums are those who have lost touch with a wider reality and believe all sorts of idiosyncratic myths and fantasies. For example, I know a person who is bipolar (used to be called manic-depressive). A good person and very intelligent but, he believes what he believes and, on those beliefs, he cannot be reasoned with. Just like a paranoid personality: no amount of reasoned argument or facts can dissuade them from their belief in being watched or persecuted. In the same vein, this is the general American mindset.

The prolific writer (450+ books) Isaac Asimov gives us a rational perspective. Horace Gold, editor of Galaxy, liked Asimov’s novelette The Stars Like Dust— and wanted to serialize it in his magazine.

“The only catch was that Horace wanted me to introduce a new element of suspense. Everyone would be looking for a mysterious document, which would turn out at the very end to be a copy of the United States Constitution.

“I objected very strongly to that, saying it was corny and downright unbelievable. No one could suppose that an instrument of government suitable for a primitive nation forming a small part of a single world would be suitable for a stellar federation.”

He was told that he could take it out for the book publication but his editor at Doubleday said, “’That sounds great. We’ll leave it in the book version, too.’ And he did, which is the chief reason why The Stars Like Dust— is my least favorite novel.”

The earliest form of human government was monarchy, established by the rule of the strongest, similar to the rule of the strongest among social animals. This form of rule deteriorates when it becomes hereditary, which leads to revolt, giving rise to an elite, called an aristocracy. When this, again through heredity, has deteriorated to oligarchy, there is another revolt which results in democracy. But democracy in due time deteriorates to ochlocracy, or the rule of the rabble. This finally yields tyranny, and the cycle begins anew, which Plato described as a sequence of monarchy, aristocracy, democracy, dictatorship, and monarchy.

The Republicans, under the conscious or unconscious behest of the plutocracy, are turning the U.S. into a tyrannical dictatorship (some say this is the actual situation today). But, the sooner America becomes an acknowledge dictatorship (many have predicted this over the last century, so I am not being original, here), the sooner the people can revolt and transform the government into a monarchy and establish what Ferdinand Lundberg called a “benevolent paternalism”.

“In giving them electoral democracy, history played a dirty trick on the American people, most of whom actually want and need benevolent paternalism… In getting electoral democracy, the American people had figuratively thrust upon them a political version of a Stradivarius violin. But they had not the least conception of how to play it… As an avalanche of evidence shows, people in general are not the least bit democratic at heart. True democracy, of course, can be learned; but only under carefully controlled conditions such as are rarely present in the upbringing of most children.”

Not everyone agrees with Lundberg, but on this point I think he was more prescient than America’s Founding Fathers who, touted to be prescient, were anything but. They founded a system of government and society that was reactive—primarily against the colonialism and Parliament of George (the crazy king) III. Guns were important, then, as a defense against the British. Americans are now on good terms with the British but, unaccountably, many still believe that citizen-owned guns are important—the only nation in the world that believes such nonsense.

So, instead of gnashing your teeth, see the Republicans instead as tools of American progress and help them along.

Daniel Johnson was born near the midpoint of the twentieth century in Calgary, Alberta. In his teens he knew he was going to be a writer, which is why he was one of only a handful of boys in his high school typing class — a skill he knew was going to be necessary. He defines himself as a social reformer, not a left winger, the latter being an ideological label which, he says, is why he is not an ideologue. From 1975 to 1981 he was reporter, photographer, then editor of the weekly Airdrie Echo. For more than ten years after that he worked with Peter C. Newman, Canada’s top business writer (notably on a series of books, The Canadian Establishment). Through this period Daniel also did some national radio and TV broadcasting. He gave up journalism in the early 1980s because he had no interest in being a hack writer for the mainstream media and became a software developer and programmer. He retired from computers last year and is now back to doing what he loves — writing and trying to make the world a better place

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Anonymous April 10, 2011 7:21 pm (Pacific time)

