Fascism Rising »
Posted By populist 1 year, 7 months ago in Arts & EntertainmentA review of Chris Hedges' new book, The Christian Right and the War on America. It's an incisive examination of the huge threat extremist Christian fascists pose to a shaky free society most people in the US take for granted but no longer will after reading this important book.
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jordan111 year, 7 months ago
Here, as well, are concepts of fascism through the eyes of Benito, 1932. There are stunning similarities in the thinking of some Americans with his, but I won't point them out. People need to recognize reality for themselves.
http://www.fordham.edu/halsall/mod/mussolini-fa...
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jeffery11 year, 7 months ago
The ACLU simply helps ensure that legislation is constitutional. It goes before the courts and presents its case and thus forces the courts to determine whether the legislation is constitutional. That's all.
Comparing the Christian right with fascism is valid. Many on the Christian right are Calvinists and so are very similar to fascists because they believe that fundamentally those that have, deserve it and those that have not, deserve it. The only difference is that Calvinists believe that god is rewarding the righteous and fascists don't necessarily attribute material wealth to god.
This, of course, does not equate all Christians with Calvinism or fascism because many denominations do not equate material wealth with salvation or righteousness.
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david_nwpa1 year, 7 months ago
At first, I would have argued that such rhetoric seems a bit extreme. No such rise to power could possibly exist in this country. Though the right wing holds tremendous sway in the US, the government will not yield to the right as long as Bush pays only lip service to their causes. Having said that, I am fearful that their minions are gaining hold outside of Washington. It seems highly likely that some states are entrenched with extreme right wing Christian Dogma, and it is spreading in such a way that non-believers may find themselves marching down an eerie path. Do not challenge the government lest Pat Robertson comes knocking on your door!
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populist1 year, 7 months ago
absolutely correct. i know that's hard for a lot of people to understand, but this article does a pretty good job of explaining it:
http://www.antiwar.com/roberts/?articleid=8773
written by what many would call a real conservative, one of the authors of "reaganomics"
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LordyLordy1 year, 7 months ago
Good Golly Miss Molly, anyone who thinks a Christian, let alone the Christian right are Fascism or Nazi, clearly does not have an understanding of much of anything. The real Christian does not hate Jews because they know that Jesus and all of the Apostles were Jews, howbeit very loving ones. Were it not for the Jerry Falwells, the Pat Robertsons, and the Billy Graham's, this country would already be in a sad state indeed. Most Christian churches stand for basic morals, are against abortion because it is murder, and the Christian God is a God of love, not of hate, but that being said, it also does not mean they will stand by and let you desecrate their beliefs, their Bible, and the principles upon which they stand. Many could care less what laws you pass. If it clearly disagrees with the teaching in the Bible, they are not going to comply, and it's that simple.
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LordyLordy1 year, 7 months ago
But with that being said there are many fringe churches out there, who are either cults (Walter Martin and Bob Larson have a more complete list), or have followed some leader who decided to inject their own brand of beliefs along with the book, added passages to it, or clearly when you read the passages and listen to what they say, they are clueless. Sadly enough there are people who will follow these wackos too, including drinking cool-aid laced with poison in Guana, or wait for a comet who is going to fly by and pick them up. Many fail to realize that their god is not God, and I believe, regardless of what you and I think, the Lord, the real God, will have the final say, whether you or I like it or not. Sobering thought and something each should think about. Do you really want to tick of this eternal being? Not me, even if I disagree with some things. It's His planet.
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jeffery11 year, 7 months ago
Come on Lordy, anti-Semitism is part of Christianity. Not all Christians accept this though.
It all started when the authors of the synoptic gospels confused Jesus' anti-Pharisaic statements with anit-Jewish statements. To understand Jesus you'd have to understand the Qumran sect and how Jewish zealots viewed the Pharisees and Saducees. While the zealots were "zealous for the law" the Sadducean high priesthood and the Pharisees were seen as accommodationists to Roman rule, or "seekers after smooth things". So, Jesus was speaking against those Jews that accommodated Roman rule, the Pharisees, and not all Jews.
This detail was lost to later Christians and was thus interpreted as Jesus being against the Jews because they just didn't get it when his followers did and because the Jews killed Jesus when it was really the Romans for sedition with support from the Pharisees and Herodians.
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earthlingerer1 year, 7 months ago
Hitler was a christian, almost all of the NSDAP were christians.
Hitler even treated Jews the way Martin Luther espoused they should be. Yep, Martin Luther, the original Protestant.
Standing by and allowing someone to desecrate your beliefs, no matter how sacred they are to you is one of the basic teachings of Jesus.
