SCOTUS Affirms ACA

[HoneyBadger]

Interesting observation, sellersm. I do agree that tyrants are best stopped before they get started!

I have been studying Mongol history for the last few weeks and have come across an interesting theory (phenomenon?) sometimes referred to as creative destruction. There are many historians and others who believe that when civilization becomes boxed into a corner and the growth becomes stagnant, it is necessary for some sort of massive destruction in order to "free the logjam" and allow civilization to progress. For example, the Romans brought many advanced technologies to most of the surrounding Mediterranean and European people, along with advanced governing systems and economics during their conquests. The fact that they slaughtered hundreds of thousands (probably millions), raped as many and enslaved many more is a tiny little detail that we don't need to worry about...

It is easy to justify (or at least understand) certain historical events with this perspective because we are so detached from the horror of the atrocities. However the less removed we are from the events, the harder it is to justify the destruction. Prime example: Genghis Khan directed the murders of tens of millions in the most brutal fashion imagineable, and his men raped MILLIONS (which is why his direct bloodline is the most common anywhere in the world today... nearly 1:500 people anywhere in the world are direct descendants of Genghis Khan), but many apologists and revisionist historians have spent centuries brushing that aside while proclaiming the age-old "But just LOOK at what he did! He revolutionized the use of horses! He revolutionized trade! He revolutionized the way in which a kingdom could be managed from afar! He revolutionized...." blah blah blah. I'm certain it is still too fresh in our memories, but I would bet that within the next century, someone will write a book praising the genetic and scientific developments of the Third Reich.

On a level that we may better sympathize with, the American revolution was a lot of death and destruction. It was ugly, nasty, bloody. Is it easy for us to say now that it was worth it? Absolutely. If you could go back to 1780 and ask a widow if it was worth losing her family and home, she may be a bit less enthusiastic. If the revolution started tomorrow, would anyone care a hundred years from now about the individual lives lost? Most certainly not. But since we are here now talking about the real world, I would much rather myself and my family did not have to live in a time filled with such devastation, destruction, and loss. When I didn't have a family to be responsible for, I understandably had a different tone, but now my first and foremost concern is the providing for and protection of my family. If all hell breaks loose, then sure I'll take up my sword and shield, but until then, I'll stick with reason and the pen, while encouraging others to do the same.

[brutal]

I'm not jumping on the bandwagon with some of you guys on this one... I don't care how bad you project it will be in 50 years, it will be MUCH WORSE if we are spilling each others' blood in the streets. I don't want my children to grow up in that world. They will be critical thinkers, reasoners, and supporters of liberty, but I would much rather they use their reason and pens until reason and pens are simply no longer an option. We are not yet at the stage of the game.

HB,

Unfortunately, I think the only way your kids have a bright future as contributing members of a sound society is if we get an early collapse and a total reset to conservative values and leadership.

The country is morally bankrupt and on the road to financial ruin. The system is not sustainable on it's current path and things are guaranteed to keep getting worse unless there's a paradigm shift.

[HoneyBadger]

HB,

Unfortunately, I think the only way your kids have a bright future as contributing members of a sound society is if we get an early collapse and a total reset to conservative values and leadership.

The country is morally bankrupt and on the road to financial ruin. The system is not sustainable on it's current path and things are guaranteed to keep getting worse unless there's a paradigm shift.

I completely understand what you are saying, but I don't think a collapse and rebuild is possible in a single generational timeframe. Am I being unreasonable? Maybe with the speed of tech these days it could happen a lot faster, but I think once the US becomes a 3rd world country, we can't exactly just step right back up to the plate.

[Mtn.man]

Iceland rebound very well after their 08' collapse. They let the bankers rot.
We could very well see a collapse of banking, government, etc. within a few years.

[KestrelBike]

I think a lot of our stability is actually dependent on China. What if they pull the pin somehow: with a coup that we didn't see coming, their economy collapsing and calling in our debt, or dragging us down anyways with how much we depend on their cash and manufacturing. Imo, besides the usual doom and gloom scenarios, we're ripe for a complete blindside that we haven't yet considered or are capable of confronting until it's too late. Look at ww1: America entered it, but what the hell did we have to do with the assassination of Franz Ferdinand?

[Big John]

If something doesn't change soon...

Rather than die the death of a million cut's, I'll be voting for Hillary and get it over with. Rip the band-aid off and quit fucking around.



Yes, that was me expressing this to Mandy this am.

[Irving]

HBar has a strong point. How many people in the South during the first Civil war felt that they are fighting for what they thought was right?

[Bailey Guns]

who says if we had a restart that we would restart as a Constitution based country? Who says we would be better off? I think it is foolish to think that if we had a civil war, the final product would be a country based on a 200+ year old document. It could be that the country becomes something we hate I think to many of you are thinking the war will only be fought by like minded individuals who will then be the only ones who get to make decisions about the reformed government. I also find it interesting that MOST (not all) of the people wanting a war either never actually served in a war, or have no children or children that are long grown. I think people have no clue about how bad war can be. Just because when we fight our wars now they are fairly clean and we have resourses and medical care, doesnt mean it would be that way if we had another civil war.

And no, I have no idea what the answers are on how to fix it.

This is exactly right. There's no guarantee the results of an internal conflict are going to be favorable to whatever side you're on.

Rather than die the death of a million cut's, I'll be voting for Hillary and get it over with. Rip the band-aid off and quit fucking around.

Yeah... That's smart and makes tons of sense. Good luck with that. Sometimes there just aren't enough face-palms.

[GilpinGuy]

The writhing. ....it hurts to see.

[DireWolf]

This is exactly right. There's no guarantee the results of an internal conflict are going to be favorable to whatever side you're on.



Yeah... That's smart and makes tons of sense. Good luck with that. Sometimes there just aren't enough face-palms.

I found the following book to have some very interesting discussions around this, and highly recommend giving it a look..the analyses presented in the first half-dozen chapters are of particular interest...

http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/1450574289


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