What is happening to America today?

[WingedHussar]

The new corporate-government leviathan gives us woke capitalism combined with anarcho-tyranny. It will not end well.

 

[Ridgerunner]

Except for the “anarcho” part, you’re describing fascism pretty well. It really is ironic how the neo-socialist Dem party turned into a neo-fascist party practically overnight. It was probably a gradual thing and I just didn’t see the movement.

Mildly interesting from an article:

"… economist Juliet Shor

found that during periods of particularly high wages, such as 14th-century England, peasants might put in no more than 150 days a year.

As for the modern American worker? After a year on the job, she gets an average of eight vacation days annually.

Of course, there was the plague to worry about.

 

[WingedHussar]

Not really, under fascism, the state is supposed to be supreme over business. I suspect Soros and Google are a bit higher on the totem pole than AOC, Biden, and Pelosi.

Anarcho-tyranny refers to the phenomenon we see of leftist governors and mayors allowing BLM, illegals, and Antifa to roam the streets and wreak havoc with no repercussions. However, people who have the temerity to defend themselves express a contrary opinion, or engage in similar action with the “wrong politics” find the full force of the paramilitaries in the streets, the woke twitterati, big business, and their local government all crashing down on them like a ton of bricks.

 

[Sarcelle]

Same here. On the other hand, I never had a boss looking over my shoulder and watching the clock to make sure I didn’t leave two minutes early.

Same here.

I’ve had good bosses and good jobs even if they didn’t last.

 

[Ridgerunner]

Pretty good, I would say.

But you know, self-employed people like myself could take lots of days off, but don’t.

 

[_Ruby]

Not just average, but 28 days is the legal minimum holiday allowance for UK workers, though i’m pretty sure we still at the bottom end of holiday allowance in Europe.

I currently am sat on 50ish days annual leave to take before the end of this year - I need to get it booked in asap!

 

[PaulinVA]

For now. After November, perhaps not. If the “enforcement arm” of the Dem party is able to continue physically dominating a number of cities despite the wishes of the citizens, then voter wishes are meaningless.

Praytell, to whom are you referring?

 

[Peeps]

1967-1968 were the strangest, most divisive times I have ever experienced and they resonate to this day.

I can go along with this, although I was only 10 years old then. But I knew my parents were scared, which made me scared.

I have to say, though, that this time in history reminds me of that time, especially with the rioting and shootings. I think it’s sad that back then, the killing of the students at Kent State essentially brought everyone to their senses, and I’m pretty certain we saw a lessening of campus violence, but today, it doesn’t seem to matter how many innocent people are killed or injured during the protests–they just keep doing their protests the same way, with marching, shouting, chanting, toppling monuments, and spray painting stuff, and sadly, physical violence. I don’t get it–I think a lot more would be accomplished if the protesters would go home, and work in peaceful, less “out there” ways to bring about justice and social change.

1. Go back to church and get involved with the programs that emphasize peace and justice.
2. Invite people who are not part of your “posse” or “social group” to your home, or out to a restaurant, and spend some hours talking and getting to know each other.
3. Pray.
4. Get active with local government; attend city council and/or county board (or whaetever they call it–different names in different towns and cities), speak up, write columns for the local newspapers, and get to know the local elected officials, especially those representing your neighborhood.
5. Vote. Don’t just talk about voting, vote.
6. Earn a reputation as a peacemaker and a reasonable, loving person.

Just some ideas that i think would probably be more likely to bring about positive results than marching after dark, yelling, carrying signs with trendy slogans, and being associated with people who destroy public and private property and defy the police and other public officials, and scare people to the point where they are no longer willing to listen to the protests.

 

[Nepperhan]

I have to say, though, that this time in history reminds me of that time, especially with the rioting and shootings. I think it’s sad that back then, the killing of the students at Kent State essentially brought everyone to their senses, and I’m pretty certain we saw a lessening of campus violence, but today, it doesn’t seem to matter how many innocent people are killed or injured during the protests–they just keep doing their protests the same way, with marching, shouting, chanting, toppling monuments, and spray painting stuff, and sadly, physical violence.

The riots and looting were much worse in '67-'68. Put in that the assassinations and the political turmoil after LBJ decided not to run! I just could not figure what was going to happen next. Then the FBI and local police (who were actively spying on leftist groups) killed Fred Hampton and Mark Clark in their beds in '69.

Most folks can cite Kent State but more black students were killed at South Carolina State and at Jackson State. What should be remembered is that many conservatives (like Thurmon Munson)
felt that the victims at Kent State ‘had it coming’.

The times were very strange.

 

[Pattylt]

Most folks can cite Kent State

I was at Ohio State the weekend of the Kent State shootings. I was a senior in HS visiting my cousin, deciding if I wanted to go there. I watched tanks roll down High St along the campus and was tear gassed to get us back in our dorm rooms…when they then launched a tear gas canister into the lobby of the dorm…it got into the duct system and we had to evacuate the building. I remember another student exclaiming, “What are we going to do? Attack them with our pencils?” Those were crazy and terrifying times.

