tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7610233.post282777457424352054..comments2023-06-19T04:16:51.117-07:00Comments on buggieboy: FLYING COLORSJ.D.http://www.blogger.com/profile/09027687985747914971noreply@blogger.comBlogger17125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7610233.post-37912605087025862232008-11-23T15:10:00.000-08:002008-11-23T15:10:00.000-08:00What to add?A couple of points: First, Publius is ...What to add?<BR/><BR/>A couple of points: First, Publius is correct as to our history, but I would also say that we need context as well. How many Republics were we dealing with at the time in 1789-1830? Not many, rather Empires, which would have had no problem with expanding at our expense. Consider the example of the Dutch Republic and how they found themselves constantly being invaded, raided, abused . . . It was always easy for the French or British to find one faction or another to play against the rest. What saved us from the fate of the Dutch was probably geography, that being the Atlantic Ocean between us and Europe.<BR/><BR/>Second, along with FDC, for me it comes down to a question of practicalities. We simply cannot afford Empire, defined as our unstated policy of primacy which has been in effect since 1992. The world doesn't want a policeman and we don't really have the inclination of being above the various frays, so what exactly does the country get out of it?<BR/><BR/>Nothing, rather it is only the corrupt interests who control our political elite who profit. Time to come home America, rebuild the country for a world which has become much larger, and will continue to become so, as the oil runs out.seydlitz89https://www.blogger.com/profile/15431952900333460640noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7610233.post-82925233305422671202008-11-20T15:38:00.000-08:002008-11-20T15:38:00.000-08:00"It was an empire based on reason, moral suasion a...<I>"It was an empire based on reason, moral suasion and economic superiority."</I><BR/><BR/>Mmmmm...sometimes. If you're talking about the "Pax Americana" 1945-1991 period, yes - with a strong mortar of military power thrown in the mixer.<BR/><BR/>But the "empire" of 1783-1941 was more about having the Maxim gun when they had not and taking advantage of people who were too small, too weak, too corrupt and/or too poorly governed to beat us. The Cherokee, Mexicans, Filipinos and Puerto Ricans would probably quibble about the "reason...and moral suasion" part. Probably felt more like a buttstroke to the head to them.<BR/><BR/>I'm not a kumbaya-singing pacifist; there are more places and times that need the judicious application of force than can probably be brought under direct fire. But empires need to be more than strong. They need to be clever, cunning, brutal...ruling people who don't share anything you value except breath is <I><B>hard</B></I>. Not many peoples can do it well - I don't think we can; we couldn't back in 1890-1948 when we were a harder, shrewder, tougher people.<BR/><BR/>My objection to empire is pragmatic: I don't think it'd be good for us in the long run.FDChiefhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10607785969510234092noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7610233.post-81894935723607053452008-11-20T15:17:00.000-08:002008-11-20T15:17:00.000-08:00Publius: no argument re:1. The Founder's percepti...Publius: no argument re:<BR/><BR/>1. The Founder's perception of the U.S. as the "city on the hill". They expected their nation to grow great - Washington's farewell address talks about the time when the country would be so mighty that it "need fear no foe".<BR/><BR/>2. we've always been willing to go forth and kick ass. It was mostly the original inhabitants of this continent until we ran out of them (with some Mexicans along the way) and then it was Spaniards, Filipinos and Chinese until it was time for the Big Wars.<BR/><BR/>My problem with the way we've been going in the past 20 years isn't that we're going some new place that sucks. It's because we've been here before, only we called it the Gilded Age.<BR/><BR/>Imperial dreams abroad, great wealth and deep poverty at home, the rule of the Rich, Well-Born and Able...been there, done that. So did much of Europe, and we got some of the most corrupt Administrations in American history until this one, costly foreign wars that left us in charge of restive, unhappy foreign lands we couldn't wait to get rid of, and, of course, world war, revolution and dissaffection both abroad and here at home.<BR/><BR/>There's nothing inherantly "wrong" about an Empire, at least so long as you're an Imperial. Kinda sucks to be the subjugated but, hell, them's the breaks. But it's hard to run an empire abroad and be a democracy at home. The British did it, and the French Republic to a point (althought they were saved from the "World's Crappiest Imperialists" only by the Portugese and Belgians being so much worse...) but it overwhelmed the Romans and the Greeks and the royalist French and Spanish didn't even try.