Jesus was also clear that laws are laws, and we must obey them.
Jesus would forgive those who got, or performed abortions.
His words are in fact written. Please don't try to read your own beliefs extraneous to what Jesus taught in to them.
People like you telling everyone what christianity "is" are going to be the first ones Jesus makes an example when he comes back, and this next time he ain't going to be too happy.
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jordan111 year, 7 months ago
, I am fearful that their minions are gaining hold outside of Washington.>>>>
That's already a done deal that began more than three decades ago. They began @ city levels, then county, then state. While some made it to the federal level, they were held at bay until bush came along. Now they have 150 people intrenched in the Dept of Justice from a third rate law school (Regents University), which is steeped in the Federalist Societies notions. This link will name many within the administration who belong to this 'society.'
http://www.pfaw.org/pfaw/general/default.aspx?o...
Bush is paying more than lip service to them.
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krade7 months, 2 weeks ago
The christian right is in control of this administration almost 100%.
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DoerNotASayer1 year, 7 months ago
"loving" is exactly the word I think of when I see the daily bits on Robertson's TV show that feature cash strapped families who sign over their bank account over to him for monthly withdrawls and then, magically, their financial problems dissappear and they become prosperous.
Did I say "loving"? I meant to say "jerk", "devil", "theif", "a**",...
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smeejay1 year, 7 months ago
"the constitution of the united states, for instance, is a marvelous document for self goverment by the CHRISTIAN people. but the minute you turn the document into the hands of NON-CHRISTIAN people and ATHIESTIC people they can use it to destroy the very foundation of our society. and that's what's happening" pat robertson. hmmm...sounds pretty fasict to me. and please don't make me dig up any of the sickeningly devisive retoric spewed by billy graham or the thankfully deceased jerry falwell. while creating a financial empire for themselves these three "leaders" that you defend have ripped deep chasms through these UNITED states.
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earthlingerer1 year, 7 months ago
Communism has been the cloak of despots, but there has NEVER been a true communist nation on earth.
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jdhatl1 year, 7 months ago
Fascism came here as soon as it existed anywhere, it nearly took over in the 50's and early 60's until the counterculture exploded making it impossible. They were in retreat, but they are snaky little devils and they've wormed their way back to the top. Unfortunately, they are stupider than ever, so the whole world can see them for what they are
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KingOfTruth1 year, 7 months ago
Become? The US left has always been communist...Democrats used to be more anti Communist than even Republicans were but they changed drastically in the 60's..the marxist eduators in colleges got them and they got under the control of the commie ACLU and the communist party infiltrators and their goals as described in the congressional record in 1963.....
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LordyLordy1 year, 7 months ago
I cannot say I disagree with that KingofTruth. At one time, where I lived, it was difficult to tell the Democrats from the Republicans. Both believed in this country, were patriotic, served when called. The two parties are miles apart now, and I won't say the Democratic party change is for the better, and even though the Republican party has shifted to the right, it certainly isn't anti-god, anti-american, and anti anything that is decent. I'm neither Democrat nor Republican but some of these far left wing wackos need to go stay in some of the foreign countries for at least a year. When they return they'd get down on their hands and knees and kiss the ground America is on. You'll be that grateful. We may not be #1 but we're ahead of whoever is #2, our faults included.
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earthlingerer1 year, 7 months ago
Let's abolish communism in the US. We can start with Social Security, and the present form of national, state, and local police.
If the Left are communists, then the Right is certainly fascist and fundamentalist.
Once we defeated Nazi Germany, we took and adopted the sciences they had developed under their doctrines and paradigms of reality. A very interesting thing happened where that science then socially re-engineered our country as we fell in love with it, while we neglected to understand the very evils upon which it was based.
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espse1 year, 7 months ago
Man oh man, its insightful to read your posts. You are obviously insane, paranoid, irrational, brainwashed by your own extreamist ideology.
King of right wing propaganda that is so far right, its fallen off the flat right wing planet. You are like a militia of potbellied white trash echo chamber, you have nothing to say except empty BS, predictable to the letter, each one of your posts is full of the nasty paranoid ranting.
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ONEMEMPHISDUDE1 year, 7 months ago
">>>>>You are like a militia of potbellied white trash echo chamber, you have nothing to say except empty BS,.."
I love when you get ém so confused that they have no defense other than name-calling. These are the same types who were the sniveling cowards in 5th grade. They are ten ft. tall and bulletproof behind a computer monitor,..and probably the nerd with the pocket protector you saw on the subway this morning. GO KING!!!
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nostalgia1 year, 7 months ago
A NEW survey in the US has found that most Muslims do not favor the practice of suicide bombing, however almost 1/4 of young Muslims think they are acceptable in some cases.
http://www.religiousintelligence.co.uk/news/?Ne...
