WTO?

Are you kidding me? That is Seattle demonizing the *wealthy*? What a lazy thinker you are.

But I digress.

I asked:

A quick question. Did your crowd warn against beginning down that slippery slope of socialism before or after they took advantage of the The Servicemen’s Readjustment Act of 1944, known as the GI Bill?

Mataharley deigned to answer:

Since you suffer from a reading disability… I’ll repeat

‘ The govt charity, of course, backfired mightily. It led to extreme govt waste with little of those charitable benefits getting to the recipients. None of the older generation I cherish supports govt charity where most is skimmed off the top. That’s not what they had in mind when they bought into giving a helping hand. They wanted to help… not support for life.’

I’ll take that as a no.

But of course *no one* “Wants” ‘gov’t charity where most is skimmed off the top’, which is why such a situation doesn’t exist. And of course even you know RR’s welfare queen in a cadillac is a myth but seems to be one you can’t (won’t) turn loose of.

http://www.libraryindex.com/pages/901/Who-Receives-Benefits-AN-OVERVIEW-WELFARE-PROGRAM-PARTICIPATION.html

And before you get completely misty eyed about the generation you cherish, let me remind you of just what they were capable of:

http://www.thenewstribune.com/news/promos/wirepicks/story/425725.html

America in decline?

I don’t think so.

I think we’ve made some progress.

Oh and careful with the *arse* business. Sounds arrogant.

Don’t worry about history, civics or current events. Some of those teachers have posters of Che Guevara in the room, or a Palestinian kid throwing stones to an Israeli tank with the word “Apartheid” on it. I have read some essays of 12th graders posted on some classes, insulting Bush and “his war”. Obviously, with the consent of the teacher and I presume with the influence of the teacher, visible for parents when they come for Open Night. All this is absolutely true.

What respect for his students and for himself can an American teacher have when he posts Che Guevara as a model on the walls of the room. Not Reagan, but the dumbass criminal Ernesto Che Guevara.

I don’t understand those American democrats.

Probably you know that the California Teacher Association was asking teachers to vote for Democrats. So, don’t worry, Arthurstone, the leftish ideology is properly covered in schools, (and I cannot vote in USA).

BTW, is Scriptamanent, not Scriptament. It’s a Latin expression, not uncommon: Verba volant, Scripta manent (Words fly away, but writings remain).

…..far be it from me to attempt and persuade you of their imprecision and general uselessness.

How odd… as the King of imprecision and general uselessness, Arthur, it’s really the only place you excel. You’d find imprecision in a finely tuned Mercedes engine because that’s who you are and how you think. You’ll find a plug gapped with a nuance of difference than recommended, stand back with pride and say, “see??” It’s because you are so anal, you can’t get cleanly or clearly to any given point of thought or time.

Thus my boredom with you… which runneth over time at the moment.

Marxist thought control and collectivism has led us to wrack and ruin.

Correction…..” has led is leading us to wrack and ruin”. With those such as you, doing more than your fair share.

Today we demonize the wealthy and successful.’

Not where I live.

Oh that’s a hoot… Seatlle, anti-WTO riots. Oh yeah.. they are truly the showcase of urban America – a population that loves big business. And of course Microsoft hasn’t been demonized, Rip Van Arthurstone. Not is the last few minutes, at least.

But I guess if you know a couple locals in the ‘hood that loves Starbucks and their success, or hasn’t muttered obscenities today for any MS software and complained about monopoly, I guess you figure you can ignore the rest of the “big oil” and “big business” and “evil corporation” stuff.

A quick question. Did your crowd warn against beginning down that slippery slope of socialism before or after they took advantage of the The Servicemen’s Readjustment Act of 1944, known as the GI Bill?

Since you suffer from a reading disability… I’ll repeat

The govt charity, of course, backfired mightily. It led to extreme govt waste with little of those charitable benefits getting to the recipients. None of the older generation I cherish supports govt charity where most is skimmed off the top. That’s not what they had in mind when they bought into giving a helping hand. They wanted to help… not support for life.