<BR/><BR/>Plus, and I think I've blogged the hell out of this so I won't beat it to death here, the introduction of cable news, the AK, the RPG, the land mine and the cell phone have made imperialism a mug's game. It wasn't ever that profitable - certainly everyone but the British, with their "jewel" India in the imperial crown, probably spent more on their colonies than they ever made - but now? Silly.<BR/><BR/>And trying to be imperialists without being willing to ACT like imperialists and fund your imperial projects? Even sillier.<BR/><BR/>I would say that we're reaping the whirlwind that we sowed when we listened to the GOP back in the 1980's who SWORE that if we just cut taxes we could still reign over the turning earth like Masters of the Universe. Remember Dick Cheney: "After Reagan, deficits don't matter?"<BR/><BR/>A great empire - or a great nation - needs either clever, hardnosed leaders, a clever and realistic people or both. We've managed to arrange our system to produce, increasingly, neither.<BR/><BR/>So republic or empire, our refusal to pay as we go and tax ourselves for what we want - and even realize that "wanting" things like writing religion into our laws is counterproductive and, in the end, destructive.FDChiefhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10607785969510234092noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7610233.post-26231175148682918092008-11-19T20:34:00.000-08:002008-11-19T20:34:00.000-08:00Something for FDChief and Seydlitz (and anybody el...Something for FDChief and Seydlitz (and anybody else, of course) to chew on while you're condemning the whole "empire" deal. <BR/><BR/>Although I think it's been long established that I agree with you both on how "empire" has manifested itself in our nation, especially in the past few years, I think it might be useful to revisit the Founders. Does anybody truly believe that they intended this nation to be just another one out there in the herd?<BR/><BR/>Think about it. Through force of intellect, some military prowess and a lot of luck, they managed to throw the preeminent world power out. They had an intelligent, industrious and ambitious populace as well as a huge continent available for expansion. And, yeah, they had slavery. You don't really think those guys thought the nation they formed would stop at being Denmark, do you?<BR/><BR/>Empire was always there. But it was a different kind of empire than we've experienced. It was an empire based on reason, moral suasion and economic superiority. And, let's not forget that our forebears were not pacifists: they were ready to bear arms whenever necessary to defend the Republic. Note those words in the Constitution: "against all enemies, foreign and domestic."<BR/><BR/>The Founders expected the U.S. to become a big, badass nation willing to be friends and trading partners with everyone, but also very much willing to whup up on anyone who transgressed against our interests.<BR/><BR/>Check our history. We've never been Plato's Republic. And we've never been a particularly peace-loving people, either. <BR/><BR/>Just saying.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7610233.post-83521760473430778392008-11-19T16:59:00.000-08:002008-11-19T16:59:00.000-08:00FDC-Agree, and would add that it all comes down to...FDC-<BR/><BR/>Agree, and would add that it all comes down to Republic versus Empire as you have said often in the past. <BR/><BR/>On the one hand we have a large portion of the population who don't really care about politics, but rather see it all as an empty once-every-four-year-rehash of whatever their pet peeve is.<BR/><BR/>And on the other we have a political elite which consists of different shades of "Empire" with the Clintonian version now in resurgence. As William Pfaff writes, it's enough to make one wonder what the whole election was about anyway . . .<BR/><BR/>http://www.williampfaff.com/modules/news/article.php?storyid=357<BR/><BR/>Not that there wasn't a difference between the two versions of "Empire", but then that wasn't what either side ran on was it . . . ever get the feeling that we have been had?seydlitz89https://www.blogger.com/profile/15431952900333460640noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7610233.post-46842407493375619312008-11-19T08:48:00.000-08:002008-11-19T08:48:00.000-08:00Al, Seydlitz: The really frustrating thing about ...Al, Seydlitz: The really frustrating thing about all this political zealotry is that the very fundamental notion behind this country, the ideas that motivated the Founders, were the antisectarian ideals of the Enlightenment.<BR/><BR/>To think that the nation for which people like Ben Franklin, the Adamses, Washington and Madison pledged their lives, liberties and sacred honor for is being driven into simplicity and stupidity by the theological obsessions of a group of poorly-informed fundamentalists is both risible and infuriating.<BR/><BR/>I'm starting to think - big shocking reveal here, guys - that we have managed to empower a citizenry that is determined not to keep the Republic that Ben and the boys of '83 gave to us by their sheer folly and pursuit of doctrinal moral rectitude as the expense of sensible government.<BR/><BR/>Well, shit.