The following weekend, I wanted to go back. OSU students were going to have a memorial for peace sit in for the killed students but my mom said, “are you nuts…no, you can’t go back!” I did go there the next year as a student…all was much quieter by then.

 

[Pattylt]

I’m one of the fortunate Americans that started with 28 days paid vacation/sick days…they are combined. After working there 25 years, they changed the policy that we couldn’t carry over earned vacation over a certain amount into the next year…which had many of us scrambling to take vacations…that we didn’t have enough personnel to cover. We “discussed” the problem with management explaining that they either had to continue to honor our earned vacation for another year to be able to use it…or, let us cash it out. They extended it another year so we could spread out long vacations with more time. My 27th and final year, I was able to work part time and vacation the other hours for a full year before I retired. They still had to cash me out about 60 hrs and then taxed the heck out of it! Still, all in all, really good benefits!

 

[Peeps]

The times were very strange.

They were indeed. I remember my parents whispering together (we had small houses back then!) and my mother saying that it might be the end of the world.

I’m thinking the same way about the current state of the U.S. I certainly think that we are very close to the end of the United States of America and the real possibility that the U.S. Constitution will be rejected by a majority of those elected this coming November, who will replace it with a “brave new world”.

I find this terrifying. I’m trying to have faith that God will protect us, but considering that there are people who profess Christianity but still believe that abortion should be legal–well, I trust God, but not his people, or at least those who profess to be His people.

 

[josie_L]

You’ve pretty much described every politician.

I had not in fact considered the abortion angle. If Trump is pro-life, I suppose that is one respect in which he is not nihilistic. Of course, his conversion to the pro-life cause did come rather late in life and coincided rather conveniently with his bid for the presidency…

 

[WingedHussar]

I believe it was genuine on the grounds that he floated the idea of criminalizing individuals who procure abortion.

 

[Ridgerunner]

Unfortunately, the kind of system you espouse is exactly what the rioters do not want. That’s what they’re trying to destroy.

I certainly think that we are very close to the end of the United States of America

I agree with you. It might already be over with. And consider this. People who don’t have a problem with killing babies are unlikely to have any regard for your welfare either.

Right now, I consider that I’m much too insignificant to attract the attention of the left, and I’m glad for that. But if Biden is elected, there might be a period in which “self-appointed commisars” go around looking for people to persecute. If Biden is elected, I’m probably going to be off CAF after all these years. I hate that, but any really sophisticated agency can track down the source of particular posts.

 

[Peeps]

I agree with you. It might already be over with. And consider this. People who don’t have a problem with killing babies are unlikely to have any regard for your welfare either.

Right now, I consider that I’m much too insignificant to attract the attention of the left, and I’m glad for that. But if Biden is elected, there might be a period in which “self-appointed commisars” go around looking for people to persecute. If Biden is elected, I’m probably going to be off CAF after all these years. I hate that, but any really sophisticated agency can track down the source of particular posts.

Ridgerunner, I follow your posts and I don’t think you’re being tongue-in-cheek with me.

I kind of feel like those people that Jesus talked about, who were busy doing their work and suddenly destruction came upon them.

The idea of the government controlling my life, my money, my time, my words and writings, my recreation, my health, my religious practices, and every movement is odious to me.

But from what I read here, a lot of Catholics are quite comfortable with that. I think ?? that my real-life Catholic friends and associates would strongly disagree with these "Democrat"Catholics, but since we haven’t been able to get together with them for several months, I’m not really sure anymore.

I think the Democrats and whatever organization(s) are controlling them are really happy that the pandemic has destroyed “normal” life for many of us and thrust us into a “twilight zone” in which we aren’t sure of anything anymore and feel off-balance and alone, and question whether WE are the crazy ones.

 

[Ridgerunner]

I don’t think you’re being tongue-in-cheek with me.

I absolutely am not. I’m quite serious.

 

[StudentMI]

The problem is that all democratic systems are based on the fallacy that all are equally fit to rule.

I think this captures the heart of the problem in a nutshell.

What we need in this country as in all countries is a truly Catholic elite formed by the best education has to offer with a solid grounding in the truth of the Faith.

 

[PaulinVA]

What we need in this country as in all countries is a truly Catholic elite formed by the best education has to offer with a solid grounding in the truth of the Faith.

How would this help in governance?

 

[Ridgerunner]

What we need in this country as in all countries is a truly Catholic elite formed by the best education has to offer with a solid grounding in the truth of the Faith.

That was once the case, or at least it was tried. Shortly after Catholic immigrants started coming in large numbers, Catholic grade schools, high schools, colleges and universities sprung up. They really did try to form a faithfully Catholic lady or gentleman. And they hoped such a group would guide this country in moral ways.

But the thing fell apart in the seventies, and now we see homosexual organizations recognized on most “Catholic” campuses and a lot of heterodoxy.