I can't WAIT to see what you have to say about the "American Psyche" and how you will attack good U.S. citizens with your hatred and contempt. If you write what I think you will, it will be the end of my reading and participating on the Salem-News site. I know that doesn't matter to you and it may not matter to Tim and the rest of the gang. Before I go, relating to cynicism, curmudgeons such as Dan Johnson have a dim worldview. They are tiring because their cynical views can be depressing. Narcissists are like conceited individuals on steroids. They have an inflated sense of their own self-importance and the deep need for admiration. They monopolize conversations and have controlling personalities. Therefore, any constructive criticism that I have attempted to share has been met with disapproval and denial. I know it is useless to say anything more. At least Dan's conceit causes him to actually post all these comments. I am sure that future readers will see the truth I have shared and will deny Dan the audience he craves. You see, it is foolish to publish on a U.S. website, read by people who generally have an alternative view of the world and support the underdog, and then try to preach to us and talk (write) down to us. I knew Dan's ilk when he corrected my grammar mistake early on. He has nothing constructive to share so he has to denigrate and talk around and "above" anything that he does not want to let in. Such an open mind actually would help him to grow and a person and a writer.

Anonymous April 10, 2011 7:13 pm (Pacific time)

You Canadians also had slaves. I guess you were not any better than the U.S., eh? Slavery in what now comprises Canada existed into the 1830s, when slavery was officially abolished. Some slaves were of African descent, while others were aboriginal (typically called panis, likely a corruption of Pawnee). Slavery which was practised within Canada's current geography, was practised primarily by Aboriginal groups. A few dozen African slaves were forcibly brought as chattel by Europeans to New France, Acadie and the later British North America (see Chattel slavery), during the 17th century. But Large-scale plantation slavery of the sort that existed in most European colonies in the Americas, from New York to Brazil, never existed in colonial Canada or Newfoundland because the economies were not based on plantation agriculture. Afua Cooper states that slavery is, "Canada's best kept secret, locked within the National closet." See http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Slavery_in_Canada

Anonymous April 10, 2011 4:16 pm (Pacific time)

Where on http://www.catholiceducation.org/articles/politics/pg0040.html do you see any reference to U.S. Citizens believing that they are God's chosen people? If you can find ANY reputable statement that such is the belief of the U.S., I will make a full retraction, but simply finding some link and sending it to support your absurd assertion does not really work. Is that how you have learned to win arguments with your wife and her friends? I am guessing that you have no personal friends, based on the way you handle yourself at the slightest objection of your viewpoint.

See my piece "A note on the American psyche" to be posted tonight or tomorrow.

Anonymous April 10, 2011 3:41 pm (Pacific time)

I like how you shift the argument to whatever you want rather than address the merits of what is written. You were arguing that somehow U.S. citizens feel they are the "chosen" people without defining what that term means. You are called on it. You use the Constitution and you are called on it. It is said that the meaning of the Constitution is that "all men" are included in it, not just U.S. citizens. Then you shift again. ""ALL men" conspicuously left out both slaves and women. Sure, that's revisionist history which makes me wonder: Why do modern Americans believe that document is so sacred?" What is the revisionist statement that you are NOW shifting to? Where did anyone argue that the Constitution is sacred? You are one SHIFTY person. I think you world do well to use your free medical care to be evaluated for mental issues. You clearly don't think straight and your severe Narcissism and lacking a strong sense of self importance is skewing your ability to comprehend the real arguments being posed. Feel free to publish this with your comments that will again shift your responsibilities as a writer.

See my piece "A note on the American psyche" to be posted tonight or tomorrow.