<BR/><BR/>WASFFDChiefhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10607785969510234092noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7610233.post-25942784988930309742008-11-14T16:33:00.000-08:002008-11-14T16:33:00.000-08:00Al-Agree. I got kinfolk exactly like your sister ...Al-<BR/><BR/>Agree. I got kinfolk exactly like your sister and for exactly the same reason. The church I used to go to as a kid now has a gravestone along one of the walls dedicated to aborted babies. Needless to say it wasn't there when I attended that same church in my Winter Service Alphas back in the early 80s when visiting on leave for Xmas mass.<BR/><BR/>Failure at various levels: First, where exactly is the political for these people? They shrug their shoulders about what Bush has done, what they in fact have allowed him to do and then go on about about whatever their pet whine is.<BR/><BR/>As to being responsible for the exercise of political power within their community - be it village, town, city, state or country - they claim to be powerless. Without any guilt at all in regards to what has been carried out in their names . . . they prefer to fain ignorance, as if stupidity were the cardinal virtue of citizenship.<BR/><BR/>So, ever so ready as they are to flush democracy down the shitter, they then lurch into what they really are all about, that being engaged in their own self-gratification, by simply making a "moral statement" once every four years.<BR/><BR/>Voting for McSame & slutty librarian, or Idiot Bush & shotgun Dick, does the trick since their leaders of course can be counted to drag out that same red meat issue which the manipulators have no intention of ever resolving . . . be it guns, gays, aborted babies, "socialism" . . . or whatever.<BR/><BR/>I'll be traveling home soon. It'll be fun . . .seydlitz89https://www.blogger.com/profile/15431952900333460640noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7610233.post-83188344320893369282008-11-12T11:01:00.000-08:002008-11-12T11:01:00.000-08:00Seydlitz-Our President Elect has a large part of t...Seydlitz-<BR/><BR/><I>Our President Elect has a large part of the nation standing their with their arms crossed, and none too happy with the results. I wish him the best, but have no illusions as to the obstacles in his path.</I><BR/><BR/>The example I always have tried to set for my offspring is that whatever political philosophy they might adopt, once the votes are tallied they should wish the winner success, as failure will only hurt the country. Since politics are basically off limits in our family discourse, I can only hope I succeeded.<BR/><BR/>Ideological zeal is dangerous. My sister is a rabid "Pro-life" person, and has said she will be a Republican to her dying day, because the party will always represent her values. It took all the self discipline I could muster to refrain from sending her a variety of articles where senior GOP leaders have pondered dropping or seriously softening the strident anti-abortion and anti-gay planks of the party in order to "regain power". Are they saying that power trumps values? Is she capable of dealing with such an idea. When a political party becomes a religion of sorts, it's gonna be a real shocker when you find out your religion is willing to abandon you & your values to reach out to more people in a quest for power. While individuals may accept martyrdom, political parties do not.<BR/><BR/>Yes, President Obama is going to face a lot of obstacles. But, as I have with every other person who entered the office, I wish him a successful (for our country) term of office.<BR/><BR/>AlAviator47https://www.blogger.com/profile/05585964386930142907noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7610233.post-78997203355866896572008-11-12T08:30:00.000-08:002008-11-12T08:30:00.000-08:00Semper Fidelis Gentlemen-I had a friend of mine, W...Semper Fidelis Gentlemen-<BR/><BR/>I had a friend of mine, WWII Pacific war US Army vet, talk to 60 young Portuguese students of Enlgish yesterday. He was the first WWII vet they had ever met. When he told them that he thought the dropping of the atomic bomb was a good idea for that time and place, since he was earmarked for Operation Olympic, their eyeballs almost popped.<BR/><BR/>Exposure to new and different ideas leads to critical thinking which leads to new and different perspectives, at least in theory. <BR/><BR/>Which leads me to the next topic. Like Publius I come from a really RED state, possibly even Redder than South Carolina, that being of course Northeast Texas, up by the Arkansas border. My county gave Obama 38% which was something of a high for my neck of the woods. The low among the surrounding counties was 23%. Our useless former Blue Dog, now turncoat Rep Congressman (courtesy of Tom "Ratcatcher" Delay's gerrymandering scam) was re-elected with 69%. Not of course that I hold any grudges ;-)><BR/><BR/>My father told me he was "disappointed" in regards to my voting choices and my best friend told me I had "lost touch with the country". Our President Elect has a large part of the nation standing their with their arms crossed, and none too happy with the results. I wish him the best, but have no illusions as to the obstacles in his path.seydlitz89https://www.blogger.com/profile/15431952900333460640noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7610233.post-6294605732754281732008-11-11T20:35:00.000-08:002008-11-11T20:35:00.000-08:00JD, you done good, my man. Enjoy the moment. You...JD, you done good, my man. Enjoy the moment. You've earned it.