Govt programs created in good faith were not immediately riddled with corruption. Corruption occurs over time. All socialist policies look and sound good at the onset. Otherwise socialism/Marxism wouldn’t be a threat. If sin weren’t so dang much fun, everyone would be happy to be pious.

I did not discuss any particular govt program, but an observable societal trend. Nor will I be discussing any of the ga-zillion govt programs with you. Frankly, I’m way over quota with tolerance of you already. You’re still boring, and as predictable as a morning dump.

So you can go back to the usual, and address your utterings to others who give a rats arse about what you have to say. I dabbled for awhile, and confirmed it’s as uninteresting as ever. Getting into your head is so unpleasant because of where it resides in your lower orifice…

Ta ta

Well done.

Marxist thought control and collectivism has led us to wrack and ruin.

Again.

As those platitudes and generalizations you repeat about the “‘WWII’ generation” & ‘baby boomers’ & ‘leftists’ bring you such comfort far be it from me to attempt and persuade you of their imprecision and general uselessness.

Here’s a particular favorite:

‘Today we demonize the wealthy and successful.’

Not where I live. Here Costco, Microsoft and Starbucks millionaires are held in high regard. have you cracked a Vanity Fair or NY Times Sunday Magazine lately? The ‘demonization’ could easily be confused with adoration in my opinion. At the very least there is an endless fascination with ‘the wealthy and successful’ and and endless effort to become one of that crwd.

And just who is this *we*?

A quick question. Did your crowd warn against beginning down that slippery slope of socialism before or after they took advantage of the The Servicemen’s Readjustment Act of 1944, known as the GI Bill?

Scriptament-

Sorry to read you teach high school.

Hope you don’t cover history, civics or current events.

Mata,

“Empty suit.” You and others seem to love that catch phrase. Please define it.

Sorry for the delay…. playing catch up inbetween work here.

Since the expression, “empty suit” has been around in the good ol’ US since the 60s, I’m surprised you either don’t know it’s meaning, or think it’s some sort of new phrase.

Empty suit is usually applied to business executives or politicians that are ineffectual blowhards with puffed up egos, or a bureaucrat lacking substance and individuality. i.e., a phoney. Or perhaps a waste of time, undeserving of attention. Take your pick. When it comes to BHO, they’re all applicable.

In the 60s hippies/commune heyday, it was used for those living capitalist conformisting lifestyles, and not embracing semi-Marxist theology. Or, basically, “the establishment”… another popular expression of that era.

So it’s an oldie but goodie catch phrase that’s appropriate even today.

the ties of the left to a failed neosocialist/Marxist ideology

That is so TRUE, Mike, particularly here in Europe.

When the Soviet Bloc collapsed in 1989 and Socialism bit the dust, the left parties in the democracies were shocked for some time, but they managed to keep the same old rhetoric, although completely detached from reality now. If you ask a socialist what does it mean to be a socialist, he will probably mumble things like progress, social justice, peace and the same old rhetoric, but he won’t really be able to define his political position precisely. They are usually fed with propaganda, not with truth, and socialist leaders tend to despise their supporters and address them like idiots. Does it really matter that in socialist economies unemployment increases and people is poorer, like in Spain now? No, because socialists stand for progress, and social justice, and bla, bla, bla.

But reality has never been a problem for the left, since they openly disregard it. The “Socialist Dream” was a nightmare and they had to build a wall to prevent people from escaping. What do lefties think about that? No problem: the ideas supporting those criminal regimes were and are still good (social justice, progress, peace…), but the “application” was not right. And that means that they will try to apply them again in the future.

It’s not simply ties, Mike. I think is basically the same dog with different ropes.

You’re denial of the ties of the left to a failed neosocialist/Marxist ideology only confirms the point!

Now go inflate your tires you oaf!

(it’s amazing how this relic from the soviet propaganda still works)

Speaking of Soviet-era relics, let me introduce you to Mike Hussein’s America and His Dancing Soviet Flag of Anachronistic Attack.

accuse the regular American of being arrogant and with a feeling of superiority. But, believe me, that is not what I see around in California.

