The question is, a big question too, is can it become one if we fall asleep on the watch?

That is like asking if the Pope is Catholic.  Any society can degrade into it.  Germany did not suddenly decide to become one, they just fell asleep on the watch.

That is double talk. It either is or is not.

--I meant it as in that we have had [at times] been a major political figure internationally,i feel....might not float every bodys boat....but oh well....

Look Dr Guy the world is not a black and white place , saying something is or it isn't? Bollocks. The world is all grey all the time.

And on another note , in what way is the US not an Empire?

Maintaining like 12000 nukes in a post Coldwar world , is not Empire? OR Superpower?

Who was the last US Pres NOT to go to war against someone? Carter?

Dr. Guy, then how can we not stop to look around at all the shackles that get placed one by one, slowly but surely, without doing more than batting an eye? I'm not trying to be an alarmist, I just know an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure.. maybe we should start examing things.. *shrugs* Or not. I wouldn't mind an evil totalitarian dictatorship if I were the dictator or benefited greatly from it, so it's a win win situation!

No Helix, you are exactly right, and we should fight every invasion of privacy as an incremental step down that path.  Ihate the fact that the SS number, meant only for the SS legislation, is now your ID!  (Try filing your taxes without it).  I do not like any of these creeping incremental restrictions of your freedom.  I understand the rational for the patriot act, but do you think it will go away when the threat does?

No,

You are not an alarmist, but perhaps my posts were just not clear.  I think we are on the slippery slope.  We need to look at applying breaks now, not later.

And on another note , in what way is the US not an Empire?

IN Every definition of an empire.  Do we dictate to your pathetic little island?  No.  Do we dictate to Old Europe?  Yea right!  You are a caricture sent here to feed on the carion.  You have no arguement, no case, and no point.

We are a Superpower.  That was never the question.  We were never and are not an Empire.  Learn to speak and write clearly. Dont argue points not on the table.

Who was the last US Pres NOT to go to war against someone? Carter?

When was the last year that there were no massacres?  When NZ was founded?  Oh, but Wait, what about the Maoris?

You would rather "put up with" the occasional hijacking, building-destruction, and 3,000 citizens dead. Making some effort to sift the evildoers from the law-abiding citizens would be too much tyranny for you, I guess.

I would agree... BUT A WARNING

I would rather be in danger of being killed by these criminals than give up my freedom.

Liberty or death


As far as the USA being a place of a 'watch system' well it sort of can be just that. And it is heading toward that way in the neam of freedom. I think we all can agree with that, but the question is, when it goes too far, will you stand up and fight? Will you speek out or be bar coded like everyone else?

We are not there yet, but if we approach, we should say something, otherwise there REALLY is no hope.

Here's a 3rd one:

Those who need medical care and disabled are killed, and Fascist "Compassionate Liberals" like Messybuu finally feel at home. ;~D

Armenians? The Jews? The Russians? The Indians? The Chinese? It's a competition - seeking the most pity.

Blacks, Hispanics, Gays, single, drug addicted mothers who can't keep their legs closed.....the "Pity me Parade" marches on, with the Lefties laying out the palm fronds and cloaks to pave the way.

Great article, stute.

Look Dr Guy the world is not a black and white place , saying something is or it isn't? Bollocks. The world is all grey all the time. And on another note , in what way is the US not an Empire? Maintaining like 12000 nukes in a post Coldwar world , is not Empire? OR Superpower? Who was the last US Pres NOT to go to war against someone? Carter?

----Rep from NZ


The best thing that's happened to New Zealand in recent years is "Lord of the Rings". "Wow...my country looks like a fantasy land made up in the mind of a brilliant but mildly eccentric author!" How cool for you.
So...Peter Jackson what, tripled the GNP of NZ for the the two years he was filming there?
I mean really, where do you get off saying anything?
I just love how insignificant, irrelevant (anonymous) nobodies (are you listening, rombios?) from insignificant, irrelevant, tiny backwaters of the real world, are always the ones to come crashing down on the US for it's supposed "imperialism".
It's so cute; they're jealous.
It's flattering, really.



And, just out of curiosity, I'd like to know exactly how many nukes the Russians still keep at hand; we're not the only nulcear power in the world, you know. Keeping a deterrent force is just as important today as it was 20 years ago. maybe moreso, with all the heavily-armed nutjobs running around these days.

Already, some people are by challenging poor legislature in the courts

--Deference

Yes, and these people are called liberals, who can't be bothered to leave such important things as personal choice and freedom up to the electorate.
That's why, instead of putting things up for a ballot vote, they legally challenge the constitutionality of anything they don't like.

We're all under government surviellance, and have been for about seven decades.
I know I've been under government surveillance since I was born, and my parents were issued my SS#....a system which was instituted by the Roosevelt administration. That administration was one of the most liberal, to that date, in American history.

That is double talk. It either is or is not. --I meant it as in that we have had [at times] been a major political figure internationally,i feel....might not float every bodys boat....but oh well

Sorry dude but, being a major international figure does NOT make the US an empire.

And on another note , in what way is the US not an Empire? Maintaining like 12000 nukes in a post Coldwar world , is not Empire? OR Superpower?

Turn around.... In what way IS the US like an empire? Being a superpower does NOT make a country an empire. See this kind of "ignorant" talk is what makes the EU dislike us.

Turn around.... In what way IS the US like an empire? Being a superpower does NOT make a country an empire. See this kind of "ignorant" talk is what makes the EU dislike us.

With that kind of ignorance, the question should be, do we want them to like us?

Yes, and these people are called liberals, who can't be bothered to leave such important things as personal choice and freedom up to the electorate. - Rightwinger

Sure, only "liberals" are to be found in our court system. Give me a break. Stop your inane over-generalizations. Now, with every lie there lays a grain of truth. I will agree that "liberals" are much more likely to attempt completion of their agendae through the courts, but the judicial branch is only an avenue - and not one exclusive to "liberals". Conservative watchdog groups such as "Judicial Watch" are always on the ball and making their points proven to / with judges everyday. Let's not get ahead of ourselves by naming branches of government partisan territory - K?

I'm going to go out on a limb with it and say Deference is right a bit..We aren't a TD right now, but the infrastructure is there. That is something important to dwell on. America is far from being a mature country, no matter the power and strength it possesses. Who knows where our values will go in the next one hundred years. I'll never see the US in lockdown, evil totalitarian tinpot dictatorship mode, but what about my great grandchildren? - Citizen Helix the II

Exactly, let's nip these problems in the bud right now! (By calling your senator or congressman and asking them to explain the legislature and why they voted for it, arranging Citizen (or Political) Action Commitees, contesting legislature in court because of it's unconstitutional action, or by doing the simplest and most effective thing - communicating and spreading awareness of bad law passed by representatives instead of being voted on by the people)

You would rather "put up with" the occasional hijacking, building-destruction, and 3,000 citizens dead. Making some effort to sift the evildoers from the law-abiding citizens would be too much tyranny for you, I guess. - Citizen stutefish

Absolutely. Part of freedom is risk. It is only for the insulated, the complacent; those ready to be culled from the herd; that FREEDOM is a threat. It is for those believers in big government holding the answers to cede freedom in exchange for intangible "security" and to forget what freedom is and shorthshrift following generations.

Tell you what, even with all the legislative "action" put in place and all the new "security measures" being executed to the fullest, things like 9/11 will always inevitably occur. How much do you want to give away to the government until you or your grandchildren, etc., have no personal freedom left to sacrifice at the altar of government taking care of "insecurities" for you against some things that will inevitably occur? Shit happens, how we deal with it is most important.