BG at home April 10, 2011 11:36 am (Pacific time)

Daniel you wrote: "I'll rephrase my statement--the only nation that worships gun ownership. I see the U.S. is right up there with the Third World countries.I suppose you sleep with a gun under your pillow." Actually millions (yes, millions!) people keep firearms nearby 24/7. I have had a CHL for over 20 years, and before they began that program in my state I carried, which was illegal at the time. Have been carrying since I got back from Vietnam, through grad school, and still carry when at Temple, where I pray for my Israeli brothers and sisters. I have stopped many criminal acts, and have not had to shoot anyone since the 1960's. It is estimated that millions of crimes, including violent crimes, have been stopped by people carrying legal. I know of no one who "worhips" guns (firearms) as you suggest. Maybe because you do not understand that there are people who have a more deeper understanding of reality than you, it creates your misunderstanding and need to make fun of something you are ignorant about. If you look at the link that deals with the per capita list of gun ownership and the methodology of reaching those numbers, you will see Switzerland (can have full automatics) is possibly number 2. Which is a country far more civilized than Canada considering the serious problems you have there. In essence, people here in the states, far more educated, far more experienced than you, have firearms and you have what? A keyboard that allows you to share your viewpoints with anyone who wants to read them. So if someone says they want to take control of that ability, or some criminal element tells you to do x y and z, what then? I carry a firearm not because I worry about the government (at this time) but because of the criminal element that is increasing because our government is not dealing with that situation, which is exacerbated by the illegal invasion. Please note, 7 out of 10 Americans want them gone. It will be a major campaign issue in 2012, just as long gun registration is for some canucks, which is really quite comical and demonstrates the poor government process you all have to deal with. I really feel sorry for you guys, because you are about to deal with some serious sociological problems and you have no structure available to deal with it. Pity. My guess is that you hate Americans, and what we have, because you have a very unhappy existence and feel the need to strike back at people who are immeasureably more talented in resolving problem issues. I get it...and will pray for you to heal. Of course you all should start sending about 40+% of your GDP down here to cover your miltary protection by us. That would at least be a start...

The U.S. has so many (justified) enemies we only need "protection" because we are neighbors. It's like living next door to a crack house. Of course the neighbors need protection.

Of course we have problems up here, but our difficulties fade to insignificance compared to the self-inflicted problems America is facing and it will only get worse. Sure, the U.S. will survive,but it will only be the wealthy who will notice.

Daniel Johnson April 9, 2011 11:44 pm (Pacific time)

Nicholas Kristof begins April 8's column with: "This isn’t government we’re watching; this is junior high."

He goes on to say:

"It’s unclear where the adults are, but they don’t seem to be in Washington. Beyond the malice of the threat to shut down the federal government, averted only at the last minute on Friday night, it’s painful how vapid the discourse is and how incompetent and cowardly our leaders have proved to be."

These leaders, of course have been elected by the American people--democracy in action!

Read the whole thing here: http://www.nytimes.com/2011/04/10/opinion/10kristof.html?hpandgwh=E3C35D48F6108DEF9008482258C5DB34

Anonymous April 9, 2011 11:19 pm (Pacific time)

The reference that all men are created equal refers to ALL men, not just U.S. citizens. Just how does this mean that U.S. citizens feel they are the "chosen" people? And exactly what does it mean to be "chosen" because this is something that in all my years I have never been told about. I guess it takes a Canadian citizen to educate us all how we really feel deep inside. So thank you for that.

"ALL men" conspicuously left out both slaves and women. Sure, that's revisionist history which makes me wonder: Why do modern Americans believe that document is so sacred?

You're welcome...

Anonymous April 9, 2011 11:13 pm (Pacific time)

If you think you can take a term such as American Exceptionalism and make the term imply that Americans feel that they are somehow superior, then you are mistaken. "Some scholars point out that other nations have also demonstrated exceptionalism in terms of systematically engaging in what they considered benevolent enterprises, such as Britain at the height of the British Empire, as well as the Communist state in Russia, and France in the wake of the French Revolution." See http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/American_exceptionalism. I think you suffer from a sense of inferiority. I really do, my friend. You can readily find any support for any belief you have, but if you actually survey those you attempt to label, you will find that perhaps a small portion might agree with you on any single issue. But this is an issue I think you a so far off base, you should go smoke some more of your magic herb and drink some of your Canadian lager and leave it alone.