The figures of those young Muslims who back suicide bombings has caused alarm. Just 2% said it was justified. But 13% said it could be justified "sometimes" and another 11% said it was acceptable "rarely".
The head of the US-based Center for the Study of Islam and Democracy told AP: "It's a hair-raising number".
I think we have more to worry about than Christians
The San Antonio Express News is running a multipart series on Iraqi's sneaking into the US across the Mexican border
Breaching America: War refugees or threats?
http://www.mysanantonio.com/news/metro/stories/...
The reporter has been working on this for at least 6 months. He even went to Syria. What he uncovered is amazing!
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DrWatson1 year, 7 months ago
Americans are EXTREMISTS......period. How many countries would gladly entertain such events as the Great Depression, prohibition, harbour hundreds of whacky religious cults, such as Mormonism, create scandals such as bankrupting thousands of savings and loan institutions. Add Watergate, creating wars out of thin air and lies.
Virtually every Republican Pres in the 20th and 21st centuries has thrown this country into some crisis or turmoil through greed, profit and to control the masses.
Bush has now decided that if we have any kind of disaster in any location, HE will be the decider, NOT the Constitution....in fact, he'll suspend it or get rid of it, through an Executive Order. Congress almost doesn't exist...where's the Dems? they're too busy monitoring the opinion polls for 2008!!
This country is in a mess, a crisis is right here before our eyes and most of you don't realize it. WAKEY WAKEY!!!!!!
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crghss1 year, 7 months ago
Actually, a Dem has been at the helm during every war up till Gulf 1 and the Civil war.
What crisis? We can write and say what ever we want when we want (not so in Europe). Your proof of that. Everyone on nutscape has a high speed computer with high speed connection. And most of us are going to sit in front of our flat screen TV and eat endless supplies and choices of food. Who got rid of the Constitution? Supreme court is still there last I checked. I suggest you tour the world, not at expensive resorts but the real world. Then come back and give your doom and gloom statements.
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espse1 year, 7 months ago
Lovely post. Yes, wakey wakey. But American's are too busy inserting their heads up their religious rectums to bother with the truth. Religion is a disease, and its reached epidemic proportions in this fallen fallwellian age.
Good news: Ferry Jawell rots.
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el-jefe1 year, 7 months ago
Er, the Great Depression was global, not an American "event".
Prohibition was tried elsewhere.
Wacky cults have existed in nearly every land since the dawn of time.
The S&L crisis doesn't even begin to compare to the hyperinflation of the Werhmacht.
In many countries, Watergate would not lead to the resignation of a president but the execution of his enemies.
And no war is created out of thin air. Hot air, maybe...
Hmm. I'm trying to think of what crisis or turmoil took place in the T. Rooseveldt, Taft, Coolidge, Reagan, or Bush 41 administrations. I'd have added Eisenhower, but I suppose you'd try to convince me that all the Red Scare stuff was just Republican fearmongering.
Of course, that's not entirely fair to the Republicans, either. Eisenhower's Cold War started under Truman, Vietnam started under Kennedy (but really started under Johnson).
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SlapALib1 year, 7 months ago
Prohibition was enforced in Iceland from 1915 to 1922 (with beer prohibited until 1989), in Norway from 1916 to 1927 and in Finland between 1919 and 1932.
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FordTruck5Speed1 year, 7 months ago
Watson, you like all your liberal buddies have swallowed the bait. I am sick and tired of hearing how the USA is responsible for every problem in the world. I always hear the word "imperialism" thrown around when talking about the US. Does anyone even know what that means? What nation have we conquered and absorbed into the US? Don't even try to say Iraq, since they are governed by their recently ELECTED government, which would never have happened if it wasn't for the US.
Now, why is it always the "Christian Right" that is made out to be the fascists? Muslim terrorists that want to obliterate all Western civilization unless we all convert aren't the fascists, but the Christians that would prefer not to be killed by the Islamo-Fascists. Christians have been all but silenced publicly, and are just now starting to come out of their shell a little and recognize THEIR right to practice their religion.
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espse1 year, 7 months ago
Holy Sh.t what an ignorant rant. The christian right is in control of this administration almost 100%. It is completely in control of the US airforce. Its impossible to be elected to office unless you believe in some an imaginary god, probably JEEEEESUS. Who's the deciders favorite philosopher? JEEEEEEESUs. Who doesn't believe in evolution or science? One third of the Republican candidates for president. WAKE the f... up.