It would seem that you have not spent much time at Flopping Aces, though, because this is Jingoism Central.

Believe me, Arthurstone, that could be signed by a French or a Spaniard. The difference is that they have less reasons to say it than Americans.

I live and work in California. During these years I have not seen around me (friends, work partners, people in general) a feeling of superiority towards Europeans. I have seen a feeling of pride for being American. Both things are compatible. I am proud of being Spanish, and at the same time I am able to recognize the many good things of other countries and the things that my country needs to improve.

But you won’t believe this. Many Europeans, particularly Spaniards (and also French), really think that they are better than the rest of the world, particularly better than Americans. The guys that organized two world wars, the same guys that organized communism or nazism, the guys that in the last Kosovo war didn’t know what to do and in fact didn’t do anything until Clinton brought American soldiers to die in Europe (one more time) and solved the problem (by the way, without a resolution of the UN, like in Iraq). The same guys that, when there is a problem, talk and talk and wait to see what USA does, and then criticize them if things go wrong. Those European guys, us, think that we are better than the rest of the world, particularly better than Americans, rude cowboys and farmers.

Of course, none of those Europeans have gone to USA, because those ideas are based on prejudice.

So, Arthurstone, this how it works: Europeans that have never been to USA accuse you of being “imperialistic” (it’s amazing how this relic from the soviet propaganda still works), and accuse the regular American of being arrogant and with a feeling of superiority. But, believe me, that is not what I see around in California. It is not what I see among my students of High School, among my fellow teachers.

Ergo, DON’T BELIEVE THEM just because they say that, don’t accept the language of the enemy.

Now, if you come to Spain or France and I guess many other European countries and you stay long enough to watch and read news and overhear conversations on the bus or the subway… you will find out that…

- The American Educational system is very bad and ours is much better.
- The American Medical system is only for wealthy people and poor people die and our “social security” is much better.
- The American Intelligence Services are a bunch of incompetents that make a lot of mistakes.
- The American society is very violent and all the arms they have cause a lot of deaths. Our societies are more civilized.
- The Judicial system is bad, because it only protects the wealthy people.
- It is a very poor democracy and the election system is very defective (the only country that has been a democracy from birth).
- The 2002 election Gore-Bush was a coup-d’état.
-Bush is a dumb cowboy and Reagan was a series B actor. Both incompetent what reveal the level of the people that elected them.

And on, and on, and on… Believe me, it is really difficult to listen GOOD things about USA here in Europe. It’s true that most of those critics come from the lefties, the same ones that worship Castro, and they are based on prejudice, but at the same time they have permeated among many people without clear political ideas.

I don’t see similar opinions among Americans regarding Europe.

So, who do you think are the ones who feel superior?

If we’ve been consumed by anything it’s by the idea we as Americans are *better* than the rest of the world.

And it turns out that ain’t so.

We did not think we were better than the rest of the world in the prior generations. We thought we *had* it better than the rest of the world with opportunities here, not available elsewhere. And that *is* so and, for now, remains that way.

But the “gimme” generation has managed to take that positive aspect of Americans “having it better”, and today morphed it into your bizarre negative loathing of self and nation.

But I’ll have to disagree with your analysis that we feel superior. Hatred and embarrassment of self and country is contradictory to feeling superior.

How did we get to that self-loathing? Skipping to the first point now:

…but they [were] perfectly aware others were not so fortunate as they and whether for reasons of health, racial discrimination etc. gov’t programs to assist were and remain a worthwhile investment.

The WWII generation was caring, generous and charitable. They raised the boomer generation, determined that we (their children) would never have to experience what they went thru.

By trying to give us everything, they inadvertently raised the first generation of spoiled, self-centered brats. We took our parents’ charitable characteristics and created govt mandated charity for every cause that tugged at our heartstrings.

The govt charity, of course, backfired mightily. It led to extreme govt waste with little of those charitable benefits getting to the recipients. None of the older generation I cherish supports govt charity where most is skimmed off the top. That’s not what they had in mind when they bought into giving a helping hand. They wanted to help… not support for life.