You can believe what you believe against all evidence. I'm done with you on this topic. Thanks for playing.

Anonymous April 9, 2011 10:58 pm (Pacific time)

So the belief that all people are equal equates, in your mind, that the U.S. populace believes itself to be God's chosen people? Egads, man....... Have you ever looked into historic philosophy? The Universal Declaration of Human Rights (1948), article 1 states: "All human beings are born free and equal in dignity and rights... "The same concept appears in the Massachusetts Constitution of 1780, which was written mostly by John Adams.The Declaration of Rights of the Inhabitants of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts which opens that constitution states: "All men are born free and equal, and have certain natural, essential, and unalienable rights; among which may be reckoned the right of enjoying and defending their lives and liberties; that of acquiring, possessing, and protecting property; in fine, that of seeking and obtaining their safety and happiness." See http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/All_men_are_created_equal

These statements illustrated the idea of natural rights, a philosophical concept borrowed from the Enlightenment. Indeed, many of the ideas in the Declaration were taken from the English political philosopher John Locke, himself a proponent of liberalism. Locke, however, referred to "life, liberty and property" rather than the "pursuit of happiness," as Jefferson reformulated the idea in the Declaration. The phrase has since been considered a hallmark statement in democratic constitutions and similar human rights instruments, many of which have adopted the phrase or variants thereof.

You are grasping to make your argument that the majority of U.S. citizens think they are Gods chosen people. Find just 10 who will go on record believing such. I implore you... You won't and can't because such nonsense is NOT a part of our national identity in the least.

Selective reading on your part. I should have italicized the "endowed by their Creator" part.

Give this a try: http://www.catholiceducation.org/articles/politics/pg0040.html

BTW: Do you have a name? I'm not afraid to stand up and be counted.

Anonymous April 9, 2011 10:24 pm (Pacific time)

I would like to see from where you get your information that the majority of Americans think that they are God's chosen people (by that, I assume you refer to U.S. citizens, as Canadians are also from America, are they not?) Are these more of your made-up beliefs you espouse to support your utter disdain for the U.S.? And, why does Tim think you vitriol makes for good reading? You actually think you're going to cause anyone in the U.S. to support your position the was you go about it? REALLY?

"God's chosen people" is an attitude that generally becomes evident when it is questioned or exposed. It's a substantial part of the belief in American Exceptionalism. As for Tim; if you wonder, send him an email and ask tim@salem-news.com Don't be surprised, however, if he publishes both your email and his response.

Anonymous April 9, 2011 10:15 pm (Pacific time)

If you really think the majority of people think they are god's chosen people, you truly are suffering, and I am sorry for you. I, personally, am severely disappointed in many aspects of American life and politics. But I hold out hope for a better future. If you don't see any value in what I say and the opinions I am sharing, please do not comment on them, because I am writing to inform, not to get into a pissing match with someone who I sense feels superior.

It's in your Declaration of Independence: "We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator "

American societal religiosity is of the same intensity as Muslim nations like Pakistan. Public figures cannot admit to atheism, or even agnosticism lest they be publicly vilified. Politicians routinely joust among themselves to be more religious than their opponents. This happens, of course, because they have to pander to the semi-literate religiosity of the majority of the electorate. QED

Anonymous April 9, 2011 9:39 pm (Pacific time)

rant v.intr. To speak or write in an angry or violent manner; rave. v.tr. To utter or express with violence or extravagance. Dan, I will not re-read your posts. I glance through them only because I hope that some day you will learn that citizens of the U.S. are not really your enemy and that, if not, Salem-News would ask you to stop writing your rants. If the typical reader thought for a moment that your anti-U.S. viewpoint was typical of Salem-News, there would be far fewer supportive readers here. Chew on that for a minute.

My anti-U.S. rants, as you call them, reflect my objection to the belief of so many Americans that they are God's chosen people. After the Israelis, of course. Sooner or later, a majority of Americans will wake up and smell the coffee. That's why I write. You're free, of course, to read or not read.