<BR/><BR/>A great sigh of relief. I frankly don't know if the nation could have weathered four or more years more of the madness that's ruled the land. <BR/><BR/>Hope, too, but that's tempered by the reality that we've managed to dig a very deep hole; Obama may be good—as we hope—but boy, is that there a lot to be done. We have to always remember that hope is not a plan. At my age, I've gained a healthy skepticism for politicians of all types and I don't rule Obama out of that class. <BR/><BR/>Ever since I was finally able to get myself pretty much reality-based, I've tried to operate by these words: "hope for the best, but prepare for the worst." Usually pretty good advice, IMO, but it could actually backfire in these strange times. Who isn't putting off a new car purchase? Good-bye GM and Ford. Who isn't passing on heading down to the mall? Good-bye retailers. Who among us will be the first to resume free-spending ways, even though that might be the best thing for the overall economy?<BR/><BR/>Obama and the Democratic Congress have a tough road ahead and I don't expect progress to be easy or to come rapidly. And that's another issue. Absent discernible signs of progress, will the notoriously fickle American public turn on Obama and start searching for another Bush-like faith-healer peddling magical nostrums? And you know they're going to be there.<BR/><BR/>One thing I intend to do is keep a close eye on Obama and pray he has the strength and discipline to slap down those members of his own party who are just dying to advance the causes of their particular pet rocks. He can't let everybody scratch their itches; he'll be lost if he does. <BR/><BR/>Basil, South Carolina is pretty much like Kansas. But I'll tell you, my doofus (R) Congressman actually had a fight on his hands, and that was from a kid, a Marine Iraq veteran, who was not particularly appealing and who also ran a poor and mostly self-funded campaign. I voted for him, but I really wished the guy he beat in the primaries—a retired AF officer—had been the one in the general election. He just might have done it. My county—Beaufort, the wealthiest in SC—is changing rapidly, as is all of the coastal area. <BR/><BR/>Times are changing and if Obama and company can pull some rabbits out of the hat, they'll keep changing.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7610233.post-25685931161883873562008-11-10T23:01:00.000-08:002008-11-10T23:01:00.000-08:00And a Happy 233rd back to You Mike.Our celebration...And a Happy 233rd back to You Mike.<BR/><BR/>Our celebration mirrored yours, a hearty breakfast and thoughts of those who have, do and will serve, followed by e-mailed Birthday wishes to fellow Marines. Funny thing, I sent them as individual messages, not a mailing list. Nov 10 is far too special for that!<BR/><BR/>Semper Fi!<BR/><BR/>AlAviator47https://www.blogger.com/profile/05585964386930142907noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7610233.post-6508459278041281722008-11-10T19:43:00.000-08:002008-11-10T19:43:00.000-08:00Happy 233rd to Aviator, Seydlitz, fasteddie and ot...Happy 233rd to Aviator, Seydlitz, fasteddie and others. Here is hoping an invite was sent to Mr and Mrs O for the HQMC Birthday Ball. <BR/><BR/>No fancy doings for me and the Mrs though, we are too far out in the sticks. But I celebrated this AM with a hearty breakfast of SOS. <BR/><BR/>Tomorrow for veteran's day I will be selling Buddy Poppies. Drop a double sawbuck in the tin if you pass me or another VFW guy by.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7610233.post-6402090824073824622008-11-10T08:26:00.000-08:002008-11-10T08:26:00.000-08:00I have several thoughts which I've taken stock of,...I have several thoughts which I've taken stock of, and will review as the time comes.<BR/>For the moment though, I think Obama has inherited a huge, unsifted pile of oiled owl shit that has been leaking out to every aspect of American life, and that is going to take some herculean effort to find the pearls and toss the rest out.<BR/>the economy is a huge aspect of it, and I can only say that JD, my coworkers buddy is a private hedge-fund manager who has been betting against the US market for two years...this year he's cleaning house, but this is what he told us.<BR/>This current problem...is nothing compared to what is coming due in three-to-five years.<BR/>He likened it to the tsunami where everyone is wowing at the fifty footer that just came sweeping through the streets, and they don't even know that there is a hundred footer coming in right behind it!<BR/>Our economy is bad, and after I got a quick lesson in how Wall Street works...yeah...holy shit! is all I can say about that.