So ... does anyone else feel that they are living a dystopian near-future novel? Perhaps one of the mildly-absurdist ones popular in the science fiction of the late 1950's through 1970's
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I read through this post from top to bottom thinking that what you were describing was remarkably like late Republic Rome, which is probably the historical period (other than the 20th century, which I studied at Oxford) that I'm most familiar with
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Obama is not our Caesar -- he's far too incompetent. He has mostly gotten as far as he did because of our immense guilt over slavery and racial discrimination. This is ironic, because he is half white American and roughly a quarter Arab -- he is descended more from cultures which enslaved black Africans than he is from black Africans. He is of course not at all descended from black Americans, nor was he ever significantly part of the black American culture he claims to represent.
The military coup in 1974 would have been a counter-coup, to be launched only if Nixon launched a coup-from-above. The military was getting ready if necessary to obey their oaths of office and defend the Constitution and the Republic for which it stands.
At the risk of being pilloried by some readers, the seeming majority of Americans don't care what things actually are, only what they seem to be or what they are told they are. For all the guilt and other intents and purposes of most involved, Obama is "black enough" -- both to make some feel better about themselves and the nation and some have an easier time sociopolitically manipulating others. Smoke and mirrors signifying "security" for many.
And yes, the Executive Orders he is throwing about set a *very* bad precedent.
the seeming majority of Americans don't care what things actually are, only what they seem to be or what they are told they are.
Yes ... which may doom our democracy. Because if the electorate no longer cares about something as simple and basic as their chosen leaders being competent or even loyal, then they can no longer be trusted with choosing the leadership -- which means that in time the leadership will be either be chosen by other means, or the country will collapse.
I think even more dangerous than Obama pen and phone are the regulatory commissions that apparently have total control over every aspect of our lives, from our healthcare, to our property, to the lunches kids are eating at school. This, to me, is where the real power lies in this country, and that is far more scary than a incompetent or criminal president, because bureaucracies are immortal.
they only have the control people grant them. and as long as (mostly white) people continue to fear strongly worded letters with no legal or constitutional or social authority behind them, they'll continue to have that control.
Actually, I'm currently rereading Atlas Shrugged, and it's remarkable how closely Barry's following the actions of Wesley Mouch and the rest of the Washington boys from the book.
Ayn Rand wrote Atlas Shrugged based on her experiences with the Russian revolutions and the encroachment and fall to socialism there. The techniques are timeless, and that is why you see them again.
appropriately, I have been taking Roman Architecture course at Coursera: a big chunk of lectures refers to Roman history and Flavian dynasty in particular. Suetonius and his 12 Caesars come to mind.
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The military coup in 1974 would have been a counter-coup, to be launched only if Nixon launched a coup-from-above. The military was getting ready if necessary to obey their oaths of office and defend the Constitution and the Republic for which it stands.
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And yes, the Executive Orders he is throwing about set a *very* bad precedent.
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Yes ... which may doom our democracy. Because if the electorate no longer cares about something as simple and basic as their chosen leaders being competent or even loyal, then they can no longer be trusted with choosing the leadership -- which means that in time the leadership will be either be chosen by other means, or the country will collapse.
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