Bill Griffith April 8, 2011 6:30 pm (Pacific time)

"Americans are now on good terms with the British but, unaccountably, many still believe that citizen-owned guns are important—the only nation in the world that believes such nonsense." Hey here's a list of countries their per capita gun ownership. Maybe a re-assessment in order for you Daniel?

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_countries_by_gun_ownership

I'll rephrase my statement--the only nation that worships gun ownership. I see the U.S. is right up there with the Third World countries.I suppose you sleep with a gun under your pillow.

Anonymous April 9, 2011 2:46 pm (Pacific time)

Dan, if you think that your rants over the past few years on Salem-News have only been about the government and not against the American people, perhaps you should re-read some of the vitriol you have written. If you still don't see it, perhaps YOU possess a Backpfeifengesicht. I have gotten used to reading it and take it with a grain of salt, but if you really think you somehow are working to help make the world a better place, you are smoking too much of the wrong stuff...

Rants? Point out my errors and I'll be glad to recant.

Anonymous April 9, 2011 2:40 pm (Pacific time)

Dan, you go ahead and think that your hatred of Americans is somehow making the world a better place. Exposing corruptness of a government is one thing, but your rants go far beyond that and consistently denigrate Americans as people. It is OK if you think that what you are doing is OK, because we believe in freedom of expression and of the press, which includes your ramblings. As Colli wrote, the U.S. will eventually recover from out ills, although we will be a different country due to the enormous debt we have accumulated, in part protecting countries like Canada and Mexico from the big bad wolf over the past 60+ years. So continue not making friends with the fine readers of this news source if you want to. I think I would probably buy you a beer and try to talk sense into you, but if you choose to hate due to the actions of a government that I can no easier control than you can, you may continue on the warpath.

You're not the first to bring up the issue that the U.S. is somehow "protecting" us in Canada. If the U.S. didn't have so many well-deserved enemies, we wouldn't need protection.

BG at home April 9, 2011 10:51 am (Pacific time)

Here is a link to the wretched history of Racism in Canada: http://www.hopesite.ca/remember/history/racism_canada_1.html // Canada's Crime Rate 50 % Higher than U.S. : http://archive.newsmax.com/archives/ic/2006/1/24/150547.shtml // And in a more humorous glance: Major problems of living in Canada: http://www.canadalifeandliving.com/pages/major_gripes.htm //Better yet go to Vancouver BC's downtown area after midnight and see how you do re: crime. Actually go to any urban location in Canada and see how you do regarding violent crime. Lovely place, and so full of those who hate America, but overlook their far more serious domestic woes. Oh well...distractions is a common methodology for those who evade actual reality, but then, they probably have no idea what reality is.

Well put. You write".distractions is a common methodology for those who evade actual reality" seemingly unaware of doing it yourself. You try to distract from the points of the article by pointing out Canadian warts. Inaccurately, I might add.

Douglas Benson April 9, 2011 9:02 am (Pacific time)

Give up the weapons rant Dan there is zero real political support here even in the Dems camp .Most folks grit their teeth and hold their breath when their represenatives float such ideas because they agree with a good part of the rest of the positions of the party . I would agree that the constitution is flawed as it has no power that the government and the courts dont give it. That said if the constitution was properly applied most of the problems we face would not even be. The wars we are in now and our reach for global empire would not be an issue. We have failed to hold our leaders accountable .That sad fact is what has turned our constitution into a joke . The very premise of which is to limit government power and majority rule from removing freedom from the minority. I could go down a long list of examples,the worst of which is the idea that the constitution stops at the point it interferes with government powers. Thats the whole point of the constitution and our courts have failed. Much of the blame also goes to our lawyers who instead of fighting for our rights have been turned into "friends of the court" and the courts have been turned into friends of the government . How long would the HSA,the TSA, or the patriot act last if the courts applied the constitution and held the government accountable? The culprit? All courts are civil and the constitution does not apply to the majority of courts. They all operate under the UCC. I like to call it the uniform corprate control as even government has turned into corporations. If we dont fix our courts there will be no constitutional adherence we so desperatly need. I put it to you if we truly applied the constitution many of our problems wouldnt exist.

