Skip to main content

When Gorbachev is for the President's economic actions, be afraid

By Peter O'Brien

It appears that there is even more to the communist/socialist turn of the U.S. than even I had previously thought.  Gorbachev, former Soviet leader and map head, believe that the west should adopt a plan that is more concerned with the welfare of the public and less so with the "super-profits and hyper-consumption".  He, like Obama, wants a plan "that will emphasize public needs and public goods, such as a cleaner environment, well-functioning infrastructure and public transportation, sound education and health systems and affordable housing."

 

My comrades rejoice, Perestroika is coming!

George Richardson

Which of the following is most likely to bring about a collapse of Western Civilization as we know it today:

A. cleaner environment
B. well-functioning infrastructure
C. public transportation
D. sound education and health systems
E. affordable housing

Jun 13, 2009, 12:06pm Permalink
Wayne Speed

George - you left one out.

F. Running up so much debt that it cannot be paid off.

At some point the Chinese are going to stop buying our bonds and that will be the end. Our debt will be called and the country will be bankrupt.

Jun 13, 2009, 12:39pm Permalink
Gabor Deutsch

The chinese have stopped buying our debt and now are buying gold, so far they have bought enuff to fill fort knox 4 times over. Since we are not on the gold standard the american dollar is a freakin credit card ! there is nothing to back it up !

Jun 13, 2009, 3:36pm Permalink
Gabor Deutsch

Well it shouldnt be important till you have to pay 20 US dollars for a tomato. When the value and confidence of the US dollar falls nobody wants it. It is a worthless piece of paper. Geez I thought all the hub bub in Africa was about diamonds. you can do alot with diamounds and right now gold is at a premium too. Cant eat it but people want it.

Jun 13, 2009, 4:06pm Permalink
Russ Stresing

Ok, this post is so schizoid, its hard to know what the author is saying.

He's using a connection to Mikhail Gorbachev, the last General Secretary of the Communist Party of the Soviet Union, a man who's policies lead to the <b>collapse</b> of communism in Russia to try to show that current US policy is a path to communism. But Gorbachev's reforms and his engagement with Ronald Reagan are directly linked to the dissolution of the Soviet state and the emergence of a more capitalistic economy in Russia. The man won a Nobel Peace Prize for his efforts to open Russian society to the West. (glasnost)

So, the only conclusion one can draw from the author's warning to be afraid because Gorbachev endorses Obama's plan is that the author is worried we're moving <b>away</b> from communism.

Jun 13, 2009, 4:29pm Permalink
Jeff Allen

"The thought of dying with $100,000 worth of credit card debt and an estate value of two cents makes me smile. I want my last six months to be totally on unsecured credit, Viva la Visa."

This is a classic example of the carefree American attitude toward the privilage of credit, that's right the privilage not entitlement, of credit. We fall into a spending frenzy with no long term thought as to how we are going to pay for it or if we intend to at all. Certainly there is culpability on the part of the credit and mortgage companies, but the greatest responsibility lies with the individual to make sensible purchases based on a budget that can support them. Now that we are facing the consequences of our irresponsibility, government wants to convince us that they are the only solution to this mess. Rest assured as we reach our hand out to Washington to get us out of this turmoil, it is likely we will retract it with a handcuff firmly placed on it.

Jun 13, 2009, 5:13pm Permalink
Russ Stresing

"Rest assured as we reach our hand out to Washington to get us out of this turmoil, it is likely we will retract it with a handcuff firmly placed on it."

You lost me. We'll be arrested?

Jun 13, 2009, 5:17pm Permalink
Jeff Allen

My point in the statement was this...when you attach yourself to a government as a lifeline you lose your autonomy, your freedoms and are beholden to their ideals no matter how strongly you disagree. At least for the moment we are still governed by a structure of, by, and for the people. I'm afraid that the more we take from Washington, the more we ultimately give away.

Jun 13, 2009, 7:59pm Permalink
Russ Stresing

Jeff,
You said in another post that its wrong to resist authority. Pick a side, dude.