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miklkit1 year, 7 months ago
The "great decider"....
http://www.commondreams.org/views06/0513-29.htm
The "great decider"only listens to voices in his head.
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el-jefe1 year, 7 months ago
Maybe you should tell that to the Christian right.
Every 4 years, Bush pays lips service to the "social conservatives", then abandons them.
10-12 years ago, social conservatives were a force in my area. I got shut out of a lot of Republican events because I wasn't "conservative" enough for them.
They haven't left the party, but they're not really participating in a big way any more. I'd describe them as adrift in apathy. They don't get what they want from Bush, and they know they're likely to get even less from the Democrats.
A more accurate label for those in power would be "Country Club Republicans".
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ONEMEMPHISDUDE1 year, 7 months ago
"...profanity is a strong way of expressing a weak vocabulary." (unknown)
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FordTruck5Speed1 year, 7 months ago
Furthermore, when I hear people talking about capitalism running wild like it's a disease, I wonder what alternative is offered. Actually, I don't wonder. The answer is, of course, socialism or communism. In other words, "command economy". When in history have command economies ever worked? The great USSR, one of the biggest economic failures ever? A super power nation that can't even feed and house its own people? Compare the USSR of old to the new Russia. I can't say I agree with every policy of theirs, but their economy is thriving now because of that evil capitalism that allows the PEOPLE to have a stake in their work. They are now FREE to pursue their own interests. I know you liberals hate freedom and would love to simply run the world by force. You never think that what you believe is wrong, just that you haven't done enough of it yet. When are you going to realize that freedom is the solution to the human condition?
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espse1 year, 7 months ago
The right wing money doesn't want government health care, because why...... try to think with something other than your right wing brainwashed rectum. Because they make money the conservative way, by screwing the population with ever higher insurance, 20% price gouging, and tanking the american economy by forcing employers to pay for it.
Capitolism does not work for medical systems or mass media systems, where the rich owners are only interested in making profit by selling idiots like fordtruck inbred hillbillies right wing pabulum.
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miklkit1 year, 7 months ago
I know a guy who accidentally stabbed himself in the hip. his boot filled up with blood, so he went to the hospital. 5 hours they shot him full of antibiotics and slapped a big band aid on him. The bill? $30,000. That's the American health care sytem that most of us see.
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el-jefe1 year, 7 months ago
You seem to forget that anyone with enough money to invest (which these days, is anyone with an IRA) could just as easily decide to put it in insurance companies as in computer companies or car companies or cereal companies.
If it was so easy to make a ton of money from screwing everyone else for insurance, everyone would be doing it.
Fact is, the insurance business is pretty cutthroat. Why do you think so many companies change insurance providers every 2-3 years? They're just shopping for a better deal to hold their costs down.
Now, if you want to know the real reason the cost of medical care is so screwed up, it's a combination of things. One is that malpractice awards don't correlate well to the quality of care (or lack of same) that the defendent provided. Meaning that some hacks "get away with it" for years, while the best doc in the state can pay millions for an outcome that nobody could have prevented.
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FordTruck5Speed1 year, 7 months ago
America has done more to help the world than any other country. We have eliminated tyrannical dictators and murderers all over the world. We have set a standard of living that is second to none, and is a great model for how the world should work. When people are free, they make their own lives and their surroundings better. That's why the dictators hate us. They don't want to give their people freedom, because it would take away their power. Is America perfect? No. No country is, because people aren't perfect. But there is no other country on Earth that can say that their POOREST citizens have running water and electricity, much less phones, TVs, cars, washing machines and computers. You hate it here? Go live in Syria or Iran for a while. You America-haters will be the first to have your heads cut off. I dare you to find a better place to live where you can spew this kind of venom about your society and government without having your throat cut.
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espse1 year, 7 months ago
Well, enjoy america while it lasts, its turning into the age of religious extreamism fueled by world overpopulation and massive unstoppable immigration at the behest of greedy employers who want slave labor to up the profits. America is not a country anymore, its a collection of corporations who control the government and media, and who are turning psycopsuedosocial cons into media controled patriotic idiots, who vote for the adgenda of the rich, even while driving their ford truck and living in their trailer park.
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el-jefe1 year, 7 months ago
"Age of religious extreamism"(SP) - Aside from abortion and related "social conservative" issues, I was unaware that religious beliefs had intruded into government decision making at all. Seriously, what have you got besides Roe, Wade, and Terry Schiavo? The manger scene in the public square that the courts ruled constituted "establishing a state religion"?
"World overpopulation" - Most of the west has a declining population, the US would have a declining population except for immigration, and even the UN predicts that world population will peak and start to decline later in this century.
