shadows's Blog

dreamers, you are correct that the American way of life and values are disappearing. However, what do we do now?

You see, we can't go back to business as usual. When one thing changes, other things must change.....it's a whole new situation when you change one variable. But how to change and return as close to our American values as possible is the question?

The old ways won't work anymore, but we might be able to get close, if Americans will voice their concerns and not allow our government to simply continue on as they please. Americans have been too complacent over the last few decades. They were made to feel like it wasn't loyal to question Vietnam, and the other conflicts since. Well in my opinion as a Vietnam veteran, it is always proper and necessary to closely scrutinize and question your government, but especially when it means killing people and/or spending a lot of money.

We haven't been doing that .....and that is why we are in such a mess......the people are the ones to blame....they haven't been doing their job.

Yes, it starts in our local offices. People have to investigate what their locals are doing and attend board and commission meetings and speak up. They work for us.....we don't work for them.

Government at all levels has become secretive kinda like the Soviet Union was. Palin is another example of a elected official who won't release her emails which are public documents, and even her husband won't honor a subpoena!! Just think, if you were served a subpoena and failed to appear you would probably go to jail.

What is most frightening is that she could easily become president if McCain is unable to complete his term. And McCain is part of the old guard in Washington no matter what he says. Otherwise he wouldn't still be there.

Open government is what we absolutely must demand of all elected officials. I'm afraid that until that happens things will continue to get worse. Get active in your local government...

So they move all of our jobs and then take back the money that we have earned over the years.....sounds like a bunch of great people. I wonder if the Chamber of commerce will support this bail out as much as they have supported illegal immigration?

I went to walmart with the wife, in July, looking for a US Flag for the 4th. Made in China, so I dind't buy it. An American flag, made in China?

Went to Joanna's, and found a better looking flag, Made in the USA. I didn't care about the price (maybe a dollar or two more), I just wanted my AMERICAN FLAG made in the USA...

I don't trust anyone from Washington.

I suspect that it will not be long before we will be seeing some sizable protests against action of our government. I certainly would not advocate forceful revolution, mostly innocent people would get hurt/killed. However, if people see a protest or march forming, they should certainly support it. Even protests at the local level should be organized against excesses and/or corruption in government. The water situation including rate increases and allowing commercial firms to use the water, deserve some crowds on the doorsteps of city halls across Florida.

Too much money is being collected and spent without much being accomplished. People had better stand up and be counted if they want to keep what they have!

I have a friend who is eighty one years old and lives in another state, but attends local council meetings and stays current on what is happening. She is quite vocal and has been urged to run for office several times, but instead insists on her non-political role to keep the elected officials honest and open.

A person of any age can get involved......retired people have even more time to do so instead of sitting around and playing bingo. Have you ever noticed how many handicapped people in wheel chairs attend protests and rallies......quite a few!!

A lot of the kids are doing what they have been taught to do.....sit on their hands.

Sipedo, excellent point. If you don't mind, I would like to explore the point about "lines of good and bad." Do you feel as though it is always possible to draw an absolute line that will indicate a certainty about what or who is right or wrong? One of the first example that comes to mind were the Salem Witch trials.

The present financial crisis might be another example to consider.

The problem is, big business more often than not isn't American today -- it's multinational or global at best, thanks to deregulation and uncritical "free market" policies that enabled corporate greed to ship jobs to sweatshops overseas while foreigners buy up American firms. So how does one "buy American" anymore? It's getting increasingly difficult. For all its flag-waving, Wal-Mart has nary a "Made in USA" label on its merchandise. And even popping open a Budweiser longneck to toast our country means sending one's money to Belgium.