What is the Greatest Threat Facing the United States Today?

[Scarecrow Akhbar]

Oh boy I guess we better get rid of liberals then.

That's not a bad idea. Any ideas how to do it?

Perhaps if we just limited the franchise to taxpayers?

 

[hipsterdufus]

I would have to say loose nukes.

Bush and Kerry both agreed that this was the biggest threat to the US during the campaign, and I haven't seen significant changes in eliminating this threat since then.

 

[The Mark]

I voted for Apathy of the Citizenry.

I would like to add Terrorism to this, although I think this "apathy" is in part the cause of this (at least indirectly).

If people were more interested in what the government is doing with their money and such, they would vote more often and more carefully, thus (I hope) electing more competent individuals to positions of control and power.

This would (I think) mean that the persons in power would make better decisions about all the many issues that were listed in the poll.
However, it may be that in some cases there is no good answer, or no answer that will satisfy everyone (or even most).

The thing is, many people either do not care or are unable to make informed decisions about who they should vote for. It does not help that so many politicians are extremely capable of lying, and have the staff and influence to help them do it convincingly.

This is a problem because not everyone is interested or cares enough to go out and find the actual facts about what a politician is saying.

 

[FinnMacCool]

That's not a bad idea. Any ideas how to do it?

Perhaps if we just limited the franchise to taxpayers?

How about rounding them up into camps and shooting us. Then you can rule the world your way and we'll watch as you guys blow each other up in about 20 years.

 

[Blue Collar Joe]

If we had term limits for congress and the senate as well as those we already have for the presidency, I think it would help to get new blood in office.

 

[Comrade Brian]

I did not vote is because I am undecided between:

China
Islamic Terrorism
Failure of Public Education
Political Influence of Corporations
Apathy of the Citizenry
Your Favorite Cause, if it's Different

 

[Pacridge]

Vanderveecken and I disagree on what is the most dangerous threat facing the US today.

I say in the long run it's China, based on:

their holdings of US debt

our increasing dependency on low-cost Chinese labor and goods

their expanding military forces

the potential for conflict over Taiwan

their acquisition of various srtategic assets, such as both ends of the Panama Canal,

their expanding presence in space,

and their direct and formal threats to use nuclear weapons against the US.

Vanderveecken can add his own views, if he will.

I think you make some very logical arguments for China being our greatest threat, in the long run. Though I would add to the list our increased indebtedness to them.

In the short run I believe the greater threat is both of our political parties and their divide and conquer attitudes are hurting this country in a most extreme way.

 

[Scarecrow Akhbar]

How about rounding them up into camps and shooting us. Then you can rule the world your way and we'll watch as you guys blow each other up in about 20 years.

No, that's an idea some other liberal came up with. It doesn't work, of course. No liberal ideas work. No. Limiting the operation of government to only those who're paying for it should weed out the liberal disease in fairly short order.

 

[Scarecrow Akhbar]

I think you make some very logical arguments for China being our greatest threat, in the long run. Though I would add to the list our increased indebtedness to them.

In the short run I believe the greater threat is both of our political parties and their divide and conquer attitudes are hurting this country in a most extreme way.

Our national debt is covered under "Deficit Spending/Taxes/The Economy Stupid".

As for the "divide and conquer" of politics, that's the way our system was set up. The problem is that now both political parties are ideologically identical and there's a huge mass of apathetic people without a choice to turn to.

 

[vergiss]

sorry for any confusion but i used generalities in response to your quote.
you think we are paranoid aparrently
and in the first page of the Dem playbook it says Bush is ruling by fear
:2wave:

Oy Gevault. I'm not a Democrat! I'm Australian! :doh

 

[DeeJayH]

Oy Gevault. I'm not a Democrat! I'm Australian!

so you claim :wow: :moon: :wink:

 

[Pacridge]

Our national debt is covered under "Deficit Spending/Taxes/The Economy Stupid".

As for the "divide and conquer" of politics, that's the way our system was set up. The problem is that now both political parties are ideologically identical and there's a huge mass of apathetic people without a choice to turn to.

Call me stupid all you want. We still owe them around 262 billion dollars. We owe Japan something in the neighborhood of 683 billion. In total the US government owes foriegn interests over 2 trillion dollars.


http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2005/09/20/AR2005092001650.html

 

[Billo_Really]

The greatest threat to the United States is Corporatism and the globalization of our economy!

 

[Scarecrow Akhbar]

Call me stupid all you want. We still owe them around 262 billion dollars. We owe Japan something in the neighborhood of 683 billion. In total the US government owes foriegn interests over 2 trillion dollars.


http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2005/09/20/AR2005092001650.html

"It's the economy, stupid" was Clinton/Gore's campaign slogan in 1992. That's all.

Ummm...we owe who 262 gigabucks?

In total, a two trillion dollar debt, spread among the 300 million people in the US, is $6,700 apeice. That's a lot less than many people's credit card debt.

Also, what is that debt as a ratio of GDP? I don't know the figure, but I'm pretty sure it's less than 10%. Again, a 10% debt isn't a big deal for most people. Their houses take a bigger bite.