Nor did they intend to create a society where you could become “too” rich, or “too” successful…. or, for that matter, a society where a lazy sense of entitled kids would rather live off govt programs than strive for excellence.

By trying to equalize society and material possessions amongst the population, you strip all desire to excel from the individual… because excellence no longer exists. We become homogenous…. made up of givers and takers. Until the givers stop generating enough to give and just become takers themselves, that is.

The plethora of govt charity (agreed to in good faith for intent) has led to generations with embedded beliefs that the “haves” have too much, and the “wants” should have dividends doled out by what the govt takes from the “haves”. i.e. an increasing trend towards socialism.

To that end, we fostered increasing resentment for those with wealth, and nurtured a contentment with what we could afford by walking to the mailbox and pulling out a govt check.

Mata: We took the “love the one you’re with” and “why don’t we do it in the road” mentality, and injected it into our politics and culture… where it has festered and become an out of control monster.’

Arthur: Except they haven’t gone steadily downhill at all. Women have entered the work force in huge numbers. Important civil rights legislation was enacted. More people attend college. Life spans have lengthened. And on and on. Workplace safety has improved. By any standard this is a better place than it was sixty years ago.

Veered way off topic there, Arthur. This is about societal attitudes. Not our undeniable advances in medical, technology and civil rights during the decades. We are, and should be, proud of all. Then again, it’s happened while “excel” was still respected and desireable. With those advance came rewards… financial. Strip that away, and those advances will slow, if not stop.

But first a correction: women *re entered* the work force, and by choice. Rosie Riveters held this country together during the war, so they were no strangers to working. They returned home after the war to raise families and start suburbs.

When career women became an emerging trend.. oddly enough around the same time divorces became easy and acceptable by society, marriage less revered, and “love the one you’re with” a 60’s mantra taken to heart … equal rights in the workforce was addressed. A good thing.

However none of these advances has anything to do with increasing narcissism and self-entitlement of the American society. Remember the womens’ rights and work started in the 50-60s. It was still cool to excel then…

Colleges, of which there are more now than then, life spans, work conditions etc etc … all these advances have nothing to do with my point that Americans in the past half century have degenerated into a “gimme gimme” society, demanding entitlements, and wealth redistribution as the answer to a nations’ flaws.

Which brings us again to your final words, which best illustrate all of what Scriptamanent said:

If we’ve been consumed by anything it’s by the idea we as Americans are *better* than the rest of the world.

And it turns out that ain’t so.

Your perception of Americans believing “we are better” – as opposed to earlier generations recognizing we “have it better” – is the perfect example of being the “victims of ourselves” after generations of teaching a homogenous society is better than a society of spectrums.

When wealth distribution didn’t completely take over our capitalistic society in these decades, the socialists decided we didn’t have it so good afterall…. thus the self-loathing they have indoctrinated thru our schools. Big oil, which gave us our industrial growth and technological advances, is now a dirty word. Big business – which used to be a sign of success – is now considered a pariah.

Today we demonize the wealthy and successful. Instead of being thrilled and inspired by success, we became a nation that criticizes excellence and it’s rewards if it means there are those still in need.

Today, you are indicative of a society that asks for the ultimate trade off – lower/tax the excellent, and raise/give to the less than mediocre. In this way, we’ll create a homogenous nation of nothing outstanding or excellent. In this way, you believe we can stop the self-loathing, and not be embarrassed by American success stories.

So it surprises me not that you’d of course say “it turns out that ain’t so”… thus confirming the blame America mentality – all based on an extreme negative narcissism. Or, “victims of ourselves”.

But, at the same time…

Most of the movies that are shown on theaters are American. Spanish actors are usually very critic with USA, but they would die for working in Hollywood. Javier Bardem participated in many demonstrations against USA, Bush and the war in Iraq, but then he went running to get the Oscar the Americans gave him.

Seven out of the ten best selling books any week in Spain, are American.

Most of the TV movies and TV series that are shown on Spanish TV are American. Most of the TV shows, contests, realities… are copied from American TV.