Colli April 9, 2011 8:13 am (Pacific time)

Dan: I stand corrected re: Viet Nam . . . when the French left and the U.S. began it's involvement. Your facts and timeline are accurate and mine was faulty. I am glad it is not our country or it's people in general that you despise. I agree with you that since Nixon was elected, our leadership has been poor at best. Actually, I tend to believe that Johnson probably did more harm than good during his time in office. We have changed from a country where the elected leaders made decisions based on what was good for the country to what is good for their respective party. It now seems to be more about lining their pockets, retaining their seats of power, and retaining the funds funneled to them by their respective party. This, I am sorry to say, is certainly true of the Democratic party and the Republican party. With barely five months gone by since the last election, there are signs that this is also true of the Tea Party. I guess the old saying that "power corrupts" is true. One of the things we need badly here is term limits but the only way we will ever get them is by creating them ourselves via the polling booth. Two things we should outlaw are special interest lobbyiests and the insertion of pork barrel projects into all legislation comming from Congress. Those three things would go a long way toward getting our political system back on track. In moving toward correcting our political system (if in fact this ever happens), we must be vigilant not to throw the baby out with the bath water. The U.S. is a good country with good people. Living with the politicians we have in our (primarily) two party system is like carrying a rattlesnake around in your Jockey shorts though . . . you know you have to relieve yourself but you are afraid of what you are going to grab when you reach in there! Peace my friend.

BG at home April 9, 2011 7:21 am (Pacific time)

It isn't just anti-gun Canadian liberals who believe in this assault on the right of self-defense. This belief is widespread in the US, too, even though our Constitution (and many state Constitutions) explicitly spell out a right which "shall not be infringed" to own and carry arms. Of course, infringement begins the second the government has a record of who has what and where. I have always wondered how eager anti-gunners would be if they had to prove their statistics and be held to their promises. They'd find out, in fact, that a restrictive law actually put people in peril and did little to prevent crime. Politicians and lawmakers in general “shoot from the hip” most of the time and if they were required to prove themselves, they'd be a lot more cautious and accurate[?], but most of the media are in fact not reporters but agenda setters of little ability. Daniel if you would like to share the per capita gunownership on a global level here's the data (by the way keep in mind that this data does not account for people who own multiple fire arms. I personally own many because I am a collector for investment purposes, as are hundreds of thousands of other Americans, so data is skewed, oh well, accuracy is a not that significant, e.g. what are the Canadian military doing to muslims?): http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_countries_by_gun_ownership

Colli April 8, 2011 9:59 pm (Pacific time)

Dan:

You are an extremely intelligent man but a man with much rage against the country that has carried more than their share of the load for many, many years. The U.S. pulled France's fat out of the fire in the First World War, the Second World War, and we stupidly moved into Viet Nam so they could bailout of there too. Without the support of the U.S., there is an excellent chance that Great Britain’s national language would now be German.
You throw stones at the Republican Party as if they created all of the problems we are going through at this time. I know you are too intelligent to believe that either of the two major parties is without fault. Most (if not all) politicians are by their very nature liars and the U.S. may well have the single largest group of corrupt and greedy politicians in the world backed by what may be the single largest group of corrupt and egotistical members of the judicial system in the world.

As for the bible or Koran, these are simply books Dan . . . written by men who, like you and I, will insert opinion into their writings, other men read those books with potentially every one of them will walk away with a different interpretation of what they have read . . . with possibly none of them understanding exactly what the writer meant.

