The Top 40

The Reign of Terror ends in Nov 2012, unless Americans are officially suicidal, like Europe. The one change I see is that dissenters of the American Left and RINO elites are no longer afraid to question authority, research, speak out and act out. As for Wall Street, when did Big Business ever have Americans' best interest at heart? Big Business is ruthless and always was, as is Big Government. Another important point that I should have thought of before is that American colonists were agrarian, family-oriented & far more prolific and their education was linked closely with their faith and community. We are lacking all of these, even as tolerant as we have proved to be, as Mead pointed out. Not necessarily a good trade. We no longer stick together and/or rely on each other culturally - as opposed to the growing immigrant cultures, which will alter the fabric and values of the system our founders intended. We rely on Big Business, Big Banking, Big Government... and I believe there comes a time where a society becomes too diverse to survive. We must have something that unifies us. Less and less unifies us culturally, politically, morally as a society. We can't even agree on Life. And nothing unifies the elites of Big Government and Big Business with the people. Nothing. Not even patriotism. This is why "Green" is catching on - it's the new global "religion" that the Left wants us to believe "unites" us. When Big Government politicizes everything and Big Business & Big Government support each other, isn't that Fascism? And when immigrants come looking for the middle class American dream and expect government programs to facilitate it for them (or public employees expect unions to bully tax-payers on their behalf), Burke would not recognize America or Americans.

You expect more from big business--or any business--than the Founders, RC. Madison made the plan clear--that because the "better" motives of distinguishing between good and bad had proven themselves so defective over the centuries, ambition would be used to counter ambition instead.

What we have seen evolve is the ambition of government, which now dwarfs business and distorts its form.

When a large corporation behaves as if omnipotent government is no part of its plans, government will attack it with all its might. Washington conducted its dog and pony show for years against Bill Gates, until George 11 called off those dogs. But Microsoft kept THREE lobbyist in Washington to look after its interests, when others kept three hundred to kiss the ring of government.

GE, once considered the most well run corporation in the world, got the message in spades.

Yet we call all this the seeking of favors and breaks from government, because our minds are infected as well. You may detest the evolution this circus has taken, but corporations, insofar as an entity without a soul can, in truth have a greater understanding and fear of it than you do. We do not like the result, so we blame the corporations.

A bank is a corporation, and it has even more vulnerability to the circus. If they appear indistinguishable from government, that is certainly the final intention of government.

If they appear indistinguishable from government, that is certainly the final intention of government.

Actually, the Big banks via the FED are the Government; you got a peek behind that curtain with TARP and Paulson telling Congress and Bush how it was going to be.

Then, after shipping the money overseas to settle what were, in reality gambling debts, had the balls to monetize this mess and lay it on the backs of the taxpayers.

Now you tell me, who is the Government!

We certainly are witnessing/ experiencing being screwed from all sides currently. Everything the Obama administration did the first year was horrifying but if there is one thing I have learned is that it's all been building for far longer than most of us could have imagined. The quesiton is.. what recourse do we have? Everyone is suffering in this economy, but when, how, where does it end? If we must consider The Establishment omnimpotent, then I am assuming things are going to get worse (and worse and worse). Now that "they" have all the power and wealth, what hope is there regardless of who wins in 2012? Regardless of catchy campaign slogans the Obama Crew has in store for us? I don't where hope and change has helped anyone, even those who bought into it.

Correction: I don't SEE where hope and change has helped anyone, even those who bought into it. I used to believe that as a consumer, I had a voice and I had purchase power. I do NOT feel that way now, for obvious reasons.

RedCarolina, You as well as many of the more astute commenters here know what the next step is.
The question is, "Do the People have the balls to take the step?" The Left does.

For the rest of you, the tooth fairy is dead. But keep hoping that those Federal Reserve Notes are not AS counterfeit as the ones made by Charlie in Hoboken.

They are inciting not only their dissenters, but also their supporters. Will the chaos give Obama the excuse he needs to grab up even MORE executive power? He's already shown he'll bypass not only Congress, but also his own cabinet. Lobbyist, unions & social justice thugs and goons are running/ruining our country from the White House. And we thought he was just an underqualified token candidate. He's a bloated ego with the power to punish state governments (and private corporations), take credit for an historic mid-east uprising in Egypt, an even more historic assassinaion, send in air force in Libya without Congressional approval and get away with tarnishing the highest office in the world with his creepy circle of "friends". I think even MLKJr is rolling over in his grave.

Interesting - Book TV featuring Larry Schweikart's "What Would the Founders Say?" which speaks to some of these issues. He mentions banks should fund government, not the other way around. Debt was not acceptable to Founders. Basically we are ass backwards across the board. Even including locally funded public schools grades 1-6 teaching a... (cue scary music).. Nationalistic PATRIOTIC HISTORY... and (brace yourself..) CHRISTIAN RELIGION!! GASP!