<BR/>Obama is going to have to drop the proverbial hammer of regulation on the markets but even that won't undo the past fifteen years of wanton financial gluttony that has been going on.<BR/>On the international front, I'm getting the sense that not all is well in Afghanistan, and there is a damn good possibility that the excrement will be hitting the rotating oscillator within year, if not sooner.<BR/>Also, to add insult to injury, the world economy is going to be threatening a lot of countries economic and social stability, which in a climate like that...well, read the lead up to WWII...not just the diplomacy, but world economy at the time...we live in dangerous times.<BR/>Obama...well, he is now captain of a listing warship of state that has a lot of demoralized crewmen, an unsteady engine, near empty magazines, and a waterful of attack subs looking for easy pickings.<BR/>Interesting times is bout the only good thing I can come up with that is positive right now.<BR/>Well, that and W. and the Republican party won't be driving us into the shoals anymore.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7610233.post-42690679234565305472008-11-09T21:49:00.000-08:002008-11-09T21:49:00.000-08:00Much like seydlitz, we went to bed with some "...Much like seydlitz, we went to bed with some "warm fuzzies", and awoke at 6:30 AM or so, switched on the TV and the minute we saw the look on John McCain's face, we knew we were watching his concession speech. Not exhilarating as much as a wave of relief. How sad to think that relief can overwhelm excitement, but much like Pravda said, "It is the end of eight years of hell". As a long time Pravda watching friend said about that statement, "I never thought I would find my very sentiment about an American event best captured by Pravda!"<BR/><BR/>I don't envy the tasks ahead of this young man. When he has his first meeting with GWB, we has every right to quote Stan Laurel, "It's a fine mess you've got us in Ollie", but I am sure he will be much more refined.<BR/><BR/>On his behalf, we have been privileged and humbled to receive the gracious thanks of our various European neighbors for our electorate's "gift" to the world.<BR/><BR/>Let the hard work begin. Ardy & I do not agree with 100% of Sen Obama's platform. But our agreemnts far outweight our disagreements. May this young man be successful, for if he is, America is successful and the world is successful. And in every task in which he is successful, we will experience something that we have not seen in the past 8 years - a president and his government actually accomplishing what he said he was going to do.<BR/><BR/>Good riddance to the Gang that couldn't, wouldn't and didn't shoot straight. A hearty welcome to hope.<BR/><BR/>AlAviator47https://www.blogger.com/profile/05585964386930142907noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7610233.post-19110314315240719102008-11-09T13:46:00.000-08:002008-11-09T13:46:00.000-08:00JD-Nice.I didn't have quite the same response, rat...JD-<BR/><BR/>Nice.<BR/><BR/>I didn't have quite the same response, rather I only felt relief and went to bed (2:45 AM local time) when Ohio was called for Obama.<BR/><BR/>The proof is in what follows and while I see the results of Obamamania all over Europe, I must stick with that view. How much have we gained back in regards to all that Bush has squandered? <BR/><BR/>It is though a fresh start and that should not be underestimated . . .<BR/><BR/>At the same time maybe all of us are only good for one positive political epiphany . . . and I had mine 19 years ago tonight, in Berlin.seydlitz89https://www.blogger.com/profile/15431952900333460640noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7610233.post-45366703919252375102008-11-09T11:42:00.000-08:002008-11-09T11:42:00.000-08:00I spent some time campaigning for a friend who tri...I spent some time campaigning for a friend who tried for a state senate seat. We walked, put signs up, went out to the smaller burgs in the county, and lost 3 to one.<BR/><BR/>We lost a Dem. Rep, Nancy Boyda, when the rest of the country was knocking off Republican Reps. and Senators by the buckets-ful.<BR/><BR/>I voted for Obama but Kansas went for McCain by 16 points.<BR/><BR/>I could cry for different reasons, JD, but I savor each and every Obama vote Kansas gave him to increase that vote total to tell those ********* ( Charles G. can fill in that for me! :) ) remaining Republican office holders that there is a substantial majority in this country who support Obama.<BR/><BR/>They best consider that when legislation starts coming down the governmental tubes.<BR/><BR/>..Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7610233.post-4649994484610498092008-11-08T23:07:00.000-08:002008-11-08T23:07:00.000-08:00More power to you, J.D. You HAVE fought the good ...More power to you, J.D. You HAVE fought the good fight, and you deserve to enjoy the sweet taste of redemption.<BR/><BR/><BR/><BR/>Okay, we done?<BR/><BR/>Good. 'Cause we've got a LOT of work ahead of us..!<BR/><BR/>Kidding! Good post; thanks for letting us savor a little of your election experience...FDChiefhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10607785969510234092noreply@blogger.com