Interesting..

[Slappie 9]

I got this emailed to me from my mom.

Thought you'd find this interesting.

At about the time our original 13 states adopted their new constitution, in the year 1787, Alexander Tyler (a Scottish history professor at The University of Edinborough) had this to say about "The Fall of The Athenian Republic" some 2,000 years prior:

"A democracy is always temporary in nature; it simply cannot exist as a permanent form of government. A democracy will continue to exist up until the time that voters discover that they can vote themselves generous gifts from the public treasury. From that moment on, the majority always votes for the candidates who promise the most benefits from the public treasury, with the result that every democracy will finally collapse due to loose fiscal policy, (which is) always followed by a dictatorship."

"The average age of the worlds greatest civilizations from the beginning of history, has been about 200 years. During those 200 years, these nations always progressed through the following sequence: From Bondage to spiritual faith; From spiritual faith to great courage; From courage to liberty; From liberty to abundance; From abundance to complacency; From complacency to apathy; From apathy to dependence; From dependence back into bondage."

Professor Joseph Olson of Hamline University School of Law, St. Paul, Minnesota, points out some interesting facts concerning the most recent Presidential election: Population of counties won by: Gore=127 million Bush=143 million Square miles of land won by: Gore=580,000 Bush=2,2427,000 States won by: Gore=19 Bush=29 Murder rate per 100,000 residents in counties won by: Gore=13.2 Bush=2.1 Professor Olson adds: "In aggregate, the map of the territory Bush won was mostly the land owned by the tax-paying citizens of this great country. Gore's territory encompassed those citizens living in government-owned tenements and living off government welfare..." Olson believes the U.S. is now somewhere between the "apathy" and "complacency" phase of Professor Tyler's definition of democracy; with some 40 percent of the nation's population already having reached the "governmental dependency" phase.

"Find out just what any people will quietly submit to and you have found out the exact measure of injustice and wrong which will be imposed upon them."

[Nightingale 0]

and this is why we do not have a true democracy.

we have a republic, and a system of checks and balances that prevents a dictatorship (well, mostly )

[Slappie 9]

Quote

and this is why we do not have a true democracy.

we have a republic, and a system of checks and balances that prevents a dictatorship (well, mostly )

I see you haven't been offered the Red or Blue pills yet

"Find out just what any people will quietly submit to and you have found out the exact measure of injustice and wrong which will be imposed upon them."

[mr2mk1g 10]

We have a system in England where the voters vote in the side promising the most benefits from the public treasury (Labour) - they then fuck up the ecconomy and a few years later when the whole country is being driving to financial ruin, the public votes in another party (Conservative) who cut back on everything, fix all the mess created by the last lot, look increadably boring and give the country a sound ecconomic foundation for things to crawl allong at.

No party (historically) seems to be able find the middle ground that actually works. I'll bite my tounge about whether the current party seems to be doing it or not... but then who would actually call them "Labour"?

[nacmacfeegle 0]

"give the country a sound ecconomic foundation for things to crawl allong at. "

yeah right....

--------------------

He who receives an idea from me, receives instruction himself without lessening mine; as he who lights his taper at mine, receives light without darkening me. Thomas Jefferson

[2fat2fly 0]

I think that Snopes has something on this-I'll try to post the link tonight from home.

I am not the man. But the man knows my name...and he's worried

[Zeemax 0]

at least they didn't raise income tax

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[lawrocket 3]

It's actually something that I've discussed with my friends and associates, although not in line with the theories espoused.

40 years ago, the statement was made, "Ask not what your country can do for you, ask what you can do for your country." Now, we have groups and individuals asking, "what are you going to do for me."

In California, we see this most clearly. The state treaury is a mess because of the qualities discussed. The number of people living off of workers' compensation and state disability is truly staggering. This does not include things like AFDC and unemployment, or other forms of general relief.

Thus, Ahnold was elected by California taxpayers hoping to seize back control of the treasury. He has therefore threatened "armageddon" cuts, which is, ironically, what he was elected to do. Perhaps the people see the future as refected by Professor Tyler.

We shall see whether the Dems win California this time. The Dems do have a recent history of winning the population centers. Mainly because they offer the population centers a lot, typically to the penalty of "fly-over country."

Of course, the budget deficit for the US may be a half trillion dollars this year with a Republican POTUS. Unstable public treasury, eh?

attached is the election map...

My wife is hotter than your wife.

[n2skdvn 0]

Quote

I think that Snopes has something on this-I'll try to post the link tonight from home.

Link

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