It is not like the democrat controlled American politcal system is something the people of Persia should look to emulate. The politcal system in the US marginalizes the decent, honest, self reliant, hard working minority. High taxes are strangling the economy. Government workers cannot be managed to the extent that they cannot be fired or their wages set to their actual economic value. Unions are empowered to destroy vital national industries. Governments, both state and federal, are running massive deficits with little concern for their destructive effects. The coverage on CNN and FOX is equally shallow. On FOX the message is Obama is a fag who will not go face to face with a bully. On CNN there is glee that students are throwing rocks at the clerics. Absent is the advocacy and examples of political systems that work and ideals that are worthwhile.

Good get on Sick. He's hot right now.

Great diavlogue. I can't think of any questions that were raised in my mind that weren't ultimately addressed so nothing much else to say.

Excellent blog! Really sets bar high. Bravo!!!

Quoting DenvilleSteve: The politcal system in the US marginalizes the decent, honest, self reliant, hard working minority.

Latinos.

haha he said 'cleavages'.

Quoting DenvilleSteve: Absent is the advocacy and examples of political systems that work and ideals that are worthwhile.

From your post, too.

Quoting Ray: Latinos.

It's funny because it's true! Seriously, those guys hustling for work in the Home Depot parking lot ain't lazy.

Ah to return to those thrilling days of yesteryear, when inferiors were kept in their place, real governments made the trains run on time, Pinkertons cracked skulls of uppity workers, and radio sparkled with the dulcet tones of little Joey Goebbels.

Quoting claymisher: It's funny because it's true!

Seriously, those guys hustling for work in the Home Depot parking lot ain't lazy.

My guess is Latinos dont meet the self reliant criteria. The reports of them overwhelming the health care and public education systems attest to that view. But then, it is the american governments, with their many restrictions on work being done by trained and licensed professional, which prevent Latinos from providing for themselves.

Quoting cragger: Ah to return to those thrilling days of yesteryear, when inferiors were kept in their place, real governments made the trains run on time, Pinkertons cracked skulls of uppity workers, and radio sparkled with the dulcet tones of little Joey Goebbels.

I assume you are targeting republicans or conservatives with these views. If so, it is somewhat hypocritical in that on the one hand you think republicans are bad people, but on the other, you dont want people or states to be able to opt out of the federal system. You need people to fight the country's wars and make payments on its massive deficits.

Quoting DenvilleSteve: My guess is Latinos dont meet the self reliant criteria. The reports of them overwhelming the health care and public education systems attest to that view. But then, it is the american governments, with their many restrictions on work being done by trained and licensed professional, which prevent Latinos from providing for themselves.

So "self reliant" people don't get treated when they're ill or make use of public education? Steve, the words look like English, but I think you speak in Gibberese.

Quoting AemJeff: So "self reliant" people don't get treated when they're ill or make use of public education? Steve, the words look like English, but I think you speak in Gibberese.

no, when they are ill they pay someone local ( who likely is not professionally licensed ) who knows how to treat the illness. Their children are taught in a low priced school staffed by people w/o high priced certifications. The point being that government regulations, while they do some good, they also limit peoples ability to live a self reliant, honest life.

You know, when people call it the Gilded Age they mean it in a bad way.

Quoting DenvilleSteve: I assume you are targeting republicans or conservatives with these views. If so, it is somewhat hypocritical in that on the one hand you think republicans are bad people, but on the other, you dont want people or states to be able to opt out of the federal system. You need people to fight the country's wars and make payments on its massive deficits.

Just out of curiosity, how do you reconcile your view that Republicans are the hard workers that make the majority of wealth, and therefore fund all of the Democrats big spending, with the fact that a slight majority of the electorate that makes over 150,000 USD voted for Obama?

False assumption, and thence downhill.

The Ayotollah has partially blamed the Zionist (read Jewish) controlled media for the problems he's having in Iran. A couple of weeks ago it was President Obama's former spiritual mentor, Reverend Jeremiah Wright, complaining about the Jews/Zionists controlling the prez. I not even Jewish but this is and has been ridiculous. John

Quoting Starwatcher162536: Just out of curiosity, how do you reconcile your view that Republicans are the hard workers that make the majority of wealth, and therefore fund all of the Democrats big spending, with the fact that a slight majority of the electorate that makes over 150,000 USD voted for Obama?

I didn't say the republicans pay the most taxes. But, by definition they pull their own weight. What can I say? I think there should be a lot less regulation of economic activity and a lot less taxing of people's income.

Thanks to both for an excellent analysis of the situation, with no attempt to gin up partisan drama in the States. These guys are both right: What matters is what the people on the scene do and say. Here's hoping.

Excellent diavlog.

Quoting DenvilleSteve: It is not like the democrat controlled American politcal system is something the people of Persia should look to emulate.

Weird non-sequitur. The American political system (and I blush to state something so obvious) is not by its nature controlled by any particular political party (which I guess is what you mean by "democrat controlled," although it would be more clear if you used proper capitalization). So let me guess. This comment isn't really about Iran at all, but some personal crankery?

The politcal system in the US marginalizes the decent, honest, self reliant, hard working minority.

Setting aside the "decent, honest...hard working" tripe, "self reliant" sounds like a term of art. I've read Emerson and Thoreau, of course, but somehow it seems that you may have your own personal meaning (or is this an Ayn Rand thing? it's been some years since I bothered). So, please do elaborate. (I should let you answer first, but it certainly sounds like the Democrats are less your problem than the fact that neither major party stands for what it appears you believe in.)

High taxes are strangling the economy.

Eh, taxes aren't particularly high (at least not the federal kind, I do have some issues