If Militarism isn't first on the chopping block....

[Sematary]

Looking at the Paul Ryan choice (someone whom I sheepishly admit I know very little about) after some research, I am appalled by the choice. Not that I had any intention of voting for Romney anyway, but if Romney could have made a choice that intentionally sank his chances, this would be it. If everything I've read is true, then the majority of Americans would get an old fashioned lesson in deprivation while the wealthy and the military industrial complex rolled merrily along. And that is where my problem lies....

I'm all for cutting the budget anywhere we can, but if the cuts don't begin with our foreign militarism and ensuring that the wealthy have a part in being the solution to our budget woes, then I can't get behind that.

If we end the wars, bring the troops home and eliminate the ridiculous corporate welfare that sends money to insanely wealthy agribusinesses, oil companies and wall street banks and then we need to do more, then lets do it but first things first...

Personally, I think the Republican party WANTS to lose this election. I think they will get their wish.

[pcosmar]

Amen and Amen.

[Acala]

The Republican Party's big lie: We can continue doing what we have been doing if you just cut the waste and kick the lazy butts off the dole.
The Democratic Party's big lie: We can continue what we have been doing if you just make the rich pay their fair share.

Both are big lies designed to break the people into factions, set them against each other, and divert attention from the real scam that is destroying the country. Very effective.

[AGRP]

There are not going to be any cuts. Its a giant heroin addict and it wont stop.

[thoughtomator]

"Our foreign policy will change - as Rome's did - when all budgetary and monetary tricks to fund it have failed."

[Dr.3D]

There are not going to be any cuts. Its a giant heroin addict and it wont stop.

You are correct. Seems there is an addiction to war! We have wars against so many things I have lost count.

War on Drugs.
War on Poverty.
War on Terror.
War on you name it... there seems to be a love affair with the concept of war.

[CaptUSA]

The Republican Party's big lie: We can continue doing what we have been doing if you just cut the waste and kick the lazy butts off the dole.
The Democratic Party's big lie: We can continue what we have been doing if you just make the rich pay their fair share.

Both are big lies designed to break the people into factions, set them against each other, and divert attention from the real scam that is destroying the country. Very effective.

^This.

The order of the cuts should not really be of much concern to us, as long as the cuts happen. I don't really want to argue about whether militarism or entitlements should be cut first - they both need cut! And if we can get one of them cut now, and have to wait for the other, I don't care which one gets it.

But let's not fool ourselves. Nothing is going to be cut. Nothing. This is all about presenting the appearance of a choice to the American public. And while they get everyone arguing over whether we should all be eating Whoppers of Big Macs, the prime rib is rotting on the plate.

[COpatriot]

You are correct. Seems there is an addiction to war! We have wars against so many things I have lost count.

War on Drugs.
War on Poverty.
War on Terror.
War on you name it... there seems to be a love affair with the concept of war.

And this is part of why Ron never had a chance in the GOP primaries. The GOP voter base is that hardcore, pro-war evangelical contingent that responds very well to militant themes like "going on the offensive", "defend", "destroy", "war", "battle", "crush", etc. All that and hypernationalism/jingoism, 'Murrican exceptionalism. There was no way to present Ron's message in an appealing way for that audience.

And militarism will go nowhere. Anyone who opposes militarism and our rampant overseas meddling hates the military and hates 'Murrica.

[Feeding the Abscess]

"Our foreign policy will change - as Rome's did - when all budgetary and monetary tricks to fund it have failed."

As time has gone on, I think that Imagine is Ron's hardest hitting and most effective writing of all time.