"Massive unstoppable immigration" - Hardly unstoppable, just unstopped. But tell me, how are we going to stop it when we are told it is inhumane and racist to stand in the way of another amnesty? And that's the Democrat's line, not the Republicans. Do the corporations control them, too?
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ONEMEMPHISDUDE1 year, 7 months ago
>>>"...and who are turning psycopsuedosocial cons into media controled patriotic idiots, who vote for the adgenda of the rich, even while driving their ford truck and living in their trailer park."
This is a psuedo-elitist snob who obviously suffers from delusions of grandure. Probably drives a beat up 15 year old volvo, is a social worker, and just can't figure out why the local Starbux manager makes more than he, with his masters degree!!!! It's just ..So Unfair!!!!
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tdash1 year, 7 months ago
"America has done more to help the world than any other country."
I'm doubt the citizens of Iraq, Vietnam and the other countries we've "helped" by killing their population would agree.
"We have eliminated tyrannical dictators and murderers all over the world."
We have propped up tyrannical dictators all over the world, including El Salvador, Nicaragua, Iran, Cuba, Panama, etc., and only removed the few who wouldn't play ball with us.
"We have set a standard of living that is second to none, and is a great model for how the world should work."
True, if you're lucky enough to be in the top 10%. Tell that to a senior citizen who must choose between paying a doctor bill or a heating bill.
"You America-haters"
Having the balls to ask tough questions doesn't make one an America-hater. Blindly defending the status quo and never seeking improvements doesn't make you a patriot...it makes you lazy and indifferent.
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crghss1 year, 7 months ago
What dictator in El Salvador, Cuba, Panama?
Who has to choose between a heating bill and doctor bills?
Top 10% are in Yachts, million dollar beach houses.
The rest of us have to struggle along with 2 car garages with Hummers or BMW in them. The real poor have Chevy's and fords in them. Then I'm stuck with only a 32" flat screen and because of Bush I have to write this on a laptop with only a 17" monitor instead of a 21". How hard and difficult is my life that my high speed internet is only 9MB I demand the right to 100mb connect so I can write fast to condemn the county that is only provide services barely survivable. God help us all!!!! This is unbearable!!!!!
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miklkit1 year, 7 months ago
Sure we have eliminated dictators. Manuel Noriega and Saddam Hussein, for example.
http://www.ericblumrich.com/thanks.html
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Bandit13131 year, 4 months ago
Yes America has killed a dictator and many murderers too but this doesn't eliminate them, because to kill a murderer is to become one, and most Americans I meet tend to believe Bush to be a dictator - what is Guantanamo Bay other than just a modern day concentration camp. A leader who has convinced his followers to call war on another religion because the voice in his head told him too. If this is the mark of a GREAT country, and RICHNESS I want no part of it.
And let's be frank, American haters would be second in line to have - as you so elloquentialy put it - their heads chopped off, first of course would be the America-lovers.
Ah - and by the way you can live in England, Wales, Ireland, Scotland, and pretty much anywhere in Europe and not get your throat cut for expressing your opinion on the state of your country, especailly America - I recomend Bulgaria refereshingly un-Americanised, they've just got their first motorway and have only one Mcdonalds.
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FordTruck5Speed1 year, 7 months ago
Espe, your clever use of name-calling and obscenitiy has led me to a new respect for your pure genius. You have changed my ways. I will now be a believer in all that is Left-wing. I will make sure I vote for Hillary so we can receive Canada-Med. Those free prescriptions will come in handy when I have to wait a month for an MRI or some other routine procedure that can be done in a day here.
I also now believe that Christians are controlling the country like pawns on a chessboard, because I see that we have established a state religion. In fact, I heard Bush just appointed the Pope as head of the Joint Chiefs of Staff. All others have been banned, haven't they? That evil president of ours had the audacity to select people that have some of the same beliefs as him. No liberal would ever do that.
Finally, I am willing to lay down my freedom for the good of the country. I am now subservient to the Left. Please tax me at 100% so I can give my fair share to the rest of you.
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FordTruck5Speed1 year, 7 months ago
Wait, I forgot where I parked my Hyundai. Oh yeah, In my middle-class suburb.
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FordTruck5Speed1 year, 7 months ago
Iraq has thanked us, but the mainstream media won't show that to you. Ask our soldiers.
I'll give you Iran and even N. Korea, but you can thank Jimmy Carter for them.
Again, I say, that since most of those that we consider to be in "poverty" have runnign water, electricity, phones, TVs and cars, yeah, we do have the highest standard of living in the world, and no, Hillary Care won't solve our health care problem. Ask Canada.
No, asking tough questions doesn't make you an America Hater. Blaming America for all the world's problems does.
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