Which isn't to say that I'm in favor of deficit spending. I'm not. I'm just trying to provide ways to get a handle on what the numbers mean.

Clearly if we could stop deficit spending tomorrow, the debt itself wouldn't take that long to pay down. We did it for WWII.

 

[Lantzolot]

Vanderveecken and I disagree on what is the most dangerous threat facing the US today.

I say in the long run it's China, based on:

their holdings of US debt

our increasing dependency on low-cost Chinese labor and goods

their expanding military forces

the potential for conflict over Taiwan

their acquisition of various srtategic assets, such as both ends of the Panama Canal,

their expanding presence in space,

and their direct and formal threats to use nuclear weapons against the US.

Vanderveecken can add his own views, if he will.

Well i personally put islamic terrorism, but i dont think that it will be through terrorism that they mess us up necessarily. I think it will come more in the way that it has taken over much of the middle east hundreds of years ago and like it is taking europe today. Look at France, they arent even french anymore, they're muslim.

Anyway Scarecrow, if youre interested in talking about china, then go to this link: http://www.debatepolitics.com/showthread.php?t=8080

It is a topic i started a few days ago about why i think china will never beat out the us economy.

 

[Lantzolot]

The greatest threat to the United States is Corporatism and the globalization of our economy!

So do you think we should return to being isolationists?

 

[The Mark]

The greatest threat to the United States is Corporatism and the globalization of our economy!

Ok. Now why is it.

 

[Robodoon]

Maybe I should say it this way.

The greatest threat to America is our bought and paid for leadership, they are selling us out.

 

[Billo_Really]

Originally posted by The Mark:
Ok. Now why is it.

For starters, we no longer have a representative government anymore. The current Administration (along with Congress) are more loyal to lobyists and interest groups that fill their coffers. Corporations have the same rights as a living breathing human being and they only exist on paper. Furthermore, 63% of corporations do not pay income tax. They list their home office outside the country.

Look, I started a thread a while back called, "Is Corporatism the greatest threat to life on Earth?". It's in the polls forum. All my posts outlining my position are there. I am not going to repost them here.

 

[Billo_Really]

Originally posted by Lantzolot
So do you think we should return to being isolationists?

It's not about isolationism. It's about a representative government.

 

[Donkey1499]

The typical liberal talking point: "Down with Corporations!!!"
Which means that the libs are FOR povery, because without corporations you lose more than HALF of the nation's job force. And how would the rest pay for all that welfare? We wouldn't. The US would go bankrupt in 2 seconds without corporations.

 

[The Real McCoy]

The typical liberal talking point: "Down with Corporations!!!"
Which means that the libs are FOR povery, because without corporations you lose more than HALF of the nation's job force. And how would the rest pay for all that welfare? We wouldn't. The US would go bankrupt in 2 seconds without corporations.

I think he's talking about diminishing the current corporate-state relationship, not so much abolishing the businesses themselves. I may be wrong though... Billo is a crazy mother****er.

 

[Scarecrow Akhbar]

For starters, we no longer have a representative government anymore. The current Administration (along with Congress) are more loyal to lobyists and interest groups that fill their coffers. Corporations have the same rights as a living breathing human being and they only exist on paper. Furthermore, 63% of corporations do not pay income tax. They list their home office outside the country.

Look, I started a thread a while back called, "Is Corporatism the greatest threat to life on Earth?". It's in the polls forum. All my posts outlining my position are there. I am not going to repost them here.

Corporations are groups of people. Are you trying to say that groups of people can't assemble and petition their government? Of course you're not. Where would we be without unions to raise our prices and corrupt our governors? California wouldn't be the same.

So, are you upset with corporations, or with the politicians that feel free to sell services they're not legally permitted to sell? After all, as I just pointed out, it's not just the businessmen hiring the lobbyists.

Note, also, that gerrymandering has been a sore point of American politics since the beginning. That's how "representative government" was killed. How is that problem going to be fixed?

 

[vergiss]

The typical liberal talking point: "Down with Corporations!!!"
Which means that the libs are FOR povery, because without corporations you lose more than HALF of the nation's job force. And how would the rest pay for all that welfare? We wouldn't. The US would go bankrupt in 2 seconds without corporations.

Yes, because that's what ALL liberals believe. :roll: Hint: shut up when you don't know what you're on about.

 

[Billo_Really]

Originally posted by Scarecrow Akhbar
Corporations are groups of people. Are you trying to say that groups of people can't assemble and petition their government? Of course you're not. Where would we be without unions to raise our prices and corrupt our governors? California wouldn't be the same.

So, are you upset with corporations, or with the politicians that feel free to sell services they're not legally permitted to sell? After all, as I just pointed out, it's not just the businessmen hiring the lobbyists.

Note, also, that gerrymandering has been a sore point of American politics since the beginning. That's how "representative government" was killed. How is that problem going to be fixed?

A corporation has much more money to contribute to a political campaign than an average citizen. The result of that is very troubling. How else would we get laws like the recent ruling on eminent domain?

As far as gerrymandering, I don't know the answer.