The term "Bread and Circuses" is credited to Juvenal, a Roman writer and satirist (Ad 55-127). He was describing the Roman citizens' enthusiasm for free food handouts and gladiatorial games at Circus Maximus and the Colosseum. He felt that Romans had lost the capacity to govern themselves through their mindless self-gratification.
"Bread and Circuses" is a phrase that can accurately be used to spin the American population. Americans are so addicted to entertainment and personal delight that they ignore civic accountability and gladly accept government authority with unflinching obedience.
California Sky Diving
Well, maybe some of us flinch a little. Reminds me of a story.
Three friends dared each other to go skydiving. They found a skydiving club and paid their money. After a short lesson, the instructor took them up to 8,000 feet and opened the door of the plane. Two friends jumped, but the third friend was too scared.
The instructor yelled, "If you don't jump right now, I'm going to hit you with this taser."
"Did you jump?" his friends asked him later.
"Well yes...a minute at first," was his reply.
Americans jumped "a minute at first" after the Revolutionary War and up into the early 1800s. But by 1860, they were willing to allow Lincoln to make war upon the Southern States and completely ignore the Constitution. It was all downhill from then until now.
Thankfully, there are still some American patriots that jump when person tries to attack them from behind, so to speak.
Just as Juvenal observed in his day, so I believe that Americans have lost the capacity to govern themselves.
Actions speak louder than words. Stated other way, if you want to learn what habitancy truly value, don't listen to what they say, only watch what they do.
The majority of American citizens want socialism. They may say that they are against socialism but they continue to elect and re-elect politicians that enact socialistic laws and regulations. They do not storm Washington when those politicians violate the Constitution and commit treasonous, criminal acts. They do not impeach and prosecute the criminals in Washington.
Naw..."Trueblood" is on Tv. "Transformers" is in the theaters. Football season is just colse to the corner. Michael Jackson and Farah Fawcett just died and we must mourn them.
America is on the auction block, and the administrative and Legislative branches of the Federal Government are the auctioneers. The American citizens expect their elected officials to "bring home the bacon," which means get more Federal dollars advent back home than they are sending to Washington. American citizens want more than their share.
America wants socialism.
Over the past 100 years, American citizens have become addicted to the money that comes to them from Washington. Because most Americans have their taxes automatically withheld from their paychecks, they don't feel the weight of their tax burden. So, it Feels like benefits are flowing from Washington back to home.
America wants socialism.
In 2008 and 2009, the Federal Government nationalized the banking industry, the venture industry, a giant assurance enterprise and part of the automobile industry. America barely made a peep.
America wants socialism.
Social Security, Medicare and Medicaid, the biggest entitlement programs in the history of the planet, have become as customary as the air we breathe. Conservatives in Washington accepted the big social welfare programs long ago, and don't lift a finger any more to fight against them...or even try to control their budgets. In fact, some of the biggest spending legislation ever enacted came from Washington while Conservatives controlled the House and Senate, and Republicans lived in the White House.
America wants socialism.
America totally forgave George Bush for lying the Usa into a Middle East war. American has completely accepted an ever-expanding worldwide military, and embraced the wars in Kuwait, Iraq and Afghanistan. They festoon everything with yellow ribbons, and "support the troops"...even when the soldiery are murdering foreign civilians and violating the Constitution with their actions abroad. (by the way, a tenet of communism was to spread communism by soldiery action. Americans think we're trying to spread democracy)
America wants socialism.
Washington politicians have gutted what was left of the Constitution since 2001. Personel liberties have been destroyed. The Patriot Act was enacted, the communication protection administration made airports into "no-rights zones," and the department of Homeland protection has vastly extensive its power over American citizens. All done with only a few whimpers and few objections.
America wants socialism.
The Obama administration is taking this window of occasion to take over condition care and condition assurance in the Usa. American citizens have watched the nation's assurance companies destroy the condition assurance industry. There are over 40 million Americans today without any condition assurance at all. So, it's a perfect moment to do a government takeover. American citizens are exhausted from fighting to get condition insurance. They want condition assurance at any cost, and are willing to trust Uncle Sam to run the healthcare and condition assurance system.
Americans want socialism. And Americans are getting socialism as swiftly as Washington can deliver it.
I always used to think that America was being misused and abused by Washington. I have changed my mental about that. I believe that Washington is simply giving America what it wants.
Perhaps the Washington politicos are the most astute observers of human behavior. They are honestly the best at survival.
Curious, though...that last paragraph also aptly describes the relationship between a leech and its host.
"It is hard Not to write satire." ~Juvenal , Roman satirist, writing about the Rome of his day)
Bread and Circuses - America's Insatiable Desire For Socialism
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