<i>Posted by Jeff Allen on June 13, 2009 - 5:20pm
Tasers don't hurt people, only fools who refuse to cooperate with authority figures put themselves in positions to be hurt by tasers!</i>

Jun 13, 2009, 8:06pm Permalink
Howard B. Owens

On the surface, Russ, good point.

But ... as libertarians recognize, there is legitimate authority and illegitimate authority. Law enforcement properly understood and practices is a common-good authority institution. But when the federal government use its power to coerce and intimidate, then freedom is diminished and society suffers.

The idea of autonomous, self-regulating communities, which is the ideal state of humanity, leads to greater freedom, less poverty, better environmental controls, is at odds with the imperial power of the federal government.

Jun 13, 2009, 8:36pm Permalink
Jeff Allen

Russ,
If you read my posts carefully, and yes they are long, I have not once encouraged lawful resisting authority. The way that we "resist" our government from asserting undo control in our lives is at the voting booth and by maintaining credible conversations with our elected officials. When we don't vote we surrender much(all) of the influence granted us by the Constitution. Yes, I'm still a believer(disillusioned of late)in the great institution that is the United States of America

Jun 13, 2009, 8:37pm Permalink
Russ Stresing

Howard,
Don't do this.

"The idea of autonomous, self-regulating communities, which is the ideal state of humanity".

That's not a statement of fact. That's your simple, naive philosophy.

Jun 13, 2009, 9:09pm Permalink
Russ Stresing

Jeff,
You said that if people acquiesced to the advice and instruction of federal authority, they'd come back wearing handcuffs.

In another post, you said that if people calmly accepted being detained as evidence of guilt, the world would be a better place.

Jun 13, 2009, 9:11pm Permalink
Russ Stresing

<i>"The idea of autonomous, self-regulating communities, which is the ideal state of humanity, leads to greater freedom, less poverty, better environmental controls, is at odds with the imperial power of the federal government."</i>

Why, Howard? Because you said so?

Jun 13, 2009, 9:27pm Permalink
Jeff Allen

Russ,
You have a very active imagination in order to get that from my posts. I actually said neither. The handcuffs were an analogy, and my point about interactions with authorities is that truly innocent people who comply to lawful orders avoid ugly confrontations 99.99% of the time.

Jun 13, 2009, 10:10pm Permalink
Russ Stresing

Jeff,
"truly innocent people who comply with lawful orders avoid ugly confrontations 99.99% of the time". What happens to the other .01% of innocent people who comply? What happens to the 100% of the innocent people who don't comply?

"Truly innocent". By whose standard?

By making an ad hominem characterization of my comments as 'active imagination', you prove my point.

These are your statements.

<b>"when you attach yourself to a government as a lifeline you lose your autonomy"</b>

<b>"Tasers don't hurt people, only fools who refuse to cooperate with authority figures put themselves in positions to be hurt by tasers"</b>

How do you reconcile these statements?

By the way, tasers hurt like a son-of-bitch whether or not you're guilty. Just like tear gas and fire hoses.

Jun 13, 2009, 11:22pm Permalink
Howard B. Owens

A simple and naive philosophy, Russ, is one that trusts the federal government to solve all problems, from health care and retirement and from education to the environment.

Jun 14, 2009, 7:23am Permalink
bud prevost

Which is precisely the reason that we are screwed. I don't know about all of you, but I believe this President truly thinks he is our savior, not in a political sense either. I am 45 years old, and I can honestly say, I have never been more afraid of The federal government than right now. We need change Mr. Stressing, and I'm afraid that the campaign slogans were just that, words. The only campaign promises that he has kept....his daughters got a puppy (nice photo op your highness) and he and the first lady went to NYC on a date (thanks for showing what a romantic you are bro). How about a fast end to the wars?(which we all knew 6 months was an unreasonable timeline) What about line by line checking?( no one can say they read that whole stimulus bill, no one) Lotta talk, not much walk!

The less govt, the better. Too much duplication!
Hey, how bout this for a slogan:

THE STATUS QUO HAS GOT TO GO!
That would make a kick ass bumper sticker!

Jun 14, 2009, 10:29pm Permalink

Authentically Local