The NBA is shown and followed regularly on TV, and not because Gasol is playing in the Lakers.

Every piece of cultural manifestation in USA has the strongest echo here, the last art exhibition in NY, or musicals in Broadway.

As of today, USA is not only the most important power military, but also technologically, economically and CULTURALLY. All over the world people are consuming, imitating, copying the American culture.

Dear American lefties, don’t listen to what we, Europeans, SAY. Look at what we DO. If we are imitating USA, if we want to be like you, maybe USA is not that bad.

I seem to recall a post where dear Arthur whined about me restating something that wasn’t specific enough for his/her likes,,,,,,

But,,,,, I am so happy to have you here to explain things for me since I’m so simple…

Thank you,,,, thank you,,,, you are a prince..

‘This is one of the few, if ever instances I will address Arthurstone..’

And he’s honored indeed.

She continued:

‘My parents are the WWII generation. These is nothing narcissistic about them, or that generation. They know sacrifice, loss, pride in country and humility. They worked for what they had, and took pride in what they earned. They did not feel entitled, nor request welfare programs from cradle to grave.’

My parents are of that generation as well. My father is a decorated WWII veteran who has voted Democratic his entire life, opposed the wars in Korea, Vietnam (one of the better examples of American narcissism run amok), Afghanistan & Iraq. But here he’s a traitor. Likewise my parents (Mother grew up extremely poor in East Texas) did not ‘feel entitled’, ‘nor request welfare programs…’ but they perfectly aware others were not so fortunate as they and whether for reasons of health, racial discrimination etc. gov’t programs to assist were and remain a worthwhile investment.

She added:

‘As far as I’m concerned, the generations of America have gone steadily downhill from there… including (and perhaps most especially) my own baby boomer generation. We made great music, but really suck at governing the country. It was my generation that started us on the road to deplorable public education indoctrination. We took the “love the one you’re with” and “why don’t we do it in the road” mentality, and injected it into our politics and culture… where it has festered and become an out of control monster.’

Except they haven’t gone steadily downhill at all. Women have entered the work force in huge numbers. Important civil rights legislation was enacted. More people attend college. Life spans have lengthened. And on and on. Workplace safety has improved. By any standard this is a better place than it was sixty years ago.

‘By striving to be “all tolerant”, we have come to stand for nothing. To have a sense of morality, one actually must recognize lines between what is perceived as good, and not good. Those lines are now all but erased in the interest not to “offend”.’

Nonsense. A dose of respect for people with skin a different color, speakers of different languages, sensitivity to others is a good thing. Did you sleep through kindergarden?

She added:

‘We are all consumed with being “loved” by the int’l community. Yet we never were. “The Ugly American” goes back decades. Instead we have so little sense of self – our favorite subject – anymore that we can only judge ourselves thru another’s eyes. And our perception of that comes from what the media writes… not personal experiences.’

The ugly American does indeed go back decades. Manifest Destiny, American Exceptionalism, The nasty habit of the good old US of A presuming to decide for folks all over the globe just what’s best for them. Far from being consumed wanting to be loved by the int’l community we have ignored since the beginning of the nation what others thought of us. If we’ve been consumed by anything it’s by the idea we as Americans are *better* than the rest of the world.

And it turns out that ain’t so.

I readily agree these leaders are more pro-American, but don’t think anyone ran as a pro-Bush candidate.

Aren’t Sarkozy and Berlusconi openly, admittedly, and unapologetically “pro-Bush”?

scriptament wrote:

I just read “The Anti-American obsession”, which I recommend for all American readers and particularly for leftish European readers.

Ah….Revel!

God bless you scriptament!

Arthur,,,

Surely you aren’t telling me “what I meant to say was” ??????
Are you?????
I thought you always posted exactly what you meant and expected everyone else to do the same??

Heh. I love the way you take your own inability to understand and spin it into somebody else’s inability to communicate. He was restating his ideas for simpletons so you’d finally have a fighting chance at getting something right. Alas, such was not to be. At least he tried.

P.S.: could you please work in some more commas? I haven’t received my RDA yet.