Is the U.S. in sad shape right now? . . . yes, we are. Do we have a mile or two of bad road ahead of us? . . . probably more than just a mile or two. However, the people of the U.S. have adapted before and I believe they will again. They certainly need to learn that the Rah-Rah team mentality they apply to sports is foolish and potentially destructive if carried over into politics. They need to learn to judge every candidate by experience and accomplishments rather than the party flag the candidate runs-up during his or her campaign. Of course, neither party wants their candidate to think for them self and they certainly do not want them to listen to the wants and needs of their constituency but the electorate must take the reins back from the Democratic, the Republican, and the Tea Parties. Votes and Campaign contributions are both freely bought in the U.S. right now and the electorate must understand this. Greed is our single biggest enemy in the U.S., followed closely by widespread selfishness and to some lesser extent laziness. The ideals on which our country was founded were and are sound. You may not agree with that statement and that is your prerogative Dan.
You should know that this particular article leaves a flavor in the readers mind that you dislike the U.S. and it’s people, and that you more or less believe we should fall under the rule of France. If I have misread your intent, I apologize; however, it does go to prove my point about individual interpretation of the written word, doesn’t it?
Peace be with you Dan.

I talked about France because it was one of the four republics formed from the Enlightenment. Corsica disappeared, Haiti is a disaster but France kept on trucking, which is something the U.S. did not do. The country was founded on slavery and the only reason the flawed Constitution was born was because the framers compromised with the southern colonies so they would sign on. Notice that "slavery" is never used in the Constitution although much is made of the idea that "all men are created equal".

I think the 1860s would have been the perfect time to start over and form a Second American Republic where slavery could have been explicitly outlawed, among other positive changes. But that was a different historical context and applying our modern day standards to a bygone era raises all sorts of contradictory issues. But my main point is that America did not grow politically, for whatever reason.

You've forgotten your history of Vietnam. France had been driven out and the U.S., went in there to stop the spread of communism. And, history repeats itself. The U.S. went in after the fictitious "Gulf of Tonkin" incident, just s the U.S. went in to Iraq to destroy the equally fictitious WMDs.

No, I don't dislike America or Americans. I personally know and know of many fine American people. But it's the politicians that I viscerally hate. Some, like Bush, Cheney, et al have what Germans call a backpfeifengesicht--a face that cries out for a fist in it.

I like your comment and appreciate that you wrote it. It would be good for the world at large if enough of the American people could shake themselves free of their ridiculous myths and start living and acting as if they share the planet with others.

JT April 8, 2011 9:50 pm (Pacific time)

Don't worry, their guns will save 'em, ha, ha! This time next year the U.S. dollar will be worth a nickel and it will be as dangerous to travel in the States as it is right now in Northern Mexico. I just feel very sorry for all the American soldiers sent into war in countries where it is pointless and now they will not be paid...the end of an Empire.

Anonymous April 8, 2011 9:24 pm (Pacific time)

Dan has never been a writer who has written anything that supported virtually any aspect of America or even the lowliest American. I wish he would leave the Salem-News crew. It is OK to hate what America stands for and it is OK to point out our shortcomings. But EVERY thing he writes seems to reflect animosity. Some of us were actually born here without a choice. We make due with what we have to. He won't actually do anything to make the situation better by writing scathing article after article, but I presume that they make him feel better. I wonder how he would feel if someone consistently wrote such things about Canada and its leaders. Oh well, at least he is a most benign writer.

Yes, you "make due (sic)" with what you have. Unfortunately what you have is a broken political system. Work towards fixing that, and I'll start praising on this topic. I'm doing what I can to make the world a better place and also unfortunately, the U.S,. is the source, both directly and indirectly, of too much global evil. Why are you killing Iraqis, again? And giving billions to Israel every year so they can kill Palestinians?

Bill Griffith April 8, 2011 6:22 pm (Pacific time)

As the writer opines about all of America's shortcomings, what made us the greatest superpower on the planet? Was it God and our blindly following the "Bibles instructions" or is it something else? Does not matter, for we will continue on and those people who share the witer's opinion wil continue in their circular analysis, content on knowing that they ar the true superior beings, or are they? Well off to the firing range...

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